Toyota Aygo

25 min wc pencil and watercolours in sketchbook

A few minutes to spare waiting in a car park, what else to sketch but a car? My son recognised what it was immediately which was comforting. I must be getting better at cars... maybe.

Lady of the Lake

Lady of The Lake after Howard Pyle

I really enjoy inkwork, there's something so relaxing about inking... its really me!

Teddy's Surprise

60 minute study 10" x 8" oils on deep canvas

It was evident that Teddy was surprised. He had thought there was nothing in the world that could surprise him anymore, he had seen it all. But this.... was something else.

Teddy in Sienna

60 min water mixable oils on canvas paper

Used limited palette of raw sienna, burnt sienna, ivory black and titanium white.

I rather like Teddy's new look and I really enjoyed the challenge of using such a limited palette. It freed me from worrying too much over colour and gave me the opportunity to concentrate more on moulding the form, getting the light/dark contrasts and having a whole lot of fun!

I will be using this palette again I think in a larger work on canvas.

After Howard Pyle

Ink on HP paper

Howard Pyle was a children's book illustrator and amongst other things he illustrated pirate and adventure stories. I just love a good story and as I also love inkwork I couldn't resist having a go at this one... tells it's own story, doesn't it?

These little studies are all drawn freehand in ink and then ink washes applied. I find working in ink much easier than working in paint. Perhaps it's because I am not worrying so much about colour and concentrating more on values.