SKETCHES W/S PENS

I thought I would show you how I sketch 'en plein air' quickly.  This is the Wayferers Arcade in Southport, a Victorian building with a glass roof, and it was a nightmare looking at the roof so I left it out. Yep, if there is an easy way to do something I will find it.  I sketched first using a stabilo water soluble pen and then with a brush pen containing water, I softened the darker areas.

The same here, using a brown stabilo (two sized nibs). It was a lovely apron shop in Pienza in Tuscany painted at the end of the day. I was on a course with my favourite artist Hazel Soan, yep I'm a groupie!

I am appealing for help on behalf of a friend of mine who excitingly has had work accepted for a really good gallery, and will need prints.  She is fairly new to art and selling her work.  I wondered if anyone reading this in the UK can give her any addresses where she can make enquiries.  She really needs something nice to happen to her at this time.  You can leave information in my comments and I will pass them on to her. Check out her lovely quirky town paintings on http://nuggletonbythesea.blogspot.co.uk

GRASMERE IN THE SNOW

We've recently popped up to Grasmere in the Lake District.  This is a view of Sam Read's Bookshop (yes it is called Read's)  This was painted after a previous visit.

It is one of those places that feels like a second home.  We are lucky to live nearby to either pop up for the day or a short break.  Grasmere is famous for Dove Cottage (Wordsworths quaint old home) and there is a really well stocked art shop (I always go in there) who sell prints of a well known lake district painter William Heaton Cooper, they are brilliant do check them out.  Apparently he would sit hours waiting for the right light to sketch from.

Oh, and by the way, I found my old school folder, going back .......... years!!!  If you want to take a peek I am putting some on my other blog http://pollyluvspaintingetc.blogspot.com  and comparing them to my work now.  I thought I'd mention it because although the schoolwork is in poster paint, the other work will be watercolour.

You may have your old school work or memories of painting when you were young.  I'd love to hear your stories.

FLUTTERBY

Yes, I did call them flutterby when I was a likkle girl.  I was looking through other blogs when I noticed that Laura Moore (check out her new website and blog, brilliant) was doing a butterfly at her art society, so I decided to semi join it for one night only!  Here is my try  ................ having a nightmare, my laptop is down, this pc is like going back to dial up.  I have downloaded some paintings from my camera and now cannot find them.  Will continue this post at a later date (I am not happy)

Got there in the end.

I have not been able to check out all your blogs and now have lots of delicious art to look at.  I love this blogging.

CHOCOHOLIC

Yes, I'm a chocoholic! So what did I decide to paint today  ...................  ?

Copied from a brochure where you join a chocolate club. How dangerous would that be? I couldn't paint from real chocolates, they would have been eaten in no time.  The shadow hasn't worked on the left of the white chocolate so must add that.  Good news is we had some chocolates, it being Sunday, after our dinner, they were our absolute favourite little chocolate squares from Friars in Keswick (The Lake District).

What are your favourite chocolates?

I HATE PAINTING FLOWERS!

Yes, it's true, I don't like painting flowers BUT I have been inspired by my blogging friends results, so I did the holly before Christmas and now I have done a poinsettia (can't be bothered getting a dictionary to check the spelling).  I first did a wet in wet mixed colour background and then painted the negative shapes, so it sorta looks ok.  I used a red picture but decided to change the colour.

Feel like a proper artist describing my process!!!  Don't think I'll be doing many flowers, but enjoyed the challenge nevertheless.  Thanks for the inspiration ..................

OLD WELLIES

Just thrown these wellies away, they were so uncomfortable, and I now have a spanking new pair of flowery ones.  I have painted these ancient ones for posterity.

****!!!!! WHAT IS HAPPENING!  Tried to download my pic from my computer and have been blocked by google. Yesterday I felt really sorry for Laura Moore,(check her blog it's excellent) now it is me who is incensed and I am downloading  a file to picasa as I speak, before I can download just one photo onto my blog.  Is anyone else in this situation?  Laura was complaining about it on facebook. Flipping heck (thats not what I'm saying in my head). Life should get simpler not harder.

Quite frankly, I've lost interest in the wellies now.  Sulk, sulk

Added this today Monday, downloaded Chrome and can now download pics from computer, thanks Sharon!

Have been trying to set up a page on Facebook.  Am I worn out mentally.  And I havent finished yet.  Taking a welcome break and back to my blog.  I saw Sharon Whitley had painted her walking boots, they look really worn out, do look at them ...... here are mine

I now have a more comfy pair, pity about my feet, which are not made for walking!