Pen and Pencil Sketches

Enjoying the good weather sitting outside in the garden, the little black book of sketches comes out again, and two more blank sheets are drawn upon .
The first, a pen sketch copying from a book - there are no firemen in my garden !



The second a pencil drawing of one of my garden ornaments. She is currently lying on her side and already, the weeds are trying to claim her.
It reminds me of the poem by Rudyard Kipling "Letting in the Jungle"

In the Garden

In the garden, when the sun is shining, but not too hot, I sit outside on the patio at my little bistro table and I sketch.
These little pen sketches are not the local wildlife, but little practice pieces from a book called "I can Draw"
Can I draw? I'm always learning!

From Life or Photo?

Painting from life is full of unexpected things happening, as this sketch of Missy's ear, eyebrow and eye show........


So, if you're not brilliantly quick on the draw, wait until your pet is asleep....


otherwise, use a judiciously taken photo to create your masterpiece


As you can see, I am not an artist who sticks to "life" only. I do use photos where it will give me a better painting than scrabbling around after a favourite dog! But I also draw daily - but usually items that don't move :)

Wilbur "at Home"

One of the nicest things about making paintings for other people is when I hear how delighted they are once they receive them.
Even more delightful is when they send me pictures of the painting, all framed up and hanging on the wall.
Then you know the painting is truly loved - and that warms the cockles of my heart.

So, it gives me great pleasure to show off Wilbur in his new home, happily hanging on the wall, looking down on his owner, with love .

Wilbur.........

So happy together

On this journey with watercolour and my dog, have I shown you a picture of us both?
Well here we are, out on a walk, happy to be together and enjoying the super sunny day!

The other constant companion is my slimline camera, a Fujifilm A850.
I love it because its as slim as a pack of cards and is very lightweight, making it ideal for the roving artist. After all, you never know when you will capture an inspirational scene - or a happy moment!

You Are Not Alone

The title of this painting is "You Are Not Alone"
Painted for a very dear friend who lost her jack russell, Jazzie, to liver cancer. The rose is one bought in remembrance of Jazzie and it has flowered each year.
I wanted this painting to show Jazzie "sniffing" her rose, to convey the message to the lady who loved her so much, that Jazzie was never far away, and she was not alone.
It is a very sentimental painting - and the sentiment is love.
No finer feeling in this world - or the next!

Christmas is coming!

I know, its only September.
I have started a painting just yesterday that will be someone's Christmas present - and I have had two people ask me to do pencil portraits so they can be given as presents.
Its wise to get in early, I suppose, but it does make you realise that time is flying by.

I can't really show you what I've been painting, so instead you'll have to make do with a doodle I drew a few days ago. Meet Oscar. Why Oscar? Why, because he's wild!