Sunday 30 April 2017

Quick sketch

We don't always have the time for a detailed drawing whilst out and about.  I take a brush pen with me, so I can capture enough of a scene to draw from later....


 

 

Get the idea?


Tuesday 25 April 2017

Sketch notes

Not just paintings, but sketches at Arlington. This sketch was a quick note to remind me of the  scene. Likely I will do a large painting in this style.  




Saturday 22 April 2017

En plein air


Another lovely day painting at Arlington.  This could get a little repetitive for you to read, so all I'll say is ...

I REALLY ENJOYED THE DAY


(Painting to be completed in the studio)




My set up was near the Carriage Museum and Church, so I've made a note for some more painting scenes in the future...









See what I mean, from these images above.  How could I resist painting.

This next painting is small, approx. 8" x 6" incl. matt/mount board

The Fields at Arlington Court








Saturday 15 April 2017

Sketching

Just had another lovely day painting and sketching at Arlington Court here in North Devon.

....this sketch is across two pages in my concertina Seawhite sketchbook.  It takes watercolour well.


~ The Arcade Carriage Museum ~





Although the above sketch wasn't my main aim on this visit, I did get some reference work done, including the Granary....



quick sketch - ink and watercolour
(a loosen up, get the feel for the place exercise)

* * *

This next painting could become a completed work, once framed with a matt/mount board.
(measures 12" x 9")
Drawn with dip ink using my 'improvised pen' - a piece of bamboo with a matchstick in it - matchstick sharpened to a point.  It gives a random line, which sometimes can be better than using a standard pen


I moved position a couple of times whilst there and got another view of this granary,
which as you see, still awaits watercolour which I will do in the studio.




The great advantage to being there in person, is that the scene and feel of the place imprints itself in the brain,  completing a painting at home is like I'm still there.


I was delighted when my friend Elsie Roff happened along.  Being a great photographer she took some photos of me drawing....


Can you tell it was windy and cold there, I was prepared with extra jumpers as layers but even so I got frozen brrrrr!, which is when I retreated to the arcade
.......ahhh what artists go through, lol.


🎨  ðŸŽ¨  ðŸŽ¨




Monday 10 April 2017

Arlington Court paintings.....


Well, I knew I would do other versions of the main house at Arlington, and over the weekend I worked on a Line and Wash version.  Have to admit that Line and Wash paintings are my all time favourites to do and think I will stick with this technique, apart from landscapes of the countryside around the estate....

(this painting is small approx 7" x 6")

*******


This painting is approx. 12" x 9"





Sunday 9 April 2017

Completed painting.....

.....worked in my studio on the painting I started at Arlington Court the other day.



I wanted to give the full width view face on, but also show that it is set in extensive grounds with a large lawned area in front of it.  That I believe I achieved.

Very happy with the result, 
but I do intend to do more paintings of this scene, perhaps in varying styles.

At the time I also did some sketching, that helps a lot for later reference and seems to fix the scene in my brain.  The sketchbook will be nice to look back over at a later time too, so I chose a concertina sketchbook for this and hope to make this a 'Journey around Arlington Court'.








here's a very short clip video of the sketchbook so far....


Looking forward to filling this sketchbook in.


Having sat in front of the property, it has given me a good feel for it 
(much better than any photograph could do).

🎨🖌🎨🖌🎨🖌










Friday 7 April 2017

New role at Arlington Court

Excited to say that I started a new role as a volunteer at Arlington Court National Trust today.

That of 
Volunteer Artist

something I have wanted to do and thought about for years, even whilst volunteering for the Trust over the last 5 years or so.  There are so many lovely scenes over there that finally I decided to go for it and much to the delight of the staff at Arlington, I have now actually started painting the wonderful views there.

I'm going to Donate all the paintings I do to
Arlington for them to Sell, produce Prints etc.
My way of fund raising for them.

I absolutely loved my first session en plein air painting in front of the main house.


Gorgeous weather was a great bonus, if a little hot at one point,
but who am I to say, I had waited for good weather and it was on my side.






I'll do another blog post when I have completed the
painting in my studio.

Looking forward to the rest of the season.








Monday 3 April 2017

Tyntesfield

Another National Trust
(we enjoy these properties, had you guessed)


a Victorian Gothic house

We have been here before, but since our last visit
they have done some decorating on the building
- the downpipes for one thing.
Thought this was out of keeping really and emphasises a
not so attractive feature, but hey, such is the decision.


Thought the creamy/yellow paint looked better around these windows...



and now for some pictures from 
inside.
This is one very ornate doorway








This table and chairs in the next photo were a 'Set'.
Tyntesfield was used for a TV program 'Sherlock' ?? think I'm right on that.

Anyway, they left this staged setup for visitors to see the
actual room where a scene was filmed.
(can you guess that was completely lost on me!!!) 


I much preferred seeing this fancy light above the billiard table


and clearly another visitor thought the same, lol.










No, they didn't have 'blinds' at the windows back in the day. These are used throughout the National Trust properties to restrict the light damaging objects in the rooms.

Tyntesfield has its own church attached to the main house




and finally the walk around Tyntesfield was over
- I head back to the car after one last photo looking over towards Weston-super-Mare.