GREEN MARBLES IN COLOURED PENCILS My third post today! Shiny, transparent and/or reflective surfaces I've always been fascinated by these. I know that all that glisters is not gold, but I do love a bit of bling, and I love the play of light in and around transparent objects. For years I have…
TEABAG STAINS - AN UNEXPECTED RESULT My second post today. From previous blog posts, you will know that I often dry used teabags on watercolour paper, where they leave gorgeous stains that you can then doodle on. I've got a box of pieces of watercolour paper (some of them reject paintings of my…
ONLINE ART COURSE - TREE FROG IN INK PENS AND WATERCOLOUR Starting a new module I have just begun a new module on the art course - watercolour with ink pens. This is a development of the earlier one on ink pens, which also included the use of a black watercolour wash. Ink…
COLOURED PENCILS - A BOWL OF PEBBLES, AND A CASE FOR MY AMAZON BASICS PENCILS In my bathroom I have quite a collection of pebbles which I have picked up on the beach on various occasions. I love the colour and variation, and the different textures, in pebbles - it is surprising how…
ONLINE ART COURSE - COMPLETING THE PASTEL PENCILS MODULE, THE FIRST SHEET OF PEPPERMINT TEABAG STAINS, AND COLOURED PENCIL UPDATE Pastel Pencils Self-Directed Challenge - Facial Features This afternoon I finished this challenge at last. It's been a busy couple of weeks, what with being ill and getting my new glasses and various…
NEW ART MATERIALS, MORE TEABAG STAINS, AND CATARACT NEWS Coloured pencils A couple of years ago I got a set of Derwent Coloursoft pencils. These wax-based coloured pencils are very soft and creamy, and blend very well, but it is impossible to retain a sharp point on them and they are not good…
ONLINE ART COURSE - SELF-DIRECTED CHALLENGE PT 2 Today I completed the second facial feature on the self-directed challenge in pastel pencils. I'm not entirely happy with the result, but the ear is a complicated structure. The lighting on the reference photo was pretty strong, resulting in lots of contrast, but I think…
ONLINE ART COURSE - PASTEL PENCILS - SELF-DIRECTED CHALLENGE It's hard to believe that we have come to the end of the fourth module of the course! How time flies... As always, the final project is the "self-directed challenge" where Phil, the teacher, gives us something to do and then leaves us to…
3-D MANDALA - METAL WITH PINK GEMSTONES, A NEW DRAWING TOOL, AND A HEALTH UPDATE 3-D Mandala Background First of all, I am not involved in any way with the spiritual aspects of mandalas. I just enjoy drawing them as an art concept. The way one builds up concentric circles with different patterns…
ONLINE ART COURSE - PORTRAIT IN PASTEL PENCILS, AND ANOTHER UTI The third project in the pastel pencil drawing module of the course was a charming portrait of a little girl blowing bubbles. When I first saw what we were expected to draw, as always, I thought it was much too hard! However,…
