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…
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 - PASTEL PENCILS - AVOCADO Now that my pastel pencils have finally arrived, and I had a nice quiet day on my own today, I was able to settle down and work on the first project in the fourth module of the course, which is pastel pencils. I had thought…
NEW PASTEL PENCILS, AND COLOURING SOME OLD DRAWINGS Faber Castell pastel pencils My new pastel pencils arrived today, a day earlier than scheduled, which is excellent. Tomorrow I am hoping to settle down and begin the Pastel Pencils module on the art course, which I have had to delay because my existing set…
ONLINE ART COURSE - BEGINNING A NEW MODULE - PASTEL PENCILS, AND MORE WONKY VEG Colour at last! It seems really strange to be embarking on colour, after the first three modules which were all monochrome - graphite, charcoal and ink pens with black watercolour. I really love working in monochrome and shall…
REMAKING A BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF KNITTING A beautiful and generous gift A couple of years ago an artist friend gave me a beautiful knitted stole she had made. I was absolutely thrilled to receive this as it was so brightly coloured and very much her style. However, a stole is not something I…
COMPLETING THE INK PENS SELF-DIRECTED CHALLENGE, A COUPLE OF DRAWINGS IN MY SKETCHBOOK, AND A NEW EASEL I have now completed the final project in the Ink Pens module - three small drawings. I did the third one first (the teddy) and then the first one (the padlock) and have now done the…
