Just had to sketch this beautiful building in Bologna, even though I won't be visiting there, such rich earthy tones! It's shape reminds me a little of Ikworth House here in the UK.
I booked our Tour today!!!!!!!!!!!
OMG!!!!!
We fly on the 15th May 2011 but will travel up the day before and stay at a hotel near the airport for our early rise to capture the 7am flight into Rome.
I am just so excited!
I would love to visit the Borghese, filled with Berninis wonderful sculptures, while on my trip. So I have been looking into opening times etc...
It may be possible to purchase tickets online before leaving and visit the Borghese the afternoon we arrive, as we will land in Rome at 10.25am.
Of course, Caffe Greco is also on my list of wishes...the oldest cafe in town dating from 1760. My research shows that this is in the same area as the Borghese (approx 22 min walk/12 min by car) so, again, it seems like a real possibility. Ooooh!
A quick sketch and some research on opening times of the Vatican and the Sistine...still awaiting confirmation from our agent as to whether the optional tour around these beautiful buildings is available during our stay.
Orvieto Cathedral is so decorative, can't wait to see it in real life.
Noodlers bullet proof black ink and watercolour in Italian Trip Preparation sketchbook.
In Venice with my travel preparation sketchbook, can't remember where I sketched this from; a flickr source or a DVD still?
Trying my hand at multiple buildings this time.
Noodlers Bullet proof black ink and watercolour.
A different tour with a different company. Advantages of this tour are that you change hotels, so you are actually based where you want to be rather than based in Tuscany and taking 'day trips'.
This tour leaves from Gatwick, none of the local airports we were hoping for, but to stay in Rome......ahhhhh, now that's a teaser!
The main reason for the enquiries into this tour is that the rep with the other company could not guarantee me a visit to the Sistine during the one and only day we would be in Rome. With this tour, we have the choice of an optional visit to the Sistine. I am currently waiting to hear back from their agent as to whether the tour includes transfers to the Vatican. If it doesn't, we can make our own way there without worrying if we will ...
A) make it in time
B) miss the coach back to the hotel in Tuscany because we are just a cab ride away from our yummy Rome hotel.
...and we have more than one day in Rome to make it happen!
Oooooh, this tour also includes Venice, the other tour did not. Joan has been to Venice before but is quite happy to re-visit and I am thrilled it's on the itinerary.
Soooooooooooo excited!
Verona and the balcony of love
Noodlers Bullet Proof Black ink and watercolour
In Rome again in my Italy 2011 preparation sketchbook
Noodlers Bullet Proof Black ink and watercolour
7x9"
Noodlers Walnut ink and watercolour
One of the many fabulous buildings in Cambridge sketched ready to show at the Gallery in their Christmas exhibit.
Spread 11 in my arthouse sketchbook Project book.
Yes, I have included the shoe passion, hinted at the coffee addiction and now I have to include the fascination that has become so much a part of my everyday life...sketching!
A quick sketch this time of the beautiful Capitaniato a Vicenza by Palladio
Sketched from a DVD still using Noodlers Lexington Gray ink and watercolour while standing in my lounge.
I thought it would be good to practice sketching while standing incase seating is difficult on location. Not an easy task, it changes everything, suddenly all comfort is lost and balancing a palette and water would be very difficult...this is where the magical waterbrush becomes useful!
I ordered 'Francesco's Italy-Top to Toe' on DVD and it arrived on the 22nd September. It's a wonderful 4 part series with each series lasting a full hour. Francesco drives from one end of Italy to the other in his cool little red sports car visiting many of the galleries and revealing tid bits of history. A great DVD to pause and sketch from.
My history is terrible, my geography even worse and my memory is bordering senile, so this DVD is proving most interesting. LOL!
The agent from Newmarket Travel has proved very vague with information to help me with my plans to visit the Sistine Chapel while on their Tuscany tour and it is VITAL to me that I get to see this magnificent ceiling during my trip....it has been my wish for a long time. So, I started looking at other tours with other companies with Joans approval, of course. Hoping we can fulfil both our aims with a little more security than 'You should be able to fit it in and get tickets on the day'
Noodlers Lexington Gray ink and watercolour
Ahhhh, the Galleria Borghese, home to many of Bernini's beautiful sculptures. I'd love to be able to browse through here during my trip.
Joan and I have been making changes to our itenerary, so it could yet be possible.
Noodlers Walnut ink and watercolour
Assisi is my preparation sketch this time and the Basilica of St Francis.
Noodlers red/blk in and a splash of watercolour..A timed sketch of 10 mins.
I am frustrated by the shadow I'm getting when scanning these spreads, the pages are causing a slight ridge that the scanner seems to emphasise....Annoying! This would make things tricky if I wanted to do anything with the sketches I make during my actual trip on my return. I do have a couple of sketchbooks filled with same paper, made by the same company that are accordian in style. They come complete with fancy boxed covers and as they are accordian...they lie completely flat. The trick would be keeping the pages together while I sketch so they don't cascade all over the place on location but I think two carefully placed elastic bands would solve this.
I am so pleased I decided to test the sketchbook before I go. Other perks to creating a preparation sketchbook is that I have somewhere to channel my overwhelming excitement, which I am sure is boring my family rigid, and I get to see what kind of palette I will require...as I intend to take a more limited palette than the one I use at home but with bigger wells so I don't run out of the colours I need.
So here it is....The sketchbag I purchased for my 2011 Italian trip. It has so many pockets and compartments and was an absolute bargain in the sale!
The had a cream and brown leather trim one but for me....it just had to be bold, daring and ourageously RED!
More for my trip preparation sketchbook and this time over to Venice in the Ghetto Vecchio. Venice isn't on the itenerary that we are considering, it's simply impossible to fit the whole of Italy into 7/8 nights. Joan and I both had our priority spots and we've planned our trip around those (Siena and Rome) but I shall return one day and Venice will be on my priorities when I do.
Noodlers Walnut ink and watercolour.
I am really enjoying the Walnut soluable ink for architecture, as it dissolves with the watercolour application it adds tone and depth. The Daniel Smith watercolour lends itself perfectly here, rich golds and earthy reds.
*Note to all you watercolourists from the UK...Daniel Smith watercolours are now available from Jacksons Art:
San Michele Archangelo, Perugia is the next spread in my trip 2011 preparation sketchbook.
Watercolour and Noodlers Lexington Gray ink
The 10th spread in my Arthouse Project sketchbook is a confession....an addiction....my passion for coffee.
I have to say...I enjoy every single cup!
Assisi Cathedral and a few questions to ask the travel agent when I called.
Lexington Gray Noodlers ink and watercolour in my A5 Italian trip preparation sketchbook.
After much consideration and comparison, hours with a travel agent and Joan working her wonders with maps and mileage....This is the tour we are currently, seriously considering!
There is so much we want to fit in that it means we will get just one day in all of them while being based at Chianciano Terme. A taster of Italy really.
The trip flies from Norwich, Joans local airport (just 10 mins from her) , and includes Rome (my must see) and Siena (Joans must see) I am awaiting answers to a few questions from the agent and have plans to visit Joan in October so we can chew over details and venture down to the travel agent to possibly make our booking.
So exciting!
Somersham, Huntingdon Cambridgeshire UK
Arrived early for a dental appointment, so I ventured into the graveyard and made use of the bench there to grab a quick sketch.
Off to Venice this time in my Italy trip prep book and a great reference taken by Jose Mazcona that's full of straight lines....good practice!
Atrani and Positano scenes along the Amalfi coast are the next entries in my travel prep sketchbook....Just getting a feel for the architecture that is Italy!
This is so much fun!
Both are sketched from Flickr sources and both in Noodlers Walnut ink, Positano has additional watercolour washes.
Another entry in my Italian Trip 2011 Preparation sketchbook, this time Rome and the beautiful home of Bernini's 'Ecstacy of St Teresa'
I'm not yet sure where Joan and I will be heading in Italy but I am sure that a day trip to Rome will be on the list with all that amazing Baroque architecture....I dream of Rome!
This was sketched using aphotograph by John S Y Lee on my netbook using Noodlers red/blk ink and a waterbrush.
The second entry in my Italian Trip 2011 Preparation sketchbook is this wonderful Museum that used to be a prison and place of execution....It must be quite an eerie place to visit but well worth the goosebumps to see Bernini's 'Costanza' bust I'm sure!
Noodlers red/blk ink and watercolour - Approx. 10 mins - sketched from my netbook.
The first spread in my new Italian 2011 Trip Preparation Sketchbook - Basilica Di Santa Maria Della Salute, Venice. Sketched from a photograph by Jonathon Sisson using Noodlers red/blk ink and watercolour.
I sketched it using my netbook while lying on the sofa and when the screen went blank I stopped and got my watercolours out and worked it until my screen went blank again. I'm not sure how long you get before the screen blanks, I'll have to time it, but I'm sure it's not much more than 10 mins
I have decided to start a sketchbook for studies and information in preparation for my Italian trip in 2011. I'll be adding notes of interest to me and studying the architecture using Flickr, DVD stills and various books as photographic resources. Things like palette choices, sketch kit, kit bag will also be chewed over along with notes on the trip itinerary (just as soon as a choice has been made between myself and my travel companion, Joan) I have chosen a Jacksons A5 sketchbook made by Seawhite of Brighton for this purpose, in the hope it will prove an adequate journal choice for my actual trip. My reasons for choosing this book to experiment with it that it fits in the bag I have in mind, it has bright white, smooth pages, it fits in my scanner making scanning double spreads easy and the A5 portrait format gives me plenty of room for notes and tall buildings. It is a hardback book so it should take some wear and tear and, although it isn't filled with watercolour paper, it takes washes without crinkling.
I had, of course, considered the Venezia sketchbook for the trip, but it is a little taller than a normal A5 and does not fit in the bag I hope to take...Shame really, I love the Venezia books but if this book doesn't cut the grain, then perhaps I'll buy a different bag!
Cadbury's 'Flake' chocolate cake...Not really my thing, I'm more of a madeira gal' but my boys love it!
I love big rings!
These were a gift from a good friend during a recent shopping trip together.
The only problem with an 8x8" journal is that it doesn't fit into the scanner when you do a full double spread, so I had to photograph this one.
Just a selection of bits 'n' pieces hanging around the house at the time!
This is one of the many shoe related gifts my good friend Joannie has given me over the years. She always buys me such personal gifts that completely match who I am, what I like or how I feel. In selecting these little pressies she proves she has taken time to know me, that she cares, understands, listens...that our friendship is something to be cherished and protected.
I feel blessed to have her in my life.
View from Camping Close, Haddenham, Ely, Cambridgeshire. UK
I have a glass pot in the studio that's filled with items my youngest Son and I have found together while walking in the park or woods, along the river or beach. We call it our 'lost and found' pot. These shells are part of our collection.
Had a really good clean through the studio; tidied, hoovered, dusted, organised and de-cluttered. It feels wonderfully spacious again now.
Location: Clarice House, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. UK.
I treated my friend Jane to a birthday lunch at Clarice House, we had such a lovely day together.
This is spread number nine in my Arthouse Sketchbook Project
Ramsey, Cambridgeshire, UK
Noodlers Red/Blk ink and watercolour in sketchbook
This is the third and final sketch I managed during a short trip into Ramsey at the weekend. Ramsey is packed with wonderful architecture.
This is a quick sketch of the Great Whyte Baptist Church, a building I have wanted to sketch for some time now.
Ramsey, Cambridgeshire, UK
Noodlers Walnut ink and watercolour in sketchbook
This is one of three sketches I managed during a short trip into Ramsey at the weekend. Ramsey has some wonderful architecture.
This is a quick sketch of the old Abbey gatehouse.
The abbey was one of the oldest English monasteries, founded as early as the 7th century. The gatehouse is all that remains of the Great Gate of the monastery, built around 1475.
Ramsey, Cambridgeshire, UK
Bullet proof black ink and watercolour in sketchbook
This is one of three sketches I managed during a short trip into Ramsey at the weekend. Ramsey has some wonderful architecture.
This isn't the first time I have sketched this building, you can see my other sketch here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/anitadavies/3523068099/in/set-72157616545674333/
The woman is a sketch while taking a latte at the Tesco cafe and the buildings are a view into Harvest Close in Doddington, Cambridgeshire from the graveyard layby the following day.
A very quick sketch of the Post Office roof in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, a beautiful building.
Red/Blk Noodlers ink in sketchbook.
The old barn renovation in Harvest Close, Doddington sketched from Bevills Close.
Cambridgeshire, UK
Spread number eight for my Arthouse Sketchbook Project are my beaded and sequined summer shoes...of which I have many variations.
These are one of my favourites.
More DVD stills, this time from 'The Impressionists'.
Watercolour and ink on collage papers in sketchbook
Harry is back at school, so this is my last entry in his Summer journal for this year.
The Griffin Hotel and March Museum.
That's March, Cambridgeshire, UK not the month of March.
Harry and I took a trip to the Butterfly park. We spent a lovely afternoon there in the sunshine!
© All images and text remain the copyright of Anita Davies
