My Feet

05-06-13b, a photo by Anita Davies on Flickr.

Sketched using an inktense pencil

Bernini

07-10-10
Originally uploaded by Anita Davies

Berninis' St Teresa

A very quick sketch in my Italian Trip 2011 preparation sketchbook using an inktense pencil (Bark I think)

Giorgio Bordin for JKPP

GiorgioBordin-JKPP
Originally uploaded by Anita Davies

Inktense over watercolour on Arches 90lb rough paper
Ref:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gbordin/3304098116/

Victorian Pin-Up

Journal spread sketched from my Olivia De Berardinis book while watching 'The Victorians' on TV.

My Son, Harry (10), has finally updated his blog. He's posted some Simpson sketches he made and has more to come over the next few days.
You can check them out HERE

St Mary Magdalene

St Mary Magdalene church, on the Sandringham estate, is quite beautiful. It's a small church that far exceeds your expectations on entry, brimming with treasures and decorative features. Whenever I visit such a place I try to purchase a guide book as a memory, I used the guide book from this Royal venue as a reference to create this spread in my journal.

I think I am missing the great outdoors...roll on Summer!

Experimental Harry

These first sketches of Harry were made using a water brush filled with black ink, diluted with a little water. I keep two of these in my handbag, one black and one nut brown, for adding quick tones to sketch but have never used them to sketch directly with. It was a little scary to start with, such bold lines but by the third study I was enjoying myself and the challenge.



Trying to capture a moving subject is always a challenge, so when I noticed Harry playing with his toys in the lounge I grabbed my sketchbook. I used the nut brown water brush to add some tone to the study above and watercolour for the one below.




Harry offered to model for my Wednesday art class this week where we ran through a series of very short poses. Seating a model in a sketch is always challenging, so we had a few poses with Harry sitting to practice, below are three instructional studies I made during our session.
All are made using Inktense pencils but the blue in the bottom sketches did not scan well, so I've turned them monochrome to make them more visable.

CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE

Thing-A-Day - Day Four

04February09-SP
Originally uploaded by Anita Davies

Another self portrait, this time using a 'Bark' coloured Inktense pencil.
Spent approx. 25-30 mins on this one while watching TV with a shaving mirror resting on the arm of my sofa.
A little kinder this time, although my roll neck jumper isn't flattering my neck and chin area especially well.
I had intended wetting the ink up with a waterbrush after sketching but hunger set in and I started dinner instead.

A Few Of My Favourite Things

My youngest Son, Harry, surfing the net in my studio.

Pineapple...Yum! Always been a favourite of mine, pineapple juice is what I order when I'm at a bar or in a restaurant.

The little hexagon pattern represents the game Pathwords on Facebook, a recent addiction of mine.

Heavy Metal

I managed to whip my journal out again between moves during our Monday night pole dancing class.
Tuesday night was spent in front of the TV AGAIN, watching 'Imagine'. This week's focus was on sculpture by Richard Serra who uses sheet metal by the ton to create huge installations.

Day 22 - The Voice Of Balthus

One must always draw, draw with the eyes, when one cannot draw with a pencil.

Balthus

Life Drawing At Gainsborough House

Acrylic on stretched canvas - Pose:1 hour

My six hour day at Gainsborough House on Saturday with a life model and an hour break for lunch. 5 full hours of life drawing!
I took everything but the kitchen sink and I used most of it, I even set up my easel and painted.

Noodlers ink in A4 sketchbook - Pose: Unknown/Models discretion

Inktense on watercolour paper - Pose: 15 mins

Conte on sugar paper - Pose:Moving sequence

Ink on watercolour paper and watercolour wash - Pose:Moving sequence

Inktense on watercolour paper - Pose:2x15mins

Inktense on watercolour paper -Pose:20 mins

Acrylic on canvas board - Pose:45 mins

Inktense on watercolour paper - Pose: 50mins

A Trip Into Cambridge

Last Friday I drove my eldest and his friend into Cambridge so they could go of and do a little shopping while I relaxed with a latte and my sketchbook.
I strolled through the Grafton centre and onto Lion's Yard before I took my first latte break and sketched 'Lush', one of my favourite shops, opposite.



After my nice sweet latte I went on to browse the market square and soon realised that Cambridge centre is VERY short on benches. I took position on the cold stone fountain to sketch the top of the Marks 'n' Spencer building, chill running through my spine reminding me it was still a bit early for plein air works.
I then met the boys back at the Grafton for some lunch.



All re-charged, we browsed through the Grafton together a while. When they mentioned popping outside to get a mobile top up, I took my chance to stay put and grab another latte, sketching a fashion shop 'Oasis' opposite. No ink on this sketch, just the pencil from my coat pocket, and only time for a quick flick with the Inktense pencils before we headed towards the 'park 'n' ride' bus stop for Cowley road where my comfy truck was waiting patiently for our return.

Poppies and Pumps

It's been a fantastically sunny day here today and, with the cool chill in the air, it felt a lot like Spring. It's amazing how uplifting a little sunshine can be, I got lots done today!
However, today's journal entry was created once the sun had been replaced with black sky and after sketching some silk poppies I decided Harry's new trainers would fit the 'Spring' theme nicely to finish off my page.
If they do manage to put even more spring in his already bountiful step, they could finish me off too!

Catching Up

Saturday was the 17th Worldwide Sketch Crawl and, although Joan and I did not venture out, we did take part by sketching around her beautiful home in Coltishall.



Even Joan's Husband Clive wasn't safe from the artistic mayhem.



The collection of figurines beside the fireplace was so pretty, I chose my favourite to zoom in on; a wooden sculpture called 'Together'.

Joan rested her eyes for 15 minutes while I sketched her and then later I filled the page by adding her hand as she sketched.

The page above shows the colours I do not have in my 12 set of Inktense pencils, I think I may have to order that 'Shiraz'...Yum! The portrait, also sketched in inktense but not wetted, is the only sketch of the day copied from a photographic reference rather than life. His name is Max and I have painted him for Joan before, in watercolour, from a photo taken when he was just a few minutes old.

It's hard to believe it's been 18 months...Time sure does fly!

Fragrant Feet and Dragonflies

Today's journal entry started with my hand holding a new bottle of perfume, I used a mixture of inktense and coloured pencil to create this sketch. Then, this afternoon, Harry sat on the sofa next to me and his feet looked so cute I caught a quick sketch with my Lamy fountain pen before he adjusted his position. This evening, it occurred to me that although there are 30 years between us, we have the same size feet and it would be a great thing to note in my journal before he slams into overdrive and stretches towards a size 12 like his elder Brother. My foot is the top one, same size but nowhere near as cute!

I ordered a bespoke journal from Kala on Etsy today, a UK seller based just under an hour from me. I have been inquiring about a journal with good quality 140lb watercolour paper and Kala now has the materials to make me what I need. Since I have recently purchased two 21x15" journals, one of which I am using here, I thought it would be a good idea to order an A6 from Kala. The larger journals are difficult to carry around, not impossible but difficult, so this should fit into my handbag nicely and also give me a feel for the new paper.

Kala sent me a page of fabric samples to choose from for my cover, a tough decision as they are all fabulous. I decided on the centre design on this set, the white dragonflies on black background to compliment the red and black cover on my current Canson journal.

Inktense Hands

Working from life, using myself as a subject, I took a few moments to concentrate on my hands. I chose to use pigment liner to draw them first and went straight in with inktense pencils on the second, sketching a foreshortened angle to stretch my skills.

I am classing this sketch as part of my 2008 people project as I believe that zooming in and isolating body parts will be of benefit also.

Jumping A Hurdle

Imagination sketches - Canson watercolour sketchbook - Inktense/watercolour/ink

I've found it difficult to sketch the past few days, choosing a subject has been most difficult and much time has been wasted simply holding my sketchbook open, pen poised waiting for inspiration to visit. I have never been much of a routine person so keeping up with my daily sketchbook entries this year has made me very proud of myself, this past few days I felt the drive slipping and became worried that it would fall away, never to return.

So, I made a playground out of a couple of pages. I told myself...

'so what if it's a new journal'

'it doesn't have to be perfect, infact it doesn't even have to be good'

'play around, enjoy yourself'

'just do SOMETHING!!!'


...and I did.

Harry from life - Canson watercolour sketchbook - Inktense

Character Building

Quick Imagination sketches in Roberson HP Journal

Midweek Mix

Today's journal page started with this image, sketched in my journal in the early hours before finally retiring to bed. A simple sketch of one of my 'Artline' pigment liners using a Jet Black Inktense pencil and a water brush.

This often happens, I feel the need to sketch one last item before heading to bed and have no idea how the composition of the page will follow in the morning. It can be truly inspirational to wake up to a journal page that is not blank, kind of like a head start to the day, and it can bring about some really interesting compositions and designs.

Other examples of journal pages that started with a sketch before bed can be seen in the following posts:
BUSY DAYS and HOME SWEET HOME

My first entry into my current journal was dated November 16th and I now have just 5 pages left to fill which, by some kind of miracle, takes me right up to Christmas Eve if I keep to one entry a day. I am still trying to decide whether to simply begin another journal at that time and carry on as I have been or whether to dedicate a smaller sketchbook I have to the Christmas period up until New Year....I have never been very good at making decisions. I did have something else in mind for the small sketchbook so, at the moment, a continuation looks most likely.
My current journal is a Roberson HP watercolour sketchbook with 190gsm paper, I have two others the same size ready on standby, one has 230gsm paper and the other 300gsm...Another decision to be made!

Placement Progress

Sketches in journal from imagination - Pigment liner & Schmincke watercolour

I have painted many portraits for many clients but always using a reference and always being rather a slave to that reference, this year I wanted to practice sketching from life, refining my skills and getting as much practice in as possible so that I may one day be able to place those all important features in correct/believable positions when sketching from my mind alone.
I hoped that this would, in time, lead to me being able to capture a true likeness of a person within just a short sitting.

September 2007 sketchbook entries from imagination.

It was back in September when I sketched the facial compositions above after realising the difficulties I experienced drawing features from imagination rather than references. I remember having to think very hard about the whole process, checking off basic rules in my mind as I sketched.
This whole year has been motivated around sketchbook after sketchbook, I am currently averaging a new sketchbook on a monthly basis, approx 50-90 pages a month.
I have enjoyed every moment, it has felt so freeing and my confidence as an artist has multiplied in ways I never imagined it could. I am now able to manipulate an image or scene in a believable way, invent my own characters, add design and it would seem from the top sketch on this entry....Place features from my imagination, quite quickly, directly in ink, with very little thought at all!
Frequent visits to Posemaniacs website has helped to be able to do the same with figures. Of course 'watching' has been a major tool too, I try to spend as much time as I can simply studying with my eyes, drawing with my mind rather than my hands.

Today was the first time I noticed this improvement, my goal long forgotten in all the excitement of filling pages day after day.

While vision obviously remains the most important tool to an artist, in my opinion, I have no doubt that the artist's sketchbook ranks right up there in second place.

*

Related link: A Work In Progress - Posted May 25th 2007