Another Montmartre Sketch

A quickie from a photograph I took back in 2003.

Crop Rotation

A rough sketch of a painting I had in mind a few evenings ago.

Montmartre

In 2003 I spent a long weekend in Paris for my birthday, my first.

I also began my art adventure in 2003 and, since it was all new to me, I did not think to take a sketchbook or very many photographs...Boy do I regret that now!

I loved Monmartre and could have easily passed away many hours sat outside one of the cafes watching the artists at work...coffee and art, who could wish for more than that?

I sketched this from one of the few photos I did manage to take and, after making a few alterations in my head, am currently working it up onto canvas using acrylic interactives...More on this one soon.

Sketchbook

A landscape sketch from my imagination and a cockerel, not my cockerel though because he won't stay still for long and it's too cold outside to be patient with him.

Studies for a Painting

You may remember the sketch 'Home Sweet Home' I made from the top of our drove. I came across it the other night while looking through old sketchbooks for inspiration and decided to re-sketch it a few times in my Copic pens. The following day I decided to paint it from the information I had from both my sketchbook and my memory.

I'll upload he painting from my camera soon.

As you can see, the copics create a wonderful tonal study to work from and they are just so easy to use. The fun part is trying to remember colours or make my own up to create the mood/atmosphere I am after.

View From The Rec

Another quick study sketched from the recreation ground on Benwick Road back in April.

Neighbours

Across the yard sits my parents house, my neighbours.
A very quick sketch from my front steps.

Stepping Out

Took my group outside for their lesson at the beginning of the month where they sketched 'plein air' for the first time, concentrating on the view opposite the studio across the Fen. This is the quick sketchbook entry I made during the lesson.

U Turn

Benwick - Watercolour in Canson sketchbook ©Anita Davies

When collecting Harry from school, I make a u-turn on the corner of a farmyard to face back towards home for our return journey. This is the road further up past the farm, I painted it from my car, very quickly and loosely in watercolour before pulling back out onto the road.

Grafham Water

I sketched these on location while spending a couple of hours with the boys, walking the dogs around Grafham Water in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire...A truly beautiful place.

Morning Break

Hospital Road - Ink & Watercolour ©Anita Davies

Parked up at Hospital Road in Doddington, a couple of weeks ago, after dropping Harry at school and sketched this scene.

My sketchbook was tilted into my lap at an angle, hence the crooked horizon.

Benwick Bridge

Benwick River ©Anita Davies

Another quickie while waiting for Harry to come out of school.
This is the same bridge at Benwick River sketched here but at a slightly different angle on a much sunnier day. The deeper angle brought the willow into the frame.

Farmhouse Duet

I had just under an hour to kill before collecting Harry from school last week and decided to take a drive through Benwick into Ramsey looking for some good painting locations. Just before the golf course I decided to turn around and pulled into a farm entrance to do so. As I turned I saw this little property dwarfed by the landscape surrounding it and stopped the car.
I spent the remainder of my time here at Waypost Farm sketching the image before me twice, using watercolour to enhance the first effort and gouache for the second.

Waiting For Diane

I arranged to meet a friend in Tesco Cafe in March last week and arrived a little early. Just beside the car park sits this view, so I found an opening in the hedge and sat on the dry ground soaking up the rare sunshine while I sketched.

I used a Lamy Safari fountain pen with a medium sized nib filled with Noodlers Walnut ink.
I added a little watercolour later back at home.

Benwick Bridge

A quickie before collecting Harry from school.

Mepal Moment

Mepal Outdoor Centre - Sketchbook - Plein Air - Ink Study

A quiet moment with a hot latte and my sketchbook at Mepal Outdoor Centre last Sunday before heading home to prepare dinner.
I took my Lamy Safari fountain pen filled with Noodler's Walnut ink along and a waterbrush.
Before leaving I decided to practice making notes that I could later use to produce a painting from, key elements that would help in a full colour rendition.

I have sketched at Mepal Centre before, you can view the sketches HERE

Benwick Barn Sketches

I sketched these little thumbnails while waiting outside the school for Harry last week.
The barns were to my left, a view between two houses, and the landscape directly infront of me. I mixed the two scenes together with some Neocolor and then played around with the barn composition in ink.
I then took the sketches home and created a painting from them back in the studio
...How cool is that!
My own composition, my own references, bold colour and big brushes! I had so much fun, it felt so good to be 'creating' as opposed to copying, dusting off the cobwebs of my imagination.

I will post the painting later today.

Swan Invasion

Benwick River - Sketchbook study - Plein Air - Ink & Neocolor11

I was sitting along Benwick River with Harry again the other afternoon, sketching the river and a small boat when a swan came passing by. I quickly changed my focus to concentrate on the swan, adding a little neocolor to emphasise the pattern it was causing in the water.

Speedy Sunset

The view from my studio is pretty fantastic throughout the entire day but the sunsets are simply spectacular.
Every evening a different show appears outside my window as the sun drops it's head beneath the Fen...I never tire of it.

I decided to catch one in my sketchbook, you don't get long and it changes constantly by the second but I wanted to capture the 'banding' on this particular showcase the other evening. I managed to make two sketches; one in mixed media (running inside like a mad woman to grab things from my studio table) and the second using Neocolor11 and a waterbrush.

Mixed Media Sketch

Benwick River, plein air sketch in large Canson sketchbook - Mixed media

Parked up at Benwick river again the other morning after the school run and sketched the bridge using watercolour and a little soft pastel.