Monday

 

Just because I haven't sketched my lounge for a while

 

 

From One Sofa To Another

 

Our green sofa, sketched from the comfy corner of our other sofa

Harry

22-06-13, a photo by Anita Davies on Flickr.

A quick capture of Harry lounging on the sofa, watching TV.
This paper takes marker beautifully and it doesn't bleed through the other side either

My Lounge

26-05-13, a photo by Anita Davies on Flickr.

A quick sketch from the sofa

Scallop Shells & Ink Test

23-05-13, a photo by Anita Davies on Flickr.

Diluting Lex. Grey Noodlers ink with water in the barrel allows it to be used like a pencil to pre-sketch lines before defining with a stronger ink. The diluted lines get lost almost completely when the watercolour is added.

Home

27-04-13, a photo by Anita Davies on Flickr.

I sketch directly in ink with a Lamy Safari fountain pen for all of my sketchbook images, as time has gone on my results have got more accurate and faster and I believe that is because I left the safety of an eraser behind and all mistakes show which makes me chose my lines more carefully and think before laying down line. However, there are times when I think that having a few pencil guidelines might a) speed things up b) help avoid perspective mistakes such as the ones in this sketch.
I believe the sketch still works, it shows quite clearly 3 different spaces in my home and has a certain character to it BUT I am aware that a few things are a little out of 'bonk' too that I feel could have been resolved with a few pencil 'map' lines at the start, it would certainly make life easier for me at times with subjects that have complex perspective issues such as this. Whenever I get tempted like this (note to self top RHS corner of the spread) I reflect on it the next day and remember that it was leaving the safety net behind that gave me progress and that this is my journal, a place to practice, study, log my day....a very personal space for my art, life and growth. So I have decided to resist the pencil urge and work this angle of my home another day, perhaps challenging myself to come up with a way to visually map what I want on the page better....in ink!

Ely Rugby Club, Cambridgeshire UK

22-04-13, a photo by Anita Davies on Flickr.

...and a little sketch of a corner of my lounge.

I am back from my wonderful 3 night trip to Roma, catching up with my family, and will get around to scanning the work I did there as soon as I can find time...in the meantime, I have plenty of scans from the sketchbooks I was working in before my trip and am a little behind posting so I'll continue to catch up posting them.

Poorly!

08-04-13, a photo by Anita Davies on Flickr.

Harry had a tummy bug and, when my kids are sick they HAVE to have lucozade....my Mum gave it to my Brother and myself and so it passes along........
As you can see by the date on this spread, it was some time ago now and I'm happy to report Harry is feeling better.

1:06 AM - April 5th 2013

05-04-13, a photo by Anita Davies on Flickr.

Because I am a bit of a night owl, I usually see my birthday in before I go to bed. So I took my sketchbook to bed with me, a little earlier than usual, and filled a spread in minimal lighting.

My Lounge....Again!

04-03-13d, a photo by Anita Davies on Flickr.

A frequent scene that appears in my sketchbooks many times is my lounge, mainly because I often crash on the sofa in the evening with a sketchbook in hand. This was a particularly pleasing sketch however because it was the 4th...yes 4th spread I had filled in my Stillman & Birn Alpha sketchbook that day and a sure sign that my sketching drought was lifting!
Yay, I'm back!!!!!!!

Another Snow Day!

20-01-13, a photo by Anita Davies on Flickr.

...and more of my lounge!

My Lounge

17-01-13b, a photo by Anita Davies on Flickr.

My view from the sofa

Baking

17-01-13a, a photo by Anita Davies on Flickr.

A much deserved break during a day of baking and cooking

The Last Of 2012

30-12-12, a photo by Anita Davies on Flickr.

This was the only spread I did in my sketchbook during December 2012, I did paint a commissioned acrylic double portrait but this was my only sketch.
I struggled for inspiration towards the end of last year and I tried very hard to fight it; I even joined the 75 day sketch challenge to try to kick start myself again but the passion just wasn't there. Unusual for me to say the least!
So, in December I decided to stop fighting and simply chill, I figured that perhaps I just needed the break and so I got lost in Christmas and all it's wonderment and I think it was good for me.
So...a new year begins and I'm hoping 2013 will restore my misplaced sketching mojo, so far I seem to be plodding along, creating a spread here and there, gradually getting back into my groove....Time to remind myself that Christmas is over and get my arse into gear I think!

Goodie Bag

11-11-12, a photo by Anita Davies on Flickr.

Another from the year past I' afraid...catching up!
My bag of goodies from the Cambridge Style Week launch party at the 12A club in Cambridgeshire

New Iron

03-11-12, a photo by Anita Davies on Flickr.

Needs must!!!

Last Cuppa

01-11-12c, a photo by Anita Davies on Flickr.

Watercolour and Ink in Stillman & Birn Alpha sketchbook

How He's Grown

01-11-12b, a photo by Anita Davies on Flickr.

My youngest, Harry, on the 2 seater sofa

Baking

28-10-12, a photo by Anita Davies on Flickr.

A day at home, due to my bronchitis, couldn't risk standing in the cold watching Harry play rugby so kept myself busy by baking a cake for him on his return.

Final Spread

25-09-12, a photo by Anita Davies on Flickr.

This is my final spread in the Gerstaecker sketchbook I have been using since May....Yes, May!!! My sketching has not been as regular as it used to be this Summer, partly perhaps due to the fact that we barely had a Summer at all....So much rain this year...and partly because my inspiration has been at an all time low. I have had the urge to sketch daily but felt generally uninspired by my surroundings and found myself in a position with sketchbook open, pen in hand and NOTHING happening on many an occasion.
I feel it was probably part of my healing process, my mind just closing down for a while, taking time to rest maybe?...I don't fully understand but it has not had maximum effect due to the fact that I fought it ALOT and drove myself crazy! What can I say...I'm a fighter!
I have never had problems with inspiration before and was scared I would never sketch anything again!!!
I think it's lifting now - Thank God!

I managed to journal my break in spain, new surroundings helped to inspire. Unfortunately, I have had this flu bug thing since my return so I've not been up to much at all but I hope to start scanning this weekend.
I also have the added excitement of facing the rest of October with a new journal, now this one is finally complete, and I've chosen a Stillman & Birn Alpha. I did a couple of spreads in it before leaving for Spain and really enjoyed the paper, so I am looking forward to pushing on with that.

The Gerstaecker has been a fabulous journal to work with for the money (approx £1) but I am so very pleased to have finished it, it has taken so long and marks a period in my sketching that has been agonising at times.

So, [raising cough mixture bottle into the air] ...Here's to Winter 2012, Stillman & Birn and oodles of inspiration!!!