Inktober 2

White capped sparrow

From a photo taken on Lincoln City Beach in July. 

Inktober 1

Inktober begins today!

Two posts in one day! But today is the first day of Inktober. What is Inktober? Every October, artists all over the world take on the Inktober drawing challenge by doing one ink drawing a day the entire month.  Started by Jake Parker you can read more about it here: https://inktober.com/   This is my ink work of a Bald Eagle as my first inktober drawing. Not sure if I can keep up to one drawing a day, but will make the attempt!
(even though the dateline above says September, it really IS October 1st today down here in Oz. We come from the future...)

Nature Journals with the Adelaide Botanical Art Group

A weekend in the beautiful Adelaide Botanic Gardens

A page of Australian native flowers from the Gardens

Study of the Bunya tree - zoom in, zoom out. There are several magnificent specimens in the Gardens.

The Adelaide Botanical Art Group invited me back this year to run a 2-day workshop in 'Nature Journaling'  with them in the gardens. The weather was beautiful, two sunny spring days. The garden looked green and lush with many native plants just starting to bloom. The wisteria arch was stunning (did not draw that). All of the group seemed to enjoy the experience and they did some excellent journal pages. Here are two of mine from the the weekend.

The Old Horse Barn

Along Hwy 101, south of Mendecino

Graphite pencil drawing on Lana cold press Aquarelle (reverse side). 

I took this photo along Hwy 101 on a recent road trip up the California and Oregon Coast. I love  old disused barns and decided to draw this one as a demonstration as 'Landscape drawing in Graphite' for my Wednesday and Friday classes. I usually use a hot press paper so working on the cold was a bit of a challenge - although I did use the slightly smoother 'wrong' side of the paper. Additionally, I do not often use paper stumps or tortillions, but I did so on this work to help blend the tones into the rougher surface and create soft tonal under layers.

2H, HB, 2B, F and 4B were used - HB/2B blended with the paper stump. 2H and HB points for sharper detail. F pencil for tonal blending and the 4B to punch in some darks. This took maybe 8 hours all up? Thereabouts. Finished size is a tad over A4.

'Girl'

Auntie's Cat, 'Girl'

This is 'Girl', my Great Aunt's beloved new cat. Girl was a barn cat, raised in the crushing shed of my counsin's winery. Half wild, a fearsome hunter she now has 'adopted' my Aunt. Her eyes are a bit crazy, but that's the way she looks at you!

 This work was done as a demonstration for my Monday and Thursday night classes. Support is Art Spectrum 'suede' paper Kangaroo Blue colour. Medium is Carbethello Pastel Pencils with touches of soft pastel Sennelier White and Rembrant Burnt Ochre.

Sanddollars

From the Oregon coast

Three little 'dollars' brought back. Graphitint and Graphite.

Redwood burls

Avenue of Giants to Stout Grove - Jedediah Smith State Forest

The burls on redwood trees are fascinating and fantastical. Here are a couple of sketches from my recent trip up the California coast.

Graphitint pencils (Indigo, Chestnut and Sage), 4B Watersoluble graphite, Fineliner ink pen

California & Oregon 2018

Travelling about in July

I have just spent the last two weeks travelling (road trip!) up the stunning California/Oregon coast, across to the Columbia river then down through Central Oregon. Lots of driving, hiking and visiting sights, but very little drawing was done - too much to see and do! But here are a few of the small drawings I managed to squeeze in on the way in my two small pocket sized sketchbooks:

Pencil sketch of a Scrub Oak and notes on birds sighted in Amador County, California

Watercolour wash sketch of my cousin's vineyard in Amador County, California. Much wine was drunk! 

Watercolour wash sketch of the Oregon Dunes on the John Deiffenback trail - I only managed about a mile or so of this very difficult 5mile sand/dune-walking hike.

Birds, Sealions, seals - quick graphite pencil sketches from Lincoln City beachfront area. Saw this pair of Great Blue Herons strutting and posing about, but they flew off before I could dig out my sketchbook.

Nice (easy!) 5 mile hike along the Crooked River in Smith State park, Oregon - stopped at Monkey Face rock watched the climbers and rested by the river. Watercolour wash with black ink pen of the river.

Watercolour wash with black ink pen. Juniper Tree study. I love these trees! 

Nesting Season

My backyard friend

My resident Magpie couple have returned for the winter/spring nesting season. They are carroling on the back fence as I write. He is actively collecting nesting material and she is supervising. This work was drawn a few months ago based on sketches and photos taken of him last year. Graphite pencils on Lana Hot Press 300gsm.  I will be exhibiting it and other works at the annual VAS Teachers and Students Exhibition 26 July to 7 August. This is a wonderful exhibition showcasing the work done by the VAS teachers and their students. Come along to opening night at 7pm Thursday July 26 and join the fun! Details @ VAS

Floral Studies

A triplet of floral study work created as demonstraton pieces for my Wednesday and Friday drawing classes. The top (Margeurite) has been drawn on Fabriano Artistico Hot Press 300gsm, the other two are drawn on Lana Hot Press 300gsm. Graphite pencils 2H, HB, 2B and 4B.