Watercolour trial

 Watercolour, photography.

'Cheetah.'  Watercolours, sketchbook trial.

 A porcelain palette with colours used in Cheetah study.

I managed to try out some colours for my cheetah work.  I thought I'd trial the colours, the method of application and also the lay-out of colours on this studio palette ....in this one study.

I used French ultramarine, moonglow, sepia, and burnt sienna for the medium and dark mixes; and raw sienna, burnt sienna, aussie red gold and orange for the reddish and lighter mixes.  I rather liked the aussie red gold.

So it was a week of experimenting rather than producing any finished works.

Susie in her new bed!

Have a great weekend.

Bye from June and Susie!

One flew in at the window

 Pen and pan pastel.

'One flew in at the window'.  Pen and pan pastel. paper.

Updare.

I am still attempting to get back into art after a fallow year.  It looks like its going to take me some time to get into the swing of things,  however,  I am making the effort.  

I am trying out various techniques and mediums and finding out along the way which mediums I now like, and which ones I'll probably give a miss in future.

For instance, I love the colour of pan pastels but I don't like working with them these days ....because the dust goes into my eyes and up my nose, even when wearing a face mask!!  So I think I will use them less in future.

Hope you have a good weekend.

Best wishes.

June and Susie.

Jenny Grant retreat weekend.

 Collage, art journals.

Hand-made art journals drying.

Some collage papers with marks on them.

An entry in one of the handmade little art journals

Susie putting up with it all for a chance to sleep on the desirable chair.

This weekend,  I joined the Jenny Grant free online weekend retreat.  I watched most of the classes but only got around to making a few of the projects.  It will take me the rest of the week to try the others out.

The project I did manage was to make small art journals out of one sheet of A3 paper which was fun.  I used old art work to make my journals.  Jenny used a piece of card which she had glued paper pieces to before folding the journal.  (There are videos on you-tube explaining the folding process.)

I managed to do a page spread in one of my hand-made folded journals using Jenny's instructions: paper collage,  stencils,  and then acrylic paint to work on 'found' imagery.  And so I produced a sketchy scene of a girl and a monkey.  A theme I love.

Hope you are well.

Bye from Susie and June!!

Daisies.

1.  Watercolours, 2. Ink and pan pastels.

'Daisies'.  Watercolours, sketchbook page, A4.

'Flycatcher'.  Pen and pan pastels, 12 by 12 ins, paper.

I have been missing in action for a few weeks due to a tummy bug, which seems to have cleared up now.

I managed to finish a page in my sketchbook, which shows some colourful daisies in watercolours.   A good meditative practice for the start of an art session, I find.

I also managed to finish the pastel drawing of a lady with a little flycatcher bird.  So I think I will be up to some more art next week.

I am watching (and note-taking) for the Sketchbook revival workshop, but have not been up to doing any pieces for it.

How are you all keeping?

Love from June and Susie.

The thinker.

 Mixed media.

'The thinker'.  Collage papers, acrylics, and pen on wooden panel, 9 by 12 ins.

'Bethany'.  Charcoal, A3, paper.

Susie.

Some portrait practice this week.  Lots of room for improvement, but that's the name of the game, I think.  

Hello from Susie, who has just finished a grooming session and is now ready for a nap!!

Would you like to hold the bird?

 Ink and pan pastels.

'Would you like to hold the bird?  Ink and pan pastel, around 12 by 16 ins., paper.

This week, I did this pastel painting based on a pencil doodle of mine.   The bird could be thought of as an Osprey, a fishing eagle or hawk, found in Scotland, and other places.  I doodled the bird before looking to see if it resembled a known bird.  

Apparently the osprey is so unique, it has its own scientific family classification: Pandion,  in which only the osprey is found!     I will read up about them now that they have come into my doodles!

We are having mixed weather...sometimes rainy and dull; sometimes very bright sunshine!!

Here is Susie wishing for a game of chase the blue feather!!

Wanna play???

Have a good weekend.  

Its bonfire night here, this Saturday.  Guy Fawkes night for UK, and also the UK colonies, such as NZ.

We will just stay in and watch TV!!

Bye for now.

Colourful abstract insects in watercolour.

 Watercolour.  Sketchbook pages.

Ladybugs.  Sketchbook page, A4 cartridge paper.

Close-up of part of page.

Butterflies.   Sketchbook page, A4 cartridge paper.

Close-up of part of page.

I used my sketchbook to explore watercolour hues.   The butterflies are more abstract than the ladybugs/ladybirds.  Fun to paint.

Have a lovely weekend!!

Susie will be sleeping, mostly!

Spotted cat in watercolours.

 Watercolours.

'Spotted cat.'   Watercolours on paper,8 by 7 ins approx.

A study of a wild cat to get back into watercolours.... and to get familar with the look of this beautiful African cat, the serval.

I don't know about you but I usually take 3 or 4 small studies to feel familiar with the animal or person I am painting before I get to the point where I feel I understand it somewhat, and can then go on to do a final likeness. 

Hope you are having a good weekend.

Bye for now.....

From June and Susie.

The dove.

 Acrylics.

'The dove',  Acrylics, 12 by 12 ins., paper.

Susie's fave sunning place:- windowsill.

Continuing to explore semi-realistic portrait styles.  But now longing to switch to fantasy/doodles.

Have a good weekend.

From June and Susie.

Marmalade cat.

 

'Marmalade cat.'  Acrylics, 11 by 15 ins., paper.

In this painting, I was concerned with trying to paint features fairly realistically, e.g., the protruding nose,  the muscles of the neck, the bit above the lips.   So maybe the facial expression is a little more serious than I would have liked.

I enjoyed painting the little cat (surprise, surprise!)  and I think I will go on and try more humans with cats in future works.

I have just discovered I like herbal teas and so I am enjoying trying out the different types:  peppermint, chamomile, orange, passion fruit, etc.  I am trying to get away from drinking too much coffee!!

Susie is enjoying her lazy lifestyle as usual...typical cat, she loves sunning her belly on the window sill.

Have a lovely weekend.

Bye from June and Susie!

Sketchbook drawings, British birds.

 Marker pens, graphite.

Nuthatches, marker pens.  Sketchbook, 12 by 12 ins.

Nuthatches, graphite and marker pens.  Sketchbook, 12 by 12 ins.

Greenfinches, graphite.  Sketchbook, 12 by 12 ins.

This week, I sketched some small British birds from photo references, mainly from pmp-art.com and pixabay.com.

I have seen greenfinches as they are birds resident in Scotland; but I've never actually seen a nuthatch.   I've watched some youtube videos of the nuthatch and they seem a fiesty little bird with very interesting behaviours.  For example, they use twigs as tools (to winkle food out of tree holes),  and they plaster toxic resins around their nest hole entrance to keep predators out!

Well that's all for this week.  Hope you are feeling well and finding time to do art!!

Love from June and Susie!

Kneetime.

Bye!!

Fine liner pen doodles.

 Ink.

'Bird watching', A6 sketchbook.

'Cat in the bag', A6 sketchbook.

'The young and the old', A6 sketchbook.

'Wild dog territory', acrylics, A3, paper.

Susie and the marker pens.

A few sketchbook pen doodles and a fantasy paint doodle for the wall....for this week.  

And here is Susie amongst the art materials as usual!!

Have a Happy Hallowe'en everyone.

Bye for now....

P.S. Here's a link to my Pinterest doodle drawings board.

doodle drawings by June

ArtbyJune

Feed the birds. Watercolour art.

 Watercolours.

 

Fantasy.

'Feed the birds', Watercolour on A4 paper.

Realism.

'Gone fishing,'  Watercolours, Paper 7 by 11 ins. approx.

Some watercolour practice this week.   

Birds seemed to want a showing this month  It is Birdtober apparently, but I'm not following along with this project.  Coincidence only.  I only just found out about it!

Birds look deceptively easy to draw or paint.  But they come in an assortment of colouring and patterns, behaviour and poses, which  can be a bit overwhelming for the painter.  I bought a bird identification book this week so hopefully that will help with painting these wonderful creatures well.

My fantasy work is from imagination, where anything goes, and my kingfisher was from a photo reference on PMP-art.com.  They have an excellent array of photos on many subjects, not just animals, which are free for artist members to use.

Here's a link.

PMP-art

Have a lovely weekend.  Do some art!!

Bye for now.

From Susie and June.

P.S.  She likes to sit on my knee when I am painting!

Sketchbook pages.

 Pen, charcoal, photo.

'Funny dog', pen, A6 sketchbook.

'Crow', pastel pencil, A5 sketchbook.

Susie, waiting to go on the computer!!

Have a great weekend!!

Bye from June and Susie!!

Hold on tight. Animal mother with baby. Watercolours.

 Watercolours, graphite, photo.

'Hold on tight', watercolours, 7 by 11 ins. approx., on paper.

'Walking along',  graphite, A4, paper.

'Hello October'  photo.

I was interested in the giant anteater from South America, this week.  Mainly because I have a plastic toy anteater... and also because it is a very unique looking animal.

It has so many unusual features: like that long nose with a long tongue for licking up insects, and that huge tail, which it uses as a blanket on cold nights, and also,  the mother carries her baby on her back.

In my watercolour sketch, I experimented with my new  Daniel Smith watercolours, using moonglow, french ultramarine, burnt sienna,  and black for the dark coat of the anteater.  Myrmecophaga tridactyla.  

And last, but not least:.

Hello from Susie!   Here she is hiding behind the mirror.

Happy October...its Inktober, if you like to draw ink art!!

Bye for now.

Mixed media pink page.

 Mixed media; photos.

'Save the animals,' A4, mixed media, paper.

Nice sunny morning in my local park.

Susie.

The mixed media piece was from around the middle of the month.

I hope you are having a lovely Bank Holiday weekend!!

Bye for now.