Thanks and Goodbye, Summer 2015

It’s mid-September and starting to feel distinctly chilly here. A fleece-lined shirt has been donned and the warm socks are out. The summer is fading to a vague memory, thoughts are turning to central heating and cocoa, and high street shops are trying to flog us Christmas. So… I thought it might be nice to…

The Fruit within the Husk

A satisfying day tidying up the garden yesterday, as its winter hiatus draws to a merciful close, threw up some unexpected delights in the shape of a handful of Chinese Lantern (Physalis alkekengi) husks. I find this plant and its flowers magical and have returned to draw and paint it at regular intervals over recent…

Keep an Eye on the Amaryllis #1

It was my intention to regularly sketch the development of this little amaryllis as it grew from nought but a bulb to full flower, but it has outwitted me with the speed of its growth and the ruthless manipulation of my festive indolence. However, I did manage to get a couple of sketches in before…

Up the Liver Building, Quick

Today’s sketch is the third in a series of small sketches made relatively rapidly this week depicting Liverpool landmarks (previous two: Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral, Liddypool’s Metropolitan Cathedral). This drawing depicts the Royal Liver Building on Liverpool’s Pier Head. As with the previous two sketches, I worked from fairly old photographs, one of which this time…

Liddypool Metropolitan Cathedral

Today’s pen and ink-type sketch was made to the same ends as yesterday’s artwork depicting Liverpool Anglican Cathedral, for the forthcoming Winter Arts Market at St George’s Hall in Liverpool. The sketch above was made this morning and depicts Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral. I made today’s sketch on Daler Rowney watercolour paper. The approximate size of…