Sketching Fife: What’s in my Sketching Kit?

I’m sketching using a type of style called ‘line and wash’, which is a combination of ink line-drawing with washes of watercolour paint. If I’m going out to sketch, I need a small(ish) kit that I can take out with me easily, and something that’s not too difficult to lie by my side when sketching, …

Weaving a Landscape: Pittencrieff House, Dunfermline

Last year I got a gorgeous little wooden loom, and since then I've only played a little with it, not really finding the time to start any actual projects. I recently decided to start one of the ideas I've had for a while, of creating a series of local landscapes using the weaving loom. I …

Colour: Inspiration and Frustration

I think the names of colors are at the edge, between where language fails and where it's at its most powerful. A.S. Byatt I'm slightly obsessed with colour right now. I'm spending lots of time reading about colour theory and the history of colours, thinking about colours, and looking at them. And combinations of colours …

Chop chop!

Recently I've been looking at a lot of printmaking – linocut and drypoints mainly – and I noticed that a lot of printmakers use a little (often red) block to sign their work – this is called a 'chop'.

Product Testing: water-soluble pencils and linework

I'm working towards a project I've had in my mind for a long time. In this project I want to use washes of water and linework together, and I'm fascinated with combining drawing and painting, which is why I currently have a mini-obsession with water-soluble pencils. (I may change my mind later and work with …

Product Testing: Derwent Inktense pencils

Adding tone to a simple line sketch – 'Spaniel' https://youtu.be/9-W7TkUQVss A very quick test of the potential of Derwent Inktense pencils in a simple line sketch – tone is so easy to apply with just the addition of water. The possibilities are endless. https://youtu.be/fMBwIgEZEC0 First of all, apologies for Part Two being the wrong way …

Product testing: Derwent Inktense pencils

Adding tone to a simple line sketch – 'Eye' https://youtu.be/wsau-DdnP2c A quick video to demonstrate the magic which transforms a very dull and unimpressive line scribble into something else entirely. Ingredients: one Derwent Inktense pencil (Indian black), and plain water. I'm really enjoying the possibilities of this. Combining drawing and painting is a strong interest …

It’s very complicated ….

Turns out that it's very complicated putting together a new website and a blog! Things that you previously thought were important suddenly no longer are, you find that you've changed direction or have new priorities, or you just don't want to sound plain stuffy or overly chatty! It's a minefield! Trying to decide the overall …

Product testing: Derwent Inktense pencils

Adding water to dry ink-based pencils I ordered a few Inktense pencils, which you'll know I've just discovered if you've seen a couple of my recent posts on Facebook. I have ideas for using them in a new way (new to me), but I need to get familiar with the colours and how they act. …

Welcome to my blog!

As I explore different opportunities in art, experiment a little and have random thoughts about things, which often happens, I felt like I needed a place in which to write down and record these random observations. I hope that you'll enjoy reading my posts. They may in the form of product testing and trying out …