Art camp

I'm not really at an art camp, I've just been drawing in the garden and making the most of the weather. As I write this it's blowing a gale outside and blizzarding blossom everywhere. I can hear the wind whistling down the chimney like it does in the winter. Good job I made the most of that sun. 

This blanket is my 'studio.' One day I'd like an actual studio; I'm hoping for an old tube train carriage in the garden (won't fit though) or a shed or summer house that I can graffiti (won't fit though). I'd paint a huge monster round the door so that I'd have to walk through it's open mouth to get in. I've designed it already, perhaps a bit prematurely, but you just never know.... Below is a drawing of it that I found in my sketchbook. (I left my neeeeew shoes in the photo cos they are cooool)

This week I've mainly been drawing some mouldy old cabbage. This leaf had gone multi coloured in its old age and had some fascinating patterns and textures.

I started with the top half of the outline in fine liner, then added the stalk and some of the veins in the top half, just so I could see roughly how everything was going to fit. Then I finished off the bottom half of the online and added in all the smaller veins last. Because the leaf was all wibbly wobbly it didn't matter if the outline didn't join up properly as I could just use artistic licence and make it up. (Sshhh, don't tell anyone...) I started to colour the bottom of the leaf in neatly, but then changed my mind and worked more loosely as I think this works better. I've smudged some of the pencil crayon with my waterbrush and coloured roughly over the lines. Sometimes I do colour in neatly, but I think this style suits the cabbage more.

I have also completed more of this drawing. I've used my coloured pencils and waterbrush again, smudging the colour of the bricks roughly first, and then whilst it was still wet, cross hatching over the top to give a darker tone.

I haven't yet decided whether to add the houses across the street in the background or not, but the good thing is is that this view never moves, so I have plenty of time to decide (and procrastinate). It was April when I started this drawing, hence the lack of greenery in the flower beds. 

I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that the gate is up now. And on that bombshell, it's time to end the show, goodnight.