Revisiting a UFO

It was too cold and wet to go out so I was sorting through the UFOs and picked out this Paisley Post as You Go:


(Click on photo for bigger image)

I started this whilst I was busy with Sharon B's Develop a Personal Library of Stitches on-line course, so lots of the stitches got incorporated. At the same time, NZJo had a thing going about paisley and I got enthused! Sharon's course is no longer running, but she does offer some good alternatives here: details on her blog, Pintangle.

I worked on it for weeks, experimented with lots of stitch variations, unpicked and rearranged it a few times, so I think it qualifies as another slow cloth.

I've taken out that dark grey and white horizontal band near the top and filled in a few more motifs.


(Click on photo for bigger image)

I had to take off the washers and sequins to roll it around the stretcher bar and I couldn't find them, so I've put some stitches in their place.

Now it is being damp stretched on my batik frame, so I can look at it and decide whether or not it needs anything more. Then I'll have to decide what I'm going to do with it.

Sketchbook Challenge - Highly Prized - family

Another word from my list for Highly Prized - family.



(Click on photo for bigger image)

Title: Saturday Afternoon.

The Boss settled down on the sofa to read the New Scientist but his eyelids grew heavier and heavier.

Coloured pencil on textured pastel paper. 10 x 8"

I started this as a life drawing, but took a reference photo as well to work from later. I have to say, this portrait means more to me than a photograph ever could.

Sketchbook Challenge - Highly Prized

I've taken another word from my list - memento.

This poor dessicated bunch of flora is what remains of my corsage for my daughter's wedding almost eleven years ago and I'm not making a good job of reproducing it in coloured pencil. I didn't realise it would be such a difficult subject, even though I've simplified it a little!


(Click on photo for bigger image)

Lightly placing the various bits and pieces and starting with the dried flowers.


(Click on photo for bigger image)

Beginning to fill in the details.


(Click on photo for bigger image)

Strengthening the darks and adding some highlights. I think I'll leave it here. The cheap paper I used won't take any more pencil anyway!
Not one of my best efforts. Clearly I haven't been "keeping my hand in", but that's the reason I decided to follow the Sketchbook Challenge.

Another result - that faded wedding finery puts me in mind of a good character for a doll. I'll have to read Great Expectations again now. No real hardship!

Thoughts of pieces using tea and coffee dyed and natural fabrics with an old and faded look also spring to mind.

Inspiration from The Sketchbook Challenge already, and in the first month. Just what I was hoping for!

Sketchbook Challenge - Jan2011

Highly Prized - Gifts from Grandchildren! When they saw this little china badger in the second hand shop, they KNEW that I would want it. It's funny how the things they REALLY LIKE always seem to be exactly the things that they KNOW granny would want! And of course granny treasures each and every one.

Here it is sketched in ordinary graphite pencil with light touches of colour and a little black felt tip on plain white paper:


(Click on photo for bigger image)

not quite right, something wrong with his nose!

But badgers are nocturnal animals, so I tried it again on a sheet of cheap black card in coloured pencil:



(Click on photo for bigger image)

Ah! That's better!

Having studied and drawn this I realised that for a cheap, mass produced china animal someone has gone to a bit of trouble with the pose. He's sleek, stealing along quietly, sniffing the air because he has scented something on the breeze.

The grandchildren were quite right, I do like him!

Sketchbook Challenge - Jan 2011

The first challenge theme for the year is up - Highly Prized. This didn't really suit me - I would have preferred something a little more "concrete" - a word maybe, like "rust" or "decay" or "marine" - but hey, I'm always prepared to have a go. Stretch yourself the challenge says, maybe I can stretch the theme!

I started here, by making a chart:


(click on photo for bigger image)

Want to know more about the Sketchbook Challenge, click on the button: