Sketching in St. Ives, UK - Part one

Posted: February 14, 2019

As a sneak preview of the techniques I'll be teaching in May of 2019 at Chapel Cottage Studio in Abergavenny. I'm posting examples from my travels in Bristol, London, Abergavenny, Swansea, St. Ives and the little stops between. I'm looking forward to expanding my community of friends and artists during my stay this spring.  I'll be traveling to Liverpool and several other new places as well as returning to cities, towns and villages I've visited before. 

During my 2018 trip:

My first glimpse of St. Ives was from a small parking lot high above an expansive beach populated with bright swim suits, cabanas, umbrellas and towels.  I couldn't resist a quick sketch, using the stone wall as a plein air studio table.

The ink sketch in the upper left corner was done on the train from London to Newport.

 Direct watercolour technique is great for quick sketches and for capturing the essence of the...

July 12, 2018

With phone in hand, for still photos and video, as well as a GoPro secured in my chest harness, I climb out the window from my sixth-floor room at the hostel.  A towel serves as a cushion to ease the discomfort of sitting on the framing of the casement window.  Fortunately, my roommates aren't in the room. I'm able to concentrate on sketching, recording and making sure that my body and my equipment are secure on the windowsill.

July 13, 2018

Back on ground level, I'm sketching from the Marcel and Clémentine café on the corner of rue de Dunkerque and rue Gérondo.

One of the goals for my time in Paris is to work mostly in pencil.  For many years, I've sketched in ink and watercolor.  It's time to break the mold and challenge the brain to shift gears manually rather than come up with solutions on auto-pilot.  My brain wants to think in ink and translate into pencil.  I'm looking forward to the...