April 30

 

April 30

 

Yay! Made it to the end of the month!

 I love teapots don't you? Something about them that makes them so appealing from any angle. They all seem to have their own little personalities ( or maybe I'm just losing it?)

 

Well, it's been an interesting and enjoyable 30 days. I found the biggest challenge was the smallness of the sketchbook, but it just goes to show that size doesn't really matter!  I am looking forward to having a little more space to be creative in the next one - and not having to do something every day. Although once you get the habit...

 

Hopefully, there will be more sketchbook blogs as well as some other stuff such as...

 

 

April

7.25 x 11.25 inches

watercolour on Saunders Waterford Cold Press paper

 

The frothiness of the blossom has been wonderful this year and has somehow managed to stay on the trees longer than usual despite the wind. It's been lovely to paint it.

 

April 29

 

April 29

 

The weather has changed again and today we were treated to some very large and wet raindrops which made me decide to go with objects on the kitchen shelf.

Only one more day in April, and only one more page in the small Moleskine sketchbook. Lucky it wasn't a May challenge!

April 28

 

April 28

 

Skip Hire

 

This is about as urban as I get, at least recently. I think I am more of a rural sketcher than anything and then I can't resist adding a bit of colour, but as this skip appeared on my neighbour's drive recently I thought I may as well draw it.

April 27

 

April 27

 

The Cricket Club

 

What could be more typically English than the village cricket club?

It also reminds us that summer is almost here and hopefully there will be many games played upon this pitch.

April 26

 

April 26

 

I forgot what date today is and put 25 instead of 26 by mistake! However this colour note of some pansies will help when I come to do a larger painting of them before they are planted in a hanging basket. I like the little orange one on the far right. The background needs a lot of work, but at least I know what I'm aiming for.

April 25

 

April 25

 

 

A different day today starting with some paper work followed by hours at the opticians for a routine eye-test ( I need to upgrade my reading glasses apparently but otherwise ok), and then by way of a treat a banoffee ice cream cornet from the Riverside café. Yummy!

April 24

 

April 24

 

They did mention it was going to feel cooler today. He doesn't look too bothered while she looks decidedly chilly.

April 23

 

April 23

 

Happy St George's Day, and a beautiful day it is too. Clear blue sky with just a hint of cloud bubbling up at the horizon, trees beginning to turn green and down at hedgerow level the froth of blossom not yet disbursed by wind and rain. This field, a favourite walking place for many, is currently full of dandelions.

April 22

 

April 22

 

Ford at the Coronation Bridge with cottages beyond. A view which always appeals to me at any time of year.

April 21

 

April 21

 

From the village hall.

 

Across the pond to some farm buildings in the distance. A sense of stillness, of Nature poised, ready to burst into life at any minute.A beautiful morning but still a little chill in the air.

April 20

 

April 20

 

A pomegranate and orange which will form part of a still life for the class tomorrow. Probably some flowers will get in there somewhere.

April 19

 

April 19

 

A friend took us out for lunch at a local restaurant and I managed to this sketch of the corner opposite us between courses.

April 18

 

April 18

 

Sketch from Wyck Rissington Churchyard.

 

Today was a day of two halves. This morning everyone complained how cold the wind was, by the afternoon the wind dropped and everyone was saying how hot they were (having gone out for a walk through the meadows in anoraks and body warmers...)

April 17

 

April 17

 

The first bluebell has appeared in the garden which makes me hope that it won't be long before they start covering the floor of this piece of woodland. Can't wait to see a swathe of them.

April 16

 

April 16

 

Along one of the many footpaths in the area around my home. It's always a joy to walk and sketch and the weather has been lovely. Unfortunately my throat has been so dry and sore it was really difficult to swallow, so reluctantly I did  not stay out as long as usual.

April 15

 

April 15

 

Ice-cream weather continues...

Whatever your age, ice-cream remains a firm favourite and adds to the holiday atmosphere

(but shouldn't they be back in school by now?) I like the large advertising cornet.

April 14

 

April 14

 

The sun brought lots of visitors to the village although the wind made them uncertain what to wear. Meanwhile hay fever has set in making for a sore nose and a day of frustration..

April 13

April 13

 

Geraniums

This Geranium was bought as a small pot-plant as a project for a class many years ago and was later consigned to the kitchen window with numerous other plants which ended their days there through shameful neglect on my part. This plant refuses to stop flowering however and now lives happily on its third kitchen window sill and is a cherished member of the family..

April 12

 

April 12

 

On a very windy walk around the lakes we found this old boat and managed to do this quick sketch without being blown away. It will remind me I want to go back and do a more completed version another day.

April 11

 

The weekend is here and this is always a good way to start it !

April 10

 

Entrance to the Dragonfly maze.

 

I walk past this most days but never really considered it for a sketch before. It must just have been the way the light hit it today. If the weather holds I want to go back and do a larger painting of this.

April 9

 

A walk across the fields.

The sun has brought out ramblers, dog-walkers and lots of midges.

(But not as many as the number of visitors in the village).

April 8

 

Over the wall

 

We've had sunshine two days in a row. It must be summer!

April 7

 

April 7th

Early morning in town.

 

Slowly returning to normal after the bank holiday Monday.

April 6

 

April 6th

Perfect drying weather !

April 5

 

Home improvements

 

I don't suppose anyone will guess what we have been up to today?

April 5

 

Blue Screen

April 4

 

Ran out of time to do much yesterday but hope to be back later with today's offering.

April 3

 

 

Greetings from the gang

 

I really need to get out more but it's been raining hard all day and apparently the bathroom needs redecorating so time has been limited...

Notes from a small sketchbook

 

April 1st

 

I've been challenged by someone to try and fill the really small Moleskine watercolour sketchbook which is only 9 x 14 cm and comes only in a landscape format, by producing a sketch-a-day throughout April. I have used the larger size sketchbooks before but not this mini one.

 

So here is Day 1, which just goes to show how much practice I need on figures and how much practice people need in keeping still for longer when out enjoying themselves (don't they know how difficult it is?)

 

April 2nd

 

This is the day before Good Friday so I thought Daffodils would be appropriate.

I quite like the paper but I am not sure yet how much water it will take. At 200gsm it should be good to work on. I don't know if I shall last another 28 days but I definitely want to work more in sketchbooks of various sizes and formats.

Cling film

 

Class demonstration pieces on Bockingford NOT

 

The last class before Easter was a bit of fun time with cling film, sea salt and some fallen branches  (of which there are PLENTY thanks to  the recent winds). Some people love textures, others not so much, but it's good to do something different once in a while without worrying about how it turns out.