Friday 30 September 2016

InkTober.......marshalling the troops!



I’m glad to see that Jake Parker, the brains behind ‘InkTober’, is using a brushpen and a paintbrush as well as fountain pens for manipulating the ink! That gives me lots of flexibility!

Thank you , Suhita for jogging my elbow about this event...I came across one or two posts last year referring to it, and was intrigued….now I know what it’s all about!

The Daily Prompt List is a good idea...I wonder if we have to stick to it, and in the right order,  or perhaps just use it casually for inspiration? Oh well, I think I’ll see what other people are doing….!

Anyway, I decided to count my ‘troops’, and to my delight it came to one dozen items!

1. TWSBI Diamond 530 fountain pen -for some brown ink
2. TWSBI Diamond 530 fountain pen  for my favourite grey ink. ( I am really pleased, by the way, to find that the reliable website 'Parka Blogs' reviews the pens I like - this site is a brilliant resource for really careful and detailed reviews of just about everything an artist uses!
I really like the feel, weight and balance of these particular pens, and I especially approve of the screw - on cap, which screws on to the end when in use! (I know some people prefer to leave the cap off to use, but it’s purely a matter of preference.  In my book , ANY drawing or painting implement needs to feel like a natural extension of my arm, and this is my main criteria which comes as extremely HIGH PRIORITY!
3. Platinum Carbon Fountain Pen with Converter.  I find that I really love using this pen, as its very fine nib really grips the paper well, and this suits me. Parka blogs comments that this is because the tip of the nib lacks the usual 'ball' feature.
4. Platinum Carbon Ink Refill backup bottle
5. Platinum Carbon Ink Cartridges (for emergency backup!)
6. Herbin "Gris Nuage" grey ink .  After purchasing this lovely blue-grey ink on a whim, I now find it indispensable!
7. W&N brown ink refill bottles
8. Pentel Brushpen - a really excellent tool for beautiful soft pigment ink lines.
9. Pentel brushpen refill cartridges .I've pictured the really excellent self-sealing pack which contains the refills - brilliant!
10.  Dip pen (My lovely grey ink is running a bit low, so this is to use in emergencies!)
11. Paintbrush (for grey ink brushwork experiments)
12. Diamond 530 fountain pen presentation box

Well, alright, the twelfth item isn’t strictly another addition to the list of materials I’ll be using for this challenge, but it’s certainly nice enough to draw, and I’ll be doing that tomorrow (although I find that with these particular pens the ink takes a little while to ‘draw down’ , so I find it convenient to keep them ‘nose-down’ in the front pocket of my sketching belt pouch, separate from other materials, so that they are easy and quick to grab at a moment’s notice!

Sunday 25 September 2016

Encouraging Wild Birds to a Suburban Garden



Blue Tit drawing

 As I am currently in the position of slowly planning a new garden , the question of attracting wild birds definitely comes to mind!  Although I am most definitely NOT a ‘twitcher’, I love watching birds and learning about them!
I may not go as far as installing CCTV or other sophisticated camera equipment, as described on this website, but once birds start returning I will definitely be keeping a pair of binoculars permanently on each of window cills in our ground floor flat, ready to grab when something interesting flashes past! The sites specialising in birdbox cams and the like however do often provide lots of information and good advice on attracting wild birds to a garden plot!
So where will I start?
"Provide suitable habitat"
No problem - we have already started planting native species in a new hedge around the garden - this will provide lots of shade and places to perch, nest and hide from predators .
"Provide water"
Again no problem, as a planned bog garden  is already taking shape, and we will be introducing running water features  as soon as possible - nothing nicer on a sleepy sunny afternoon than listening to moving water!
"Provide bird feeders and regular food"
Care needs to be taken here, as if you undertake to feed birds regularly this has to be maintained, especially in winter , as birds now in the habit of visiting your garden to feed may starve if supplies suddenly cease!
Care must also be taken to position bird feeders suitably - near to cover, so that birds can perch while awaiting their turn, literally in the ‘pecking order’!  However, don’t make it easy for predators  such as cats to get too close!
A resource that we have found invaluable in the past is this one , both for supply of a super range of bird food and for excellent advice and information.

Care also needs to be taken to keep feeders and the ground beneath clean and hygenic.

This all sounds like a lot of trouble, but believe me it’s well worth it!






Saturday 24 September 2016


Edinburgh in the warm September sunshine





Cafe sketching!
Well….I thought I had experienced everything with this travelling alone/peripatetic working lark!  But the last 24hours has been quite an experience!

This year I am continuing my ventures into establishing new and improved work practices as well as finding a better work/life balance than has been the case recently!

I work on a very tight budget at the moment, so accommodation solutions need to have the emphasis very definitely on the ‘cheap and cheerful’ side of things.  I’ve lots of experience at finding suitable places where I can both work and relax, as well as being in a convenient location so far as transport, food etc is concerned. The late and much lamented Caledonian Backpackers in Queensferry Street, Edinburgh, ticked all the boxes perfectly for me, but now I have had to start again……

To digress slightly….but it IS relevant to my subject…..last year I embarked on a quest to discover a source for experimenting with traditional fiddle playing . When at school, many many moons ago , I had studied classical violin to a reasonably competent level, sufficient for me to find myself playing 2nd violin in a 3-performance college production of “The Pirates of Penzance”, by Gilbert and Sullivan . But I found this an exhausting experience, and have since found that a slightly smaller instrument suits my frame better!  
I have enjoyed folk session playing in the past when I owned a studio in West Yorkshire, so , to cut a long story short, I now find myself thoroughly enjoying participating in a rapidly expanding fiddle playing group in the Scottish Borders , and am in the process of attempting to fit it into a new work schedule…..!

The logistics are NOT straightforward, as several bus journeys are involved, but I find that by discovering suitable budget accommodation in Edinburgh, I think I can fit everything around a regular Life Drawing  slot, too!  Bingo! (or at least I think this will work!)

So yesterday afternoon found me tramping through Old Town , fiddle and suitcase in tow, painting kit and laptop included, looking for the hostel where I’d booked myself in for a couple of nights…..I hadn’t been to this one before, but it seemed to be conveniently located for being within walking distance of transport and my various other needs….But what a disappointment!   Down a dark and gloomy street...rather grim and terse welcome….dark and gloomy passages...bareness ….nowhere comfortable to sit except my bunk….hmmmm!  Still, I didn’t feel exactly unsafe, so brought ALL my experience into play, draping scarves above my bunk to provide a modicum of privacy and to avoid disturbing others with my bedlight, which I was able to plug into my own extension board, together with my laptop!   At least there was reasonably adequate broadband in the room, and I was able to entertain myself and sleep adequately.

However, I did NOT fancy staying in this particular establishment a second night, and instead had booked myself a bed online at the Budget Backpackers on Cowgate...just along the road as it happens!  
WHAT A DIFFERENCE!  Smiling welcome even very early in the morning, and use of nearly ALL facilities , even though not yet checked in!   I was able to store all my stuff VERY securely, buy an excellent breakfast, and am as I write very happily ensconced in a corner of the excellent chillout room….I might even get some work done today!
Preparing my sketch kit for the day's work

Note the (nearly) unique bag!

  This hostel is well located , just by the Grassmarket, so is very convenient for shops and eateries etc.  There’s lots of sketching material around here, both inside and out, so WATCH THIS SPACE!
Handy seats for the sketcher in the Grassmarket!



One does take just a teency weency bit of a risk when choosing an independently run hostel online, and I know where I WON’T be staying again next time, but I’m delighted to have found the jackpot so soon!

Thursday 22 September 2016

This will be an exciting weekend, as I have a jewelry item coming up for sale in the excellent Great Western Auctions Fine Art and Antiques auction on 23rd Sept 2016

I am especially pleased as this is an item I found myself, not knowing exactly what it was, but which I bought because I liked it!

It has now been described and catalogued as " An Alexander Ritchie  silver brooch of annular form with knot work, spiral bosses and zoomorphic animals, stamped AR also stamped AR in the sought after spectacle mark dated Glasgow 1928, diameter 39mm"

So watch this space!

Sunday 18 September 2016

A September Trip

Staffin Post Office, Skye
Phew….that was another whirlwind week in the midst of a whirlwind trip in the midst of an impossibly whirlwind year!

….Where to start...what to put in and what to leave out?

My emphasis this time was to get to know Skye a little better in my artistic exploration of the Western Isles….
So I booked myself in at Dun Flodigarry hostel , not really knowing what I would find…!

Thank you Gavin and Bryan….you’ve a great place!  and what a marvellous view!   Didn’t see the mountains across the Sound for a week, but THEN……!!!!!
The weather turned a bit, but often that brings wonderful skies , so that was good! I don’t think I’ll ever forget the interesting experience of my attempt to paint Staffin Post Office!

A new place to explore involves working out bus timetables , finding somewhere to hole up while dodging the weather and hopefully do some sketching , oh and try to do as much work as possible while enjoying a stunning location, in an effort to share all that beauty with a few onlookers , perhaps?

Then it was on to my regular pitch at Berneray Hostel but even this part of my expedition came up with some exciting variations…!

Moving on, I stayed a couple of nights at the excellent Cowshed Boutique Hostel in Uig...a chance to catch up on some more work and attend to my growing website maybe? I didn’t manage much sketching there...just one or two doodles. But this is another place where I find I can feel very happily ensconced, so must bookmark it for hopefully a longer sojourn another time!

Hmmm...maybe I’m veering towards the tedious...highlights...and more highlights!  Well, there was Tir Nan Og B&B for a special treat - delicious food...stunning views.

Then I found the excellent Eilidh at Coralbox ...what a discovery, and later was treated to a bit of a  party around a convivial table at the hostel on my last night...grrrrreat!

Monday 5 September 2016

Watercolour Challenges

King William IV pub, Pimlico    
Determined to celebrate World Watercolour Month in a practical way, and finding myself visiting London for the first time in many , many moons, I dug out an old folding palette  and once there, dashed out to spend my last penny on some tube paints in my usual range of colours.  Really enjoyed the session, sitting outside the pub on a sunny day!

Beginning as part of a constant personal challenge to develop my work further, I was now beginning to enjoy the added discipline of drawing with a fountain pen, encouraged by Suhita Shirodkar  and Marc Taro Holmes  in their Craftsy classes!
I had hit on the idea of using a light grey ink in one of my fountain pens, particularly as this results in pencil-like lines, less insistent than black, and which I can add to or modify later with a different colour ink or paint.
I am now finding that I almost NEVER start drawing with a pencil when sketching, enjoying the added discipline of the pen and the ‘feel’ of the steel nib contacting the crisp surface of the paper!