Virtual Sketch Date - October

An Imperfect Pair

Here's my interpretation of this month's reference photo for Virtual Sketch Date, provided by Belinda Lindhardt.


I cropped the reference photo and experimented with it in coloured pencil on red paper:


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Then I got carried away because I liked the image so much and did it again on black paper, to see how that came out:


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and now I'm doing it on white paper, and then I shall probably try it again with pastel pencils on tinted pastel paper!

Evergreen Oak

We have lots of these trees along the edge of the promenade here. They have acorn-like nuts and leaves that are bright green when they are first opened but darken to an almost black olive colour, shiny and hard, with a grey underside. These trees are sometimes called 'Evergreen Oak' and sometimes 'Holm Oak' but are, in fact, a holly, or Ilex. In a park or garden setting, these trees are nicely shaped atop a thick trunk, but here along the beach we have scrubby, straggly, gnarly specimens.

I've chosen to take a small sprig here, with immature acorns.


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Polychromos and Koh-i-Noor Polycolour on white cartridge paper. 8 x 10 inches.

Virtual Sketch Date September

This month's reference photo for Virtual Sketch Date was provided by Sharon.
As soon as I saw it I wanted to take part but knew I'd have trouble with it!


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I did this in Polychromos and Koh-i-noor Polycolour pencils on cartridge paper. It was HARD. At first sight, it's a beautiful photograph of a flower in a vase of water. But when I looked more closely - reflected in that vase of water are windows with drapes and what looks very much like a seascape outside! Quite a challenge Sharon!

I found if very difficult to get the colours as deep as I wanted in the background and the dark relection in the vase. There was a lot of colouring in!

Then while out shopping I picked up this month's Leisure Painter magazine, with an article on 'gadgets' for coloured pencil work by Bob Eldon of the UK Coloured Pencil Society. (Last month Bob did an article about experimenting with different and unusual kinds of paper - haven't tried these yet!). Yesterday I went to our local art shop and bought blending pencils and burnishing pencils to help even out and deepen the colour. I also bought a battery operated eraser. So I'll be wielding these new tools for the next VSD. Thanks Bob for the tips!

The Playground - WIP finished

....I think!


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I've tried to suggest the different playground surfaces; a kind of dark tarmac, grass, pathways, foliage and the field, sky and the South Downs in the background. I'm not entirely satisfied with this end result. I'm pleased with the figures, but not so pleased with the 'portrait' likenesses. This is on A2 paper, so each of the faces is quite small - usually I draw portraits at least A4 size on A3 paper. I will have to work a lot harder on catching a likeness without drawing the features in detail.

Back to the sketchbook for more practice!

I've put this one in its frame, because if I keep trying to adjust it I will spoil it. It's possible that I will have it out again later, but for now its done.