Lynton, Something big April 2021

 For a long time I've liked the idea of making an image of the whole of Lynton. Its a tiny little toy town nestling in a little valley, behind a big hill, sheltering it from the Atlantic north winds. And its been my home for the past 9 years, I'm very proud of where I live, so when we went to see a friend who lives on the opposite side of the valley I took the opportunity to photograph the whole town.

When I say its a tiny town, it really is tiny town, smaller than a lot of villages, only just over 1000 permanent residents.

I started by joining all the photos together on photoshop, then divided it into 4 to make it easier to work on. So far I have finished 3 of them and just about to start work on the 4th.

They are not perfect and but I've learnt a lot and want to draw Lynton again from several different view points.

180 degrees at Landacre

Landacre 26/4/2021

A trip to Lanacre with mummy and the boys, plus the gipsy dogs. Ron was a nightmare, desperate to run and chase stones, too many people around to let him off the lead, no one wants a wet half greyhound running through their picnic. So not much sketching done, but enough to draw later.

Towards Pinkworthy Pond April 2021

 26/4/2021

Another favourite dog walk, I live on Exmoor I have a lot of favourite dog walks 😄

Ilkerton is only 3 miles from home, up the hill out onto the wild and windy moor, to vast atmospheric views.  I especially love the view across Ilkerton Ridge towards Pinkworthy Pond, the curve of the hills and the little trees in the distance.

It'ss another image I will revisit in time.

Woolacombe April 2021

 We like to go on road trips to walk the dogs. Woolacombe is 20 miles away, so we go a lot as its a massive sandy beach that stretches for miles  especially in the winter as its a popular dog walking beach. In the summer its full of tourists, so not a good place to take 2 idiot lurchers. But whatever the season its perfect for the tiny boy's.

I never used to draw buildings, I couldn't be bothered to master perspective, but 20+ years later I am fascinated about how the shapes fit together. Maybe its due to 15 years of working with geometric shapes in my blanket designs. I even like the idea of tackling perspective, but not going to worry if its wrong, I quite like slightly wonky.

These are all sketchbook sketches so it doesn't matter if they are good or bad, I've developed the ideas and 6 weeks later using them in a big project.

Cloud Farm April 2021

 My first drawing out of the sketchbook was Cloud Farm. Cloud Farm is along one of our favourite dog walks, its in Doone Valley and sits on the banks of Badgworthy Water. Its been taken over by the National Trust and has a tea room & campsite. If we didn't live so close it would be on my "places to stay" list, as it is we get to see it at all times of the year.

 I bought some water colours, dug out my very ancient Karisma coloured pencils. 

As soon as I'd painted the hills I knew I'd over done it, but thought I could bring it back with the coloured pencils.

But I couldn't! Although at the time I really liked it, now I realise its a practise piece, and steep learning curve.

There are elements I still like and have carried on developing, while I learn to find my voice again. I will revisit Cloud Farm in the future and hopefully do it justice the next time.

Countisbury from the allotment

 Fast forward 20+ years to a month ago.

For the first time since I was at art collage, I carry a sketchbook with me and draw from life. 

I started off not knowing what I wanted to do, just that I wanted to do something, this is the reason I posted all my old work, trying to find a starting point. I'm not sure I found one, but it was good to revisit old work.

We have an allotment with the most amazing view. Across Lynmouth Bay to Countisbury, with the Blue Ball pub nestling in a little dip.

My first attempt at drawing was pretty rubbish, I'd forgotten how to look at things to see the details, my hand was wobbly and the sketchbook was made out of blotting paper.

24/3/2021

But I quickly got better, doing quick sketches in the open air and working on them when I got home. A lovely friend gave me some coloured graphics pens, so I had colour to play with.

25/3/2021

14/4/2021

I haven't finished drawing Countisbury and will get better as time goes on. I feel its important to post everything I do, even the sketches I am embarrassed of, so you/I can watch my journey.

Old sketchbook pages

 Late 1990's to early 2000's.

Doodles March 2021

 My new Instagram account https://www.instagram.com/queenies_trees/ started with a few doodles, drawn in a tiny A6 sketchbook, which I had bought from eBay several years ago. I mistakenly thought I was going to take up sketching again, it sat on a shelf for a couple of years patiently waiting to be used.

I later realised that my tiny cheap sketchbook was made with low quality paper that behaved like blotting paper, but as I've started using it I intend to use at least half it before I give up and buy something better.

Another reason That I picked up my pen again was that my writing was appalling I couldn't keep it on the line of lined paper. Due to only writing on computers for the last 20 years I had forgotten how to use a pen.

I started off with a couple of gel pens I found in the cupboard.

I quickly resorted to eBay to buy some more colours and ended up with a set of Pental Hybrid Dual metallic's. So exciting and so much fun to use.