Ilfracombe Harbour

 Ilfracombe is finished .. YAY!!

(Apart from a few waves around Verity, that Ive only just noticed, I'll draw them in before its goes to be printed.)

Anyway this drawing has taken me over a year, from the very first set of photographs to the drawing you see on screen.

I started drawing in December, using a 0.1 fine line pen, by the end of February when I had draw half the original pen drawing before I discovered it wouldn't fit on the page, so the original drawing ended up as a set of sketches.

Since April I have been working on it in photoshop, I've done an awful lot of cut and pasting, been back several times to take more photo's, studied google street view trying to fill in the gaps. The photo's below show my progress over the last 4 months.

 

         

The image will be a Giclee print, printed using pigment inks onto archival fine art paper.

The print is now ready for ordering, UK orders will be delivery straight from the printer, so will be unsigned. 

I am able to sign and deliver copies locally anywhere within 20 miles of Lynton, which includes Ilfracombe, Barnstaple, Braunton, South Molton etc etc If you live a little further please contact me as I will need to charge a small amount towards fuel costs.

The Image can be printed in three sizes and costs (UK shipping) included as follows..

A1+ (limited edition 500) £300

A2+ £130

A3+ £85

I am able to send internationally however shipping will be extra.

I accept PayPal or bank transfer payments.
If you have any questions or would like a copy of the print please leave a message in the comments box on the left hand side of this post.

Landscape

Landscapes have always been my thing and so living at the end of the road is perfect for me. 

I like the wild best of all, I think that's why I have a strong affinity to the sea. I've lived within 10 miles of the coast all my life, I've spent the last 30 years with the sea almost on my door step. I can't imagine what it would be like to live inland.

I spent most of my early life surrounded by fields, woods and marshes, I still live very close to nature except I've swapped the fields & marshes for moorland and hills, so these are the things I draw.

I like to have a personal connection to the places I draw, that's why I draw my little corner of Exmoor. 

I don't feel I could draw somewhere else unless I have been there, but even then I feel slightly guilty for stealing someone else's landscape.

The view from the allotment is spectacular, across Lynmouth Bay to South Wales, on a clear day you can see the mountains and wind farms on the coast, this year we haven't had many clear days, but it was very clear on Sunday when we were at the allotment. I've never drawn this view, but the clouds are so amazing in this photo that I'm considering it. 

This is the view sideways to the east, the white building in the middle is The Blue ball pub, the white blur further up is camper vans in the car park we use when walking on Countisbury.

As I'd photographed The Blue Ball from the allotment I thought it was only right to photograph the allotment from the Blue Ball. You can just make them out in the second photo, to the left of the houses, behind the row of bungalows.

I'm not sure whether I will draw these views, but I like the fact they are connected.

Below are some of my other favourite local landscapes all within 5 mins from my front door.

Ilkerton Ridge which I have drawn several times and will probably draw again.

Holdstone Down, which I plan to draw next, maybe .....

Lynton & Lynmouth from Countisbury Hill, I love how this view illustrates just how remote we are. If I ever draw it I would need to draw on at least A2 size paper as I have a compulsion to draw all the buildings in the right places. Maybe it will need several sheets of paper and more photographs using a very good camera!

Park Gardens from Hollerday Hill, the angle is wrong, Park Gardens goes up hill to the right, but I photographed from it from the snowball path walking up hill to the left. I will have to alter the angle before I draw it.

There are so many more amazing views, almost every direction I look. When I decided I needed to appeal to a wider audience I decided I needed to leave Lynton and draw landscapes further afield, but as I've chosen to draw for me I can continue drawing my landscape without any guilt.

Photo's on my Phone 2nd July to 10th July 2024

 Another week of not much, except dog walking and drawing.

My friend and I took our love bugs for a walk up Hollerday Hill, where they chased each other up the hill, dug holes, slobbered on each other and played gentle tug of war. Siri always lets Edie have the stick/ball, he's twice her size and could easily win, but always defers to her in the end. Their bond is a beautiful thing to witness.

We spent some time at the allotment, its divided in half by the Tayberry (covered on green net on the second photo). 

Phil's half is neatly organised in rows, each time he plants he sifts the soil, all very scientific adding the right nutrients at the right time.

My half is chaotic and continues to evolve in its own special way. I've planted flowers and herbs along the edges, because I've always wanted a walled garden and this is the closest thing to one I can get. I'm growing a lot of onions and garlic, planted all over the place, courgettes, peas, beans and fruit bushes. I also have an asparagus bed which I'm very proud of, both my mother and granny had asparagus beds, neither were gardeners, but always produced a good crop each year. My bed is only in its second year, our soil is the worst possible soil for asparagus, I dug a couple of bags of sand in before I planted, the plants seem to be thriving and I have my fingers crossed for a good crop next year. I hope that one day Dais will follow in their footsteps and have one of her own.

My flowers are beautiful at this time of year, I'm especially proud of my rose William Lobb. I've had him quite a few years, he's moved from house to house in a pot, he's been at the allotment since we had it 3 years ago and this year he is spectacular and smells even better.

William Lobb grows next to my compost bins, those of you who remember NDS will recognise the bins.

On Monday we walked to the top of Dunkery Beacon, which is the highest point on Exmoor and Siri tried to dig up a stone to play with.

I was going to add more landscape photo's and talk about my relationship with the landscape, but I'm going to write a second post instead.

Ilfracombe is finished, I'll write a blog post when I've finished tidying it up.
Woolacombe is almost finished, think I might have spoilt it by colouring the roof's black, but never mind I might frame it anyway.

I only did one sketch last week, waiting in the car while Phil walked the dogs on the wrong side of Countisbury Hill, I'd strained my back from standing all day at the town hall market the previous day. The market was so good that I've treated myself to a posh concertina sketch book, I'm very excited, can't wait till it arrives.

Looking towards the East Lyn, drawn with a 0.03 pen

Sketch books

 

In the past I was always very precious about my sketch books. I wanted to keep them pristine, so didn't draw on the page in case I made a mistake and had to rub it out. All the drawings and images were glued in.

The one below is from 2002, the image is of the Sutton Hoo excavation and the painting is the treasure being excavated on hand made paper. I used the sketch books as diary's and filled them full of angst ridden  waffle about how I was a failing artist.

Life has taught me that I don't have time to angsty about being an artist, its who I am and I will always draw.

Fast forward 20+ years, my worry about perfection has gone, now I draw directly on the page, some of it is good, some of it is bad, but it all fits together and is a diary of my life.

The following drawings are from my current A5 sketch book, I also have an A6 and A4.

Woolacombe                                                        Lynton

 

I like to draw from life, the boys are a big part of life and watch me drawing. Of course they want to draw too and when we are out and there's nothing for them to draw on I let them draw in my sketch book. 

I would never of let them anywhere near my precious sketch books years ago.

The above drawings were drawn at half term on Dunster beach, I drew the path of the river Avill running down to meet the sea. I told Bert to draw what he could see, so he drew the nuclear power station at Hinkley Point and a container ship in the Bristol Channel.

I take my sketch book everywhere and draw when we're out dog walking. Phil has long legs and walks a lot faster than me, so at some point in the walk I will stop to draw while he carries on walking with the dogs. The drawing above is of Holdstone down,  I continued drawing and did some colouring when I got home.

The view from Daddy's garden of the hillside on the other side of the river, in Lynmouth.

Lynton, from Holman Park looking up towards Station Hill. Sketched on sports day in between races and tidied up when I got home, I might continue with this one.

Yesterday we went to Crow Point, the first time since our car disaster, this Appledore drawn from Crow Point beach across the mouth of the river's Taw and Torridge. It must be at least half a mile across the river, probably further, so it's difficult to make out details, even the close ups on my iPhone art very good.

I will tidy it up, but probably won't take it any further.

And finally the boys drawings at the back of my sketch book. 

As I said previously I've told Bert to draw what he see's and that sometimes the only place he will be able to see what to draw is inside his head, but that doesn't matter and not to listen to people who say otherwise.

A couple of weeks ago I'd forgotten what I said to him, we went to a meal with some friends, when he got bored I gave him my sketch book and he drew his food, knife and fork.  I am so proud that he remembered my advice.

On the other page Maggie drew a snake (I think) and wrote his name.

I'm so proud of both of them 💙💙

Photo's on my Phone 26th June to 2nd July 2024

Last Tuesday my lovely friends held a surprise late birthday party.
Lots of birthday cake and much love & appreciation for the girls or maybe I should call them ladies💖

Then on Wednesday it was sports day, I didn't take many photos as I know some parents aren't happy about their children's photo's being shared, so I have been very careful and tried to cut all the people out. 

The cheer leading team.

From left to right - Step mum, Nanny, Queenie (grandma) and last but most importantly Mummy.

The first photo is of the start of one of Bert's running races and the last 2 of Maggie's sack race. 

There was much debate between the cheer leaders as whether Maggie had come 3rd or 4th. Mummy thought it was 5th, but I don't believe she was looking in the right direction.

It was very hot!

The rest of the week has consisted of drawing and dog walking, plus a little bit of playing Zelda when I can fit a few minutes in.

I've almost finished Woolcombe

And Ilfracombe

I finally managed to pop over and take the missing photo's, not only have I missed a building out completely, but the road curves round to the left. I've got a lot of cut and pasting to do to get the road in the right place. I suspect I might still need to take more photo's.