Halloween at The Old Barn, Nailsea

Papa and Granny took Holly and me to see some scary characters at The Old Barn in Nailsea. So of course I had to do some quick sketches just to celebrate tonight's Halloween event. The thing is, have you ever seen a skeleton pushing a lawn mower or riding a bike or having a quiet drink and a game of cards?

Cabot Circus, Bristol

Today was a big shopping day for Granny, Holly and me. 'Shop 'til you drop' is the phrase, and that was certainly us; Holly did particularly well! Just finishing a sketch of the fantastic architecture inside Cabot Circus shopping centre, Bristol.

Holly cleaning Granny's floor

Well done Hols! With great enthusiasm and singing along while she scrubbed, Holly helped clean Granny's floor. So I had to sketch Holly doing such a great job. We now have to finish off the second 'protector coat' and leave over night. But first we all have to make our hot water bottles since there is no walking on the shiny clean floor for at least 6 hours!

The Phoenix Side Door

One of my little sketches in the process of doing a painting of the pub.

College Reports and Half Term

I've been working on my college reports this evening and without my realising it is really late. So pic is published tomorrow!

Here it is- It's half term for us teachers, so one of JB relaxing on the sofa...

Cold Nights -especially for us

We are still without radiators since our plumber has decided to go off on holiday to somewhere exotic and hot. So we ate our Fish Pie tea tonight in the sitting room around the fire. The kids loved it since they could ogle at the TV. Jack nearly forgot to eat his tea.

GSCE Information Evening at Holly's school

Holly and I went to the GCSE Information Evening tonight. They were outlining how the exams are structured, revision techniques and classes, dates for retakes and the process for applying to sixth form colleges. The Head talked about these 'shifting grade boundaries' where a 'C' grade now suddenly becomes a 'D' grade.  So in effect our poor children have to work that much harder to get the results they deserve! This seems so unfair. Anyway, the sketch above is not of the Head Teacher, I hasten to add, but of the Deputy Head of Year 11. She was very confident and glamorous.

Jack in his dressing gown playing his electric guitar

The usual week day evening activity by Jack.....

Open Evening at College

Gosh- another busy and full day, leaving college at after 9pm. I managed to sketch a few faces. It's quite unusual to have a black person around the college or indeed, around Henley. It's very white middle class. I do wish we had more people from different ethnic backgrounds; it does make the place more interesting. The coloured chap was talking to a member of staff from media on the other side of the room so I could sketch him without being noticed. The two sketches were all I could manage!

A busy day

Some very quick, and I do mean literally 10 seconds each of from people watching at college during a break time!

JB Ironing

When I saved this sketch to my file of blog pics I saw I had 'JB cooking' and  'JB DIY', so here is 'JB ironing'. I've painted a picture of this ideal husband who is domesticated yet still takes on the hefty manly DIY jobs. Such a catch....

I was watching Downton Abbey (of course) and JB was multi-tasking since I think I've now got him interested in the TV serial. This is iconic of our Sunday nights.  Even with Downton Abbey I still have that 'school night felling'......

Holly on the Sofa

I hope Holly is happier with this portrait compared to an earlier 'experimental' drawing on my blog. She was helping to litter pick for the Hartley Wintney Council this morning with a friend; a good incentive was the bacon butty and can of coke at the end.

 

Sam on the Sofa

A rather stressful evening for Jack who after tea started suffering from very bad toothache. We had to phone the on call dentist assigned to our dental surgery in Hartley Wintney. She told us to stock up on pain killers and to see her tomorrow at 8.30 am. Jack eventually went to bed and Sam stayed on the sofa watching a cartoon. He had just had a bath and was very sleepy. Holly was up stairs on UTube, iPhone; you name it, so Sam was really the only one left to draw. Lucky him!

 

Running up on the Heath

I went running up on the Heath this morning. The Autumnal weather was just perfect and not a soul in sight. 

I'm going to be doing a commission comprising a series of pen and ink drawings of the Heath so I thought I had better start researching ideas and different viewpoints. Even though I quite like the way this composition divides the space, I don't think it's 'aesthetically' pleasing for hanging on a wall!

Sam and Jack

Since I did Holly I thought I would sketch the portraits of Sam and Jack. I took this on my phone and then sketched from looking at the small screen. The essence of their characters is there but the eyes are not quite right. But good or bad, it's got to go up on the Blog since I'm always saying to the students at college- 'experiment, try out, etc.' So practice what I preach....

Just Me

 



Just a quick one of me. It's not often anyone takes a photo of me but now holly has a camera I do get a look in, although there are a few pictures she takes which look a little undesirable. I say to her, 'I really didn't look like that, did I?' To which Holly replies, 'Well, yes.'

Holly and I go to the Gym

I managed to drag Holly to the gym this evening. We got back late since we had a shower there and Holly of course had to wash her hair and check her texts on her new iPhone given to her by Aunty Helen's boyfriend. It's an old one really but to Holly this is heaven.



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A very 'abstract' and tonal drawing of Holly looking rather worried. I think she was cold when I took the photo! She also had a very similar expression on her face when I took her to the gym.

We have been simplifying drawings and flattening the tones to then take in to Photographic Silkscreen at college. So I decided to have a go at this process myself. You can also use Photoshop.

I don't think Holly will be too impressed with her 'portrait'........

Groovy 1970's carpet, bowl and JB's foot

This is as exciting as it gets on a Sunday night while watching Downton Abbey. I could have drawn Roger and John working on all our woodwork; they were renewing all the skirting and architraves which were of course all 1960's originals and horribly skinny. But they were moving too fast for me and I would have got in their way. Very commendable though, they worked solidly all through the weekend to get it all done. Excellent job!

Boys together

Jack had 'borrowed' JB's iPad and was using a music app. I wanted to sketch the little group quickly before they broke up. Jack had his friend round for the afternoon and we had Roger the Carpenter making lots of noise and mess doing the skirting and architrave. Holly had escaped to a friends- wise decision...

 

Jack watching Miranda

The kids find the sitcom 'Miranda' really funny. I sketched Jack watching this while he sat fairly still!

Visit to Alton College Open Evening

I took holly to Alton College this evening to have a look at the A Level courses they offer. We went to the Principle's speech and I did a sketch of her as she spoke. I had to be careful she didn't notice!

Holly and I were very impressed with the college; it's a purpose built college, fairly new and has an 'Outstanding' OFSTED grade. The facilities were fantastic, especially photography and the staff on the English team were so enthusiastic. I told Holly I was really jealous- I want to go back in time and study there!

 

Getting school cooking ingredients ready

I sketched Sam while he was getting his cooking ingredients ready for school tomorrow- still dressed in his football kit, as you do of course.

(The drawing had to be photographed since my scanner has given up.....so not such a good copy as normal)

Jack is made 'Green Team Captain'

Yesterday Jack put together his speech to be presented at school today to become 'Green Team Leader'. He was so excited when I came home to tell me he had been elected. However, soon after the situation deteriorated when Jack decided he had caught Sam's cold and in fact he ought to go to bed since he was feeling sorry for himself.  In honor of his achievement I have sketched this portrait of Jack from a photo taken in the summer.

 

Henley Rowers

I'm uploading my sketch tomorrow. A busy day and now I must make my sandwiches for tomorrow which is very important!

Ok-here it is! This was really quick while out at lunch time. These rowers practice in all weathers- rather them than me!

More feet- Blame 'Downton Abbey'

 

 

 

Of course I was watching Downton Abbey so I had to draw what was in front of me which happened to be my feet in my shoes! Attractive socks in the pumps, don't you think? Oh well, it's Sunday and no one was looking, except now I've published this on my Blog....

 

 

Of course I was watching Downton Abbey so I had to draw what was in front of me which happened to be my feet in my shoes! Attractive socks in the pumps, don't you think? Oh well, it's Sunday and no one was looking, except now I've published this on my Blog....

 

My Allotment 'tamed'

I went to my allotment today and after all the rain it was so easy to dig, so out came all the weeds. I have to admit, it's almost better than 'perfect Patch' next to me! My carrots are fantastic!  The rest is just dug earth and I need to think about what I'm going to do next with this. A good day and the sun was shining too.

My Feet in the Bath

I'm just about to have a bath and I'm going to draw my feet.......so I might need to load this up tomorrow!

And here they are!

Sam's Religous Education Homework

Sam showed me this drawing tonight he had done for his RE homework. He also said he needed to do some writing with it, but this was his favorite part of the task- of course!  I asked if I could publish this on my blog. We both feel the shading is really effective.

 

My Hand

We were drawing hands today (the Extended Diploma year one). They started off with a warm up activity exploring three drawings- 'blind contour drawing', 'Linear', and 'tonal drawing'. Then they animated their hand by drawing a succession of hands across the surface of the paper showing the hand moving around. So I decided to have a go at a couple of the techniques just to check I could do this. The hand on the right is just 'sketchy' and neither 'tonal' or 'linear'. Here I have failed. I actually prefer the hand on the left- much better.

The Headache- has gone!

Here is Jack in bed. He just reminds me of a character out of the books, 'The Famous Five'.

Teaching Techniques and Processes

In college today with the A Level group I was doing a workshop on watercolour and mixed media. I had started this worksheet a while ago and finished it in their lesson today. The 'thumbnail' colour studies are taken from a variety of contextual sources and were based on the theme of the 'Seven Deadly Sins'. They were quite impressed. I also showed them the sketchbooks I have been working in for this blog; a mixed reaction, but one student said, 'Oh, so you can draw.'