Friday Night Fooball Training

This hopefully says it all.......

At the Hospital

A quick sketch before Sam and I go in to have Sam's blood taken. I didn't even finish since we were in and out in no time! Sam was as usual, brave with the long needle and only needed a quick spray of the cold stuff to numb his arm. He said, "the spray hurts more than the needle!"

UCAS References and Parents Evening

Tonight has been the first wave of UCAS references for my Extended Diploma students applying for university courses next year. So I have been engrossed in writing these failing to notice how 'time flies when you're having fun'....supposedly. So I will load up my sketch on to the blog tomorrow.

English staff at parents evening in the school libray

 

It's on green paper since this is all I had at Holly's parents evening. It's actually the back of the map they give you! Holly and I actually went on Thursday 28th - so a bit of a cheat! The sketch is of the only male teacher in the english department. Lucky man!

Saatchi Gallery Visit

 

A second year Extended Diploma student sketching in front of an installation piece at the Saatchi Gallery, London.

 

Today I took all the vocational students to the Saatchi in London to see the recently opened exhibition of Russian art. It was quite an experience to see such a diverse range of materials, techniques and processes by a group of artists, which was great for the students. Parts of it were also quite shocking, showing the depression and life of the poor after the dictatorship of Stalin. The photography was extraordinary, documenting and showing Russian 'low life' in such compromising poses, naked and half naked, apparently paid to pose and undress by the photographer. Why? Well worth a visit if you are in London, the exhibition has had very good reviews.

The College Library

After a rather treacherous journey in to college today because of severe flooding around Dogmersfield and Henley, I eventually got to work rather late. But the A Level students were understanding and some of them were late due to delayed trains. I was then working in the library with the Year 2 Extended Diploma trying to teach them how to write an essay. I quickly drew on student, and yes she does look as lovely as the picture. Gosh, for many reasons I feel old today......

Shells and Beach memories

We have a large collection of shells gathered at various times on holiday. At this time of year, when it's so dark in the morning and early evening, and especially with all the horrid rain we are having, memories of sunny warm days on the beach seam so far away!

Sam

Nobody wants me to draw them today. So I had to do this sketch of Sam really quickly- actually I quite like it, particularly his feet! Sam wasn't impressed though and prefers more detail and shading.

More People

More characters. The little girl in the stripy top was too quick for me to sketch the bottom half of her. I suppose I could have imagined a skirt or trousers on her but I haven't so she remains 'legless'.

People Sketching

 

 

I've been 'People sketching' over the last few days, so edited the better ones here.

An evening at The Phoenix

I've sorted my 'blog apace'. Unfortunately I've had to delete some past sketches. However, it's just over a month before my year is up and to celebrate I am going to go through my 'Sketchbook Diary' and publish 'the best of the best' to celebrate. Than I need to think again what I will do after that!

Anyway, here is my sketch made last night in the Phoenix. We were celebrating JB completing his first MA assignment and me getting 'outstanding' in a lesson observation in our recent EQR (External Quality Review) at college.

Lovely Coffee Bars

Yes, my favourite place to hide. Such great characters to watch and draw. The art is to draw without being noticed.

College Students

I did a sketch today at college but then left it on my desk! So I will need to publish this tomorrow. Never mind, something to look forward to...

So here it is...College Students! I drew them from the window so they didn't notice.

Sunday Ironing

Need I say more?  School night feeling........................................

Sam's Imaginary Dragon

I was at college today doing another open day. I feels like it has been non stop college work for the last few weeks and little time to actually get on with my own art work! So Sam has drawn a quick sketch of an imaginary dragon for my blog today- just to help me out. How lucky I am to have an assistant artist.

It's Friday night.....

Well, what more do you need? Lovely. By the way, I drew this after a couple of glasses and before I had eaten tea, hence the 'wobbly skew' of the drawing. But I feel this adds to the overall character.

The Woods and running

I love the woods in front of our house. After such a full on demanding week, it was lovely to go running up on the heath. I saw hardly anyone up there. I took my little sketchbook and stopped to sketch a part of the path and then had to stop before my hands got too cold. Now I feel better.

QMC and then tea

Holly and I have just come back from QMC Sixth Form College's Open evening. A very quick sketch of Sam and Holly eating their tea!

Looking back

I've been teaching the Extended Diploma how to work creatively from photos- cropping, simplifying, exaggerating pattern and texture and so on.  So I looked back at our summer photos and cropped, changed and applied some of these techniques. Summer seams so far a way at the moment!

Artichoke- Demonstration Drawing

Wait tomorrow for a fantastic sketch to be published.  It's all go at the moment with college work and a 'mini OFSTED'.........

So here is my 'Demo' drawing from a Foundation session.  Of course, I didn't get observed for this session, but I quite liked my pen and ink drawing of a sliced through artichoke for a demonstartion.

More Marbles......

Yes I know I have already done a few of these, but I am following the Foundation 'Objects Project' and I need a few drawings in my sketchbook. They are now experimenting with backgrounds and light, so I am behind!

Jb and Holly's Socks

A sketch of some feet in my view while watching my favourite programme X Factor. Well, it's not really, but I watch it because it's on and the kids like it and there's no where else to go except to bed or in the kitchen with the computer. Actually, I do go and work on the computer but I was done with work and X Factor seemed so much more exciting....

Commission work- preliminary sketches

Just a sketch for some commission work. Because I used just computer paper you can see the shadows on the right come through. I have tried to Photoshop them a little, but left the window when I realised this was taking too long! Anyway, the overall 'feel' of the house is there.

Farnborough Sixth Form College

JB, Holly and I went to Farnborough Sixth Form Open Evening and spent over two hours talking to students and staff and looking around the college. Holly loved it. I have to say, the staff were excellent in explaining the courses to Holly and even going in to more depth about the specific topics. Below is my sketch from memory of the rather nice History teacher.

Coloured Marbles

I decided to get the old colouring pencils out and colour my marbles in! I have intensified the colour in Photoshop, but looking at my original drawing I quite like the subtle effect as well.

Meeting at work

Quick meeting after work to discuss 'EQR' next week. This is an 'External Quality Review' and all of us are not looking forward to it at all. It means lots of lesson plans and every session we teach being observed by people from other colleges.

Sunny Monday

Monday was lovely weather, a little cold but just warm enough at midday to sit outside. This is a sketch made on a scrap of paper when out getting a coffee in Henley. I wish I could just sit and bide my time........

Another 'Object'

After helping Sam with his artwork today where he had to look at the work of Sarah Graham, I decided to change my object for the 'Objects Project' which I decided to do alongside the foundation group. So here is my first analytical drawing of a marble.

Two Women at Football

Just a quick sketch of a couple of Mums having a chat on the side lines while watching their boys in a football match. Gosh that sounds so sexist. Anyway, we were all wrapped up in many layers now it's getting so cold. By the way, this reminds me, my plumber is still on holiday and we are still without radiators....

The Courtyard

This is a small part of a sketch for commissioned work. It was a challenging one to resolve since I am going to be doing a wide panoramic view of a 'U' shape courtyard. It's lovely. Oh yes I need to put the dog in by the door, must not forget that!

Lemon Squeezer

Just finished a very analytical 'Object' drawing. The Foundation group at college have been set a project where they need to produce a set of drawings and investigations in to an object- so I thought I would try it. So here is a 'lemon squeezer'. On EBay you can spend quite a bit of money getting a retro one, but this one is from Amazon.