A Moor Bird

Pastel on pastel sketch paper.

Virtual Sketch Date - November

Last month I found the Virtual Sketch Date blog two days after the deadline and I vowed that I would take part in November. But when I saw the reference I was a little overwhelmed by the seeming complexity of it - all those branches! So my first offering was to make a simple ink sketch and colour with watercolour - I went for representation rather than detail. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it - the vivid colours of the reference reminding me of an Autumn day in Sydney when the leaves are dropping but the sky is vibrant blue and it is hot, hot, hot. Then, tonight I decided to get out the pastels and try for a more painterly offering - it was a challenge but again I loved working with this colour combo and was both surprised and pleased with the result. Thanks to all at VSD for the opportunity to join in and I am looking forward to next month!

An old photograph

I found an old photograph of my daughter, all crumpled at the base of my handbag. She would have been around one year old and it was not a particularly flattering shot. For some reason I was compelled to attempt a quick sketch. I used a charcoal pencil and was quite pleased with the result. Her expression and loose baby features were quite a challenge.

The means not the end...

I told my mother today that I was happy because I was drawing again. I should have been prepared for the response. 'And what are you going to draw?' she asked. 'Well, anything, everything and nothing,' I said. 'I just want to draw and to get better at drawing.' She looked impatient. 'Yes, but what are you going to do with it?" she insisted. I gave her a look. 'I mean what are you going to draw?" Again, I said that what I drew wasn't important. But she was really getting agitated. 'Well, do you want to do something like that?' she asked, indicating her abstract painting from Target. "You can do something like that for my wall."

I don't think so.

No thanks, I said quite firmly. I don't want to do anything for anyone's wall. I just want to draw quietly for myself, for the act of it and for the peace it brings. And it is good to know that.

I came home and made this quick sketch of my husband at the computer on one of our very, very narrow antique chairs.