RIVER NENE, March, Cambridgeshire. UK

Summer 2007 Journal

Met up with the girls in Town today for lunch at Panini's. After lunch we took a stroll along the River Nene before stopping to sit in the long, bank grass to chat and sketch for a while.
I sketched Joan sketching, full of concentration with the warm wind blowing through her hair.

ACRE ROAD, March, Cambridgeshire. UK

Pigment liner and Derwent watercolour pencils #36 & #67 in large sketchbook moleskin

A drive into town this afternoon, to collect some last minute purchases for my Paris trip, left me with 40 minutes before the school run. Just enough time to grab a latte, cheese sandwich and a quick sketch outside my favourite cafe 'Panini's'.

Sun blazing down onto the aluminium table, latte close by, I began to scout my location and my eye fell upon Acre Road. This narrow opening between the high street shops leads the way to the library, Acre pub and the car parks, the sun cast huge shadows between the buildings and the distant hint of foliage made for an interesting composition.

I used two watercolour pencils to emphasise the tonal values in my pen sketch, while trying to consume my delicious sandwich before the sun turned it into toast!

RIVER NENE, March, Cambridgeshire. UK

On the 14th, I met up with my friend Joan in March. We have been meeting on a Wednesday for some time now, alternating studios and homes to catch up and generally chatter the day away. When I told Joan I would be sketching regularly on location throughout the summer, she was keen to join me and we intend to spend our Wednesdays on location together until the weather drives us back into our studios.

We met at Panini's, a cafe situated in the Town Hall building, we both have work on exhibition in the cafe as part of the Fenland Visual Arts Collective. We indulged in a long latte before heading towards the Bridge on the High Street and beginning our leisurely stroll along the side of the river Nene. The weather was glorious, we've been so lucky with the sunshine here this week.

It wasn't long before a subject caught my eye, a fisherman sat on the bank with all of his equipment around him - Perfect! I sketched him in my large moleskin sketchbook using staedtler pigment liner. I had just finished when he received a phone call on his mobile phone and began to pack his things away. "The Boss has called me home" he smiled, referring to his good lady wife.

We moved along the bank and promptly found "Little Belle" a pretty little boat sitting beside a well loved garden along West End. It's a strange feeling sketching a boat, at times I forget if I am moving or the boat is and have to flick my eyes onto solid ground to remind myself it's not me!

I sketched "Little Belle" in my large moleskin sketchbook using Staedtler pigment liner and coloured it back at home using Derwent watercolour pencils and a wash of water.

A beautiful March day along the riverbank.