TESCO CAFE, March, Cambridgeshire. UK

Pigment liner and watercolour in Canson Journal

SPIKE & VIOLET, March, Cambridgeshire. UK

Arrived a little early for my hair appointment today, leaving me time to sketch another customer before taking the 'Hot Seat'.

DODDINGTON HOSPITAL, Doddington, Cambridgeshire. UK

The waiting room corridor of the Doddington hospital physio department. I arrived 5 minutes early and he was 5 minutes late...resulting in 10 minutes to sketch!

TESCO, March, Cambridgeshire. UK

This is a page from my journal today, which includes another morning sketch session at Tesco.

HINCHINGBROOKE HEALTH CENTRE, Huntingdon.

A trip to the health centre at Hinchingbrooke hospital yesterday resulted in this sketch of the dental desk while Harry and I waited for his appointment. The desks are scattered all over the huge building, each catering for different areas and each swarming the people that sit behind them.
The desk should probably have been a little deeper in my sketch, I think a person would have trouble fitting their whole body in the area I provided even while seated but I wanted to emphasise their design as I find them more than a little amusing!

CHURCH STREET CLINIC, Somersham. UK

Took Harry, my youngest, to his dental appointment today and managed to make a couple of sketches while I waited. The first sketch was created in the waiting room and the second was created while the dentist tended to Harry.
Both sketches kind of rolled into one another, which I quite like.
No time for messing around, we only had a few moments wait in the waiting room and then, once in with the dentist, it wasn't long before I had to leave so Harry could be x-rayed.
Therefore, I made notes and added the colour on my return home.

GRAFTON CENTRE, Cambridge. UK

Indulged in a little Christmas shopping at The Grafton Centre in Cambridge today and took my small watercolour moleskin along for the all essential coffee breaks!

THE FIVE ALLS, Benwick, Cambridgeshire. UK

The Five Alls Are:
I govern all. -I pray for all. - I plead for all. - I fight for all. - I pay for all

The Five alls is the only remaining pub in Benwick and was the focus of my trip yesterday morning. I parked my truck at the top of Skeifs Row, facing the pub, and sketched it in my large watercolour moleskin sketchbook.

Location Journal Kit

I was recently asked what I take with me on location when I sketch so I thought I'd dedicate this entry to the kit I have been using with my Summer 2007 Journal.


My fountain pen is from the Lamy Safari range with an extra fine (EF) nib and a Z24 converter which allows me to fill it with Noodler's Ink, I'm using 'Lexington Gray' at the moment.

I have 2 water brushes in my handbag tin that are filled with diluted inks, one has 'black ink' and one has 'nut brown', both are W&N. These two inks accompanied by the Lamy Safari are the perfect handbag kit, allowing me to add quick values to a mostly monochrome sketch and I keep them in a slim line tin which fits easily in any of my handbags.

My third water brush is filled with plain water for use with my watercolours.

My watercolour kit is a Cotman case that was filled with Cotman half pans which I have removed and replaced with small squirts of W&N Artists tube watercolours. Some of my latest additions to this palette are 'Smalt' and 'Terre Verte' both of which I love and Cerulean blue, which I have never owned until now....amazing huh? Some of the 'hubs' have more than one hue in them. e.g. I have 'Smalt' and 'Indanthrene Blue' sharing a well. This allows me more colours, this small box currently holds approx. 20 hues. The reason for this is that I am using my journal as a way of finding my palette, already some hues need topping up and those that do not require topping up will be fazed out...the theory being that if I haven't used them...I don't need them!

Lastly, an HB pencil and a sheet of 'Bounty' kitchen towel are tossed in for the ride, I love 'Bounty', it is extremely thirsty and does not fall apart when wet which means I only need take one sheet along with me.

All of this then fits into a small pencil case/cosmetic bag.

Towards the end of the Summer Journal I found myself taking just the plain water brush, watercolours and my Lamy fountain pen; a tiny kit that works perfectly well on location.

The sketchbook I used for my summer holiday journal was a 6x9 inch Venezia, a beautiful book with an attractive cover, filled with 48 sheets of 200gsm smooth Fabriano Accademia paper.

THE BUTTERFLY PARK, Long Sutton, Lincolnshire. UK

The Butterfly and Wildlife Park at Long Sutton has always been a favourite of ours and, while Jake concentrated on his college assignment at home, Harry and I paid it another visit.

The pond inside the enclosure looked fabulous with all it's water lettuce so I purchased 10 from their shop so we could put them in our own pond back at home.
The enclosure has thousands of butterflies as walking through it feels much like a fairytale. There is a crocodile, turtles, lizards etc... and many birds. One of the doves took a liking to Harry and climbed onto his hand, it then allowed him to walk through the entire closure - 3 times! - while still sitting on his hand and at one point climbing onto his shoulder like a pirate pose, which made Harry very happy. Both of my boys have been naturals with animals, they live in the country and have always been surrounded by nature and it's natural cycle. It was wonderful to watch Harry walk the same path as his Brother before him, so relaxed and with such an obvious bond between him and the creature.

A day at the Butterfly Park would not be complete without a visit to the children's adventure playground, the farm and the cafe. The cafe sell an array of home-made cakes, eight to ten inches deep, laden with creams, jams and icing sugar dusting, a delicious way to take a break from the heat of the enclosure and refresh!

HAMERTON ZOO, Hamerton, Cambridgeshire. UK

Hamerton Zoo is always a good day out and their recent additions made it all the more enjoyable on our trip last week.
The White Bengal Tiger and the Scarlet Ibis made it into my Summer 2007 Journal, my first visit to Hamerton with a sketchbook in tow!

PRIORY GOLF CENTRE, Wimblington, Cambridgeshire.

View across the course from hole 1

On Bank Holiday Monday we took a trip into our neighbouring village, Wimblington, to the Priory Golf Centre. A small, friendly, informal course ideal for children and families. While the kids played I perched my chair and sketched.


Hole 1

WASHBROOK FARM, Doddington, Cambridgeshire. UK

View from Washbrook Farm - Summer journal 2007

A lazy Sunday afternoon spent savouring the delights of a friend's nearby farm gave me the chance to sketch the landscape across the Fen while the opposite sex indulged in a little fly fishing on the lake.


Harry flyfishing at Washbrook Farm - Summer Journal 2007.

I was at Washbrook Farm back in June for their annual country show where I sketched members of the 13th Alabama Infantry

ST MATTHEWS CHURCH, Sutton Bridge, Lincolnshire. UK

On Tuesday I took a trip over to Sutton Bridge to deliver some paintings to the annual art exhibition at St. Matthew's Church. I was lucky enough to find a parking place right outside the church and took full advantage of my position by sketching the entrance from my truck.

I was invited to exhibit three paintings in total so I chose three of the four pieces in my 'Precious Moments' collection. (top two and bottom right)

Clockwise:

1. God's Little Helper - Watercolour

2. Alone Time - Watercolour

3. New Frock - Soft pastel

4. Unconditional - Soft Pastel

OLD HUNSTANTON BEACH

Summer 2007 journal

At around 3pm last Friday we took some BBQ's down to Old Hunstanton Beach and watched as the sun set on the sea. We did this last year too, hard to believe it was a year ago...Time flies!

Summer 2007 journal

MEPAL OUTDOOR CENTRE, Cambridgeshire. UK

Summer 2007 journal

Mepal never fails to interest my youngest, Harry. With it's ball pools, sand pit, splash pool and other outdoor activities Mepal provides a great day out at the bargain price of £3 per child.
I took my Niece, Harry, my Mum and a picnic!

The entrance has two huge tent like structures that roof the indoor activity buildings, I managed to capture one of them in my sketch this time around.
You can see sketches and photographs from my other visits to Mepal this year HERE and HERE.

BENWICK PLAYPARK

Summer 2007 journal

After feeding the ducks along the Nene river at Benwick, the kids and I strolled along to the nearby play park. They had fun while I tackled the impossible angles and nightmare perspectives of the resident slide!

ELY, Cambridgeshire. UK

Summer 2007 journal

A day trip with my Niece and Son to Ely resulted in a little shopping after seeking refreshments in Starbucks. I visited Tindalls stationers who stock many art materials and I purchased a W&N tube of Terre Verte watercolour and a sketchbook, with a canvas cover that you paint yourself, which was on sale for £1.99...Bargain!

We had lunch at The Maltings before stopping on the green alongside the river where I found time to make a quick sketch of The Kings School Boat Club.



Summer 2007 journal

CLEY BEACH, Norfolk Coast.

Summer 2007 journal


During a recent trip to Hunstanton Beach we hit traffic and our detour decision took us right up to Cromer, where we drove around the Norfolk Coast back towards Hunstanton, stopping to dip our toes at Cley beach along the way!

GEORGE CAMPBELL LEISURE CENTRE, March, Cambridgeshire.

Summer 2007 journal

Today we took a trip into March to the George Campbell Leisure Centre and, while I sketched, my Mum took a dip with her Grandsons.

I've sketched people almost everywhere, cafe's, shops, parks and I thought those sketches were challenging but a pool full of crazy kids letting off steam in moving water provided some brand new difficulties. I had just seconds to capture the essence of the moment before my Sons, the perspective and the light moved again changing everything completely!

Summer 2007 journal