Saturday 26 September 2015

Learning new Skills


Over the last week I have been on a couple of workshops and have had a whale of a time.
First off the chickens. Chris Moss showed us how to make wire chickens. Had a great time making the mine although wasn't anything like as good as the things Chris makes. http://www.chrismossart.co.uk
The workshop took place at Horticap in Harrogate. This is a place well worth a visit in its own right, it's a place for people with learning difficulties to develop skills in gardening. The gardens are great to wander around with some interesting pieces of sculpture dotted around in among the the plants. A very tranquil spot. They have a small cafe and gift shop as well, here we were given a lovely lunch of sandwiches and broccoli soup. We were in a potting shed to work so had plenty of room to work and we all manage to produce a chicken or a duck.

This was mine it has got more tail feathers than it appears to have.

When I got home I was then preparing myself for my next trip away.  But first needed to make a few more books as stock for the craft fairs I doing in November. 


Managed to make three. 
Then went to Artison in Masham https://artison.co.uk/ and did a 2 day workshop, learning have to make Stained glass. Had a great time, was totally engrossed and the time flew by. I didn't want to push my self by making things too complicated. Firstly I decided on straight lines which I thought might be easier but found they brought their own challenges. It was supposed to be an abstract landscape. I was pleased with the result. Have learnt a lot from it. I had a couple of hours left after finishing my first one so had chance to make a second again a very simple pattern and was chuffed to get it done in the time, showing I had learnt something and still had all my fingers. So it was win win. 

A very poor photo of the result.

Since being back been working again at building stock up.

Some more books
Then discovered a way of using book pages that had begun to mount up, making butterflies.
Then made a mini tunnel book in a mint tin 
Need to really crack on now and get stock built up. 



Wednesday 16 September 2015

Rainy days......


The weather hasn't been that bad, the rainy bit refers to a day a few years ago when I was in Edinbugh visiting some friends. I had traveled up on the train the weather was bright and sunny all the way up the minute the train entered the station the heavens opened and the rain didn't stop all the time I was there. I did manage to take a few photos though. 
Having lately got back into making things again I have negelected to some extent drawing and painting so got some paper stretched up ready to attempted a watercolour. Something I have done for some time. Decided I would work from a photo I took on that rainy day in Edinbugh.
I also have been watching Downton Abbey and needed to get up to date before the last series starts at the weekend. So instead of going into studio I sat on the sofa watching the last series on DVD while doing some drawing to work out the light and dark values in the photo.
Drawing one in pencil 

Drawing 2 using tinted charcoal 
Ready now to start painting in the morning. Will post again with further progress, watch this space