Cyprus landscape painting

I decided to make a painting based on this sketch, which is part of the view I see each morning from the bedroom window.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The sun kept diving behind cloud, casting fleeting shadows on the hills, whilst the grasses and track were still in full sun.  There's just a glimpse of Limassol and the sea between the hills.

More sketches

As the starting point for producing paintings, the time spent with my sketchbook over the last few days has potentially been useful.  There are atleast two that I will develop into paintings.

Sketchbook

A glorious spring day in Cyprus inspired me to post some recent sketches.  Not sufficiently confident of the weather to begin a painting outdoors, but it felt fabulous to make quick drawings with the sun on my back today.

Sketches in house 9 & 10

This is one of the sketches I did before Christmas on my current theme of looking from one space into another.  Fibre-tipped ink pen used for speed.


Shortly after I made this drawing, H became ill and was admitted to the Intensive Care ward at the Poly Clinic with a recurring problem.  Christmas therefore wasn't as planned.  I'm relieved to report that he is now well and we are getting back to normality.

I'm now working on larger paper on one of my easels, using charcoal.  This drawing is from a slightly different viewpoint based on one I did in my A4 sketchbook a few weeks ago.


The theme of looking from one space into another continues.  I aim to do 3 more large drawings, which will then provide enough information for me to begin painting.


This process may appear convoluted and tedious, but in fact from my point of view it feels fresh and interesting.  In the past my normal process was to just roll up my sleeves and put paint to canvas.  I'm enjoying the more studious approach, involving constant and repeated observation/drawing. 

Sketchbook in house 7 & 8

Wintery weather in Cyprus is here to stay for a while I think.  Good to be sketching indoors, out of the high winds and rain.  Pen and ink today;  I find it quicker for this kind of drawing.

Sketchbook in house 5 & 6

 Another pencil sketch.  Attempting to work quicker. 

The rainy season began today and we had torrents of the stuff, the first since April/May.  I sat on the stairs in the near-dark as the lightening and thunder flashed and crashed outside.  This time I used fine fibre tipped pens and worked very rapidly.

Sketchbook in house 4

Still in-house for this sketch, but beginning to look outwards.  Had a frantic time attempting to keep track of light and reflections as the sun moved.

Sketchbook in house 3

 

A4 sketchbook

Sketchbook in house 2

Another view looking from one room into another.  Interesting playing with angles and reflections.

Sketchbook in house

I'm working in my sketchbook just now discovering different ways I can study looking from one space into another.  Today I closed the blinds where I was sitting so there was just enough light to draw, then looked through to the sitting area, which was filled with sunlight.  It made for some interesting shadows and reflections.

Interior with Plant - sketch

Here's a tiny sketch that I'm in the process of turning into a painting.

Just doodling.

Decided to try out new fine ink pens by taking one for a walk on a sketch book page.

During the family visit to the UK in the summer, H needed to do some work on his rally-car which he stores in a friend's barn in the Cotswolds whilst we're living away in Cyprus.  Personally I think it was just an excuse to stroke it and give it a cuddle ;)  As long at it makes him happy, that's fine with me ... plus it gave me time to sit in a beautiful English country garden with my sketch book.

Driving through the green countryside with it's mellow stone buildings that day, made me realise more than ever just how much I miss England.  I'm praying that circumstances will allow us to return soon.

Animal art and rescue

 

My family of pets make great subjects for the sketchbook.  Ideal because generally they don't stay still for long, even when sleeping.  So they encourage rapid spontaneous drawing.  

You can email me for information about anything you see.  A small collection of work can also sometimes be seen in my Etsy shop. 

Earlier this month my dog pack increased by one.  Yet again, I'm sad to say, because of the cruelty of a local human being.  When we found her, Lady had been dumped on the mountain and was hiding in a thorn bush waiting to die.  She was terribly under-nourished, suffering from a blood infection caused by tick infestation and also had ring worm.

The bald skin was caused by the ringworm fungus.

 Here she is patiently allowing Dimitris our vet, remove ticks from her bleeding ears.

 I'm now very happy to say that almost 3 weeks later, Lady is in much better shape.  After lots of antibiotics, vaccination, good food, vitamins, minerals, many special shampoo treatments and loads of love, her blood is recovering as is her skin and her hair is growing again.  She has the sweetest of natures and is lively and full of fun without being difficult to handle.

Here she is playing with George, who she absolutely adores!

There's been some changes ....

It's been four months since I last posted on this blog.  I suspect previous regular readers will have long since got tired of waiting for updates.  So I expect I'm 'talking' to myself.

Fact is, the college course I'm taking has been keeping me extremely busy and for the time being I've had slow down on painting commissions and other commercial art.

I really am loving the way the course is getting me to take a fresh look at my work.  It really is like starting from square one.  It's good because I am learning lots, both practically and academically.  

It's one drawback is that it's taken me a little while to get back into painting portraits from photos.  My natural work is now much looser and I've been painting mostly from life for college, which is not exactly ideal if like me, you have clients from all over the world via the internet.  I'm relaxing back into alternating my style now, so all is well.  

This blog will change alot from how it used to be and I'm not really sure how it will develop.  In the past I've tended not to blog much very personal stuff, so I doubt that will change.  My college learning log is kept quite separately, so there won't be much in the way of student artwork to see.  But I may post the odd sketch here and there.  I'll just see how I feel.

It's been quite an eventful summer.  There was a fabulously happy family wedding on the island in July.  Plus H and I hopped over to England to continue the celebrations for a few days.  Like all good art students I had my sketchbook handy in transit.  So when we were delayed at Larnaca Airport, I put it to good use. 

At first I felt awkward looking at people so intently as I drew.  I didn't want to embarass anyone.  I soon got over it.  Generally people are more interested in what they are upto, and less likely to notice me scribbling away.

Sketching inside out

The sun continues to shine but it was too breezy to sketch outdoors today. Instead I set myself up infront of a window and picked a bit of view to add to the sketchbook. This is the old track that leads to the next village, Pyrgos, in the next valley. These days myself, my dogs and the goats are it's main users. And yes, that is the sea in the background. Maybe if the weather holds, I'll take my sketchbook down to the coast.

This evening when I've run out of daylight, I'll finish making some more fingerless mittens and start a scarflette in this gorgeous yarn.

Sketching en plein air

The January weather is so gorgeous! This morning I took the girls for a long walk and then took full advantage and spent a blissful time sketching in the garden.