Trees in Ink

 
This time on the ink drawing and painting course was tree week. Above was drawn with a stick, and more spattering.

Below I outlined the trunk of the tree. Then painting with water and dropping in the colours. On this exercise we also used white ink for the first time, which I found quite good at calming down my bright colours.  

Then at the end we did some very quick exercises. First blowing the ink through straws. I think I should perhaps call this "Fire on Dartmoor"

And finally a way of just using black ink with lots of water, and drawing in the tree. This was a bit of a rush, and my inky background did not really spread with the water very well.

 

Next week is the final session, and we can do whatever we like. I am tempted to return to the flowers, but not sure yet. 

Ink Drawing and Painting

I have been having a lovely time doing a short course painting and drawing with inks, with West Devon Arts. We are half way through. 

The first week we did a seascape, and although I wasn't completely happy with the final picture (the rocks in the sea are a bit weird) it was part of a learning process, and I do quite like the foreground.

Today we moved on to flowers, and were using stick to paint with Indian ink, which was quite unusual. Found the drawing part hard, but I do like when it get to the painting on of the colour. Putting on lots of water and letting the colours run into each other is great fun. As well as the spattering at the end.

 

 

The final picture was an exercise in painting with water, and then dropping the coloured ink in. 

 

 

 

Next week we are moving on to trees.

 

Weather Watchers

I have not being doing as much photography as I used to. So I have been trying recently to take a few more shots, and send some photographs to the BBC Weather Watchers. You can submit your photographs online, and if you are very lucky your photo might be featured behind the weather forecaster on one of the BBC News programmes.

I had been trying occasionally for a while, with no luck. My new decision was that every day when I walk the dog, I take my camera, and submit the best photograph. I think there is a bit of an art to it. Your photo has to be taken on that day, be landscape in orientation, not feature people, and reflect something about the weather that the presenter wants to talk about. Occasionally there will be an arty close up, but I tend to think that you need at least half of the photo to be of the sky.

I was delighted last week that finally one of my photos was featured on the BBC News Channel. You get a message telling you that you are Editor's Pick, but not the time or channel where your photo will appear. It took a bit of a search to find my picture.

For a laugh, a few days later, I took another picture of almost the same view. It was rather dull weather that day, but I was amazed that it was featured on the BBC London News. I wonder if once you have been featured once, you are put on a short-list, or maybe it was just chance. 

Although I live on the edge of London, we are so lucky to have the beautiful stretch of the River Thames only a short walk from my house. We are also close to some other lovely park areas: Richmond Park and Wimbledon Common. There is plenty of scope for enjoyable walks with the dog and my camera.

What I like about the Weather Watchers is that it really is open to everyone. We all have weather, and the photos just have to capture it, not necessarily the most beautiful view, or taken with the best camera. The BBC also get a daily record of the weather over the whole country.
 

Clicking around a bit more I have found another of my photos from earlier in the month on a page about frost, and the photo below on their bulletin board. They must have forgotten to tell me they were using it. So arty shots do stand a chance. The fern photo was taken on a frosty morning in Richmond Park. You can see the whole piece at https://www.bbc.co.uk/weatherwatchers/article/41959931/repetitive-weather/