Monday 20 April 2009

Spring fever



As I mentioned in the previous post I had time to do a small sketch of the lake after dinner and have since worked on it. I should have photographed it first to show it just in pen, will do that next time. I'm exploring different media to use in the field at the moment and am trying out some very nice watercolour dual brush pens by Tombow. This web site sells them individually which seems to be unusual. They have a great range of colours and blend really well with a little water. They also work brilliantly with traditional pan watercolours, which is what I've used in this sketch.



Now to the Spring fever bit:
We decided to have breakfast out on Sunday, just for a change, and were lucky enough to pick up some lovely croissants at a local shop on the way to the river. It felt just like being on holiday in France.





We went for a long walk along the river and came across lots of these Kingcups, which I hadn't seen in such profusion since I was a child.

After the river walk we drove around a bit looking for a lake my OH knew of but didn't know where it was, so we had a rather enjoyable magical mystery tour and ended up in this glorious bluebell wood above the elusive lake.





I spent a very happy half hour here sketching some of the bluebells growing by a lovely log, which I shall put up later when I've had time to work on it a bit.



We also managed to steal away on Saturday afternoon to a nature reserve near Winchester which was coverd in cowslips, again a wonderful come back for a flower that was everywhere when I was a child. I sat for an amazing 2 hours on the hill sketching the flowers and working on the lake sketch.

So all in in all it was a pretty good weekend. I hope yours was a good one too.

BYW thank you all for your sympathy re my computer problems, I have to own up that the fault wasn't with Mobile me but with me. My OH discovered that I hadn't sorted out my settings properly oops!!!!!!!

12 comments:

Jenn Jilks said...

I truly admire those who can capture a vista sans digital camera! Well done...

Julie said...

What a gorgeous way to spend the weekend. I do love bluebell woods and cowslips too. We saw a lot of cowslips on Sunday along the roadside coming back from my brother's. I wonder if everything is in such burgeoning growth because of the winter we had?

I had not heard of the pens you mention before. It's always difficlut to know what materials to take out with you isn't it? I always take too much. Looks like there is a good colour range. Look forward to seeing your sketch later.

Heather said...

You certainly made the most of your weekend. Your breakfast out reminds me of the time we did the same many years ago when our children were small. I decided something hot would be good and put sausages into a vacuum flask, but it took ages to get them out again!! Your sketches are lovely and the photos too - I've never seen so many cowslips in one place before.

Pat said...

How lovely to see wild flowers in such profusion and I love/envy your sketch.

Gina said...

Sounds like a blissful weekend. Doesn't a bit of sunshine make so much difference. I like your sketch.

Shirley Anne Sherris said...

Don't you just love it when the weather is like this. Having said that - our Saturday was bitter cold but yesterday (Monday) was glorious so we too went out into the woods. Our bluebells are still not out yet.
DH looks very relaxed.
Cheers
Sgirley

Unknown said...

Looks you had a lovely weekend!!!

Anonymous said...

Sharon, I really like your sketch! Makes my fingers itch. I have started a project with my youngest son where we give each other a drawing assignment every evening. Mine for last night was a crazy professor. We both have fun and it's a good way of spending a few exclusive minutes together every day.

chrissythreads said...

The cowslips are lovely and it looks like you had a great weekend.We took the dogs over to check the progress of our local bluebell wood last night and they are just starting to break so with luck if this weather keeps up they should be just right by the weekend when I will take my camera and not the dogs-last night it was like wrangling elephants!!!
glad to see you're keeping your creative streak up since completing the your C&G,looking forward to the next sketches.

Val said...

Sharon you've definitely been bitten, no doubt about it! Your sketch is just wonderful - such a gorgeous blend of various colours. Love your pix too - lovely post - I enjoyed reading it very much.

Debbi Baker said...

How idyllic!! As usual everything in your latest posts is gorgeous.

Susie Campbell (Sue Smith) said...

Your sketch is gorgeous, Sharon. The watercolouring is beautiful. I've been attempting to sketch and have been using Tombows in recent times... not quite up to your standard yet, but I'm really inspired by what you're achieving!