Variety is the spice of life

When I'm looking for subjects for my daily sketches, I try to get as much variety of subject matter as possible and sometimes I end up choosing the most difficult ones I can find, like this lovely harbour just outside Cardiff, that we've made a special place to visit.

But it's all in the name of practice. This is where our nomad wagon comes in handy and I can sit sketching in the warm on the sofa with a cuppa at my side, perfect.

So when I'm at home I have to work harder to find a subject, and sometimes I get lucky and have flowers...

But then again sometimes I have to work really hard and set up the most complicated still life I can possibly invent....

And occasionally I get inspired by something I've seen on our travels like these amazing medieval panels that I saw in Rodez cathedral in France. The timing wasn't good for me to sketch them at the time so the other day I had a go from this very poor photo that I took at the time.

I chose the top one to study as it was the only one that was half way clear, and it was a fascinating experience. I found myself wondering what the tableau was about, and on working through it I decided that they were offering the King a wash and brush up.

Do you think the person on the left is holding a razor and a toothbrush? 

Also I don't know how many of you will have seen the epic drama World Without End on TV recently, based on a book by Ken Follett, but after I'd sketched the woman on the right she seemed to look uncannily like the wicked Pertanilla, who wet round killing anyone who got in the way of her son Godwin's rise to Abbot.

And lastly when all else fails there's always the self portrait.

I may have to take this out if it looks too bad on the blog, there's only so much humiliation a person can take.

Hmmm maybe next time, when perhaps I've improved