Neocolor Landscape Sketches and More: 28th October 24
Sketchbook Landscapes / Halloween Demonic Cat Pumpkin Lantern / Enjoying
Last week I promised myself I’d make time for my sketchbook and I can tell you I enjoyed every minute! Still thinking about landscapes, and experimenting with materials. I bought some Caran d’ache Neocolor 1 wax pastels a while ago, which are like children’s crayons but fancier, with much greater colour intensity. I like the effects you get by mixing them with watersoluble pastels or paint. The results can be unexpected and exciting (for me at least) because the wax repels the water based media in places. They also came in a pretty tin, which also counts in their favour!
So, I just worked through some composition ideas, mixing the wax and watersoluble pastels, keeping the sketches loose.
Thinking about colour ideas too. Pink and yellow is always a favourite combo and pink and green too. In the main image at the top, I printed out one of the small sketches to A4 size, gave it a coat of gel medium and worked into it with acrylic paint and pastels, working fast and keeping it spontaneous. It’s maybe a little too busy but I do feel optimistic that I’m moving in a direction I like with my painting, which is reassuring seeing as how I’m 56 and it’s taken me this long….sigh! Letting go of the outcome has been the greatest step forward. The more relaxed I am the easier it becomes to just experiment and see what happens - sometimes it works and sometimes it’s not so great, big deal, move on…
Here’s one I like. I might have a go at making a bigger version on board, although I’m not sure I’ll be able to replicate its looseness if I scaled it up.
Fall Back
Because the clocks went back an hour on Saturday night, yesterday was spent in a state of complete befuddlement, not knowing what time it was, and consequently what I was ‘supposed’ to be doing. Every year a period of readjustment is needed, when sleeping and eating too much seem obligatory… or is that just me?
This year was no exception. I hid away in bed until lunchtime, watching YouTube music videos, searching for some magic tune that would help me seize the day and bounce into winter 24. The conclusion was there is no tune that magical. However, with the promise of tea and cake (actually, I opted for mint aero tray bake) and a trip to the garden centre, I managed to get up, leave the house, and get home again, all while it was still daylight, so that’s a success of sorts.
This was taken last year and I’m placing it here as a reminder that November is not all doom and gloom.
Remembering
Halloween is on Thursday. The pumpkins in the supermarkets around here seem to be sold out already so it’s looking unlikely I’ll be doing any carving. In the 1970s we always made lanterns from turnips (swede), but filling the house with the stench of burnt turnip is not all that appealing really…? So, here’s my lantern from 2021 featuring a demonic cat carving. It worked very well for keeping the ghosties at bay and Melba seemed entranced by its glowing light.
Stay safe out there folks!
Enjoying
I’m in love with this pink and grey #wavesweater knitted by @langanpatkia and designed by Spektakelstrik - knitting pattern available here.
October Treasure Acrylic on canvas by Charlotte Hardy - so jolly fruity.
This version of The Hounds of Love by The Futureheads and Kate Bush Running up that Hill from 1985 never gets old.
Thank you 🙏 All so enjoyable! I love the energy of the top abstract, it reminds me a little of Joan Eardley; I’m cheered by the yellow of the leaf in the photo and by your beautiful cat 😊
Try being a dog when the clocks change! Inexplicably, everything is happening later than you are used to and you don't like it! 😬😂 Poor Blake, he's so confused... Love the pastels. I agree that both pink+yellow and pink+green are excellent combinations. Because pink goes with eve3. 😀🩷