Friday 27 February 2015

Drawings and sketches this week...

I've had a great time with the challenge over at Paper, Paint, Pencils & Pens (click link), the Theme being "The town you grew up in" ...I have extended that a little to include various places around where I grew up, including.....

My first school, Primary, which had a separate Hall next door.  On one side it had a veranda, which the kids loved playing in.  Looking on Google Street View it is still intact, amazing after all this time.


In the next drawing of the school itself, the building on the left has been extended towards the road over the years and an extra building added on the right.  I don't really remember going into the church for services, but I guess we must have as it is so close to the school.



'Tin Church' has thankfully been well maintained and although it has had a fancy porch added on the front is pretty much how it was when I was growing up.



I used to go to Sunday School there, which I hated. The Sunday services were run by two spinster sister. I think Spielberg would have used them had he been around then. Both sisters wore loads of make up, but one in particular always wore bright red nail polish.  The thing is she didn't take the old polish off and just added to it.  As I usually had the misfortune of sitting at the front near the organ (which this particular sister played), I was faced with these terrible nails! Yikes...to this day I don't like red nail polish (I wonder why)!!





My Gran used to work at this house back in the 30's, when it was a private residence. 

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 From Google Street View it looks like it has been split up into separate properties and now called Bartley Grange.  It used to be called Eaden's House, as the family were called Eaden. Plus, and just to make sure nobody was mistaken back then, the lane it is in was, and is still called, Eaden's Lane!  Talk about making sure people know you aye!


Overlooking the green in Minstead is The Trusty Servant Inn.  I remember visiting here with my family.  Nowadays it is very popular for functions and the meals are very good. 

Here's an explanation about the 

I've drawn a picture of this mythical creature...

(loaded my brush with paint and went straight in,
waited for the first layer to dry and then added deeper colour.
When that had dried I then added the darkest detail)


Looking back to the days of my first school, Netley Marsh,  has brought back memories that's for sure.








I was always scared of going up eventually to a class run by the Headmaster (let me call him Mr. E).  Well, little did I know I had no need to worry, as my Gran held a trump card on him!   You see, the school Office in those days was a small hut, shed basically, back in those days.  On one occasion, I was due to go off in the afternoon for a dental appointment, so my Gran came to collect me.  Quite rightly she checked in with the Office first, but opened the door of the office to find Mr. E and his Secretary in a compromising situation!!!  From there on he was always very nice to me and my family.  It was years later that my Gran told me what had happened....wish I had known that before, I wouldn't have spent so much time worrying about going to his class, {laugh}.
Joining
Paint Party Friday 
today
(many thank to EVA & Kristin
for hosting)



***********






Monday 23 February 2015

High Tides

We're getting a series of high tides at the moment.  Walks have to be worked out, but it is quite dramatic to watch it right up against the dunes, some of which will be taken out, but surprisingly it recovers eventually.


Sunday 22 February 2015

Oil painting

Looking back on a painting I did some time ago.  This oil painting was something I did in a lesson with art tutor Sharon Ball in Bristol.   Sharon teaches the Bill Alexander/Bob Ross technique of oil painting, it was good to learn something new.

just thought you would like to see the result...on this Look Back Sunday...




















Saturday 21 February 2015

Elmfield House, 70a Winchester Road, Romsey...

I've added this sketch to Paper, Paint, Pencils and Pens today....



Another local town to where I grew up was Romsey.  I still have relatives there whom we visit regularly which is great.

The sketch is of my in-laws house (and where they lived when I first met my husband) back in the days they lived there some 30 years ago, the right-hand side of the semi-detached property, known as Elmfield House, it actually went back further so was quite a sizable property.  It also had a cellar (which unfortunately flooded every time the local river swelled, although a handy little pump helped resolve that).

It also had a ghost!   oh yes, and both my m-i-l and f-i-l  saw it.  Mum saw it floating up the stairs one day, and Dad saw it standing at the bottom of their bed.  These occurrences weren't at the same time, but several years apart.  Neither mum nor dad were prone to imagination, so for them to say they had seen it, this had to have happened.   They called in the Vicar of Romsey Abbey to do a blessing after dad saw it, I think it spooked him a bit.  Not sure that helped as I was aware of it even after this!   All said, it was a comfortable home which was loved.


Google Street View



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Friday 20 February 2015

Paper Paint Pencils and Pens


Yes...Paper Paint Pencils and Pens

if you haven't visited this blog, then I thoroughly recommend it.  You can join in and add your drawings, paintings and sketches there.  Working to a Theme that changes regularly you will never get stuck for some inspiration.

Okay, so I co-admin.  on it...I am bound to sing its praises....but so worth joining.  Lynn Cohen in the USA is the brains behind this great blog.....

The current Theme is : "The town you grew up in"

February 16th-28th   suggested by one of our contributors Elaine Pang (jaguarish)


Here are some of my
sketches so far for the Theme....
and I have to admit having had a great time
looking back at the town/local area
I grew up in and called home for so long.


Lyndhurst Hampshire




Minstead Church New Forest




My Secondary school - Bartley




My first job was in this building - a bank.







The Pier Southampton




Thatched pub at Lyndhurst



Linking to

Paint Party Friday today

I hope you will visit 

both blogs:

Many Thanks to EVA & Kristin for hosting Paint Party Friday

and to 

Lynn Cohen for her work on Paper, Paint, Pencils & Pens.

HOPE YOU WILL STOP BY

AND TAKE UP THE CHALLENGE WITH US

YOU WILL ENJOY IT....I'M SURE.
 
*****  










Thursday 19 February 2015

Throwback Thursday - Mountbatten wedding

I've been looking through some old photographs and came across these of the Mountbatten wedding in 1960 at the Abbey in Romsey, Hampshire.   My dad worked for Lord Mountbatten and my parents received an invite....

.....the official invite...





(no idea who took these photographs,
could have been an official photographer)


Here's a photo with Lord Mountbatten - behind the small bridesmaid,
and Princess Anne is the bridesmaid in the centre



Princess Margaret and the Queen Mother


I remember the next day dad brought home large trays of
vol-au-vent some filled with caviar (which is where I got a taste for it to this day)


I've lots of memories of the times growing up and 
visiting Broadlands.  In fact Lord Mountbatten gave me my first
sketchbook, an old accounts book from the estate which I
doodled and scribbled in (I thought it was fine art at the time, as kids do),
but it was a great start to my journal sketchbook work.


Links you might like to visit:









 

 

Saturday 14 February 2015

My Valentine!


I got a special Valentine's Card today

from my sponsored donkey

ARAMIS


What a cute idea to send cards to the sponsors

Thanks to the Donkey Sanctuary


♥♥♥     I love my card     ♥♥♥







Friday 13 February 2015

Thursday 12 February 2015

Mixing shadow colours

Mixing Shadow colours....we all end up with a palette of mixes and this gives a great opportunity to create some shadow colours. 

Picture 1 the messy palette.

Picture 2 added clear water to mix those colours up. These are now perfect for your shadow colours in a painting.

Picture 3 when you have used them, you can always decide to clean up the palette and start again.

These mixes are ideal for shading and mid tones.














Tuesday 10 February 2015

Bookmarks

With an odd piece of paper recently I made a bookmark and that started an idea.  Well, to be honest I have made bookmarks before, who hasn't, but this time I've got round to doing a few, and I intend to make more. 

Here's the  prep...

- this is how I start them off.  I divide the watercolour paper into
strips measuring 2" x 7" and sketch out and watercolour the background -

When I've completed the drawing and painting part....

They are then laminated...


All original drawings - no photocopying here.


I intend to make a lot more, so I'll get back to you
on this when I've finished the run on bookmark making.

Oh

and another idea

Coasters
(acetate covered the same. although I'm not sure how they
will live up to the heat of hot cups...but they should
be a bit of fun to make)


 






Sunday 8 February 2015

Photos from our travels...

During our recent trip down to South Devon I not only sketched but took lots of photos.  Okay, I'm no photographer - especially trying to photograph from the car whilst driving along.  (No I wasn't trying to drive and photograph at the same time!!!)

Devon has such a pretty landscape - I should have taken more photos, I'll make sure I do next time.


 





We visited Plymouth for a spot of retail therapy...

I didn't intend to take photos there, but ended up
with this Sundial, yes it really is...




the numbers around the side of the water 
show the time and yes it was correct,
just after 11 o'clock in the morning




Another trip out was to Torbay
- this is Brixham harbour -




Torquay in the distance -



this is Paignton - still part of Torbay


the castle like building is actually a Hotel.

I wouldn't mind staying there some day.




What on earth is this!!!

Set in the ground it indicates the South West Coastal path for walkers.
Mind you, I didn't see any others, so perhaps the person who
put it there was lost or just ran out of plaques!


Beach Huts at Paignton....why are beach huts such
photogenic little buildings - I just love them.



Another day we went to 
(the place William originated from)

this is their market hall.  It was buzzing with crafts and people
(plus it was warm in there - it was freezing cold outside)


Someone was selling wooden garden furniture,
including a wooden horse and foal.
(there was a donkey too but I missed that, I
 didn't put my glasses on...silly me)



I did get this tree made of tiles in the picture though...
this was probably about 20 foot high


read about it here...



When we drove home, we passed by the edge of Dartmoor
which had quite a bit of snow on it.
Hope to visit again before long and take some
reference photos for future paintings up there.

 *please note: those of you outside the UK, remember we drive on the Left - so the Driver is sat on the Right...just thought I would point this out before you see some of the pics 
and a wise guy comments!








 We had such a good time

Looking forward to going back again

before long.