Embroidery pendants.

I have completed three more embroidery pendants to add to my collection. I based these embroideries on places I have visited on holiday. The first piece I stitched was from a photo of a rowing boat on Lake Konigssee in Germany. The lake is a very peaceful calm place and I have tried to portray this in a small embroidery, not easy! I love the aqua colours of the water. Mainly straight stitch was used for all the embroideries. My second choice was a stitched from a photo of a beach in Cornwall with a person walking into the breeze. It was a little difficult stitching such a small person but I think I have achieved an impression of a person. My final design was of Boscastle in Cornwall looking back towards the village from the coast which is such a lovely view. I deiced to outline the houses because they weren't standing out. These pendants and brooches are a joy to sew. More to come.

Changing Sails Charlestown

Hi, I now have a place to paint all to myself which is lovely. The first painting completed in my studio was painted from a photograph and sketches I made a few years ago. We were visiting Charlestown in Cornwall. The harbour at Charlestown has been used many times as a film and TV location and often has sailing ships docked. This year the sails were being changed on one of the ships and I thought it would make an interesting painting. The time had come to have a go at the painting. I have just bought a set of Hazel Soan watercolour paints and this was the perfect project to get to know the paints. The paints were great to use and performed well. I had to simplify the rigging whilst retaining the impression. I painted on rough Saunders and Waterford paper which is a lovely paper to use and is very forgiving.

Changing Sails, Charlestown.

                                                   

Moonlight pastel painting

Hi, Just a short update on my painting. I have recently finished a pastel painting based around Charlestown in Cornwall. It is a great place to visit and usually there is a sailing ship in dock in the harbour. The harbour, dock and ships have been used as a location for a lot of films and TV series. Taboo and Poldark have both been filmed on Location at Charlestown. I wanted to paint a sailing ship in the harbour with moonlight reflected in the water. I used a number of photographs I had taken, both day and dusk, to produce a basis for the painting. I haven't painted using pastels very much but having just finished the pastel course with Jane Ward I wanted to have a go at my own composition. Overall I was pleased with the result particularly the sky and the moon light. It was very difficult to create the silhouette of the ship and harbour so that it showed enough against the clouds in the sky. It was great fun to try.

Painting on holiday

Hi, I have just got back from my holiday in Cornwall. The weather was great and we had a lovely time. I enjoyed making a few pen and watercolour sketches of some lovely coastal scenery. I sketched the view in pen first and then added some simple watercolour washes finding this to be a much more successful approach than drawing and then painting in more detail. I found that on a family holiday you don't want to spend a long time painting but just create the essence of the places you visit quickly. I have taken lots of photographs so that, with the sketches I have made, I can now paint the lovely scenery of Cornwall at home.

Lanic Bay

Porthluney Beach

St Michaels Mount

Talland Bay

Bedruthen Steps