The Ivy Tree

Weather lovely yesterday so I went a sketch walk and saw this wonderful old tree with a skirt of growth.

Sketching Sunday.

A dry Sunday and no plans except to go out and about locally and try once more to sketch in gouache.

The grasses were very bleached and the sky a pale yellowy grey with the sun a white orb. 

I added some pencil marks when the gouache had dried. I don't find it the easiest medium but prefer it to watercolour for sketching now. 

Rain and more Rain

When the rain never stops it's time to go with the flow and attempt to sketch the small torrents of water that appear everywhere. But I find it very tricky to get that 'liquid' look.

Postcard From My Walk Blog

A postcard I sent to Pat in California done in gouache on paper on one of the few dry days we've had this Autumn. I'm so glad it arrived safely as 2 went missing last year.

http://walk-postcard.blogspot.co.uk/

Musselburgh Harbour

Musselburgh Harbour

Gouache and HB Pencil

I love the work of Barbra Rae and was looking at her sketchbook online.

www.barbararae-sketchbooks.com/

Most of her sketches are done in gouache and I read that she usually works 2 pages at a time side by side to allow ease of drying. I thought I'd have a go with gouache on a recent trip to the east coast of Scotland to the harbour town of Musselburgh and  I found it easier than watercolour to sketch with. Maybe next time I'll have a go at the 2 page way.

Pond Life

Watercolour on cartridge paper

Part of a friend's pond with a hint of the pond life.

Calves and more calves

Pen on cartridge paper

Bridget Hunter 2012

I'm not doing well with the EDM Challenges, not keeping up. And I don't sketch well with a pen unlike all the wonderful sketching bloggers I follow.  But here's a page of calves leading up to the postcard to Cathy done in pen. My personal challenges have become to draw more in pen and to get those animal legs looking more shapely!

Sketching Penguins

3B pencil on cartridge paper

Bridget Hunter 2012

It was like a Sunday School Trip yesterday to Blairdrummond Safari Park, Stirling except the sun shone. 5 adults, 3 children and 2 cars - all that was missing were the streamers out of the car windows! Managed to spend a bit of time sketching the penguins.

Ducks a ducking !

I'm trying to sketch animals on the move because, in reality,  they don't often pose unless asleep or stuffed. These are recent attempts at ducks ducking and diving in the local pond. Think I'd better take more bread next time.

Beauty is a Pot Belly PIg

The Blog "Postcard from my Walk" has restarted. This is my card sent to Robyn and Robyn's Post on the Blog. http://walk-postcard.blogspot.co.uk/

Beauty is a Pot Belly PIg

I've always wanted a Pot Belly Pig, so can you imagine my delight when this month's postcard arrived from Bridget...

Pencil, Gouache & Coloured Pencil - Bridget Hunter
Click on image for the big picture.

I've only seen black pot belly pigs before but this one would do Monet proud.  Bridget creates magic with her palette.

This little pig, she says, lives with her friends at Dean Castle Park in Kilmanock.  She (the pig) was a very good model, standing relatively still, snuffling in the mud, while an amorous boar was snuffling ..... well, use your imagination.

This sketch is particularly treasured having come right out of Bridget's sketchbook.  I was pretty pleased with the stamp too!

Thank you Bridget.  I'll treasure my pot belly pig.

Across to Holy Isle

Holy Isle, evening

Kingscross Point

Road to the Sea

The Witch Step and Goatfell

It's been a few days of sketching on Arran - so many places, so many choices. I wanted to use only pencil or pen but I always end up adding colour. 

Sketching on Arran.

Brodick Castle, Arran

I'm on the beautiful Island of Arran for a few days. The weather is changeable but the dampness brings out the midgies, especially today when I went to sketch at Brodick Castle. It wasn't a hard decision to go for a tour inside but I managed a few sketches later when the sun came out. 

Sketching Little People

Pencil on cartridge paper

Bridget Hunter 2012

At last a sunny day so took one grandchild to playpark and had time to do some very rough sketches. I love the shapes young children make with their almost flexi frames and the baggy trousers over nappies. I just wish they would hold the pose a wee bit longer.

A sketch from Skye

Pencil and gouache on cartridge paper

Bridget Hunter 2011 

I've been looking through my sketchbook from Skye for images as painting subjects. 

This drawing reminded me of the red corrugated tin roofs on some of the oder buildings.

Through the gate

Watercolour and pencil on cartridge paper

Bridget Hunter 2012

I love being among trees and  I would find it hard to live in an area where no trees grow. This is a view through to the woods beyond the Walled Garden at Culzean but I now realise I should have spent more time sketching the gate.

Ivy Urn

Watercolour and pencil on cartridge paper

Bridget Hunter  2012

Went to sketch in The Walled Garden at Culzean and saw this old stone gatepost topped by an urn  almost hidden under ivy. Found it totally irresistible - one of those "must get this down in paint" moments.