[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 9 February 2024].
a bird in the hand
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 21 November 2023].
a succulent christmas
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 17 December 2022].
enwreathed
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 5 December 2022].
It's that time of year again.
I would usually have started sharing these on 1 December. But life has been stressful lately, with slow and calming kitteh punctuations which I've latched onto to take much-needed mental, emotional and physical breaks.
I'm incredibly behind on everything.
I hope to catch up this month, but apologies in advance if I fall behind again.
priory country park
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 18 August 2022].
In 2018, on a drizzly November day, I met my friend, Khanisa, for a walk and a late pub lunch in Bedford.
We wandered along the River Great Ouse out to Priory Country Park and back, despite the rain.
I didn't manage to get out and about as much as I'd have liked while cat-sitting in Cotton End last week, though I did attempt something of a photo walk one day.
And I did catch up with Khanisa for an afternoon for a long overdue face-to-face chat.
So, I thought I'd edit and share some photos from our walk that day in 2018.
birdhouses in my soul
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 5 May 2022].
I didn't notice a swan was photobombing when I took these photos!
Unfortunately, you probably can't make it out in these photos at this size, but s/he is behind the white house with red trim in the centre.
The realisation made me laugh very loudly as I was editing.
free stonemasonry
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 2 May 2022].
robin redbreast
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 27 February 2022].
keeping my hand above water
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 22 February 2022].
I looked online, but I can't find which artist created this sculpture I photographed at the Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917 in Zonnebeke in 2014.
I will look again, but if you know/can point me in the right direction, I'll be happy to credit them.
047 tweety
Day forty-seven of The 100 Day Project for 2021.
No, I didn't miss a day.
I started this sketch at 23:50 last night and drew until about 00:20 today. But I ran out of energy - physically and emotionally - to get it prepped and online before I went to bed.
Then, when I woke, I had to work. My break was used to talk to Simon on the phone. So I'm posting now and then will get onto today's sketch and do this all over again.
The irony is this is probably the most accurate of any of my sketches so far, so I should have been super proud to get it online asap. But I just didn't have it in me.
I think I sketched this with a 4H pencil. Shaded the eyes with 6B and 4B. Went over most of the outline with the 6B and some lighter bits with an HB pencil. That's my vague recollection now.
It shouldn't need to be said, but obviously, I'm not the copyright holder for the image of Tweety. I'm using the image for research and study covered by the fair dealing exception in UK copyright law. I'm only using Tweety as a reference image to practice and improve my drawing. I'm not sharing this for commercial purposes. I won't be selling my sketch of Tweety.
028 pigeon
Day twenty-eight of The 100 Day Project for 2021.
Okay, who had 'pigeon' on their 'A Sketchy Practice' bingo card? ;)
You know it had to happen...
His neck and body are a bit off in terms of angles and proportions. But it's a reasonable representation, I think.
My shading still leaves much to be desired. I really need to find some time to squeeze in watching tutorials about it and stop winging it (pardon the pun).
I drew the original sketch with a 4H pencil then used an HB pencil to go over the outline and shade in some of the colouring and darker lines on my feathered friend.
deaf as a dodo
Day eighty-nine of The 100 Day Project.
Illustrations:
Dodo by an unknown artist from Bilder-atlas zur Wissenschaftlich-populären Naturgeschichte der Vögel in ihren sämmtlichen Hauptformen
those magnificent men on their flying machines
Day eleven of The 100 Day Project.
Here's one I created earlier :)
I made this one yesterday so I could have a lazy lie-in this morning and hopefully get out with my camera this afternoon to celebrate my birthday.
Hope you're having a lovely day wherever you are.
Stay safe! x
Illustrations:
Feathered steed by Carlo Chiostri from La avventure di Pinocchio
The chase by J. J. Grandville from Un autre monde
from the moment you’re born you’re dying
Day six of The 100 Day Project.
This is what happens when an atheist searches for Easter symbols on the Old Book Illustrations website. Specifically, rabbits and eggs, to create a topical collage.
I had no idea what I might create today, but I guess my subconscious was driven by death, birth/rebirth, the perils of life, and the death toll from Covid-19 surpassing 10,000 in the UK overnight.
Listening to The Dirty Three all day may or may not have also contributed to the bleakness of today's collage. Though it doesn't really capture my mood today.
I've had a good day. I hope you have too x
Illustrations:
Four rabbits by Carlo Chiostri from La avventure di Pinocchio
A young one unfeathered by Gustave Doré from Wunderbare Reisen zu Wasser und Lande, feldzüge und lustige Abentheuer des Freyherrn von Münchhausen wie er dieselben bey der Flasche im Zirkel seiner Freunde zu Erzählen pflegt. Aus dem Englischen nach der neuesten Ausgabe übersetzt, hier und da erweitert und mit noch mehr Küpfern gezieret
up, up and away
Day four of The 100 Day Project.
Illustrations:
Seizing our captain by Gustave Doré from Wunderbare Reisen zu Wasser und Lande, feldzüge und lustige Abentheuer des Freyherrn von Münchhausen wie er dieselben bey der Flasche im Zirkel seiner Freunde zu Erzählen pflegt. Aus dem Englischen nach der neuesten Ausgabe übersetzt, hier und da erweitert und mit noch mehr Küpfern gezieret
Aerostat ‘Le Comte d’Artois’ by an unknown artist from Les aérostats
something fishy this way comes
So, I'm having another stab at The 100 Day Project this year since I have more time on my hands than usual now.
My 'postcards from another's life' series will continue as and when I'm inspired, but this year's project is to create a digital collage each day, using a mixture of my own images and public domain illustrations or artwork, inspired by current events, personal feelings, film/literature/famous quotes/other popular culture, etc. Whatever inspires me on that day.
I started off with a specific quote in my head today, but couldn't find a public domain illustration to build the image around, so looked to my own collection of photographs to build upon instead which took me off in this direction.
It took me longer to get to the concept than to create the actual collage.
Not the worst result for my first attempt at this, but hopefully the results improve over time.
Illustrations:
All illustrations taken from Le règne animal distribué d'après son organisation, vol. 4 (atlas), 1836-1849
Orbicular batfish, rocksucker and scaly dragonfish by Jacques Reyne Isidore Acarie-Baron