Christmas Robin

A success story this is not! I was reasonably happy until I started the background and then things started to go wrong. My plan was to use a Derwent studio pencil and smooth out the colour with a tissue - it is a technique I've use before with good results but this time it wasn't working. I resorted to using a watercolour pencil and blending the colour with damp cotton wool, scary getting the drawing damp! At least it has rescued it from going in the bin.

Back to my robin

As some of you will remember, back in January I began a drawing of a robin, which I've dug out, dusted off and restarted work on. I actually got on quite well yesterday afternoon and the robin is complete. However I'm now going to attempt to add a tree stump from a different reference photo and a soft background. I hope it works and that I don't ruin the whole thing, I want this for one of my Christmas cards this year and I also hope to put it in my cp group's Christmas theme. If you want to see the other works in progress for this piece look in January.

A little more drawing

The next stage of my robin, just a little more done - deepening some colours in some areas and beginning on others. Again the light is poor today and half an hour was enough to give me both a headache and backache. I can't say I'm happy with him at present but will continue plodding on in the hope that he will improve!

A little work on my robin

Just a quick post to say I have begun the robin at long last! Not much, the light has been dreadful today and an hour was enough to give me a bad headache - I really must get the lighting situation sorted or I can see me giving up again. I'd also like to know if anyone reading this has any experience of optivisors (magnifiers which you can wear over your eyes). I have been thinking of one for a while but good ones are quite pricey & I don't know if one will help me. I do know that many crafters and artists use them but that's about it. Meanwhile here is the little robin after todays effort, obviously still a long way to go.

One month later

Looking back at November, I realise I have spent quite a lot of time at Blashford Lakes nature reserve. This place is a real gem, it's so easy to while away an afternoon there. Five hides in various habitats, pleasant walks through trees, around lakes etc. It has so much to offer I can see us returning many times more. I have seen my first great spotted woodpecker and my first jay. Getting really close to some of the woodland birds is a real treat. Some pics for you later.

On the art front, I am still no closer to doing any work on my little robin, he lies folorn, no doubt gathering dust, on my drawing board. He was going to be this years Christmas card but too late now - maybe next year. Of late I find I am torn between photography and drawing, although I can't draw at present because I need a daylight lamp, I also haven't the inclination. Maybe I'm just choosing the wrong subjects and should stick to drawing dogs.

At long last.......

........I have started my new drawing - I've only done the line drawing but at least it's a beginning, getting me out of the rut. I hope now that I can get on with it quite quickly though as I still haven't finished the memory book I won't get much done this weekend. I'd like the memory book to be finished and ordered by tomorrow night and that's going to take all my time - fortunately Clive is away this weekend (in Pontsticill) motorbiking with some friends, so I am free to spend all day on it and forget about cooking etc.

Anyway, here is the line drawing - I have enhanced the lines for your benefit, they are actually very faint. My thanks to Jan for allowing me to use her lovely photo.