Tag: pen&ink
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EDM. Every Day in May challenge, 2018
Robin eating cheese, Cape robin-chat, Cossypha caffra Silvermere farm road after rain Blue flowers in my garden. Lavender, Plumbago & Rosemary. Mountain Reedbuck, (Redunca Fulvorufula) on a misty & rainy day on Buffelskloof Nature Reserve, Mpumalanga. Tree by the roadside. Acacia Sieberiana. Portrait of John on his Birthday Grey Crowned Crane, Balearica regulorum, Gate on the Hill Autumn fruits and leaves. Tomatoes, Chillis, Rose-hips & Leaves of the Virginia Creeper. Lone sheep in Karoo Veld Buffelskloof Pine Forest. Mpumalanga Remembering dear Uncle Tony Fitt Mum’s Blue Tea-set, Mother’s Day. Silvermere Sunset and puddles after rain Chloë and John’s Birthday Portrait. Grand daughter and Grandpa sharing a tender moment. Expectant Ewe, lambing season, Silvermere. Secretary Bird, Sagittarius serpentarius Farm Road with Gumtree shadows Mana & Rufus, my brother’s cats. The Doves of Pentecost Karoo, Road through Veld to the Windmill. Sketchbook, Old Farm Boots Commemorating Chelsea Flower Show 2018. Floral wallpaper. On homemade paper. Hansie Lambs, Orphans. The forgotten houses on Buitekant St. Burgersdorp White-breasted Cormorant, drying his wings, Loch Logan, Bloemfontein. Sunset over Farm Dam. Silvermere Windmill Repairs, on Silvermere Feeding Guinea Fowl Clown-faced cow and calf Kalahari Karoo, between Prieska & Vanwyksvlei -
Every Day in May challenge, 2017.
For the last two years I have managed to take up the EDM, The Every Day in May Challenge. It has been quite enjoyable if rather time consuming, and difficult to fit in on busy days. However, this year, I had an important big commission to start, so only completed half of the daily painting challenge. So here are the 15 paintings, it ended with the very personal sketch of my husband, John and his Grand daughter, Chloë, who share a 15th May Birthday. In April we travelled to Lambert’s Bay so several of these are inspired by scenery on that trip. The paintings appear in order of the days, from the first picture of the ewe and lamb, painted on the 1st May up till the last one, the portrait of Grandpa and Grand-daughter, on the 15th May.
Ewe & lamb resting 
Cape Gannets, Lambert’s Bay, South Africa 
Dry Karoo near Canarvon. 
Lambert’s Bay Harbour 
Kelp Gulls, and Sacred Ibis, Lambert’s Bay. SA 
Ewe’s portrait. 
Old shed and windmill near Williston. 
Tails-up ! Warthogs. 
Pyracantha Augustifolia. Yellow Firethorn. 
Meercat Portrait. 
Silvermere scene of Agaves and Windmill. 
Old cottage in Canarvon. 
Red Grass, Themeda Triandra. Rooigras. 
The Lord Bless You and Keep You…. ( Lily Pond ) 
Grandpa, Chloë & the tortoise. -
EDM 2016, The Everyday in May Challenge.
In 2015 I took up the “Everyday in May” challenge, and when May 2016 rolled around, I was keen to give it another try. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey, and hope you will too; while scrolling through these 31 sketches.
Day 1 of the Everyday in May 2016 challenge. EDM 1. 
Day 2. Everyday in May challenge 2016. Benjamin visited recently. 
Day 3 of the Every Day in May Challenge 2016. Sunset from my kitchen 
Common Waxbills in my garden yesterday. Love the way they wag their tails like dogs. 
Day 5, Everyday in May Challenge 2016. Little Karoo scene north of Bethulie in the Freestate. 
Day 6, Everyday in May Challenge 2016, A little marmalade farm cat. 
Day 7, Everyday in May challenge 2016. One of the two shearers we had last week, to shear a few grown lambs. 
Day 8, Every day in May challenge 2016,. The second of the 2 shearers that came to shear a few grown lambs. 
Day 9, Every day in May Challenge, colourful farm fowls seen recently. 
For those who would like to add their own colours, I added this original line drawing. 
Day 10, Every Day in May 2016, a little misty scene on Silvermere. 
Day 11, Every Dayin May challenge, sheep portrait from one of our Afrino flock 
Day 12, Everyday in May Challenge, a detail of one of the Acacias we have on Silvermere. 
Day 13, Everyday in May Challenge, Eggs in three of my favourite old eggcups. 
Day 14, Everyday in May Challenge 2016, The informal settlement on the edge of Aliwal North. 
Day 15, Everyday in May challenge 2016, “Happy Birthday” to Grandpa & Granddaughter who share the 15th May Birthday. 
Day 16, Everyday in May challenge 2016, I used a turtle dove and my Bible to illustrate the commemoration of Pentecost. 
Day 17, Everyday in May Challenge 2016, lovely view of the autumn-leafed trees from the bridge over the Stormberg Spruit. 
Day 18, Everyday in May Challenge 2016, While taking photos of a herd of Sable Antelope recently, I noticed all the young ones in a group together. 
Day 19, Everyday in May Challenge 2016, Autumn trees beside the road at Sonskyn. 
Day 20, Everyday in May Challenge 2016, We have employed two fencers to make repairs to all the Silvermere fences that have deteriorated. 
Day 21, Everyday in May Challenge 2016, The second of our two fencers working here since April. 
Day 22, Everyday in May Challenge 2016, three of the Sable Antelope that I photographed on a neighbouring farm recently. 
Day 23, Everyday in May Challenge 2016, A little view of our farmyard buildings, as seen when driving down our road. 
Day 24, Everyday in May Challenge 2016. Very few roses left in my autumn rose garden, except these two, in celebration of the start of the Chelsea Flower Show that started today. 
Day 25, Everyday in May Challenge 2016, three of our orphaned lambs. 
Day 26, Everyday in May Challenge, 2016, In 2008 we had a devastating veld fire that burnt some of our veld and our neighbour’s farm too. 
Day 27, Everyday in May Challenge 2016, A little farm road with gate and windmill, below the dam wall. 
Day 28, Everyday in May Challenge 2016, A little winter scene, from 2014, early in the morning with frosty sheep. 
Day 29, Everyday in May Challenge 2016, One of my favourite birds that is now nesting in the trees nearby. Such lovely chatty and cheerful characters 
Day 30, Everyday in May Challenge 2016, A view of rain falling over the Kramberg mountain, from the Knapdaar to Burgersdorp Road. 
Day 31, of the Everyday in May Challenge 2016. Decided to do some calligraphy for this final day of the challenge, with an encouraging message to end off with ! -
Blue Cranes
Karoo Landscape with Blue Cranes Since May, a pair of Blue Cranes has settled on Silvermere. It is really quite unusual that they have made themselves at home here. Yesterday, while hanging out the washing, I heard their wistful calls and saw them circling high overhead. Usually we only see the occasional visiting cranes just passing through. We used to say that they were a rain omen, one of the many that farmers in our part of the karoo use to predict the rains. I have taken a few photos of ‘our’ pair, and felt inspired to paint them again, for the first time since way back in 1995 & 1997.
Two Blue Cranes In those days, we saw big flocks of them in the Caledon district, and several paintings followed. But, more recently I photographed a flock that we saw on a trip home from the Nieu Bethesda district. This big watercolour depicts the cranes in the landscape where I saw them. The other 2 sketches were drawn from photos of our new resident pair of beautiful and graceful Blue Cranes.
Sketching Blue Cranes -
The Christmas 2012 Painting Challenge.
John and I could not resist the temptation to take on another painting-a-day challenge when he came home for the Christmas holidays. It was perhaps even more challenging to find scenery or subjects that we had not done last year. So, even though this Christmas threw in some extra complications, like a new granddaughter, which meant that there was not always time to fit in a painting session each day for me; but John did succeed in his aim to do a painting a day. Here are the sketches from the 15 days of the challenge. All of mine are 400 x 320 mm. which is close to the standard A3 format.
Day 1.—- 21 Dec.2012 Behind the workshop. We painted different scenes while still sitting next to each other. The resident Ground Squirrels were so curious that they came to see if they could find anything to eat in the basket next to my chair ! John’s pen & ink drawing is on the left and mine is on the right.
Day 2. —- 22 Dec.2012. The old fowl run behind the house. This time we did the same scene. John in pen & ink is the top picture. Mine is below.
Day 3.— 23 Dec 2012. Sketching in a small patch of shade near the garage. We chose different subjects: John, the bell and tree that I have painted before, and I chose to sketch the lambs that were also squeezing into the same patch of shade, on the other side of the gate. It was fun to stick to a black & white pencil study, with a grey wash background.
Day 4 & 5. — 24 Dec 2012. Christmas Eve was a particularly busy day for me, so John sketched alone,… the bicycle under the gum tree. His is the top sketch on the left. Whereas, on Day 5, Christmas Day, I was free to sketch the bicycle scene. John then turned his attention beyond the tree to the road that leads to the grid. He painted that scene in oils.
Day 6.—26 Dec.2012. Sketching at Excelsior. While John concentrated on one of the gum trees, I was more fascinated by the cattle under the gums.
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As my delightful little granddaugter and her parents were leaving for their seaside holiday on the 29th, I decided to give up sketching and spend more time with Sue and Chloë.
Day 7, 8 & 9. —-27 – 29 Dec 2012. The warthog skull and other scenes. While I spent time with Chloë & Sue, John painted the scenes top left, and the pen & ink of the warthog skull, bottom right. Then on Day 9 when Sue’s family had left, John and I sat together and did the other 2 sketches. I liked the skull but decided to put it onto a chair in the gardern where we sat. John chose the scene of the two store room doors and window.
Day 10. —30 Dec.2012. Old Wildebeeshoek shed. This is on our neighbour’s farm and was great fun to do. Below is a picture of the two of us painting the scene.
Day 11.— 31 Dec 2012. New Year’s Eve. Dairy session. The quest to find a shady spot always dictates the subject of our painting during the HOT, HOT days of summer. We found a little patch of shade between the stable building and the dairy. We could not sit side by side because it is a narrow passageway, so we sat with our backs to each other facing in opposite directions. John did the series of 4 gates, and I did the blue door of the Old Dairy.
Day 12 .— 1 Jan.2013. New Year’s Day. The Front Steps. John’s is the top sketch.
Day 13. — 2 Jan 2013. I put too much detail into the “On the Steps” picture that it got too late and the light was poor, so I had to finish the next day. While I did that, John did a lovely spontaneous sketch of the fountain.
Day 14. —3 Jan 2013. Old tyres and the view North. We sat together again, but did not paint the same scene. We were under the big gum trees near the Pig-sties. John chose to isolate a pile of tyres nearby, in oils ( top picture); and I chose the far scene beyond.
Day 15. — 4 Jan 2013. The Fountain Gate. Our last day of the challenge! Although we chose the same scene, I particularly wanted to concentrate on the cypress tree, so eliminated the tree that was close to the gate. It is called, ‘artistic licence’ I think. That is why our scenes look different. John’s in oil, is at the top.
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Farewell to the Fields of Fieldmoor
Sometimes a painting can be a useful and meaningful gift. So, a week ago I popped in to the farm Fieldmoor to take some photos. The farm has been sold, and Kenny and Margie are now starting a new life in East London, nearer to the rest of their family. As the Philip family of Silvermere, and the Field family, have been good friends for several generations, this seemed an appropriate farewell gesture. Leaving ones family home is always heart wrenching, so now they have a little reminder to bring back the fond memories.
‘Fieldmoor’ farm Composite. Watercolour & Pen & ink. 700 x 500 mm -
A few plein-air sketches with John
Road over the ridge. Watercolour and pen & ink. 370 x 280 mm. During John’s recent visit to the farm, we went out sketching on a few occasions. However, I was understandably distracted by my new grand-daughter, Chloë !
John spent more time on his plein-air studies, all of which they turned out really well. For those who can access our Facebook page, they can be seen here: http://www.facebook.com/africanpainting?sk=wall
Shed and stable sketch. Watercolour. 370 x 280 mm.
Through the gate sketch. Watercolour. 370 x 280 mm -
ATC’s. – Artist Trading Cards.
Now for some light relief from the stresses of the Challenge. I little drawing and painting for Sunday relaxation. I have been fascinated by a trend I discovered on the internet, swapping ATC’s. They are diminutive creations that swappers exchange with others all over the world. So I decided to make some cards that have to be 3.5 x 2.5 inches precisely. I made a template and then cut up an old watercolour painting from years ago and started creating. It was great fun !! Here are the 12 that I squeezed out of the cards cut from that one painting. I don’t think that mine compare favourably with the elaborate embellished works of art that the true ATC swappers produce, but then these are a first attempt.
Artist Trading Cards -
Travel Notebook & High Speed Sketching.
To paint… to travel… to combine the two… is to celebrate life. Jack R. Brouwer
“A traveller without observation is a bird without wings.” — Moslih Eddin Saadi
When travelling the long distances across South Africa, it is advisable, as a passenger, to have an entertaining pastime. For some reading, napping or listening to the radio helps while-away the hours. For me the most appealing options are; photographing the passing landscape or sketching it, depending on whether it is a small country road or a main highway. The highway is usually smooth and therefore I choose to sketch, while the small roads are too uneven for painting, so I photograph interesting scenery as we speed past.
Occasionally we have to turn around and return for some better shots of particularly inspiring scenes. On this last trip to Johannesburg last week; we took an alternative route up and therefore found several reasons to turn around: a suburban dam beside the gold mining town of Odendaalsrus with hundreds of feeding flamingoes; a little donkey cart loaded with passengers, on the road from Klerksdorp to Ventersdorp; a colourful cottage with an old grandmother and a toddler sunning themselves on the front steps; and a gravel driveway with some lovely old trees.
On our return from this particular trip to Johannesburg to visit our son, John; I realized that I was missing some interesting scenes as we sped by at 120 kms an hour on the main freeway. Usually much of the sketch is completed from memory, when it has passed us by at high speed, but I decided to photograph the good scenes, and finish the sketch from the viewer on my camera. This has made it possible to include more detail than would be possible from memory alone. (more…)
