Drawing in the Garden

I finally took my sketchbook out into the garden.

The shed bed (10 mins)

This is a quick sketch of what we call the "shed bed" but it lacks focus and definition.  The sun was high in the sky so shadows were almost non existent.  I put some colour on to try to rectify things but I'm not impressed.

Mark making for specific flowers - water colour

Bugs eye view of daisies in the meadow - pastel pencil

Bugs eye view was an idea I had after seeing the work of  Anthony Pegg (1) artist in residence at Gunby Hall in Lincolnshire. Pegg works in oils but I used pastel pencil with very few colours.  It would have been more successful if my stems and grasses followed a more diagonal line - there would have been more movement.

I'll have to have another try but I feel the beginnings of an idea for a collograph print.  First though I'll try a similar thing using collage.

Possible materials - old card envelope and a variety of papers

My idea is to use what is basically rubbish to make my collage.  I have assembled a variety of papers including the backing from some Bondaweb which gives a lot of texture.  I plan to use this to turn my old envelope into an earthy background.

Labels from clothes

I keep lots of things that might be useful one day and clothing labels come into this category.  I have cut off the knots from the ribbons and strings and think they might make "flowers".

My carrier

I used blue tissue and white Bondaweb backing paper for the "sky" and a single sheet of Bondaweb backing for the "ground".The label on the envelope showed through but I didn't think it mattered too much.  

I practised flowers with a Q tip in my sketchbook and decided on just a swirl of red with a touch of white to suggest poppies.  The stems worked best in pastel stick. The daisies I anticipate will be the knots I've cut off.  

Daisies and Poppies in the Garden

What I didn't count on was the bumpiness of the moistened background paper which interfered with the smooth running of the pastel.  I thought the knots would look too insignificant so decided to paint them in. From a distance the lightness of the label on the envelope looks like light on the horizon - a happy accident.


This is a style I rather like.  Angie Lewin (2) is a popular textile designer and artist whose work appeals to me and I realise how influenced I am by such people.

Coneflower with Spanish Seedheads - Angie Lewin - watercolour

These aren't exactly botanical studies but they are accurate representations offered in a highly stylised way.


Some time ago I did a day long collograph workshop with Carole Eason (3).  I developed this a little after the workshop and it formed the basis of my work for Part 5 of Exploring Ideas.  I'll have to revisit how to do it but I'm going to try again (4).

I made my collograph plate with an off cut of mounting card and built up the layers with odds and ends.

My collograph plate

The plate is well covered in PVA so that more than one print can be taken.  My only suitable printing ink is a water based one.  I followed my previous instructions and damped my paper but when I pulled off the print everything began to disintegrate; both my plate and my paper.

A less than impressive print.

The damp paper had made the printing ink run.  I think my plate was too fussy and too much in relief. I tried another two prints in desperation and then decided to call it a day.

The used plate

My first reaction was to throw this work away but experience tells me that sometimes the strangest things come out of a flop.

If I'm to pursue this idea I need to buy some oil based ink like I used with Carole.  

(1) http://www.anthonypeggartgallery.com/page3.htm
(2) http://www.angielewin.co.uk/collections/my-work
(3) http://carolaeason.bigcartel.com/
(4) http://iburkitt.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/collograph-workshop.html