Friday 13 May 2016

Half finished sketches, life, and a little reminder

I didn't get much sketching done this week, and I very much apologise for not having been commenting much on fellow PPF artists, but sometimes, life just gets in the way. Last weekend was the finest weekend in a long time, and after the shopping and all the boring household chores done by Saturday afternoon, I was looking forward to a creative weekend, and a trip to the Botanical Garden for some sketching on Monday. Something I've been wanting to do for weeks and weeks, but the weather was always too bad. And then my Dad had a bicycle accident on Saturday afternoon and was taken to the hospital. It was a constant up and down for three days, but all's okay now and he was discharged yesterday.


I did actually go to the Botanical Garden on Monday, but it wasn't quite the creative, inspiring day out I had planned. There's a direct bus from the hospital to the Botanical Garden and so I decided to get there, after all, in the afternoon. 40 minutes across the city to the other end, which was actually quite an interesting journey. So many changes, so many new buildings. Maybe I should spend more time exploring. I arrived there after 3pm, walked through the beautiful park, looked for frogs in the pond, and then found a nice place to sit with the palm houses in view. I got out my sketchbook, made a quick ink drawing, got my watercolour box out - and then it started raining. So I went into the palm houses and watched the fish in the pond of the biggest of the them for a while, and then I went back home. I added some uninspired watercolour paint later at home, but it still is a rather unfinished sketch. As is the banana one.

On Wednesday, I attended a librarians' symposium in Aarau. As that meant sitting around all day, I used the lunch break for some wandering around town. I had taken my sketchbook and wanted to do at least one sketch outside. I went to the Kantonsbibliothek (county library) and sat outside, eating my sandwich and looking for something interesting to sketch. The buildings around were all half hidden behind some beautiful trees. The trees themselves would certainly have been very intriguing to sketch, but I didn't have the time for it. So I ended up with just a quick sketch of one of the stone thingies for attaching big heavy chains, that surrounded the square in front of the library, and a tiny little dandelion flower. At least I made a sketch.


When I went through my folder with scans on my computer, I found some sketches that I made back in 2014. For the one of Läckö slott I used a photo that I have taken many years ago as reference. The one of the church was the first, and pretty much only one I've ever actually done outside. Looking through these sketches just reminded me how little I have been sketching recently, and pretty much all of last year. So I'm posting these here as a reminder for myself to sketch more, much more, again. And for finally overcoming that fear of sketching outside...

13 comments:

  1. You sketch beautifully so yes...so more. Sketching outside is something I should do more of too. Although I dislike the cold with a passion. so now it's warmer I don't have an excuse not to.

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  2. You sketch beautifully so yes...so more. Sketching outside is something I should do more of too. Although I dislike the cold with a passion. so now it's warmer I don't have an excuse not to.

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  3. Wonderful sketches, I have the twin of your banana here on my desk! Happy PPF, hugs, Valerie

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  4. Your sketches are great.
    Happy PPF xx

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  5. Your sketches are fabulous! I really love them all, they are full of details. That banana and tea bag are so real looking, I can smell their scents as I look at them and I also love your tea pots and cups of tea. The buildings are beautiful, super work!

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  6. you sketch so beautifully and the tea time one and the tea bag are just so perfect... love them both an extra amount... xx

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  7. Hope your dad is recouping well and you should plan a creative visit back another time. I think it was John Lennon who said life is what happens when you're busy making other plans. Sounds like that happened to you- but I LOVE your sketches. What great pieces to have. Happy weekend and PPF-:) Erika

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  8. Glad to hear your dad is recuperating at home. That must have been scary. Lovely sketches you have created!

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  9. Great images, all of them!
    I hope your dad is all good again! That is scary :o/
    I love the banana ♥

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  10. your sketches are so beautifully executed,, the detail is amazing in your water colors,, I especially like the tea pot study,,

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  11. Love tea time...your sketches are beautiful...hope dad is okay! Sounds so busy... but I think the banana is so lovely! At least you accomplished something!

    Hugs Giggles

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  12. So glad your dad was okay! That probably threw you off right there. The sketches look finished enough to me. Lovely look back, too. I hope you get good weather and some time to sketch soon like you planned. :)

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  13. I love your style! Well done. Thank you for sharing. I hope everything is settled with your dad.

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