Monday 21 March 2011

Phantom Silhouette

A topical sketch presently in support of our Aircrew
Phantoms are scarce now, but amazing aircraft all the same
(and they are the only ones I can draw easily without referring to a photograph {:)

Sunday 27 February 2011

Observed walking about loose in a field next to farm buildings
I completed this quite some time ago and thought it would look OK here

Friday 18 February 2011

San Gimignano View

The medieval hill top city of San Gimignano, Toscana (Tuscany)
Viewed from a vineyard at Le Cellole

Monday 7 February 2011

Lapwing and Long-tailed Tits

I have used the Lapwing image on my previous blog's sidebar
The head is the most important part to get right as its what the bird is all about from a recognition point


The Long-tailed Tits effort was originally started as an exercise in painting leaves, but I added the birds as an after thought

Sunday 30 January 2011

Monday 24 January 2011

Sitting until the Last

The Woodcock

A master at camouflage, the Woodcock will sit on the ground amongst leaves in woodland and you could walk by and not see it. If its disturbed, you still don't get much of a look as it flies away fast and low

Thursday 20 January 2011

Horses are somewhat of a challenge to draw. 
Heads are difficult enough, but to draw the whole body is going to be more of a challenge. I'll get it one day.

Thursday 13 January 2011

Horse

You may have seen this one before on the sidebar of my old Blog

Monday 10 January 2011

Tractor and Roller

I drew this from memory when on holiday one year in Tuscany
Its not quite accurate, but you get the idea
I hadn't taken much drawing or painting equipment with me as I had planned to buy some more in a shop in San Gimiganano. So until I visited the shop I made do with a black biro and the small drawing pad that I had packed. 
Sometimes the simplest of things work out.

Saturday 8 January 2011

An Old Cow Trough

A very old cow drinking trough observed in a field. I found this example on one of my cycle routes, its constructed of cement which reveals that its quite old, probably pre WWII. Such items have for a long time been constructed of galvanise and more recently hard plastic.

As a boy I use to look in these troughs to see the little "Water Boatmen" swimming around. Their correct scientific name is (Nononecta glauca) and I never realised it until I did the research, that they actually swim upside down. I called them water boatmen as they had what looked like an oar either side which they propelled themselves through the water with

Thursday 6 January 2011

Old Farm Outbuilding

I photographed this old farm outbuilding whilst on a cycle ride out on the fenland and later produced this watercolour. It was a tumbledown disused place next to an old barn. I went by there not so long ago and discovered that along with the barn, it had been completely demolished. 
Preserved for prosperity then.{:)

Monday 3 January 2011

Peregrine


Unfortunately I have never seen a Peregrine Falcon close up, that's why I looked at one in a book to draw this effort.
They are the elite among raptors and such skilful flyers
I have seen them high in the sky though. On one occasion I observed one through binoculars flying so high that I couldn't have seen it with the naked eye. It soared around and then suddenly dropped like a stone and went out of sight behind a tall tree line

(The terminal velocity of a Peregrine Falcon falling through the air is 200mph or 90 metres per second - hey I looked it up)

Saturday 1 January 2011

Snowy Tractor

An appropriate start to this blog as this is the kind of weather we are getting this winter.
I observed this tractor parked in a field whilst on a cycle ride.

The Start of a New Blog

This blog by Roy of "The Fenlandwalker Countryside blog" is now published and depict Roy's attempts at art. It was created after being inspired by Nic at:
http://artbynicmac.blogspot.com/