From Studland Bay

Poole

Even on an overcast day like today, you can see a lot from the beaches in Studland, Dorset.

The Isle of Wight

Old Harry Rocks and the eastern end of the Purbeck Ridge

English Civil War: First Battle of Newbury

The English Civil War Society reenacted the first Battle of Newbury on the battle site at Cope Hall Park last weekend. I was there on the Sunday, and made a few sketches with a fountain pen.

Pikemen

Parliament (Roundheads) cavalry

King's (Cavalier) Cavalry

Spectators!

Parliament cavalry and muskets

Showing off the artillery

We Are Forest sketchbook despatch #2: Beech

I find the roots, especially, of beech trees to be fascinating. The way they writhe and weave and make wonderful patterns on the surface... (this happens because beech has a shallow root system. It seems to help it to thrive on the steep slopes of our local downs, where there is a thin layer of soil over crumbly chalk bedrock, but it can make the trees vulnerable to high winds).

Beech is traditionally thought of as being feminine - perhaps it is the smooth bark and the elegant limbs - or the way that it can make so much (a grand tree, with useful wood) out of so little (the thin soil). Or perhaps it was just that the oak, "king" of the forest, needed a queen of a suitably stately nature.

We Are Forest is now complete (inclusive of beech) and currently on show at Sticks Contemporary in Gosport, Hampshire. It will cease to exist after the exhibition closes on 14 April.

detail from We Are Forest, a collaborative room-sized artwork by Artikinesis

We Are Forest sketchbook despatch #1: Silver birch

  

Bodown Woods, "Pierre noir" pencil

We Are Forest is an Artikinesis project. It's about trees. These sketches were all made "in the field", or, more accurately, in the woods...

Greenham Common, fountain pen

Silver birch is native to the UK. It is a fast-growing tree, often populating heathland and occasionally viewed as a "weed" species. It's an opportunistic tree. Its pale bark and distinctive dark banding make it easy to recognise. 

Ferry ports

 

Dover and Calais

Calais

Calais

Cornwall, August 2017

St Michael's Mount from the beach at Marazion

The beach at Marazion

From the beach at Durgan

Cover 2 Cover 2017 - sketchbook six - In the forest

Imaginary treescape, acrylic (knife painting)

Lone Hudson's In the forest theme was the last book I worked in. I do like trees, and I had been looking forward to this theme. The book was a smallish hardback guide to trees, with plentiful pages of nice quality paper. The text and line drawings made an interesting counterpoint to work placed directly on the page, and others in the group had made inventive use of the colour illustrations as well as doing some marvellous cut-work and additions, including manipulated leaves from trees.