A word from Alice - studio stories from Alice Draws the Line
-
Under the oak
This Oak tree made an amazing base to sit at, lean against, and look out through the branches. I really like looking out through a canopy, and especially if there is light behind, playing on the leaves. -
Holiday cottage views
Our holiday cottage had decking in the garden with a lovely big table where you could take in the views and plenty of space for a sketchbook!This was a graphite sketch during the golden hour on one of the first evenings. -
A few days in Pembrokeshire
Back in August (2023) I had a lovely few days in Pembrokeshire. I thought I’d share some of the sketches that I did there.This was one evening. The others decided to have an evening walk along the headland. I couldn’t resist the lure of the picnic bench and view to set up my watercolour pad and paint the view while they were stretching their legs. -
A Robin for company
At the start of the year I met up with my friend Kath (The Walking Sketchbook) to sketch outdoors. We had the brilliant idea to put another date in the diary to make sure we made it a regular thing.
This week we met up again. I was lucky enough to meet Kath’s Robin - a beautiful feathered friend that regularly comes to find her when she is out locally. The Robin likes to sit near Kath when she creates and this time the Robin came to see what I was up to too!
-
A rainy Vitamin Tree adventure
It was a really rainy outing this one! I met my friend Kath for a catch up and we went first to Park Wood at Hergest Croft and then back up through the gardens to the tea room. But actually, sheltered under an Oak tree it was lovely to sit with a coffee and a biscuit or two. This is my enamel bug mug design which you can find in the shop here. -
Sketching outside with a HUGE piece of paper
As regular readers will know, I seem to have an interest in experimenting with working at a larger scale.
Last week I took a big piece of paper out into the parkland near the studio and sketched using one of my homemade feather quills.
-
Sketch Across the World 2022 - Park Wood
This year I joined Kath (The Walking Sketchbook) for a sketch adventure in Park Wood, at Hergest Croft Gardens. It's not too far from the studio which is great.
It was lovely sat on a log drawing the bluebells with all the bright green beech leaves - and then a cuckoo called from the ridge - and continued to call as we drew and had lunch in the woods.
-
Drawing outside - in the parkland
This was another sketch-outing with Katherine Owen (The Walking Sketchbook). We had planned to meet somewhere to draw the previous week, but Storm Eunice appeared and scuppered that plan.
This outing was just up into Brampton Bryan Parkland, on the Herefordshire Way footpath, not far from my studio.
It was cold but there was a bit of February sunshine which was lovely when out of the breeze.
We had lunch and a natter before both getting engrossed in our separate things.
As per usual, 2 hours vanished and we both had some creations to go home with.
-
A Creative Adventure with The Walking Sketchbook
So far this year I have done quite a lot of very neat, considered work. Yesterday I went on a creative adventure with my friend Katherine Owen (aka The Walking Sketchbook) and it was the perfect way to mix up my creativity.We had the date in the diary for weeks and I was really looking forward to getting outside and sketching somewhere on location. -
Sketching in the rain
Last Saturday, my friend Kath and I went on a wet weather sketching adventure.
It was so wet that we wore full waterproofs and both were armed with a large umbrella each.
I found a couple of different positions to draw from, this one (below) being the first. A forked branch above me made the perfect place to hang my umbrella and I was able to sit underneath it in the dry. I had a seating mat with me as I didn't trust how waterproof my trousers were, plus it provides a bit of comfort.
-
A golden hour sketching… and jogging adventure!
I am not a jogger. I like the idea of it however, and have tried to go for a few runs this year. While on holiday, it was a beautiful evening, Louise went for a run, and so I went for a run... with a difference!I packed some sketching kit in a brilliant art bum bag that my neighbour gave me recently to see if I could make use of it.I took my small watercolour set, an A6 sketchbook, my new graphite stick, a water brush and some other pens and bits and pieces (just in case!).It was such a beautiful evening and the sun broke through the cloud for the most spectacular golden hour while we were out. I stopped at a wooden gate - the perfect width to balance my sketchbook and paints on. -
Sketching in a field
The other day I went for a walk from the studio. I popped my A6 sketchbook, pen and watercolours in the pocket of my dungarees (-the fact that these fit in here is an exciting new discovery!) and took some tea too. There is something wonderful about working outdoors. I often fool myself into thinking that I need more kit or more time than I do - my favourite results are often created using a small piece of paper and just a pen and drawn quickly - no fretting or over stressing the situation.
