hot

Even robots need to cool off in this weather!

 

'nother one

Over-painted another picture. A footy supporter one has been given the eyes and mouth treatment and has been shaded with crayons.

 

Am torn between the stark simplicity of the one on the right and the more representational one on the left.

3D

In y1 (5/6 year olds) today we followed up our observational drawing from last week by creating 3d drawings of vehicles. They were guided step by step and used gridded paper to help get the lines in the right places. They drew vans, buses and lorries using cubes/cuboids as basic 'building blocks'.

 

I know quite a few adults who would struggle to draw a 3d bus as good as this!

more doodles

Some more sketches. This new 'style' is evolving. I might try and paint a few pictures up if I get the time in between teaching and all of the ceramic stuff. Am seriously considering going large!

 

 

sketchz 'n doodlz

Some recent sketches. Yet another slightly different style! The 'girl' ones are possible ideas for ceramic slab sculptures where the patterns will become textures.

 

 

Mind you, the footy supporters would also look good as a sculpture!

back again

The new school year has started - though not quite in the way I was expecting or looking forward to. I had eagerly spent the summer anticipating setting up and using my new art room to it's full capacity. Unfortunately one of my colleagues has had a nasty cycling accident during the summer hols and is off work for several weeks. I therefore have been 'volunteered' to cover his class whilst he recovers. So instead of being up to my armpits in paint, clay and glue I've gone back to the reality of day to day classroom stuff. This is as far as I managed to get with setting up my new room.

 

 

The stools are from IKEA. I decided that they would be far more practical than chairs - you can push them under the tables better and, as the children have to sit on them properly rather than just balancing on the edge as they seem to do on chairs, they take up less room when in use. My local branch only had the stools in 3 colours - but I assembled them all mixed up.

 



 

 

Meanwhile in class, as we slowly get to know each other, I've managed to sneak in some creative stuff. Today I gave each of them a small booklet with pre-printed shapes, lines and patterns. Their task was to use the printed matter to create pictures. These are a couple of things they came up with;

 



 

 

 

 

It may be that I might just be able to keep my sanity intact if we can keep producing stuff like this. Although, here's wishing my colleague a full and very speedy recovery!

today

A-haaargghhh - 'tis pirate ships we be drawing today in FS2. 

 

 

....and the BIG picture is slowly getting there.

 

new painting

Another mixed media piece. This one's called 'Faye'. She's on a 13x18cm canvas board and utilises the usual range of materials. I must try and get around to listing all of these pieces - I'll keep you posted.

 

 

today

Another small mixed media piece. This one is monochrome in keeping with the subject matter. Might texture/pattern her coat.

 

This photo shows, depending on your screen size, a larger-than-life close-up of her face.

 

'Edith', collage, acrylics, ink & crayon on canvas board, 10x15cm.

new work

Another mixed media piece. This one features a 'dress' collaged from a vintage German map.

 

 

 

Collage, acrylics, ink &crayon on canvas board, 13x18cm.

 

 

I've listed this picture in my etsy shop (please see the buttons on the right) though I'm puzzled as to why she's having a lie down ?! 

illo

Coloured in the pic from a couple of posts ago. Decided against a background - think it works quite well without.

 

 

'Playtime'

Ink & pencil crayon on heavyweight paper, A4.

for michael

Saw a tv programme the other day (on BBC4 I think) where Michael Palin talked about his life. He mentioned that he follows both Sheffield footy clubs though really, if push came to shove, supports Sheff Utd. Had a few spare minutes today so did a picture of a derby encounter between the two teams (apologies to the kit purists out there but I went for a stereotypical portrayal from days gone by).

 

Ink & pencil crayon on heavyweight paper, A4.

as the clock ticked down

Jenkins was far enough clear of the chasing defenders (chosen not for their speed and quick-thinking but more for their girth and resultant difficulty to get past) to allow himself a moment of composure. 'Stumpy', the Bartholomew's keeper, was well positioned but, as Jenkins noticed , seemed to be slightly off balance. Jenkins steadied himself and let fly with a tremendous right foot shot. 'Stumpy' had it covered or so he thought but as he pushed off with his right foot to effect what he was sure was going to be a spectacular (but fairly routine and comfortable save) his studs got caught in the roughly mown turf. His flailing dive fell short of the balls trajectory and the shot flew past him into the top corner. A moment of silence was quickly followed by a deafening roar as half of the crowd realised that their team was 1-0 up. Jenkins was immediately swallowed up by a sea of red and white as the referee signalled not only the goal but also half time.

 

 

 

 

Jenkins and his team mates trotted off the pitch to the rapturous acclaim of their supporters whilst the Bartholomew's lot marched away to the changing room muttering darkly under their breath and looking menacingly over their shoulders as 'Stumpy' picked himself off the ground and began the long, lonely walk to join them.

 



 

the match - first half

The eagerly anticipated match got underway. The two teams, resplendent in their newly acquired strips (grudgingly supplied by their respective factory owners after they realised that the match was to be featured by the local press) got to grips straight away. The colours of the strips were, incidentally, decided on after some forceful input by the  owner's wives. Both of them fancied themselves as the last arbiters of good taste hereabouts.

Neither side was dominant in the early stages. Both sets of lads were eager to show off their finely honed break-time skills and some quite promising moves were only just stopped by some ruthless, fearsome, crunching but fair (ish) tackles.

 

 

Ink & pencil crayon on paper

Both sets of supporters loudly cheered on their teams and exhorted them to greater and greater efforts - too much of many a wage packet rested on the final outcome. Most of the action took place in the centre of the pitch and neither goalie was unduly troubled. In fact the Bartholomew's keeper, 'Stumpy' Williams (so-called because of an unfortunate accident with a spindle-whittling machine) took the opportunity to exchange pleasantries with some young ladies behind his goal. All was frenetic in the midfield until Jenkins (junior apprentice spittle mopper-upper, ) broke clear and homed in on the Bartholomew's goal. 'Stumpy' hurriedly, but politely (having a notion of continuing the liaisons later in The Feathers), excused himself from the conversations and faced the onrushing lad.....

the rivals

It seems that the lads from Bartholomew's Widget Company have got wind of the surreptitious practice being undertaken by their rivals and so, have found time for their own pre-match kickabout.

A couple of likely lads playing one on one, egged on by their betters and elders who, so rumour has it, have a few bob on the outcome of the match.



 

 

the apprentices

Three apprentices having a kickabout. No doubt practising for the upcoming fixture against their rivals - the young lads from Bartholomew's Widget Company. It has long been a hotly contested fixture and usually draws quite a crowd. A win is guaranteed to raise your status within the firm to something just above that of the factory cat. 

 

 

 

Ink & pencil crayon on heavyweight paper.

teabreak 2

Another footy pic - two workers enjoying their tea break.

 

 

more pics

Here are todays pics. Again all footy ones - sorry, but the style seems suited to the subject matter. All done with ink and pencil crayon on heavy weight paper. The last two will be listed in my Folksy shop (please feel free to click on the link on the right to see all the goodies therin). The last one depicts a couple of workers having a good-natured kickabout during their well earned break.

 

 

success!

Yay! Managed to persuade Blogger to upload my pics by doing it in HTML and then switching to 'compose'. These are the two pictures that I've listed in my Folksy shop. Both done on paper using ink and pencil crayon. They measure about 8" x 11" (20 x 28cm).

 

'It surely must be the best soapbox on the block'

 

 

'He was very closely marked throughout the game'

 

thwarted!

Wanted to post some new pics but Blogger seems to be playing silly beggars and won't let me upload from my own computer files. Will keep trying. I was going to list them in my Folksy shop - wonder if I can do that?
Sorry, forgot to wish folk a Happy New Year!

Update - two of the new illustrations have now been listed in my Folksy shop;

'it must surely be the best soapbox on the block' & 'he was very closely marked throughout the game'.

Please feel free to take a look at them over there. Am still trying to overcome the gremlins with the Blogger uploading process.