Sketchbooks

" This will be a collection without order, made up of many sheets...and I believe that before I am at the end of this I shall have to repeat the same thing several times; and therefore, oh reader, blame me not because the subjects are many and the mind can not retain them..."

Leonardo DaVinci

from one of his journals

In my sketch books/journals are used to collect images, information, write down my thoughts and make sketches and jot down colours. I love to see the sketches of artists, as you can see so much from the unfinshed sketches, re adjusting poses and trying to get details right. Picasso, Matisse, DaVinci are all well known for their sketchbooks and journals.

With the sun came thoughts of rabbits and hares...

media used: ink with brushes, willow sticks, and pens, water colours, chalk pastels and charcoal.

Mono Printing- lovely unpredictable marks...

Love the images on Cathy Kiffney creates, click here to see ceramic lovelyness!

Also Karen Davis's beautiful paintings and illustration here.  

xxx

So the last couple of months has flown by and I'm finally getting around to getting started on my Learning (B)log. First assignment complete... and on with the next, It may take me some time to get used to posting- I'm not generally known as organised when it comes to on line stuff but here goes nothing!

Moving house means lots of organising, sorting and finding forgotten treasures. My Grandma often gives me thing she doesn't know what to go with- in a bag of bits and pieces and a note to tell me about it I found this....

The embroidery is not done in fine materials, a rough loose woven manmade background fabric, the embroidery threads too are thick, stitchs large and feel synthetic. The stiches are large and in some places you can see pencil lines the the emboiderer was following. I wonder if the blocks were labelled for colours or if the soldier worked intuitivly to blend and mix the colours.

My Grandfather served in the army as a doctor, as did his father before, it makes me sad to think that I can not question him about sample like the above- too late did I discover the links between are vocations and passions.

For many years, this piece was used as a panel in a cushion cover , the fabric has worn away and disintergrated - I'm left at a los with what to do with it, I love the vibrancy of the colours, and the flamboyant nature of the bird, but its delicate state, means that for now I'll leave it as it is, until I can display it in a way that does the heritage of such an unusual sample some justice.

Click here to see more on some military quilts in the V&A, and here for some information about some patterns available in military and civilian hospitals.