Limbering Up

I don't know about you,  but after the highs of the sales at the back end of November and early December (I wrote about them here and here ) and then the whole Christmas thing (plus very full on in the day job) I just did not manage to get into the studio in December.

Added to that my studio is cold and not welcoming on a dark winter's evening (It is in a conservatory off my bedroom).

So, come January and I was rather out of the habit.

Also, it looked as though a bomb had hit it.

I was reading the blog of my good friend Sheila in Idaho and in one post written after Christmas, she put a very positive spin on tidying!

So last weekend I put 'tidy the studio' on the to do list and, with a radio play on in the background, gave it a bit of a spring clean.

And it was a very worthwhile exercise - it somehow feels less overwhelming, with a bit of order redeemed from the chaos.

So this week I have managed to get back in there - nothing too strenuous just playing in a little sketch book. This is the one I have reserved for flowers and leaves so you have seen some pages before.

But here is a bit of limbering up with the new ones (this is a bit like sharing my daily workout with you - which I don't do by the way, unless you count the 10,000 on step dog walk I achieve most days)

I usually start with colour - in this case inks from a palette. (Not waterproof by the way).

A bit of doodling on top with a black pen - but the colours are very dark on this page.

So I invested in a white pen - but with moderate success. What do you use for a white pen in sketch books or journals?

The finished page. The variation in colour is down to the different light and cameras used - both by phone in the studio under electric light and my camera in the dining room under different light.

But you get the drift.

 And here is another page with the bottom photo after simple highlighting with the pen. But the pen is not working too well on the ink. I think it is because the ink is not permanent so the pen activates it again and all you get is a lighter version of the colour underneath.

All those little therapeutic circles - here done with a pen but so often done with a sewing machine. 

And finally, one which I did not photograph as it went along. Sorry - just the end. 

I have limbered up and now feel a bit more able to tackle all the work planned for 2018. There is a lot to make if I am to have work for 2 Open Studios, 2 other open calls and 2 Christmas sales. 

Best get cracking then!