Sunday 20 March 2011

Week 11

                                           The finished page for week 11
                             I  keep my pizza bases, look how they come in handy!
I can hardly believe how quickly this week went by.   I had many interesting sea finds to choose from and then ended up with just three on my page.   I chose the fresh seaweed with shades of greens, the rusty brown bubbly piece and a matching rusty coloured oak leaf.    Oak leaves are one of my favourite subjects, this one  was so interesting with the holes and colouring which glowed when I found it.  It had survived since last year but is now showing real signs of damage and decay.  I also liked seeing how the brown piece of seaweed had also started to lose pieces and change colour.  When I  placed them on the pizza base after I washed them,  the colours looked so vibrant.  I felt  the three were enough for my page.    One week later they  have dried, shrunk and twisted,  and hardly resemble their original colours as they  have darkened to dull drab shades.   I used the acrylic inks and my fine number one sable brush, and used a little stippling on the green with a black ink pen.  The inks can be mixed to make shades and I use them just  the same as using paints.                    

Yesterday, Saturday, I could not go onto the shore at my usual time in the morning as it was a high tide.  I decided to give a couple of hours to the garden,  two hours soon turned into five hours!  So it was almost 5 o'clock before I ventured down on the still waterlogged shore.  It was soggy and slippery but after my gardening and feeling tired I was quite happy to go slow.  The sun was really low and as I walked I realised I had a long thin shadow by my side.   It was a little hazy looking out across the shore but I could see and hear many different birds, the sounds echoing across the estuary.   In the sand I saw bird prints,  the pretty patterns twisting and curling as they made their tracks along the waters edge.  It was a good day for feathers, as I collected an assortment of  different sizes, colours and patterns.   I found a few crab pieces but they always break when you handle the brittle pieces.  As I collected a mermaids purse it was all tangled with a second one and some seaweed,  maybe an interesting piece to draw.  During my walk I could feel the temperature drop as the sun faded.  The swan was settled on the opposite bank,   sat with her neck curled as she was raking through the grass.  We glanced at each other for awhile,  then I noticed she was all dirty on her front with the brown soil, maybe today we are similar...both been gardening and a little grubby after our digging .  The train broke the silence as it thundered past us both,   we both looked up at the track.   From the back of the carriage a fat red faced man poked his head out of the window with a cigarette in his mouth,  from the non smoking train!  As I made my way along to the station,  I could smell the smoke drifting in the air.  I stood on the railway bridge and just caught the last rays of the sun sinking behind the hills.  It was a lovely quiet calm time of the day to go and collect for week 12.  It is something I look forward to,  with the long summer evenings.
Time to sort out my finds and get started on a new page.   Thank you for the lovely comments,  it is always nice to read them all.   Still no news on my laptop!   Hope you like the picture.    
Millyx

15 comments:

Susan Scheid (Raining Acorns) said...

I love the way the oak leave is caressed and protected by the two sea-plants. There is also something I particularly love about the seaweed, which you've captured as if it were still swaying in the water. This reminds me of Megan Barron's drawing of a piece of seaweed against a backdrop of a torn-off piece of music, which is these days on my wall. I never tire of it, as I never tire of the beauty you create for us each week!

Pondside said...

Sometimes it's hard to know where the beach treasures end and the drawing starts.
I love the word picture as much as that in the sketch book. The brown-breasted swan, the red-faced man and the waft of smoke - perfect.

Jennifer Tetlow said...

The highlights and stippling on the green seaweed make it come alive, I can almost smell it and the sea. A lovely contrast to your rusty colours. I'm glad you spoke to the swan.

Frances said...

Milly, let me wish you a Happy Spring, now that it's officially here.

I know that the longer days and warmer weather will affect what you'll be discovering on your walks. And so, it was more than usually lovely to read about this late afternoon walk of yours, the one with the long shadow.

As someone else has already commented, the compositions on your sketchbook pages are all lovely, and surely follow the lead given by nature herself.

I know you've told us before, but which acrylic inks do you use? I would like to think that the manufacturers of this ink know how you've mastered its potential.

Best wishes, Milly. xo

Tammie Lee said...

this piece is wonderful. i can only imagine that the details of seaweed is a challenging thing to capture. I agree with Pondside, your tale was a good read as well.

Scented Sweetpeas said...

Wow your work is stunning!

Melody said...

I just love walking along the shore with you....*sigh... So vivid that i can hear the train rumbling past as you and the swan watch. :) Do you find any pretty rocks on your beach ~ or is it mostly just sandy? I know all beaches are different in what they offer up to their walkers! :)))

Diana said...

Milly it's gorgeous.. so delicate. check out my blog ...you have received the STYLISH BLOG AWARD>> take care!Diana

Posie said...

There was such a sense of calmness and serenity around today's blog Milly, I could feel the glow of spring arriving, and then the man puffing away from the carriage window, you capture it so well. Love the drawings as always.

Jill said...

Lovely words and and pictures Milly, as always. It is amazing how quickly the lighter evenings happen at the equinox. Looking forward to the mermaid's purses.

Lynn said...

I've just stumbled upon your blog, and am very glad to have done so. Your drawings are gorgeous! I'm looking forward to spending some time looking through your past posts, and reading new ones.

suz said...

What a lovely piece. I really like that I can click the photo larger and see how you painted your objects. This is such a calm piece. Sounds like you had a very special afternoon on the beach.

Windsongs and Wordhoards said...

Another wonderful painting! I really enjoyed hearing about your walk, I could hear the sea and smell the brine and seaweed, could imagine jumping at the sudden sound of that train!

Personalized Sketches and Sentiments said...

Beautiful, amazing art that you create! I am stopping over from Pondside's blog. So nice to meet you!

Blessings & Aloha!

Teresa said...

Love the delicacy of your drawings and those lovely muted colors.