110415 resting nude

sketch book study in medical dictionary: Comrie, J.D 1931 News Chronicle Home Doctor Morrison and Gibb Ltd., London

110414 seated nude

 

sketch book study in medical dictionary: Comrie, J.D 1931 News Chronicle Home Doctor Morrison and Gibb Ltd., London

110411 riverside walk

I heard the Millenium Youth Choir sing at the Cathedral yesterday which was uplifting. I’m assuming they’ve been around for 11 years now. I also went for a lovely walk in the Spring bordering on high summer sunshine through the newly landscaped Cherry Orchard and over the brand new Diglis bridge. It is standing the test of time well and with its generous proportions and top quality materials is still looking fantastic. We turned left and followed the west bank of the Severn southwards to the confluence with the river Teme. It is a really magical spot and one we return to often. Really rural but still within the boundary of the city.The most perfect picnic spot.

sketch book study in medical dictionary: Comrie, J.D 1931 News Chronicle Home Doctor Morrison and Gibb Ltd., London

110409 mannequin

This is a study of a mannequin produced on a day when there wasn’t a life model. I used charcoal. Notice the ghostly imprint on the left hand side of the page.

Today I had my hair done and it was very disconcerting to see  a chap behind me with a rubber cap on his head having his low lights done. I have to say I think grey is very distinguished and men having their hair coloured is a complete turn off. Probably the opposite of the effect they”re after. Talking to my hairdresser after he’d left the salon she explained he has a very young girlfriend so wants to stay looking young to match her age. We both agreed that for blokes colour, toupees and comb overs were a complete no no whilst for women we should do whatever we fancy.Of course.

Top tip for men: if you do decide to colour your hair stay away from warmer shades which border on ginger, and doerr on the side of ash tones which look more natural. Apparently. Spread the word and it will save some men a small fortune. We also agreed that the day Tom Jones went white he looked better than all those years with coloured hair.

STOP PRESS: I asked my other half what he thought about me going natural , ie. grey, and he said he thought white could be very stylish if cut well; Really, I said, yes he replied, just look at the French finance minister. And they say men don’t notice things!

sketch book study in medical dictionary: Comrie, J.D 1931 News Chronicle Home Doctor Morrison and Gibb Ltd., London

110405 clothed figure

It helps as an artist to have x-ray eyes to imagine seeing through the figure to guage volume. It makes for intriguing, lively mark making anyway. Notice I omit the model’s head and feet to focus on the torso which then becomes my main area of interest and fills the page.

sketch book study in medical dictionary: Comrie, J.D 1931 News Chronicle Home Doctor Morrison and Gibb Ltd., London

110404 feet resting

I had a student once who had a thing about feet. She couldn’t bear to look at them for any length of time so would do a quick sketch then focus on the hands or another part of the anatomy. I could sympathise. Other people’s feet are never easy to study for any length of time.

This sketch gives equal importance to the shadow as to the feet, and is not concerned with any detail. Rendered in Prussian blue it is built up out of lively brushmarks which capture their essence only.

sketch book study in medical dictionary: Comrie, J.D 1931 News Chronicle Home Doctor Morrison and Gibb Ltd., London

110327 woman in hat

A quick sketch of  the model in single colour indian red wash created with marks from a range of brushes. Double click twice on the image to see it more closely.

sketch book study in medical dictionary: Comrie, J.D 1931 News Chronicle Home Doctor Morrison and Gibb Ltd., London

110319 framed head

I like the demure pose of the figure in this drawing. It is a two coloured water colour study, begun in prussian blue and finished in indian red. Executed quickly it retains a freshmess of approach. The theatrical collar frames the head and was treated with equal importance. I like the range of line; some thin, some thick.

sketch book study in medical dictionary: Comrie, J.D 1931 News Chronicle Home Doctor Morrison and Gibb Ltd., London

110317 St Patrick’s Day: to hell and back

St Patrick’s Day. I awake to blue skies with a long list of things to do, not least starting an exciting new body of work, and videoing the production of it for You tube. I check my blog and answer a comment from artist Wayne Ferrebee  in Brooklyn. I check out his blog and note the wide range of topics including hellebore, otters and a Brooklyn twister. The hellebore are out in my garden too along with the daffodils and the snowdrops. They look divine. The magnolia will be out next week.

Artist husband suggests daytrip to Ross; not easily distracted I waver a second then am easily distracted; studio can wait. Change out of painters’ rags into best smart tailored trousers, fling on dainty pumps, jewellery and full make-up. I am being taken out for the day. Hurrah!  Artist husband retains the ragged creative look and is ready in painter’s garb and walking boots. No comment. Any casual onlooker would be forgiven for thinking we were a miss match.

Arriving in Ross in the St Patrick’s Day spring sunshine we make our way past shops, galleries and delis to a pub above the river for coffee. Pints of Guiness are already on the table. Descend the steps down to the riverbank past the Hope & Anchor pub and spy a sign that says circular walk; in Worcester this means turn left, cross one bridge, follow the bank on the other side, cross second bridge and return to base. We set off. On the far side near Wilton Castle the path at the edge of the field has been ploughed and my smart tailored trousers and neat little pumps hold me back as I trip from tummock to tummock amongst the large size mud clumps. Thank you, farmer. “You look like you’re dressed for the King’s Road,” quips my artist husband; normally I’d take this as a compliment but today he simply means “You’re wearing the wrong clothes.” Ah well. He’s right. We pass one dead swan on the riverbank, then another pair on the river trying to kill each other. Goodeness, such violence. If animals can’t get on what hope do we have?

The second bridge enabling us to return to base is way ahead. But we can hear it. It looks like a motorway and judging by the stream of juggernauts thundering along at 80mph they see it as a motorway too en route from the M5 to Cardiff. I send artist husband over the barbed wire fence and up the embankment to check there is a footpath. There is but this is Bridstow bridge and it is the world’s least pedestrian friendly bridge. The barbed wire covered stile threatens to tear my best tailored trousers so I leap from the top, stumble, climbing the embankment towards the thundering trucks with shaking dog in tow.

There follows a scary, very scary 200m walk across the bridge. Each juggernaut leaves a slip stream that threatens to throw me into the oncoming traffic. It is a bleeding nightmare. The traffic thundering past wonders what the hell we are doing. We must look like two escapees. Artist husband is ahead with dog on shortest lead; I am steadying myself touching the barrier with my right hand, feeling ridiculously over dressed in best coat, best handbag, muddy dainty shoes. I try to concentrate on deep breathing to off set the panic attack that threatens to overwhelm me. On other side of bridge climb over difficult railing down grassy bank past rubbish strewn over brambles back on to river path and breathe again.

Needless to say the pint of Old Empire at the Hope & Anchor is very welcome after our hour and a half trek; it helps erase the bridge incident from my memory. We sit beside the beautiful river Wye and watch a Chenook helicopter take off far in the distance; my thoughts are with our brothers and sisters in Japan.

Lunch over we amble up the hill past stalls of garden plants including double hellebore  for sale in the market place; hmm, thinking back to how my day began my plant loving artist friend Wayne Ferrebee in Brooklyn would be sorely tempted by these I’m sure.

sketch book study in medical dictionary: Comrie, J.D 1931 News Chronicle Home Doctor Morrison and Gibb Ltd., London

110315 blue nude II

sketch book study in medical dictionary: Comrie, J.D   1931  News Chronicle Home Doctor   Morrison and Gibb Ltd., London