thepembrokeshirecreative

I was out for a spin in the car yesterday and I was determined to sketch something, somewhere and knocked this charcoal one off at Cefn y More, Upper Solva, before hurtling back home for lunch. Pleased with this effort.

I made the effort once more today to join members of the arts society in their fortnightly 'Sketch Together' session, for only my second time, and I was very glad I did. While the weather wasn't exactly amazing, it was manageable for a little while, before the chill seeped in. But I did manage to knock up this conté sketch of the quay at Lower Town and enjoyed the challenge of using a square stick of the stuff and managing to create something presentable. I think I need to use that medium much more often. And I should go out with the group more often too, to encourage me to 'do more art' more regularly.

The weekend's weather, just gone, wasn't great - much as it has been for a while - mostly wet and chilly and I was entrenched in some indoors DIY some of the weekend. By the time Sunday afternoon came round the weather cleared up and I dallied with the idea of going for a cycle ride but didn't - although in my defence it had been VERY wet in the morning and the afternoon was quite chilly. So I swerved that in favour of couch-hogging to watch football. Later I realised I had barely been out of the house all weekend, so I headed out in the dying light of Sunday afternoon and stood in a doorway on Tower Hill, Fishguard, to draw this looking down Hill Terrace, Fishguard with the main harbour in the background. And got VERY cold fingers as a result...

A couple of sketches from a few days ago around Fishguard. Sketching when I have time and it's not too cold or slinging it down with rain - can be challenging! Landing a Catch, Lower Town Quay Tower Hill, Fishguard

It was chilly and windy today but at least hadn't rained at the point I went out (but is now), so I pushed myself to go out, albeit I did this sketch from the car. I nearly didn't go out but I'm glad I did, I need to increase the frequency of my work - more often is always better I find. Onwards! More!

It's not been quite such a massive gap as previously since I last posted. I have been doing some drawing, but not nearly enough. Poor weather and other distractions at home to blame mostly. Must try harder! Anyway, here's one from October in Fishguard...

I can't believe I have managed to leave it so long since I last posted here (four years!!). Dear me, what a lapse and I don't really know why, other than I just got out of the habit. I haven't really an excuse even though since I last posted here I have retired from work. Silly me for thinking being retired would mean I would have more time on my hands, there are still not enough hours in the day, days in the week etc.  I haven't completely neglected my art of course, but painting seems to have taken rather a back seat and I need to restart it for sure. Sketching has always been my stand-by, but I probably haven't done nearly enough in recent times to properly keep my hand in. That needs to change. By way of exposure, I shall work backwards a bit posting some images here. Beginning yesterday when I gave myself a kick up the backside and got out to do some sketching on a dry day - which was a nice change - just recently the glorious summer seems to have slumped into ...

Hands-up, I have been extremely tardy with my posts here of late. I'm not sure what happened, I did get very busy with work in February/March and my objective of regular sketching did also slip somewhat. Some of the weather we've been having hasn't helped much and has meant I have been out drawing or painting less than I'd like to have done. Excuses over, I shall now endeavour to try and catch up a bit with some drawings I scanned from late last year and then maybe get onto some more recent ones that deserve an airing. And create more art, obviously. This is a quick-ish sketch of Tower Hill, Fishguard seen from Penslade. 

We took a walk from home yesterday morning, despite ice all around, we slithered and slipped our way down to the Parrog at Goodwick in bright sunny conditions. It was great just enjoying being out and I sat and scribbled this pen drawing of Goodwick Quay Road and the port entrance. 

 On a somewhat dull and breezy day a few days ago, I stood by the water's edge at Lower Town and did what I could. My pen was a bit scratchy and the wind was trying to tear at my pad's pages. It probably resulted in this being a bit quicker and freer than I intended! Still anything is better than today's weather, where any attempt outdoors would result in a papier mache mess.

Back in October I sketched in pencil this view at Lower Town quay from across the harbour. In the absence of anything new for 2021 right now, I thought I'd post a previously unseen 'oldie'. Happy new year!

Recently after an inspiring conversation with an artist friend and during which I probably more than once said 'I really must get my paints out again', I swiftly acted on my words. I admit, it wasn't an easy thing to do as I don't have dedicated space available to leave all my painting kit set up for long, just using part of the dining table when possible for short periods. More it was the mental angst of: Would I paint something I would be disappointed with? After all, it had been some time since I'd last painted, so I'm barely proficient and expert in my desired style. In spite of these negative rumblings in my head, it still didn't work against me and even though I had no intention of creating a 'finished composition' and just have some practice, I somehow forgot myself and in a potentially destructive all-or-nothing approach, I worked on a whole scene. Fair enough, at least it was a simple one, but there was still plenty of opportunity to 'bu...

After a quick spin round the shops in Fishguard this morning I headed to Lower Town for a saunter around and maybe a spot of drawing. After a walk along to the quay and deciding maybe that wasn't going to be the warmest place to draw from, I headed for the Skirmisher car park. I reached the Skirmisher end of the river bridge and realised that I hadn't done anything from that spot before. It would make yet another view of the harbourside cottages to add to my growing tally, but I make no apologies for that, it always draws me in, so to speak. So as I was standing on the little triangle of grass (and weeds) next to the bridge abutment, to be off the road, I stood there and started scribbling with black biro. It began to feel like one that wasn't going to please me. Then, with little done, a couple of youngsters came up behind me and looked at what I was doing and asked if I was drawing. Avoiding some snide comment about stating the obvious and managing not to roll my eyes, I ...

This was a quick pencil sketch, from where I can't quite remember in Fishguard - maybe Tower Hill, showing the quay at Lower Town. It's from a couple of months back now, and didn't get an airing at the time due to erm, my slackness!

I wish I could say I'd been creating some art every day as intended. But I haven't. And I wish I'd kept this more up-to-date, which I haven't. It's not that I haven't been sketching, because I have, just maybe not every day. Some sketches really weren't worth airing and these others that I was happy with seem to have built up as a backlog because I hadn't got around to posting here much. Catch 22 then! So for now, I shall feed in some of the better sketches from the last month or two a little at a time to keep this rolling forward a bit more frequently, so here goes... This pen sketch is from the front of our house after I had finished removing the top of one of our conifers, to open up our sea view more.

Oh it's been far too long since I last posted something here! (familiar story?) In my defence, I have been fairly busy with work among other things, so as and when I managed some sketching they were largely infrequent and a bit so-so. I have given myself a mental kick to sort this out, and having a bit more time should help.  Anyway, here's a sketch of Lower Town Fishguard and the Gwaun Valley.  I'm off to have a word with myself about doing more...

I have been a bit laggardly with my posts recently, having said earlier I would do more. That doesn't mean I haven't been drawing - although maybe not quite as much as I should have. I did go through a short period in July when I wasn't so happy with some of the sketches I'd done, so this post is something of a collection of the better ones, by way of a catch-up post. Pencil sketch - more boats in Lower Town Harbour. Lower Town quay - a very simple and quick pen sketch. Llangloffan Fen - a pen sketch on a very quiet and peaceful day. Pencil sketch from Garn Fechan - adjacent to Garn Fawr (strumble).

I'm happy to say I have got back on track for now and been more productive lately - and with a bit more success. Success and satisfaction seem to come with more commitment and regularity I have found. First up, more boats in Lower Town in permanent ink fibre-tipped pen from a few days ago. Then there is this other small sketch in black biro of cottages and the quay - no apologies for being Lower Town again - my favourite and most convenient place to walk to. And yesterday I made this sketch of Aber Mawr beach and rocks with the fibre-tipped pen again. I often find that beach scenes with rocks and cliffs don't always come off as I would hope - they have a habit of looking better in reality, or to the mind's eye, than is easy to pull off with a drawing, or even a photo. That's perhaps another case of our binocular vision making things look better than in one dimension and the added senses of smell and hearing giving a much more rounded experience than a picture can someti...

Well, despite good intentions, I have inadvertently managed to leave a big gap again since I last posted here, despite my continued art activity. I have done a fair bit of drawing, though falling short of my minimum one piece a day target, which has sometimes slipped. Well, you know, I'm only human! Some days haven't presented obvious drawing or painting opportunities, due to being busy at home with work, decorating in the house, other odd jobs or just plain miserable days outdoors. I certainly need to rekindle my pursuit of doing more and improving my painting, though (here comes the excuse...) my one space for spreading out my materials and painting - the dining room table - has been occupied of late, while Sue has moved her work computer set-up from its usual spare room place, because it was being decorated in there. That's finished now and things should revert to their previous state and I should be able to get my sometime space back (when we're not eating at the ta...

Yup, I haven't been creating as much as I should have recently - something to do with old chestnuts like being too busy with other things (true) and some lousy weather for being outdoors drawing (also true). I did a bit of oil painting a couple of days ago, but it was just practise and barely worth an airing. I have been doing a few mediocre indoors-based sketches - also not really worthy. Anyway, this morning I went out to Lower Town with good intentions and created this one, which I have scanned at hi-res on the computer, because I drew it on watercolour paper and should my possible colour wash addition go pear-shaped, I'll still have a bare-bones b/w copy of it! Ah, such confidence? In truth I don't use colour washes much at all, so I'm lacking in practise in that area too.