Waxwings

Waxwings drawn from the garden on 17th January. Part of a flock of approximately 75 birds perched in the top of an Ash tree, surrounded by bunches of last years keys. Seen against the light and too far away to do any detailed study. The flock didn't stay long enough to any more drawing.
There has been a flock of birds around the area on and off since 29th December but this is the first time I've seen them from the garden this winter.

Old Haunts

Morfa Bychan. Pendine, Carmarthenshire. Acrylic on gesso primed board. 9'' x 13'' (detail).

Having worked on this painting on and off (as much as time allowed) throughout the Christmas holiday, I've finally managed to finish it. Based on a watercolour sketch made over 20 years ago just after I left college. The bay lies just to the west of the famous Pendine sands, site of a number of early land speed record attempts by Malcolm Campbell and others.
It was painted using a palette of Cobalt Blue, Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna, Titanium White, Cadmium Yellow pale, Permanent Green deep and Crimson.

New Year

Frenchland Tower, Moffat. Dumfries and Galloway. Pen and Ink.

Selkirk Road, Moffat. Dumfries and Galloway. Watercolour.

Spent the New Year at my brothers house in the Scottish Borders and managed these two drawings on New Years Day.

Christmas Shopping

A grey day yesterday spent Christmas shopping in Bolton, made memorable by this Peregrine Falcon chasing the town centre Feral Pigeons.

Water Rail

Water Rail. Pencil and Ink Wash. 105mm x 155mm.

The last drawing of my set of 13 illustrations for the 2007 Huddersfield Birdwatchers Club Report. Based on a sketch I did over 20 years ago.

Littondale

Littondale Barn. Linocut and Watercolour. 150mm x 210m. Artists Proof.

A typical dales barn. This one in Littondale is situated beside the road just down the dale from the village of Litton. For three summers I lived in the dale whilst working for the Yorkshire Naturalists' Union studying Peregrine Falcons. This was an important time artistically, falling as it did straight after I left college. Surrounded by an abundance of subject matter and away from the sometimes distracting creative influences of art college I was free to begin developing and exploring my own 'style' and way of working. It was around this time that I began to draw and sketch directly with pen and ink, although I had been advised to use a pen whilst at college. At that time with the arrogance of youth I had ignored the advice, something I now regret as it was probably the best advice I was given. Had I taken heed whilst at college my work would probably have developed much faster. So to Barry Raynor thank you, I did eventually listen, I just wish I had done so sooner.

Black Redstart

Male Black Redstart. Pencil and Ink Wash.