Drawing my cat in sepia ink

Chloe sunbathing and sleeping on the yellow chair
August Bank Holiday 1994
Pilot G-Tec-C4 pen in sepia ink in Moleskine Sketchbook

31 years ago, I spent Bank Holiday Monday drawing my cat Chloe lazing on the back of my big creamy yellow armchair. It was especially favoured because it had feather and down cushions and hence a very comfortable squishy bed could be achieved by a cat dedicated to comfy sleeps.

This is drawn, by eyeballing sat 10 feet away, in pen and sepia ink in my Moleskine sketchbook. 

I now have a print of this pic in a frame sat right next to where she used to love sunbathing and sleeping.

I've always been in favour of staying home on Bank Holiday Mondays. There again I do live in central London, which necessitates a long slog in the traffic to get back home again if I go out when everybody else decides to go out!

Moreover, at the time I was working as a management consultant for one of the "Big Four" with lots of travel all around the country - with very early starts and very late returns home.

 Staying at home and not doing very much - except drawing my cat - was my idea of a proper "time out"!

I also used to get up early on Saturday mornings to draw using pastels and would aim to complete a large work by early afternoon....

Artwork I liked at the RBA Annual Exhibition 2025

I promised another post about the art I liked in the Annual Exhibition 2025 of the Royal Society of British Artists.

This is probably the most electic of all the art societies belonging to the Federation of British Artists BA Exhibitions - whose home is at the Mall Galleries. 

This is because their media spans drawings and paintings in every media, all manner of fine art hand pulled prints, and sculpture in various media.

As a result, if frequently gets large and imposing works which are absolutely impossible to ignore.

"Capital at Risk: Drawing the City of London (pen and ink, 1.5m x 2.5m) by Louis Pohl
and
"Effects of Lockdown" (cardboard, 170x45x45cm) by James Lake

Two such this year that I found absolutely unmissable in the East Gallery (above) were:

• Louis Pohl's very large and incredibly impressive pen and ink drawing of "Capital at Risk: Drawing the City of London (1.5m x 2.5m) 
• James Lake's Cardboard sculpture of "Effects of Lockdown" (170x45x45cm)

I work with cardboard for its immediacy, ease of availability and low environmental impact. My disability and dyslexia have also influenced my choice of material and the way I create my sculptures. For over twenty years I have created life-size three-dimensional portraits of people.

There is just so much to look at in Louis's drawing - in terms of both realism and allegory and just sheer expertise in the use of pen and ink for drawing people! I was extremely surprised that it did not get a prize for the ambition and the story-telling. As in "truly gobsmacked"!

By way of contrast, James Lake's sculpture won The Nathan David Award for Sculpture.

I also spotted a style I recognised straight away in the East Gallery - although I've not seen it in some time. It's very memorable.

"The Sky" by Ana Schmidt 
Acrylic 73x 65cm

"The Sky" by figurative artist Ana Schmidt reminded me a lot of the much larger painting she created which  won the £20000 Columbia Threadneedle Award 2018 for contemporary figurative and representational art. She is amazing at painting urban landscapes with huge sheets of water or puddles which reflect the sky.

In the North Gallery, there were two paintings which both immediately captured my attention.

Artist of the Year Masterclass: Week 2

Below you can find the details of all this week's classes in the brand new series of Artist of the year: Masterclass. It's the same tutors as last week - but different topics this week.

Week 2 of Artist of the Year: Masterclass

As before the the programmes are

• on Sky Arts every evening this week
• the first programme starts at 6pm and lasts 30 minutes
• the second programme starts at 6.30pm
• so basically an hour of tuition covering two topics every evening.

So far as I am aware, these classes are only currently accessible to those living in the UK via Sky Arts (on Freeview). You can also watch on catchup if you subscribe to either Sky or Now TV.

If you follow the Artist of the Year Facebook page or Instagram account you'll get a reminder about each programme - which will include a list of the materials being used.

Here's the Facebook post for the two programmes this evening. (Sorry I've had to replace the Instagram video one - as the video just appeared as a great big blank space on my blog!!)

How did you find the new series of Artist of the Year: Masterclass last week?

It's certainly not a definition of masterclass that I'm familiar with. The artists are dealing with basics of the sort usually taught to beginners or improvers.

Speaking personally, I also found it difficult to set aside the hour each evening to watch "live". However, since I subscribe to NOW TV I was able to access the programmes already broadcast on catch-up. My preference would be to see two back to back programmes each week on one set day - over a period of weeks.

I also found that it was very easy to tell which are artists are experienced at teaching at this level - because it was very clear that they

• prepared their lesson well in advance 
• delivered the instruction in a very structured way
• didn't drop art terms into what they said without explaining what the term means
• had very clear instructions as to what materials are required
• knew how best to teach online
• did a good demonstration

Not all tutors were experienced and competent at teaching at this level.

Postscript: 

It did occur to me that maybe this skills development series is being done with the aim of improving the skills levels of painters applying for and getting selected for the two series of Portrait Artist of the Year and Landscape Artist of the Year.

What do you think?

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Artist of the Year: Masterclass launches 2nd December

Sky Arts have come up with a brand new idea - Artist of the Year: Masterclass for all those aspiring artists out there. This post provides you with ALL THE DETAILS of what's on offer:

• which artists are involved
• what they are teaching

I've got a few problems with the words they use which are clear evidence of marketing over accuracy. That said, it's probably going to be a very popular series. Just a pity they gave it the wrong name....

The NEW Concept: Artist of the Year: Masterclass 

Tai Shan Shierenberg will be giving masterclasses along with other artists

Each masterclass will focus on a different subject or technique to help audiences understand the basics of painting and drawing, with classes covering everything from exploring tone and Alla Prima painting to composing a landscape, botanical flowers and even animal portraiture.

• Target audience: budding artists at home
• Methodology: 
• live tutorials from a variety of talented artists who have previously participated in either PAOTY or LAOTY
• demonstrations of "easy-to-learn techniques to budding artists at home"

The odd thing is I wouldn't ever describe this as a "Masterclass"

A Masterclass in my eyes is something 

• established artists may take to raise their game - the artist who has got beyond beginner but wants to progress to Intermediate or Advanced Levels.
• by learning about the things that acknowledged experts do which makes their artwork that much better.

Whereas the description is coming across to me as if it's about taking people who would like to be artists to a rather advanced level in one fell swoop. Which is:

• very ambitious 
• absolutely impossible!

Next time they maybe need to be properly innovative and get away from marketing people who haven't got a clue and conventional ideas about marketing and pandering to the novice and actually do something useful - such as directing their attention to creating people who will do well in PAOTY or LAOTY e.g. teach them about the pitfalls - and how to overcome them!

Jury is out for me at the moment. I am easily impressed by solid and good quality instruction - and I know that many of those who are delivering tutorials are very experienced teachers. Equally - and sadly - I know that not all are....

So below I'm going to highlight those who are delivering classes on a face to face basis.

The Artists delivering Masterclasses

The artists are mostly those who did well in PAOTY or LAOTY or are otherwise wellknown and well liked!

Links embedded in their name are to their website. Plus I've included links to Instagram where possible.

I'm commenting on what they have achieved as an artist and also whether or not they appear to be a regular teacher/instructor via classes or books.

Past winners of Portrait Artist of the Year

Van Gogh at the National Gallery - some practical pointers you'll wish you knew before you went

This is about the Van Gogh: Poets and Lovers Exhibition at the National Gallery - from a different perspective.

I'm not going to review the exhibition per se - instead I'm highlighting 

• PRACTICAL ISSUES for those wanting to visit it.
• Plus a little bit about the exhibition - and other reviews
• AT THE END: For those who want to know more about Van Gogh and his drawings and paintings: a LONG list of previous blog posts I've written about Van Gogh on this blog over nearly two decades.

The Practical Issues

The View of the Sunflowers

FACT: Everybody wants to see this exhibition. 

1. Booking is a challenge
2. Queuing to get in is a challenge
3. Navigating the exhibition is a challenge!! Everybody has got a friend or a family member who may be slightly less enthusiastic, doesn't know how to operate in crowded exhibitions and has equal capacity to "get in the way"
4. Getting a cup of tea afterwards is not straightforward!

#1 TIP:  BOOKING - Don't assume you can visit when you want to

This is a VERY popular exhibition which means:

• you can't walk up and buy a ticket
• it's SOLD OUT on very many days and at very many times in the short term future. 
• they're keeping very strict control about how and when tickets are allocated.

The exhibition closes on 19 JANUARY 2025. 

At the moment, tickets are "available" for dates until 8 December 2024 for non-Members. (i.e. at the moment you cannot book for the Christmas Holidays - I'd recommend not visiting at this time in any case.)

EXCEPT the screens indicate they're very nearly booked up for non-Members

November 2024 - almost 100% booked up for all non-members

Tickets are continuing to book up very fast.  

• Mornings are booking up particularly fast (i.e. by the crowd who come to London for the day, see an exhibition, have lunch, do some shopping, go home)
• In general avoid the middle of the day and early afternoon
• If you are flexible, I'd check out the more 'unpopular times'
• In terms of time, allow at least an hour to view the exhibition. If you want to go round twice (which I'd recommend for all serious fans) you need longer
• However you also need to allow at least another hour to get in. (see queuing below)

In terms of times, if you get the option, I'd recommend 

• avoid the middle of the day.
• Note that Sunday does not get booked up as fast as other days.
• Morning is ideal for avoiding all those people who are lingering long from previous entry times

We went Wednesday morning and really enjoyed it. Not overly crowded, no queue and we could spend time looking at each painting. Plenty of seating if needed.

Liz Wyatt

This is the link to BOOKING TICKETS. 

There is a major bonus for all those, like me, who are Friends of the National Gallery.

• it doesn't cost me anything to get in (although the booking process is confusing and the ticket price does not get knocked off until the end when booking)
• I can go more than once. Last weekend I booked to go back on the 10 December early morning
• Tickets are reserved for members

I do NOT recommend booking for 

• children or 
• anybody who is not a dedicated enthuisiast 
• who is also prepared to put up with the booking issues, the queues and the challenges once you get in!

#2 TIP: You'll be in a queue for A VERY LONG TIME

You are NOT going to just walk in just before your entry time.

Golden Oldie #4: Van Gogh and Drawing - art media and techniques

Two posts this time - about Vincent Van Gogh and his drawing materials and techniques.  

Tree with Ivy in the Garden of the Asylum
Vincent van Gogh (1853 - 1890),
Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, May-June 1889
pencil, reed pen and brush and ink, on paper, 61.8 cm x 47.1 cm
Credits: Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation)

Golden Oldie #4: Van Gogh and Drawing - art media and techniques

The two posts are from 2007 and 2021. I've updated both where it was needed.

Van Gogh: Drawing media and techniques (2nd February 2007)

This has been one of my most popular posts - on a perennial basis - since I started this blog.

This post focuses on Van Gogh's drawing materials (pencil, pen and ink, prints, brush and colour) and how they influenced his techniques and style.

I've also 

• resized the images
• removed dead links
• included UPDATES about research about the media he used

More about Van Gogh and his drawings and drawing techniques (28th September 2021)

This provides a summary of the information about Van Gogh's drawing materials and techniques that was mainly published AFTER my blog post from 2007.

It's not comprehensive but provides a good overview of what's been added to resources in recent years - and that includes some of the Wikipedia information!

I've also only had to update two links (both incidentally to the same website - the Foundation Vincent Van Gogh Arles) - which indicates this is perennially sound information!

My favourite subjects to draw and sketch

How do we identify the special subjects we like to sketch, draw or paint again and again?

Sometimes we don't realise for a very long time what they are until we've done enough to see a pattern.

Landscapes with extensive views

For me, it dawned on me after I first created my website for my artwork that it was landscapes with VERY BIG vistas! There were an awful lot of them....

Here's an example. This was a commission I did 11 years ago for the American wife of a cyclist who loved his time cycling up Mont Ventoux in Provence (YES! There really are people who commission paintings for their spouses!) 

Mont Ventoux from the Hotel Crillon Le Brave
12" x 16", pen and sepia ink and coloured pencils on Arches HP 

The commission was triggered by a sketch on a blog post on the blog we created for a painting holiday in Provence 

Painting in Provence
This is the story of four women who were drawing, sketching and painting in Provence in June 2011.
We shared a house and held a painting party!
You are invited to share our preparations, our sketches and paintings, comings and goings and general conviviality!and the original sketch

This was the original blog post Sunday lunch and sketching at Hotel Crillon Le Brave and two of the original sketches. 

The view from the terrace of Mont Ventoux and Bedoin in the distance

Meals in restaurants

The second sketch is my lunch - also known as what I was eating while sketching! 

Also known as my second favourite subject for sketching: meals in restaurants and cafes

I've got absolutely masses from a number of different countries! I have pondered on doing some more research and maybe creating a book! ;)

I have a record of the meal on my main sketchblog The view of Mont Ventoux from Crillon Le Brave

• Soupe de Pöisson, Crouton et Aioli mediterranean fish soup, aioli and croutons;
• Thon à la Planche, Salade Fenoil, Tartibe de'Aioli tuna steak, shaved fennel salad and aioli tartine
• Floating Island in lavender

My three course lunch at the Hotel Crillon Le Brave:
mediterranean fish soup, aioli and croutons;
tuna steak, shaved fennel salad and aioli tartine and
a floating island in lavender

The sketches were all done in a large Moleskine Sketchbook using pen and ink and coloured pencils. 

I've always very much enjoyed eating out - and developed a rule while travelling of "If I'm eating in a new place I should really try to eat something I've never had before".   Very educational - travels broaden the mind - and sometimes the tum!

The big advantage of sketching food for me is that I had to be fast and eating enforced breaks from sketching - which helps a lot when trying to protect your hand from tenosynovitis / osteoarthritis through gripping pens and pencils for far too long! (See yesterday's blog post about Golden Oldie #3: Artists and Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI))

Now that I'm more mobile and steadier on my feet, I really ought to start taking a small sketchbook and a small pencil case out with me - and eat out more!

Review: The Van de Veldes: Greenwich, Art and the Sea

I've visited the exhibition of The Van de Veldes: Greenwich, Art and the Sea twice now. However while referencing it extensively in relation to the Landscape Artist of the Year Commission, I've added the review to my long list of "things to do/blog about" without striking it off the very long list.

So this is my review.

What's the exhibition about?

The exhibition celebrates two two Dutch Golden Age artists Willem van de Velde the Elder and his son, Willem van de Velde the Younger - some 350 years after they came to Greenwich following an economic meltdown in Holland.

a corner of the exhibition showing both drawings and paintings
by both father and son

It highlights:

• their maritime drawings (by father) and paintings ( by son_ and 
• their connections to both 
• the Netherlands, England and its King in general and 
• Greenwich and the Queens House in particular
• how they influenced other painters - including WM Turner.

It also draws upon the largest collection of the Van de Veldes’ artwork in the world. This is held at the The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich which is recognised as a longstanding centre of Van de Velde expertise.

In addition, the Queen’s House at Greenwich became the home of the studio granted to the two artists by Charles II.

Details of the Exhibition

The exhibition is:

• AT: The Queen’s House, Greenwich - which was designed by Inigo Jones and you may recognise from more than a few historical dramas on film and television!
• BETWEEN: 2 March 2023 – 14 January 2024
• Admission: FREE
• Website: www.rmg.co.uk/van-de-velde

The Queen's House, Greenwich - March 2023

London from Greenwich Hill (1672)
attributed to Johannes Vorsterman 
- a dutch painter who also worked for Charles II
The painting is currently in an exhibition at the Guildhall Gallery, City of London
It shows the Queens House on the extreme left
at the time the Van der Veldes arrived in London
(and which I saw the morning before my second visit!)
Note the ships on the River Thames

Who were the Van de Veldes?

To my mind, this exhibition is much more interesting once you know who the Van de Veldes are and something of the historical context for all the sea battles. This helps to make sense of the diversity of artwork - albeit it's all about ships and battles at sea!

Willem van de Velde the Elder and Willem van de Velde the Younger were the most important and influential marine painters of the seventeenth century. 

Father and son moved from the Netherlands to England after Het Rampjaar, or "the Disaster Year" of 1672 when the Netherlands were invaded or threatened from all sides and the economy crashed. This in turn severely affected the art market. Vermeer, for example, was unable to sell any of his work. 

The Van de Veldes moved to England at the invitation of Charles II. He awarded them:

• a salary equivalent to that of his ‘Principal Painter’, Sir Peter Lely; and 
• a studio at the Queen’s House - where they worked for the next 20 years.

Together, they became the founders of the English school of marine painting - and established a new genre of painting which persists today.

Both remained in London and are buried at St James, Piccadilly.

Willem van de Velde the Elder (1610 - 1693)

Van de Velde the Elder was the son of a Leiden bargemaster who became the official artist of the Dutch fleet for a period. He was a self-taught draughtsman who pioneered the technique of ‘pen painting’, allowing him to capture a ship’s likeness or a naval battle in astonishing detail. He specialised in documenting the action in a Dutch Sea Battle - of which there were more than a few!

Van de Velde the Elder sat drawing the Battle of Scheveningen

- the last battle of the first Anglo-Dutch War - from a ship at sea

- pen and ink (extract from the drawing below)

The Battle of Scheveningen, 10 August 1653
a pen painting or grissaille by Willem van de Velde the Elder
(the boat he's sat in is shown bottom left of centre)

Book Review: Natural History Illustration in Pen and Ink by Sarah Morrish

Natural History Illustration in Pen and Ink by Sarah Morrish is a book by a well educated and very experienced natural history illustrator who writes extremely well - and it shows on every one of its pages making it joy to read.

Combine science with art and journey through nature

One of the things which distinguishes this book is it's written by somebody who has 

• qualifications in education, science (ecology, conservation) and art (botanical illustration) and 
• lots of experience of 
• natural history illustration, 
• pen and ink as a medium and 
• teaching students in class, online and through written materials  

Sarah Morrish has created a very informative book on a topic which is not well covered in art instruction literature.  It is packed full of very educational content - nothing is vacuous or vague. The quality of the content is matched by it also being a very well structured and designed book with an excellent range of images. Sarah understands very well how to make a complex topic accessible and easy to digest by students looking to learn about or improve their skills and techniques in pen and ink illustration of the natural world

Her skills in this area have been endorsed by the Natural History Museum London which has commissioned her to produce online learning resources on the theme of natural science illustration for their Introduction to British Natural History Studies Training Course in 2021 - which is a super endorsement of her skills in this area.

Her book also usefully includes image contributions from some very impressive artists and illustrators working in this field from around the world who are both experienced and experts in their respective fields within natural history. I knew some but not all of them and I loved being introduced to artists who were new to me. 

Her book is, for me, a very refreshing change from my absolute bête noire i.e. art instruction books written by people who don't know their subject as well as they need to if they want to teach others and/or books where the flow of the content is poor and not well written.

What I really liked about the book

At the beginning two things stood out for me. There's a 

• useful discussion about the depiction of nature and wild life which explores the parameters of the subject and how it can be represented
• a timeline of the development of illustration using pen and ink which I've not seen before.

Other aspects I particularly liked 

• Her very useful summaries of key points in a chapter. It's so easy to lose these when the text is so packed full of information. These 
• Her summary checklists of things to think about with respect to different aspects of pen and ink illustration of natural history - e.g. the use of photography - which go from the basic and generic to the particular relevant to the subject matter and its particular challenges.
• Very good discussion of the range of art materials, tools and equipment available to the pen and ink illustrator including:
• Her emphasis on using the right tool for the job and 
• her discussion of the very wide variety of both pens and nibs and inks available to the pen and ink illustrator
• an excellent set of illustrations of different examples in relation to both techniques and subject matters
• Her very clear illustrations of the differences between different techniques of contour hatching, cross hatching and stippling.
• Her very clearly annotated pen and ink drawings which explain the use made of different mark-making techniques 
• it includes a very useful section on Composition which focuses on how the principles and elements translate into this subject area and media
• The huge diversity of subject matter illustrated in the book demonstrates how fascinating this aspect of art can be for those interested in nature and natural history. It includes specimens which I've never seen included in any art instruction book before.
• The step by step exercises - which do not try to be lowest common denominator exercise for those new to the subject or media and instead clearly indicate a clear aim and scope plus a recommended and precise skill level needed prior to trying the exercise.
• Her tips go way beyond the technical aspects of illustration. Sarah has some really great tips concerning the collection, presentation and storage of specimens found in the field. You just know these have been learned the hard way! The practical tips are in no way sanitised - she warns you when a specimen is going to smell!
• I love the stories behind the development of some of the drawings of how specimens or habitats were encountered and approaches used to collect information for subsequent illustrations.

In conclusion......

Essentially this book is an excellent resource and reference book. It is

• an excellent and comprehensive instruction book which is packed full of quality content that is both well organised and well written 
• very practical - with lots of useful information and tips
• packed full of illustrations and images which inform, educate and inspire
• suitable for any committed art students from secondary school to the third age

My art instruction books of choice many years ago used to be those produced by Watson Guptill (The Drawing Book etc) because they were comprehensive, objective and authoritative. I can pay this book no higher compliment then to say it very much reminds me of the quality of those publications about various art and media topics - including the book on pen and ink! 

I'm very much looking forward to her next book.

About Sarah Morrish

Sarah Morrish is a widely-respected artist, illustrator and tutor, with many years of teaching experience. With a working background in ecology and conservation, she aims to raise awareness of the beauty and fragility of nature in all its forms. She is a member of the American Society of Botanical Artists, the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators, the Chelsea Physic Garden Florilegium Society and a Fellow of the Linnean Society.

You can find out more about Sarah Morrish - and the other methods she uses to teach natural history and botanical illustration in the links below

• her website - Nature's Details
• her tuition site - Illustrating Natures Details
• her Facebook Page - Illustrating Natures Details with Sarah Morrish
• her Facebook Page for the Book - Sarah Morrish: Natural History Illustration in Pen & Ink
• an interview with her -'It's important to find different ways to connect with people' | The Biologist

BOOK SUMMARY:

Publisher ‏ : ‎ The Crowood Press Ltd 

Publication date: 10 August 2021 in UK; 1 January 2022 in USA
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 208 pages | Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 22 x 1.27 x 27.99 cm

Kindle Edition: File size ‏ : ‎ 63415 KB | Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled | Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported | Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled

ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1785009222 | ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1785009228

READ a review of this book published in the magazine for the members and patrons of the Natural History Museum which was written by one of the ecologists working at the Museum

As an ecologist, I appreciated the section dealing with legalities and best practice when collecting subject material. This is so important, but could have been glossed over so easily.

The book is available from a number of sources:

• Crowood Press
• Amazon UK
• Amazon. com

(Note: the Amazon links are my Associate links)

More about Van Gogh and his drawings and drawing techniques

One of my most popular posts - on a perennial basis - since I started this blog is one about Van Gogh: Drawing media and techniques which was published in February 2007 as part of one of my very first learning projects recorded on this blog.

This 'resources for artists' post summarises:

• what the 2007 post covers
• new information about Van Gogh's drawings, swing materials and drawing techniques made available since 2007

"Garden with Flowers" (August 1888, Arles) by Vincent Van Gogh

Reed-pen and ink, Height: 61 cm (24 in); Width: 49 cm (19.2 in)

Van Gogh: Drawing media and techniques  (2007)

In summary this post focuses on 

• Van Gogh's drawing materials (pencil, pen and ink, prints, brush and colour) and 
• how they influenced his techniques and style.

New Information about Van Gogh and drawing

What follows was mainly published AFTER my blog post from 2007. It's not comprehensive but provides a good overview of what's been added to resources in recent years - and that includes some of the Wikipedia information!

Cafe Terrace at Night (Sept 1888, Arles) by Vincent Van Gogh

chalk, reed pen, India ink and graphite on laid paper

Dallas Museum of Art, The Wendy and Emery Reves Collection

This post lists links to more information about Van Gogh and the way he drew

• Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890): The Drawings | Metropolitan Museum of Art - which held the iconic exhibition of his drawings just before I wrote my first blog post (see Vincent van Gogh: The Drawings. Exhibition catalogue. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2005. See on MetPublications)
• Catalog of all Van Gogh's work - which includes his drawings | Van Gogh Gallery - except to my mind this is incomplete with respect to the drawings (if you search by media) - or the descriptive identifiers are incomplete
• List of Drawings by Vincent Van Gogh | Wikipedia - ordered by year and then by catalogue number.     
• Drawings by Vincent Van Gogh | Wikipedia - with sub-sections related to the location of 
• where drawings were created
• which museum they are in now
• Portrait drawings by Vincent van Gogh‎ | Wikipedia
• Missing Van Gogh Artwork | Van Gogh Galleries - which includes numerous drawings and images taken when they were still in circulation
• Van Gogh Drawings in Arles | Foundation Vincent Van Gogh Arles

For the first three years of his career, he worked mainly as a draughtsman. A good command of drawing was traditionally considered to be an essential basis for painting, and Van Gogh cherished that principle. As a result, he became an excellent draughtsman long before his paintings started to show real promise. Van Gogh Drawings in Arles | Foundation Vincent Van Gogh Arles

This is a video of Van Gogh sketches - Vincent van Gogh: A collection of 1185 sketches (HD)

Lewis Carroll illustrated as well as wrote about Alice's Adventures

Did you know that John Tenniel was not the first person to illustrate Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll?

In fact, the author, the Reverend Charles Dodgson - who used the pen name of Lewis Carroll - was also a visual artist who mixed with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and enjoyed drawing.

He illustrated the first version of his story himself. His original manuscript of “Alice’s Adventures Under Ground” (as it was first called) - now in the British Library - was written in sepia ink and contains 37 pen and ink illustrations and a rather elaborate title page. 

Pen and ink illustrations for Alice’s Adventures Under Ground
by Lewis Carroll

This compares to some 90+ illustrations by Tenniel for Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

You can review the book and the fascinating illustrations

• either via the British Library website - where the manuscript has a dedicated page and you can expand the images of the book to full screen and read the text easily
• or the Public Domain Review in an article called Lewis Carroll’s Illustrations for “Alice’s Adventures Under Ground” (1864)

What happened to the manuscript and how did it end up at the British Library?

Alice Liddell treasured the manuscript until 1928, but was then forced to sell it to pay death duties after the death of her husband. The manuscript was sold at auction at Sotheby’s for £15,000 to an American dealer, Dr Rosenbach. He in turn sold it to Eldridge Johnson upon returning to America. Following Johnson’s death in 1946 the manuscript was again sold at auction. This time, however, it was purchased by a wealthy group of American benefactors, who donated the manuscript to the British Museum in 1948. The return of this important work to the British people was a token of gratitude for Britain's stand against Adolf Hitler during World War Two.
British Library - text next to full screen view of the manuscript

A new book about Natural History Illustration in Pen & Ink

Natural History Illustration in Pen & Ink by Sarah Morrish is being published by Crowood Press (one of my favourite art instruction publishers) on 23rd August 2021.

Natural History Illustration in Pen and Ink
by Sarah Morrish

It's always a pleasure to introduce a new book by a friend. 

I've been watching content for this book being developed for some time - and it's great to know that we now have a known publication date and it can now be ordered.

Sarah Morrish is a botanical and natural history artist and illustrator who which combines science and art. She has exhibited extensively and also teaches workshops and online (See her website Illustrating Nature's Details). She also has a BSc Hons Ecology & Conservation Biology and a Certificate in Botanical Illustration from the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh.

This is her first book. It won't be her last!

I know how Sarah teaches - she's very thorough and extremely well-organised and communicates extremely clearly - both in writing and online when she's delivering Zoom workshops / demonstrations to artists all over the world.

A new book about drawing nature in pen and ink

This is a unique book of instruction for those who enjoy - or aspire to - drawing nature and wildlife. So far as I am aware there's no other art instruction book which covers drawing a range of natural history subjects in pen and ink.

It provides:

• Practical advice on using a range of materials and equipment for illustrating in pen and ink, as well as the collection and preservation of subject matter and reference material.
• Detailed instruction in how to create essential mark-making techniques that will enhance your illustrations through accurate depiction of shape, form, texture and pattern, and in the principles and elements of design.
• Subject-themed chapters including botanical subjects, strandline and marine specimens, fossils, invertebrates, birds, feathers and nests, and mammals.
• Additional chapters on: 
•  the importance of sketchbooks and study pages, 
• protection and presentation of artwork, 
• combining pen and ink with other media and 
• composition.
• Step-by-step exercises suitable for all skill levels 
• Case studies describing working practice as a professional illustrator.

Additional examples of natural history illustration in pen and ink by other artists - including:

Sketching via webcam

This morning I participated in the Facebook Event that the Mall Galleries organised to sketch the Trevi Fountain Online - via webcam - between 10am and 12 noon.

This was my effort sketching using a pen and ink (Pilot G-Tec-C4) and coloured pencils (various). I'm limited as to how much sketching I can do due to tenosynovitis in my right (sketching) hand - but this took about an hour.  You can see a bigger version on my Facebook Page when I post this blog post.

The Trevi Fountain via webcam
(pen and ink and coloured pencils in A4 Moleskine Sketchbook)

You can take a look at the webcam to see what I was sketching - but best start at 10am if you want to see what I saw! This is the Skyline webcam at the Trevi Fountain in Rome https://www.skylinewebcams.com/en/webcam/italia/lazio/roma/fontana-di-trevi.html

If you're stuck with social isolating inside (as I am) then webcams are a wonderful window on the world. People actually walk through the view and it's the nearest thing to sketching 'for real' outside that I know.

You can find more webcams on:

• Skyline - Live Cams in Italy
• These are their Top Live Cams
• Plus their Livecams 
• in the UK
• in the USA
• Earthcam webcams

Also great for all those who would like to sketch but might be

• not very confident about sketching outside - get used to the changing light and shadows before doing it for real
• a bit worried about people coming up to ask them questions. You only have to worry about significant others in isolation with you!

For more tips about sketching you can always read my book Sketching 365.  

MAMA #2: All about Vincent Van Gogh on his birthday

The second in my series of 'Making A Mark Archive posts' is about Vincent Van Gogh. If you read all my blog posts, listed below, and follow up the links it'll keep you occupied all day!

Vincent Van Gogh was born 167 years ago today on 30 March 1853 in the Netherlands. 

In 2007 I did a very big project on Van Gogh and have written periodically about him over the years. This is a list of my Van Gogh blog posts categorised by:

• Van Gogh and Drawing
• Van Gogh's Paintings
• Van Gogh and Flowers and Gardens
• Exhibitions
• Videos
• Miscellaneous posts

They include include lots of images of wonderful drawings and paintings by Van Gogh.  Many of them are my photographs of the originals in exhibitions.

The one below is my copy - in coloured pencils - of his painting of Almond Blossom which I did as an exercise while doing my project on Van Gogh. 

A copy of Van Gogh's Almond Blossom 1890 (in the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam)
9" x 12", coloured pencils on hot press papercopyright Katherine Tyrrell

Van Gogh and Drawing

"I sometimes think there is nothing so delightful as drawing." Vincent van Gogh (1853 - 1890)

His approach to drawing was a revelation for me in terms of mark-making.

I remember learning that all those who talked about Van Gogh as if he had a manic approach to his artwork - working very quickly - had very obviously never ever tried drawing with a reed pen and ink!

Cottage Garden, 1888
Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, 1853–1890)
Reed pen, quill, and ink over graphite on wove paper;
61 x 49 cm (24 x 19 1/4 in.)
Private Collection
Exhibited at: "Vincent Van Gogh - the Drawings" Metropolitan Museum of Art -

• Van Gogh: Drawing media and techniques (2007) - This post focuses on Van Gogh's drawing materials and how they influenced his style. This is one of the most popular blog posts on my blog. I rather think a link to this has crept into the resources of some lesson plans about teaching drawing!
• Van Gogh: More About Drawing (2007) - Links to websites which provide a very useful perspective on Van Gogh's approach to drawing
• Van Gogh: Drawing Landscapes (2007) - More about Van Gogh and Drawing - this post focuses on his landscape drawings.
• Van Gogh: Drawing Figures, Portraits and Self-Portraits (2007) - At one stage in his career, Van Gogh hoped to be a portrait painter in Paris.

Van Gogh's Paintings

A List of UK based Online Art Suppliers

A list of online suppliers of fine art materials in the UK

Due to the closure of all non essential shops as from this morning, all art shops you can visit in the UK should now be closed - which means ordering online or via email or telephone to replenish your supplies of whatever you need for your art.  Or working your way through the stock of art materials you've been building up for some time! ;)

I made a list a little while back of online suppliers for a website I'm building about Fine Art Materials - paints, pastels, pencils, paper, canvases, art equipment etc.

Unlike my list of art shops (which is ordered geographically), this list of online suppliers is organised alphabetically - because of course it doesn't matter where you live or where they are based so long as they can ship to you.You can find that list below. I've not checked every detail of what I've written - but every link should be live.

If you have more online art supplies retailers to recommend please leave a comment - with name and url address and WHY you recommend that supplier.

UPDATEL 25 MARCH 2020: I've updated this morning for links or notes about what websites are saying re Covid-19 Updates

(I've reopened comments and am sincerely hoping I'm not going to go back to the spamfest of the past!!) 

Banner for the as yet unpublished "UK Art Shops and Online Art Supplies"

Important notes

• Pricing: Online suppliers can choose to offer deep discounts on prices found in retail stores. 

• Suppliers who have both retail and online supplies may have two different pricing structures and/or deals which are only available online. 
• Overseas customers should remember to check with their Customs whether they will have any import tax to pay.

• Check the shipping costs and agents used - What might seem cheap on an item by item basis may start to look a lot more expensive by the time you've added in the shipping. 

• Work out what is the best size of order to take advantage of any deals on free shipping. 
• Beware suppliers who use UPS - they have been known to say they called when the artist was at home and knew they hadn't.  Check who the online supplier uses for deliveries.

I've had a twitter reply from UPS to say consider it "lost in transit"
an artist I know 

• You have the option if your supplier is local to choose your own courier to pick up direct from the retailer (if they will allow this). 

• Coronavirus has generated a lot of orders - It's apparent that some of the art suppliers are being overwhelmed with orders for art material for kids. So if you need any art supplies I wouldn't leave it to the last minute - or you might like to try a new supplier who doesn't stock art materials suitable for kids.

• Europe is no longer shipping supplies - so if you want supplies from European suppliers yu'd be well advised to order sooner rather than later - but PLEASE do not order more than you need and DO NOT HOARD!

Attention online suppliers of art materials and equipment!

I will be noting the artists who write and comment either online or via private emails/messages to be about performance.
So if you don't want an adverse comment on your company as a supplier of fine art materials do try to make sure 

• you stick to your delivery timescales 
• and/or make sure art supplies actually arrive!

A

• A.P. Fitzpatrick Fine Art Materials - A unique, specialist art materials store in Bethnal Green close to the very many galleries and artists' studios in the East End of London.  Shop online from specialist supplie Covid-19 Update: All shop business including online sales temporarily SUSPENDED as of 21.03.20.
• Art Discount - Online store for art supplies, craft materials and artist's equipment. They claim massive discounts and speedy delivery. They use reputable carrier services who require a signature on delivery Covid-19 Update: online store is open and operational as usual, UK delivery services remain largely unaffected at this point.
  Unfortunately due to the current circumstances we will not be able to take any further orders for Winsor & Newton Canvases
• Artesaver - Artesaver - The online site for Seawhite. Art Materials at Factory Prices. Art and design equipment and supplies, sketchbooks, holdalls, foamboard, presentation etc... all at competitive prices. (Linked to Seawhite of Brighton - see retail section)
• ArtiFolk - all your art supplies under one roof in the UK. The prices you see are what you pay, no VAT to add, and post and packing only if you spend less than £40 (UK Mainland). You can order online and use either our secure payment facility or pay. Very good reviews.
• Artistmaterial - online home of Turnham Arts & Crafts based at 2 Bedford Park Corner, Turnham Green Terrace, London W4 1LS Tel: +44 20 8995 2872. Covid-19 Update: you can continue to place orders online but there may be delays in delivery

Landscape Artist of the Year 2019 - Exhibition

Today, I finally visited the Landscape Artist of the Year 2019 Exhibition at the Clarendon Fine Art Gallery in Dover Street in London - and learned about aspects of the exhibition which are very beneficial for those who exhibit

It was impressive - particularly the exhibit of artwork by the winner and Landscape Artist of the Year - Fujiko Rose. (Facebook)

Artwork by Fujiko Rose

The exhibition includes artwork by semi-finalists and finalists. Of these artists, three artists have sold out and others have sold most of their work. More of this below.

I've uploaded images of the exhibition to an album on my Making A Mark Facebook Page - which anybody can see. Some of the images can also be seen below.

Things I noticed at the Exhibition

Llanthony Priory by Fujiko Rose

Fujiko Rose and Cathy Reddy (Facebook) both SOLD OUT. Both work in monochrome on paper - using ink and linocuts respectively.  Interesting! Who would have predicted that

Cathy Reddy's Linocut from Episode 1

James Murch's submission entry to the competition

Of the painters the most successful artist in percentage terms is James Murch who also sold ALL his work as well.

Patsy Moore and Sue England also sold some but not all their five artworks.

Commissions are, to my mind, what decides who wins the title and all the commissions were large and had a lot of impact - but Fujiko Rose's commission (priced at £5,000) was both stunning - and has sold!

What was also fascinating about her work was the paper she was working on - which was really interesting and looked handmade. I think it might be printmaking paper.

Things I learned at the Exhibition

Paintings by Sue England and Patsy Moore

The Clarendon Fine Art Gallery is a partner of Sky Arts. They

• do a lot of the marketing and generate a respectable level of visitors - and buyers - to the exhibition
• frame the artwork for the artists
• do NOT take any commission for sales - which is a major benefit to anybody who makes it to the exhibition. 

Sales by Fujiko Rose totalled £10,500!  This is on top of the £10,000 commission of Venice for RIBA - so that a very good result for entering an art competition.
There will be no tour of the exhibition around the UK - so the exhibition is now finished.

More about Landscape Artist of the Year 2019 

This is my post about the Call for Entries: Landscape Artist of the Year 2020 (6th Series).

The deadline for submission of your digital entry is 17th April 2020 - and entries are now being accepted online. 

Below is more about the episodes and learning points from Series 5 and Series 4