Painting the rooftops

It's going to be an ultra speedy post this week as I'm right in the middle of painting trees on the Thames map!

Here's a little peek of how the colours are going on so far. The green was by far the hardest, because to get a smooth colour with watercolour you can't let it dry in the middle when you're painting a large section. I had to work steadily from one side of the map to the other, painting around each obstacle as I went.

illustrated map of the thames

It took a solid five hours to paint all the green! Tonight I've been working on the red rooftops of the houses.

Last week we were in Cornwall and in the evenings it was lovely to relax and doodle something which didn't require any thought. I created a mandala which I shared in my last post, and since then have drawn another one in biro.

mandala doodle

This time I used a compass to draw the rings and sketched out spokes underneath to give it a more symmetrical structure. You can just about see them in this photo.

mandala doodle

I like the biro as it's possible to achieve different tones, but I think I prefer solid ink lines, like the very first one I did below.

mandala doodle

I did this one completely freehand, starting in the middle and working outwards by eye, hence why the spacing is a little dodgy in places!

Finally I'll leave you with these photos from Newquay Zoo which we visited on Friday on our way back up from Cornwall.

These capybaras are actually a lot bigger than they look in the photo!

capybara Newquay Zoo

The zoo was really quiet and most of the animals were snuggled up inside - who can blame them really! These mongooses (mongeese?) were very inquisitive though and came out of their little hut to observe us watching them!

mongoose Newquay zoo

I remember the red panda's at Paignton Zoo being very elusive one time we went, but this little guy just sat around while I took his photo.

red panda Newquay Zoo

Last but not least, these were my favourite little critters of the day; the otters. They were playing tug of war with their straw bedding in their little hut, tumbling and squeaking. Then they went outside for a swim!

otters Newquay Zoo

Thank you to all of you who voted for my blog in the UK Blog Awards, voting is now closed and you will be the first to know when I hear anything!

Today I'm linking up at Handmade Harbour and Paint Party Friday.

Labels: , , , , , , , ,

Clare Willcocks: Painting the rooftops

Sunday 7 December 2014

Painting the rooftops

It's going to be an ultra speedy post this week as I'm right in the middle of painting trees on the Thames map!

Here's a little peek of how the colours are going on so far. The green was by far the hardest, because to get a smooth colour with watercolour you can't let it dry in the middle when you're painting a large section. I had to work steadily from one side of the map to the other, painting around each obstacle as I went.

illustrated map of the thames

It took a solid five hours to paint all the green! Tonight I've been working on the red rooftops of the houses.

Last week we were in Cornwall and in the evenings it was lovely to relax and doodle something which didn't require any thought. I created a mandala which I shared in my last post, and since then have drawn another one in biro.

mandala doodle

This time I used a compass to draw the rings and sketched out spokes underneath to give it a more symmetrical structure. You can just about see them in this photo.

mandala doodle

I like the biro as it's possible to achieve different tones, but I think I prefer solid ink lines, like the very first one I did below.

mandala doodle

I did this one completely freehand, starting in the middle and working outwards by eye, hence why the spacing is a little dodgy in places!

Finally I'll leave you with these photos from Newquay Zoo which we visited on Friday on our way back up from Cornwall.

These capybaras are actually a lot bigger than they look in the photo!

capybara Newquay Zoo

The zoo was really quiet and most of the animals were snuggled up inside - who can blame them really! These mongooses (mongeese?) were very inquisitive though and came out of their little hut to observe us watching them!

mongoose Newquay zoo

I remember the red panda's at Paignton Zoo being very elusive one time we went, but this little guy just sat around while I took his photo.

red panda Newquay Zoo

Last but not least, these were my favourite little critters of the day; the otters. They were playing tug of war with their straw bedding in their little hut, tumbling and squeaking. Then they went outside for a swim!

otters Newquay Zoo

Thank you to all of you who voted for my blog in the UK Blog Awards, voting is now closed and you will be the first to know when I hear anything!

Today I'm linking up at Handmade Harbour and Paint Party Friday.

Labels: , , , , , , , ,

22 Comments:

At 7 December 2014 at 15:02 , Blogger Giggles said...

Beautiful mandala and painting!! Love the adorable photos too!! Wonderful work! I admire your tenacity to paint that green around everything!!

Hugs Giggles

 
At 7 December 2014 at 15:17 , Blogger Sum of their Stories said...

Those mandalas are just gorgeous - really wow!
And Newquay Zoo, I have photos of me there when I was about 2, rocking a rather fetching burgundy crimpolene jumpsuit, I do believe! I wonder if it's changed much.
Fingers crossed in the blog awards.

 
At 7 December 2014 at 22:37 , Blogger Ali said...

Wow you art work is amazing. I'm going to let a fellow blogger know about you blog she will love your mandalas. She's an art teacher so she will enjoy visiting you. The Thames map looks great, it's wonderful to see how it's progressing. Glad to animals came out for a photo shot, brave of them as it's getting rather chilly. Have a lovely week.
Ali xx

 
At 7 December 2014 at 23:40 , Blogger Saskia said...

Thanks for sharing your creative work and the fun pictures of the zoo! :)

Smiles, Saskia :)

 
At 8 December 2014 at 02:10 , Blogger Lucy Blossom said...

The Thames map is looking gorgeous, you are so talented to create something so wonderful - and your mandalas are great too.

 
At 8 December 2014 at 05:49 , Blogger ike said...

How wonderful - the Thames map is awesome and I am sooooo impressed you managed to get that green so smooth :-D
GORGEOUS Mandalas - I confess I LUV both of them equally :-D
Thank you for showing the the pikkies of those gorgeous critters :-D

Hugz
IKE xxxxxxxxxxx

 
At 8 December 2014 at 12:49 , Anonymous Ginny said...

Your work is incredible. The details are magnificent!

 
At 8 December 2014 at 16:27 , Blogger Lilly's Mom said...

Your artwork is amazing - truly astonishing. I love the mandala designs. I wish you could make them into a crochet pattern :). Have a wonderful week.

 
At 9 December 2014 at 10:34 , Blogger JENNY said...

The map is looking fantastic! Your patience is amazing, sounds like one hell of a job doing the green in one go like that, I can imagine I would end up with numerous dry lines! Glad you had fun at the xx

 
At 9 December 2014 at 15:47 , Blogger Indigo Blue said...

Hi,
Lovely artwork. I had dabbled in Zentangles which my students loved doing.
By the way i am the art teacher that Ali Bee refered to. I live in Cornwall near the Eden project so Newquay zoo is a place we visit. Lovely pictures some of those animals are so cute!

 
At 14 December 2014 at 00:26 , Blogger Valerie-Jael said...

Great post! Valerie

 
At 14 December 2014 at 12:08 , Blogger Unknown said...

Thanks Giggles! I had to restrain myself from taking one of the animals home with me :D

 
At 14 December 2014 at 12:11 , Blogger Unknown said...

I'm sure you looked very fetching in your jumpsuit! I don't expect it's changed too much, it seems like a good zoo :) x

 
At 14 December 2014 at 12:18 , Blogger Unknown said...

Thank you so much Ali, I've seen your friend's comment :D The animals were very brave, especially as I was tempted to reach in and steal the cute ones! x

 
At 14 December 2014 at 12:18 , Blogger Unknown said...

Thanks for popping by Saskia!

 
At 14 December 2014 at 12:19 , Blogger Unknown said...

Thank you :) It's nice to do something different to the map :)

 
At 14 December 2014 at 12:20 , Blogger Unknown said...

Thanks Ike, I was soooo scared I'd blodge it all up, but thankfully it all went well (touch wood!). xx

 
At 14 December 2014 at 12:20 , Blogger Unknown said...

Thank you Ginny! x

 
At 14 December 2014 at 12:21 , Blogger Unknown said...

I might have to get my mum on the case! x

 
At 14 December 2014 at 12:22 , Blogger Unknown said...

Thank you Jenny! Yep, I was very worried about dry lines, but fortunately there are only a couple of places where it went a little dry :) x

 
At 14 December 2014 at 12:25 , Blogger Unknown said...

Thank you! I was just a little bit tempted to take an otter home with me...but I resisted! x

 
At 14 December 2014 at 12:25 , Blogger Unknown said...

Thanks for popping by Valerie! x

 

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