November and not even cold today!

-
First of all I'll show you a little painting I did in my sketchbook yesterday. There's a bit of a chrismassy theme going on with it and I used salt sprinkled onto the tree for the texture. I like the composition of an exagerated hill and had fun with the colours and patterns.

It was lovely and sunny this afternoon so we decided to go for a walk.

This building is a familiar landmark to locals by the side of the m32 but even though I've lived in this city almost all my life, I've never actually been to this place before. It used to be known as an asylum so didn't really appeal as a place to go for a sunday afternoon stroll! Of course that was a long time ago and since then has also been used as Pur Down Hospital and the Burden Neurological Institute.
Dower House in was originally built in 1553 by Sir Richard Berkeley. It closed as a hospital in 1985 and is now living accomodation with amazing views.

I haven't altered the photo, it really did look like that! The sun was shining directly at it and made the yellow look really bright against that lovely mauve sky.

Comments

Rosie said…
What a lovely photo. The light is fantastic. I like the illustration too. I love yellows!
15 November 2009 at 16:57
Unknown said…
Your watercolor sketch is very nice - there's a lot of energy in that hill.
15 November 2009 at 17:37
Unknown said…
What a beautiful picture, the dark sky with the sunny building and field. And I saw a king in your painting, like one of the three kings, love the color choice and the effect of the salt.
Andrea
15 November 2009 at 18:13
Jess said…
Hi Rosie, yes yellow cheers me up! :o)
Thanks Janet, I did enjoy making those patterns!
Hi Andrea, that's interesting, a king? Is he in the tree?
15 November 2009 at 20:15
Patricia González Palacios said…
Beatiful works, greetings paty
16 November 2009 at 12:47
Jess said…
Thanks Paty! :)
16 November 2009 at 12:49
Gretel said…
What great light, I love it when it is like that!
16 November 2009 at 19:28
Jess said…
Hi Gretel, yes me too!
17 November 2009 at 15:29
Ruthie Redden said…
hi jessie, haven't visited for far too long. You have been busy, i adore this painting, love the patterns. I recognise this building, isn't it near the park where they have the hotair balloon show? *ruthie
22 November 2009 at 16:42
Jess said…
Hi Ruthie, good to see you :) You're thinking of Ashton Court which is in fact the same colour yellow as this one. Apparently they're both painted in an authenic historical colour of the period. Thanks for your kind words. :)
22 November 2009 at 18:41
Ruthie Redden said…
Hi jessie, oops, silly me, as soon as i read the name i remembered, help, a sign of the age thingy creeping up lol x
23 November 2009 at 22:19
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dreamlike Painting

-
Image
I like to make pictures that aren't a conventional landscape, so that the ground and the sky are interchangeable, dreamlike, floating. These paintings are done using my Tombow dual brush pens, the watercolour effect is made by adding water to the pen marks with an ordinary brush. This next one below is painted in watercolours and the black is done in waterproof drawing pens. Next is a picture made with my coloured pencils that I've had for ever. They might be ancient but they still do the job!  Oh. And my black pentel brush pen and a gold gel pen. I love a bit of gold. And finally here's a cute little cucumber that Middle Daughter grew in her garden. It looks like a lemon doesn't it? It's about the same size as a satsuma and I think they're called lemon cucumbers but let me assure you they taste like a very tasty cucumber. Have a great week!xx
Read more

Summer Breeze

-
Image
What's happened to the weather? It's raining and windy and my gas was switched of all day yesterday so it was cold too! This little sketch popped into my sketchbook from my windy head. I finished this painting on canvas above a few days ago, it's called 'Safe Harbour' and soon after finished the other painting (with the bird flying a kite) too. I didn't have a name for it until the end and I decided upon 'Summer Breeze'. That was a day when the sun was still shining but the wind was beginning to stir. Summer Breeze sounds quite soothing doesn't it and I quite like the song of the same name. :) That guitar intro takes me back to being 13 before teenage angst really set in! Windy and rainy it might be but my latest painting is filled with a peaceful setting of pattern and colour. I like textures and the effects of different painting techniques and I'm trying to balance randomness with pattern. Not an easy ta...
Read more

Illustration Friday: Fluid

-
Image
This is my painting for this week's Illustration Friday word.  I first drew it with a black fineliner pen, added watercolour and finished the shading with coloured pencils. I don't know why I'm drawing fish recently, it could be the shape. They're similar to leaves aren't they, and teardrops or raindrops? I tend to draw a lot of spirals too.  What shapes do you have a tendency to draw? (close-up view) Don't forget I have a 10% discount in my Etsy shop this week! :)
Read more