High Raise and Rest Dodd

Bank Holiday Monday in the Lakes found us up on the fells bagging these 'Wainwrights' the 1st top another 'High Raise' there are two! The other in the Landales but ours today was the 'High Street High Raise'

If you look carefully at the photo above the small knobbly hill in the middle is in fact ' Great Gable'. I know this because one of the joys about walking the 'Wainwright' is taking the books along with us and sitting having lunch at the top and reading what the great Alfred had to say about the 'Summits' and his sketches from the top cairn give details of surrounding fells. It is amazing on a clear day how far you can see.

If you also look closely at the photo you will see a mountain biker!!

Even though it was bank holiday the fells were fairly quiet, but you can imagine my surprise to see a pony 2,300 feet high, I think this makes a lovely photo shot. But in olden days they used to race pony's on the summit of 'High Street'

The other top of the day was 'Rest Dodd' but we decided to have our 'Rest' here with a beautiful view down towards an emerald Brotherswater. The only thing about this was making our way STEEPLY, hanging on for dear life onto the bracken, now I call a 'Scramble' one when your hands clutch the ground, this was a scramble!

But down we came in one piece, and a lovely day in the Lakes, with Sunshine for company. 

Summer Evening, Keswick

Stage 1 after blending with water.

I thought I would get the Pastels out, I used ' Fisher 400 paper,' Taped it down onto a board then roughly laid down some colour. Then blended it with water, smells horrible!! Gave it a blast with the hairdryer making sure all the paper was dry before I laid on any pastel.

WHY you might ask do I blend the pastel with water

I like a complementary colour underpainting and using this paper and technique, non of the undercolour pastel blends into my next layer, so I will hopefully get clean colours and not too much smudging. It's not so daunting starting a painting with most of the paper covered.

Stage 2 starting to build up the back and middle ground.

Summer Evening, Keswick  Painted in Pastel by Jane Ward

Hound Dog

I had an idea last night to cycle round the lake, with paints stopping off at different stops to do quick sketches of things that inspire. I thought maybe six sketches, anyway only managed two, I had a late set off but no excuses. I will have to try again. So not in order!! here is the 2nd quick 15 minute sketch, it was the Haystacks that caught my eye here in Borrowdale.

I was asked the other day, whats it like when you are painting outdoors, do people come up and have a look? Well here I was quietly painting my two haystacks and when I next looked up here was a young lad trying to move them!!! Can you believe it!! I wanted to shout 'Hey up that's my prop'

The trusty bike above and Skiddaw watched over by a family of Ducks, they behaved themselves! I did hear a chap shouting for his dog 'ELVIS Come back boy' Maybe it was his Hound Dog!!!

Skiddaw a quick colour sketch

 Hound Dog  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJsQSb9RFo0

For all you Elvis fans

Lakeland Art Courses on Radio Cumbria

You never know what's going to happen, I was sketching quietly enjoying the Grand Canal, a little Zucchero on the ipod, cup of coffee going cold. The phone rings and it's Steve from Radio Cumbria, 'Hi Jane do you fancy doing a real easy bit LIVE on the radio' Oh no I can't do live, I can barely put my words together. Anyway I said yes of course, so 2.45 was Live time in Lakeland Art Course world. A few comforting words from 'Fern' the DJ, then we are Live in 30 seconds!!!!!!!! It's amazing what runs through your head, luckily the Black Labrador across the road popped up in the window, so I had something to focus on.

So how was it? Like waiting for your turn at the dentist chair, But Fun, nerve shaking, frantic but did it.

Now I don't know how this painting is going, it's had a lot to cope with and looks like it's in Pisa and not Venice, but hope to rebuild it tomorrow.

I think you can listen again on the iplayer, I'll pop a link if I can

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p009g2jf/Kevin_Fernihough_24_08_2010/

This should be an active link for 1 week!! I'm on at 44 minutes and 33 seconds !!!

It will make you smile

Lakeside Latterns

It was a truly perfect evening in the Lakes last night, calm reflective waters, the sun setting slowly over the fells lighting up the ridges a great night for my brothers birthday BBQ. Born to a certain age we had to have Sausages and Burgers and birthday buns. With darkness falling the 'Latterns' came out not just a battery operated type but the clever ones you light and off they float up, and up into the evning sky!!

Been novices to these Lattern's we didnt read the instructions, we were so excited at this new creation.So we just lit the thing!

 Holding on until we got scared. Up it floated 6 feet, ooohs and aarhs,  then down it came landing gracefully 10 feet from us in the Lake.

It sat for a while glowing bright in the dark lake, and then all went dark! Now the 'Wardy's will not be beaten and so back into the Lake the Birthday boy went to collect his lattern.

Amazingly it lit again, and this time we hung or at least Simon did, exclaming that he could 'feel it wanting to go this time!!

And so it did, this time, with quite a crowd watching from the campsite, up, up and away, floating 30, 40 feet into the clear Lakeland sky before dropping again gracefully into the Lake!!!! Thank goodness not on anybody's tent!! But we were all ready with water just in case.

Monet's Bales of Hay

Back from Brittany and Normandy and itching to paint, it great to have a little break and come back inspired with new ideas, with no real mountains, we saw some fantasic moody skies, fields and fields of bales of hay you could see why Monet was taken with the texture and light. I did find the DDay beaches unbelievably moving and peaceful.

Mont Saint Micheal, as close as we got, without crowds.

A lone Oyster picker on Cancale beach.

This sky is just shouting watercolour, I will have to have a go.

Poppies and Oysters

Just a quick blog today and sorry no photo's but will descibe a few places I 've been in the last few days

Pont Aven  a friend told be to visit, riverside boats moored up, green hedges and prett gardens flowing down banking sides to meet the Tidal River and galleries too many to mention with Oils of Poppies and Watercolours of riverbanks. Oh and Artists who looked typical 'Artists!!

Cancale Oysters, more Oysters and even more Oysters tricky for someone who can't eat Seafood, but a very pretty bustling port

Mont Saint Michel seen first in schooltime French many years ago and always wanted to visit, the Poppies in the foreground just made it perfect

An artist town

Having a few days in Brittany, It's my 1st visit and it's lovely, nice to see some sunshine, this photo above was taken at a very pretty Auray, with many painting locations along the port.After reading that it was an artists town I had to visit, this little street was full of Galleries. So while in Brittany I've sampled pastries, Churros, which are long chip shaped donuts with chocolate sauce and the famous cidre served in teacups! Good job we've got the bicyles.

Summersalts and drinks all round!!

They are back, the crosses are gone yipeeeeeeeeeeee

So for some reason my Picasso album was locked, managed to unlock it after nearly a week of cursing the computer.

Thank you

Heavy Body Acrylics by Daler Rowney

Poppy time

Painted in the New System 3 Heavy Body Acrylics, these where lovely paints to use, definitely recommend them.

Update on Photo's still not working, I keep trying different ways, still driving me mad!!

The Hands of Derwentwater

I was taken with these two cuties, Mum Herdwick and this years Baby Herdwick, Baby is still a little camera shy!! I've had a day with the new Daler Acrylics spent 2 hours messing about and not getting anywhere, then started again after Lunch, this time hardly using any water and just neat Acrylic!Still not got the photo's back, driving me mad!!

Dashboard photo's are all in the hands of someone! These lovely hands are beside Derwentwater, and they seem to be getting better with age!

The one above is before Lunch and now off the easel! And below is after Lunch and still in progress, will report back tomorrow

The new Chinese Bridge over the Derwent

Otter's Island, Abbots Bay  Grey skies and frequent showers but a lovely  place to stop for a picnic. This little Island is my favourite on  Derwentwater, now that is a question! Is an Island on Derwentwater, or in it? Anyway the waterlilies are out lining the route and the Heather is about to flower with lovely shades of pink.

I fancy coming back to this spot with the Acrylics and having a go, I've some new Daler Rowney's to try out.

This is the new Chinese bridge over the Derwent, looking towards Brown Slabs, the rock face on your left, if you look closely you can see someone climbing. I climbed this, only to find out I had quite a healthy fear of heights!! I've not been dangling on a piece of rope since.

This plaque is just before you cross this bridge, I think it's a lovely thought and wondered if it would give me the answer to my mysterious photo disappearances on Dashboard!