Between St Andrews & Kinkell Byre: out & about with the sketchpad

Using inks in different opacities, looking downhill onto houses & gardens, across to distant hills & around the farm

Kinkell Byre illustration for new logo and web pages

Archie the Highland coo of Kinkell Byre adorns the website, print and signpost down the drive now that Kinkell Byre have re-designed their logo, with thanks to Rav the Dundee based all-woman design team. It was a fun commission and other images will be posted of the more messy ink drawing original sketches that lead to the slightly tidier versions you can see online (kinkellbyre.com). Photos to follow shortly…

Pop In St Andrews

We looked at British artist David Bomberg for his hands on, direct approach to charcaol drawing of rocky, sculptural landscapes and Scottish artist Joan Eardley who sat with massive canvases out of doors on the coastline, not forgetting the sea scapes of local Scottish artist David Mackie Cook who works up the coast from here. Expressive, dynamic interpretations that worked with the fast moving Scottish weather:

POP IN St Andrews

POP IN St Andrews is taking place this weekend, on Saturday, when hundreds of adventurous French women will be exploring the culture and history of the old town of St Andrews and hiking along the nearby coastline. One of the arts activities on offer to them is drawing with me on the coast, looking out to the sea past the beach and the rocks, with charcoal sticks and pencils to hand. We will face the elements, absorbing ourselves for a short period in the wind, sand, grasses, rock and water and look at some expressive British landscape painters for inspiration. Pictures to follow…

Aerodynamics in Nature

We were blessed with perfect blue skies and mild weather for the first full day children’s art course at Kinkell Studios. It all went well, the whole day spent in the studio and down at the beach by the Rock & Spindle, where lunch was enjoyed on the rocks. Children engaged in various drawing activities, drawing from observation and trying out different materials, before considering their very own flying machine or bird-like creature with aerodynamic forms in mind. They had to consider their drawings in terms of three dimensions and how they might practically create the joins in the body structure. The 3D workshop began after lunch. The thicker wire was more difficult to mould into shape but provided the back-bone / main frame of the structure, then thinner wires and bendy wooden cane was used for the ribs or body. In order to secure each piece, children handled the masking tape and/or glue gun well, trying out their manual dexterity when shaping the wire and the wood in more detail. Some of them went onto use tissue and glue solution to create a membrane or surface for their structures, it was soggy and fiddly to apply but dried tight and semi-translucent. Transparent fishing string was used to suspend the structures if desired. A couple of the girls came up with a great idea on the beach that involved them using shells of different colours, sea weed and twigs to create a crab back in the studio once they’d finished their construction piece. Overall, a great day enjoyed by all, including me.

Inspiring works in Piccadily

I recently went to the Royal Academy to see the current exhibition on Renzo Piano, the Italian architect. There were inspiring structures and models on show, including small series of maquets experimenting with the shape and form of a building and sometimes the texture of the material used. I found various architectural designs inspired partly by aerodynamics, my upcoming theme. The show could be appreciated on any level however I think it was mainly aimed at architects and designers as it went into a fantastic amount of detail, showing sketchbooks, workbooks, notes and models. I loved the structures delicately suspended from the ceiling. Beautifully designed exhibition, to the detail. If you go, make sure you visit in a weekday as the rooms were packed with people. Take a look at these photos from the show.