Category: Landscape

Shetland collage postcard

Here is a collage postcard I made, inspired by the work of Martin Hicklin.

As you see, it shows a seabird, probably a fulmar, soaring over the coast, with the green hills beyond, and a characteristic Shetland fence. The fine blue sky is made from rope waste found on the beach.

I managed to arrange for the seabird to move, sliding along a fine thread, and hover above the background.

This went through the international post. I don’t yet know if it arrived…..

Here are some other collage postcards I have made over the years. It’s good fun!

Insects Collage

I made a postcard for friends in Basel. It shows the insect life in Crete. Here are some details, and the work under construction.     The idea was that the flies…

The Guardian of the Vines

Another collage postcard. I posted this one in London 18th May. It looks a bit crinkled because the cardboard was damp with PVA glue, and then dried. The white shape on the…

Connection to friends in another city

Here is a postcard collage I sent to my friends in another city. It is inspired by the website: sendmeapostcart.com, and shows the connections we make, the lines which bind us, the…

The Cuttlefish

I made a collage postcard inspired by “the Blue Planet” series on BBC2. This is the cuttlefish. The sea bed is made of breakfast cereal, and the seaweed is strands of unraveled…

The journey to the chapel of St Antonis

Here is a collage made for friends in Switzerland. I posted it at the Post Office in Kalami on 8th May. The official there did not seem to be concentrating very hard.…

Collage/postcard: a corner of the flat

Here is a postcard from indoors: It shows a corner of the flat. You see the sun outside, and birds, and the city. You see parks, rivers and the great outdoors. But…

Collage Postcards: archive

Here are some of the collage postcards I have made. The constraints I set myself are: the postcard must go in the post by itself: no envelope it is made of found…

Sketching in Shetland 2023 – Seal lagoon and swan loch

While I was drawing this picture, I was startled by a loud sneeze. Since I was totally alone on the hillside, it was uncanny. Then I realised that the sneeze came from across the water, from the seal colony at the base of the dark rocks.

Across the seal lagoon, Littlure

Soon several seals were in the water, swimming over to see what I was doing. They stayed a little offshore, bobbing about. Seals look into your eyes, as dogs do, and seem to want to communicate. They said “who are you?” and “come and play!”. They seemed disappointed when I walked off, without having accepted their invitation to swim with them in their chilly waters.

There are also seals on the beach where a stream from the Loch of Quinnigeo arrives at the sea. Nettles grow, sheltered from the wind by the deep ravine, and watered by the freshwater stream. I’ve swum there, and sketched the cliffs.

Nettle beach cliffs, July 2023

The loch of Quinnigeo is surrounded by smooth hills.

I’ve seen swans on the loch (off the picture to the right). They are not the ordinary urban type of swans I’ve seen in parks, which are called mute swans. Mute swans have pink beaks and these ones had yellow beaks. They drifted calmly in the middle of the loch with their cygnet, honking in a conversational kind of a way. Whooper swans or Bewicks? I couldn’t distinguish at that distance.

Here is another attempt to show the solid landscape round the loch and the way the hill casts darkness onto the still water.

Loch of Quinnigeo, Littlure, near Walls, Shetland

Sketching in Shetland 2023

Here is my Shetland sketchbook:

A5 sketchbook from the Vintage Paper Company

This sketchbook was brilliant because it could fold back onto itself, and I could hold it with one hand.

I often worked on two sketches at once. I worked on a drawing on a sheet, alongside the drawing in the sketchbook. One drawing dried while I worked on the other one. Work does not dry quickly in Shetland: there’s a dampness in the air.

Working on two drawings at once. Top left: a drawing on a single sheet of A5, fastened to a card. Bottom left: Sketchbook. Bottom right: Palette by David Cooper, Classic Paintboxes.

Here are drawings in Aberdeen:

From Aberdeen I take the overnight ferry to Lerwick in Shetland Mainland. Shetland is 100 miles off the north coast of Scotland.

The ferry from Aberdeen takes about 12 hours and travels 200 miles.

I stay on the West side of Shetland. There are smooth hills, few trees and usually a view of water.

Here is a magical place: high up on cliffs near the sea at Littlure is the Barni Loch. My drawing is inspired by the work of Peter Davis an artist based in the Shetland Islands.

Barni Loch, Littlure, 25th July 2023, A5 in sketchbook.

A bit further on is Footabrough.

Footabrough, in the style of Peter Davis. A5 on watercolour paper.

During this walk, the island of Foula floats on the horizon, sometimes visible, sometimes not.

Foula is 20 miles away from the Shetland Mainland.

I was staying at Burrastow. There is a table by the beach.

Burrastow House, Walls Shetland, view from the beach

Here is the view from the Beach Table

I’ve drawn Burrastow House on previous visits.

On this visit I drew landscapes. I’ll make a new post to show you those, and also to show pictures from my visit to Fair Isle.

Sketching in Crete, May 2023

There was a bit of a delay at Gatwick.

When we arrived in Crete, there were thunderstorms. As the storm clouds cleared, we saw the red streaks where soft earth had been washed into the sea.

I sketched the headlands.

Eventually the sun came out.

Up the hill is the Roman city of Ancient Aptera. Here is Aptera theatre.

It is still in use. A piano was wheeled in, tuned and prepared for use, while I sketched.

Then we feasted in the marvellous Aptera Tavern. Here is the view from the Aptera Tavern towards the other side of the street.

There were lovely sunsets

In my notebook I identified and logged the ships that passed.

Logging the ships

On the day we departed, we visited the Agias Triadas Monastery.

Chania airport is a lively place after the tranquillity of the monastery.

The drawings were done in my notebooks and sketchbook and also as postcards sent to people.

  • the postcards were on Fabriano Artistico 300gsm cold-press watercolour paper
  • my sketchbook for this voyage was from the Vintage Paper Company, A5, containing cartridge paper
  • the ship log is in a “Grids and Guides” notebook from Princeton Architectural Press.

All colours are Daniel Smith watercolours. I use a fountain pen with De Atramentis Permanent Black ink.

Coastguard Station and Tynemouth Priory

Here is a view of the Coastguard Station and Tynemouth Priory, seen from across King Edwards Bay, on the North-east coast of England.

Tynemouth Coastguard Station and Tynemouth Priory, 10″ x 7″ Sketched 8th April 2023 in sketchbook 13

They both are, in their own ways, continuations of the cliffs below. The coastguard station with its massive concrete architecture, the priory with its soaring stone columns. And as if to emphasize how transitory are our human constructions: both are now disused, at least for their original functions.

Parts of the original priory which still survive are the West side of the nave, from the 12th century. “..in January 1539 the priory fell victim to the nationwide Dissolution of the Monasteries” says the English Heritage website. The headland then became a military fortification in wars which followed, right up to the 1939-45 conflict, where guns were stationed there. Some of the gun emplacements remain. It is now a tourist attraction managed by English Heritage.

Much less information is available about the Coastguard Station. It was opened in 1980 and closed in 2001, according to a BBC article of 2001. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/1567195.stm). It is a remarkably solid building in a first class location. Why has nobody converted it into a splendid home, guest house, restaurant, art gallery or place of worship?

While I was sketching, a elderly woman passed by on the path and admired the sketch. She said she was surprised more people weren’t sketching there: it was a splendid view. I agreed, and didn’t point out that it was also windy and very cold. I think such an observation would have revealed me as a soft southerner. She said she didn’t sketch, but she did other things. Tap dancing, she said.

This is as far as I got before I became too cold to continue.
I finished the picture indoors.
Tynemouth, in England’s North East.

I sketched the Coastguard Station in 2017:

Shetland landscapes 2022

Sketching on the beach out of the wind, I am fascinated by the regular angles in which the rock cleaves.

Beach on the West Side, 27th June 2022, 1pm

The angle of the distant cliffs echoes the slope of the nearby rocks.

The forms of cliffs and rocks

Sketching in the hills, islands and hills are of the same form.

From the hill above Burrastow
The Footabrough Valley
Sketching on the way to the Virda Stane
Sketching the Footabrough Valley, 5th July 2022 (note the gloves!)

Here’s a sketch in my small sketchbook. The green overlaid pattern is a print, made in advance.

Hills near Footabrough, 3 July 2022

Sketching near Oban, Argyle and Bute, Scotland

The Lady of Avenel is an 102ft square rigged brigantine, currently based near Oban, on the west coast of Scotland.

Postcards and Business Card for “Lady of Avenel”
Postcards for “Lady of Avenel”
Sketches of the “Lady of Avenel” made into postcards and business cards

Every year the Lady of Avenel needs a refit to prepare her for her working season. This year I went up there to join the working party for the refit.

I travelled by overnight train from Euston to Crianlarach.

Journey via the Caledonian Sleeper from London to Oban. Map from the Caledonian Sleeper webpage. The overnight journey takes about 10 hours Euston-Crianlarach. Then I caught a local train Crianlarach to Oban.

I drew some sketches on the journey.

I sketch my shoes before going to sleep on the train.
Arrival at Crianlarach: a walk to the nearby River Fillan
Waiting for the train to Oban
The train is cancelled. Waiting for a bus on the main road. The bus doesn’t stop. Probably it is full.
Back at the station, waiting for the later train.
On the later train, on the way to Oban.
Sketching on the journey north.

The boat was at Dunstaffnage Marina. In between work sessions I drew some pictures.

On the boat was a sea dog, Shona. She had to be locked indoors while crew members were hoisting the engine out. I was not part of the engine-hoisting gang. So I kept the dog company and drew her picture.

I travelled back via Fort William. The High Street caters for climbers and walkers and has a large number of shops stocking all brands of outdoor gear. I examined some of them, then rested by the Old Fort.

Near the train station there is a park with several war memorials, and a poignant plaque from the young people of Hiroshima:

“From the youth of Hiroshima in the hope that the experience of 6th August 1945 will strengthen our search for a peaceful world. January 1st 1968. Hiroshima Junior Chamber of Commerce.”
Parade Gardens, Fort William

Here are a few photos of the Lady of Avenel during the refit.

The Lady in the marina
Shadows in the morning
Hoisting up the engine
Working in the rigging
Painting the name on the lifebuoys
White paint on the bulwarks
The List
Working out what’s next
Work in progress on the “Lady of Avenel” refit 2022

Scotland is beautiful.

Sunset after a swim. Beach called “Ganavan” near Oban.

I have sailed on the Lady of Avenel in previous years:

Outer Hebrides 2017

I took my sketching things on a swimming expedition to the Outer Hebrides with Swimtrek. We were on the wonderful Lady of Avenel 102ft square rigged brigantine. We started in Oban. It was raining when I…

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Lady of Avenel at Heybridge Basin

Here is Lady of Avenel, 102ft Brigantine. This was the third of three sketches. Here are the first two. I have drawn Lady of Avenel previously: Outer Hebrides 2017 See also these pages for pictures of and…

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Sketch notes from maritime Holland

This is Noordermarkt, as seen from Café Hegeraad, in the Jordaan district of Amsterdam. It was a lovely autumn day, warm with a light breeze. I had the apple cake and a coffee. I had arrived from…

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I’ve written about my experiences of sketching and swimming here:

The swimming artist

Train journey to Newcastle

Before the journey, I printed patterns on the pages. Many of these drawings are done on the train.

I did drawings in a “Traveler’s Company” spiral bound notebook.

“Coastal workshop” drawings and prints

Last weekend I participated in a workshop led by the artist and printmaker Fiona Fouhy. We worked on the beach and cliffs around Botany Bay, between Margate and Broadstairs in Kent, UK

Here is a selection of the pictures I made during the workshop.

This a drawing done using a piece of white chalk from the cliffs, plus some work-in-progress pictures.

Sketchers on the shore, Kent chalk on black paper, A3

Here is a drawing of the white cliffs, done in white cliff chalk.

White cliffs near Margate, Kent Chalk on black paper, A3

We made some monoprints, using a portable printing press, perched outdoors on the cliff top at Botany Bay.

Monoprints, made outdoors on the cliff top, using a portable press.

Back in the garden, we made more monoprints, this time using colour. Here is my series called “The grass will grow over your cities”.

“the grass will grow over your cities”, monoprints and plate

A long time ago I first heard this expression in an exhibition in Berlin. “Over your cities the grass will grow”is the title of a 2010 documentary film by Sophie Fiennes about the artist Anselm Keifer. At the end of the film the artist says “Over your cities grass will grow”.

According to Daniel K Brown (http://cargocollective.com/danielkbrown/Over-Your-Cities-Grass-Will-Grow) “He is paraphrasing line 34:13 from the Book of Isaiah: “Thistles will take over, covering the castles, / fortresses conquered by weeds and thornbushes””.

My St James’ Bible has it as “And thorns shall come up in her palaces, nettles and thistles in the fortresses thereof: and it shall be a habitation of jackals, a court for ostriches.” This is by way of a description of the “day of the Lord’s vengeance”.

My late father, the plant biochemist Prof. Don H Northcote, had a more positive view. He looked at paving stones and saw the plants growing in the cracks. “The plants will win in the end,” he asserted. I think he meant that as a good thing.

Sketching on the journey to Orkney

We travelled to Orkney by train via Edinburgh and Aberdeen.

I carried a long thin sketchbook and made drawings along the way.

  • Aberdeen airport, print made with food wrapper
  • Aberdeen airport, print made with food wrapper
  • View from “The Silver Darling” restaurant
  • The Torrey Battery, from “the Silver Darling”
  • A pilot boat went past, very fast, on the River Dee
  • View from the train at Leukers
  • The Royal Society of Edinburgh, from the Wellington Coffee Café
  • View from Wellington Coffee, Australians in the street

Here is my very long sketchbook, 12″ x 5″ made by Khadi Paper, and bought at Atlantis in Hackney, London.