I'm going on holiday!

Appologies for not posting progress on my work today.I've not had much chance to apply myself. AND tomorrow we're all off on our holiday..i know Friday is an odd day to go, but we have to be back by 31st as Jan has a to work in Oxford.we're staying in North Berwick which is close to Edinburgh in Scotland.We have hired an appartment. We're driving as far as Newcastle tomorrow and staying in an hotel over night before the rest of the journey on Saturday. It's a particular favourite place for us as we have very dear friends who live there. I'm hoping to find some wifi whilst away in the hope I can post some photos. I'll also be taking my sketchbook and watercolours too!! 

We're staying near here(above) in North Berwick (see map)

So if I don't get the chance to post in the mean time, I hope you have a lovely week, and I'll be back sooner than I want to be!

Three Graces - 62

I had one of those heart stopping moments last night before bed. Clearing stuff away from my table, I accidentally knocked over a bottle of drinking water, it fell over and spilled a good amount of water all over my picture!! If I'd been using the coloured inks, it would have been ruined as the inks are not water proof...however, thankfully the black ink is! Once it dried out, there was no sign of any damage....

Three Graces - 61

Here's my little Panda toy,  the one my Mum knitted for me when I was a baby...I still have it.

Three Graces - 60

I've begun work on the grassy area at the bottom of the picture. Before long I will have to introduce the Panda soft toy that is leaning against the Starman's chair.Also, I had wanted to include one of my now regular features, a steam train. since the horizon is so misty, I am toying with the idea of it being a toy train near to the boy.I'll what I can do.

Three Graces - 59

Three Graces - 58

Concentrating on filling in the sky here before I set about the grassy bit!

Three Graces - Rescource photographs.

I didn't feel too well today...I've been sleeping badly and I had a headache for most of the morning. So I decided that I'd not do any drawing today, but did get chance to go out to take some photographs in a local grave yard. I need some foreground detail for Thee Graces. Jan agreed to stand in the grass for me...invaluable to me for the next stage of my picture.

I've included a couple of other shots of grave stones and a monument  from the large selection of photos I took today. Although all originally in colour, the black and white treatment certainly gives a better effect!

All photos taken at Saint Peter's Anglican Parish Church, Littleover, Derby.

Three Graces - 57

I've reached the misty part of the shuttle...lighter density means progress is a little quicker....and I am very well aware that the girls still look a little two dimensional...I will be turning my attention to them at some point and as there is still lots to do.

Three Graces - 57

Three Graces - 56

I'm wrestling (for want of a better word!!) with the appearance of the church building, how dark it should be...how much of it is highlighted by the moon, and how much detail is apparent on it. By beginning work on the shuttle I am learning how the two relate to each other.So it's a discovery process even at this stage.The next thing to achieve is the dense mist that will enfold the lower section of the Shuttle and church.

Three Graces - 55

Three Graces - 54

Three Graces - 53

Just passed 200 hour mark on this.....! I'd love to tell you what it's all about ...maybe I can pluck up the nerve to do so!...but not yet!

Three Graces - 52

Three Graces - 51

You know, if I'd known how long I was going to have to spend on the clouds here ,I'd have done it very differently!..However, it's done now and I can move on to other areas.

Three Graces - 50

Here's the crow I've inserted into the picture..may as well have been a black dog today...but with a little help from my friends, I'm picking up! So here's a reminder ( below) of the main theme of the picture.I'll finish the clouds to go behind the crow, then I will be moving onto the Shuttle Church.Probably having a rest tomorrow though.

Three Graces - 49

I spent a ridiculous amount of time this morning making a very silly video. I've shared it on Face Book, but for those of you music lovers, I'll post it over the weekend during one of my rest days. Today I didn't get as far as I'd hoped, but did keep to my target of 5 hours dotting! You might notice an undotted area to the top right corner..it's there I'm hoping to add a crow...

Three Graces - 48

8

I've spent the last two weeks working on the clouds .I'm hoping to reach the far right tomorrow.I'm also hoping to put a Crow sitting in one of the brances near the top right...join me tomorrow to see if I have!