Kenya Travels

Hi everyone, and a warm welcome as usual.

Hopefully I can rub off some of that flippin' hot Kenyan sun on you all  - up to 33C at times! Far too hot for me, but there's enough shade about, so it's no problem really.

As promised last week, now I have got myself all gathered up and back together, I have managed to scan and upload some of the sketches and watercolours I did whilst away.

I hope that it gives you some idea of how I like to work - a mix of little watercolour rough works and some fairly detailed waterproof pen work. All my sketches I like to do in pencil first, correcting any mistakes with the soft putty rubber, then go over them with the ink pens which are waterproof. This stops the soft pencil from smudging, and helps my sketches survive until I get back home (at least!). Some I keep purely as pen sketches, some I use alongside watercolours - pen and wash.

OK then - here are some pages taken directly from my sketch and watercolour books I used recently.

This detailed sketch shows part of the natural foliage roofing used on the buildings - it lasts about 5 years I was told. Once there is a break or hole in it, then damp gets in and gradually spreads. Always a problem when there are monkeys around I would suppose! The ridge is covered with overlayed pieces of tin, each about 3ft long, and painted in a reddish brown colour, which the sun burns off, no doubt rather quickly. 

This ink pen sketch shows a small variety of nests from Sociable Weaver birds, a fantastic, gregarious, mainly yellow little bird, which once you sit down and they see you are not going to disturb them, quickly get on with their business. It really is amazing just how close to them you can get, and I was lucky enough to sit and watch one bird make the best part of his nest from scratch. Truly fascinating, and I think one of the main wonders of nature.

I like to travel with 2 small pads - one watercolour, and the other a small A6 sketching pad. A small travel watercolour set, and a small selection of waterproof ink pens, putty rubber and a couple of 2B pencils with a small collapesable water bucket complet the set. Water can always be found locally. So there you are, hope you get some inspiration and ideas from the rough field stuff I have done, and have the patience to wait until I have put some of them into action.

Until next time - whatever your art - enjoy it.

Paul