The Lifeboat, Thornham, 15/5/2011

I cycled over to the Lifeboat late Sunday to grab a pint. Nobody was sitting outside as it was so cold. I just got my pencils out and did a 'mini' sketch. Had to have a top up inside though to warm up!
And before anybody asks - yes - the chimney does lean!

Mum's Chair

My mother died last year sitting in this chair watching Midsummers Murders with a glass of Red wine on the table next to her. A fine way to go. I was in the house and decided to sketch the chair simply because sketching is such a great way to indelibly etch memories. I like this memory!

The place I escape to!

9/4/2011 - I love North Norfolk and I am fortunate enough to be able to escape up there fairly regularily. This is the back of my place. I was sketching in the sun and just loved the lines of the cedar cladding.

Harajuku - The Adidas Shop

13/2/2011 - I sat down on the corner in busy Harajuku and was soon surrounded by interested Japanese kids all wondering what this strange Westener was doing with a sketchbook. I picked this subject purely because I had found a comfortable seat. The building was only interesting because of the perspective inherent in the structure.

The Excelsior Cafe, Tokyo

11/2/2011 - I've never realised that sketching secretively involves the sketching of the back of so many heads! It was snowing in Tokyo so I sat down in the coffee bar to warm my hands on my coffee mug and ended up getting my sketch pad out.

My favourite place

9/4/2011 - The back wall of my bolt hole in North Norfolk - the perfect place to unwind and sketch.

Lady on a train.

27/4/2011 - I plucked up courage to try and sketch somebody on a train. This lady was visible between two seats. The sun was out, she was reading and appeared very comfortable.
28/4/2011 - The spectators at cricket were dressed in whites and were both fairly large gentlemen.

Church Street, Saffron Walden.

6/4/2011 - It was a sunny day and I was fed up with sitting in a cold basement so I took myself over the road and enjoyed sketching in the sun. Saffron Walden is a beautiful town.

Essex vs. Lancashire Pro 40

2/5/2011 - I took my son and a couple of his friends to the Essex vs. Lancashire Pro 40 game at Chelmsford and got my pencil out. It was very sunny but cold - Essex won the game easily. A great day out.

Tokyo - Shinjuku Park

12/2/2011 - It was snowing and I had an afternoon to myself so went for a walk. I discovered a beautiful temple in the park behind my hotel with a couple having their wedding photographs taken. I was wearing fingerless gloves and had to stop after about half an hour as the feeling had left my fingers completely. It was beautiful.

My first attempt at adding colour to my sketches.

April 2011 - My back garden in Great Sampford, Essex. I tentatively opened my small portable watercolour pack and got going. I realised that, with the sun going down, I had to make a decision about where the shadow should fall - I tried to move quickly. I've so much to learn about colour.