Softness by Ingrid

Polly, who is very soft and huggable,    idling the afternoon away in the sun on the soft garden cushions. She  had not moved for hours until I had all my painting stuff assembled then she launched into a wash and a fidget so I tried three five minute sketches with a colour wash.

thrilling by vivien

I’m not sure this exactly fits the topic, but I think children do find simple things thrilling. I’ve overworked the face into a soggy mess, and the nose was beginning to look like M J’s, so I had to leave it alone, I wish I could do people!

Age by Sue Middlesex

Yes, it’s Stonehenge and yes two versions of same painting.  Second one has been cropped to take out the slightly “didn’t really work” stones on the right and some of the foreground.  Best bit for me was the left-hand side.  And I chose Stonehenge because it comes from a certain dark, mysterious age of Britain and it is old.

Thrilling by Jane

I’ve never done it myself but I’ve always thought that swooping down the mountain nust be thrilling

Waiting for the sun over Hamnavoe bay

We spent a fair bit of time waiting for the sun, but the islands are low lying (except for Hoy), which made for lovely big skies to showcase the clouds.

Novelty for Sue, Cumbria

Arctic tern

The novelty was painting from life through a telescope! I stared and stared at the water, but it would keep moving, and I just couldn’t get it right. At least the bird was obediently still. The sound of arctic terns screaming overhead comes back when I look at the painting.

Sunkissed Skara Brae

Skara Brae neolithic village

We didn’t have many completely sunny days in Orkney, but though the wind blew our visit to the Neolithic village of Skara brae was under a blue sky. The houses are 5000 years old, but amazingly comfortable looking, and sophisticated. They were all enclosed by a mound, even the connecting alleyways, so cosy from the wind and rain. They had four poster beds, internal drainage and every house had a nice big mantelpiece they displayed their stuff on! I’m afraid I’m using the photos of the postcards I painted, as I don’t want to get too far behind. Painting every day was a great experience, but I didn’t spend more than an hour on any painting, so they’re not very developed.

Novelty – England beating Australia at Lords by Sue Middex

This is hilariously bad.  I got the crowd right but that’s about it. The players look like they’ve come from Legoland. Not my fault half  of them aren’t there – I’m positive some of them went for an early tea.  And apologies to any England Cricket fans.

novelty by vivien

It used to be a novelty to see parakeets in the trees, but now they have become quite commonplace. They seem to be classy, courteous birds.

Waiting for the storm by Sue Middlesex

Couple of years ago I went bird watching at Mersehead RSPB, in Scotland.  I gaily walked out through the woods towards a lovely sunshiny sky and beach so when I turned round to walk back I was very suprised to see such a dark foreboding sky.  However it did mean that the trees were wonderfully backlit.