Tuesday 13 September 2011

In my youth.

Yes it's me again already, after I left you yesterday I was very brave and ventured into the loft to look for some craft stamps. I say 'brave' because the sound of the wind in the attic was bad enough but under the eves in the loft it was even worse but needs must and all that. Anyway there I was on my knees in the loft scrabbling around in boxes when I came across my old sketch books from my time at art college some 25 years ago.

Well sketch books are just like old photo albums, once you find them you can't help but open them up and take a look and before you know you've lost an hour or two!

I only attended art college for a year doing a foundation art course and lodged away from home with a friend from school.
I was always sketching, usually in pencil and always portraits from pictures in magazines.

Colour wasn't really my thing. This one was done with watercolour pencils.


I'm afraid Hilda is looking a little worse for wear, the pencil now looking very smudged and faded. I think I actually did this one while I was still at school. (So it's very, very old)

A very rare landscape. The deckchair stand on Cleethorpes seafront.

Another in coloured pencil. The inscription reads Charlotte Lewis (what ever happened to her?) I think the year said 1986!

Sharron Gless

and an unfinished Tyne Daly.

Ah! This one has a little story with it. This one must have been a year or two later after college, I'd be about 21 and not long married. I occasionally did commissions for work colleagues, portraits from photos. This one was a workmates parents on their wedding day and I don't know if you can see but there is a stain right down the ladies face. Yep I nearly had this double portrait finished when I spilt a glass of Baileys down it and had to start all over again! There was certainly a lesson learned that evening I can tell you!

This one has lost some of its depth and definition, not to mention having a big crease across the top of her head. It's whats her face... er...can't remember her name...er...Shirley Maclaine! (I had to google Sweet Charity, lol)

This one is just a made up doodle. Isn't it weird how I can remember that. I can't remember what I did yesterday but I can remember a doodle I did a quarter of a century ago.


I found this one in a separate sketch pad, it's dated 2006. This would have been at the end of a year long textile course I did while the children where at school. It was only one afternoon a week but the best thing I ever did.
I must have been having one of my "I wonder if I can still do it" moments.

Keira Knightly 2006.

5 years ago.


Hmmm...I wonder if I still can?

.

Just to add - I didn't find the craft stamps in the loft, no they were neatly stacked in a cupboard in #2's bedroom!


Fi x

Thank you for your lovely comments. I really appreciate the time you take to tippety type them to me and I always read every single one. I know I don't get back to you all on your own blog pages as often as I would like but hopefully life will slow down a bit once Autumn is fully here and #1 is settled in at Uni. Our #2 has already put in a request for a change of bedrooms!

Aaaargh!




33 comments:

KC'sCourt! said...

WOW! They are agnificent!
Julie xxxx

KC'sCourt! said...

.....and again correctly......
WOW! They are magnificent!
Julie xxxxxx

Kris said...

You are SO talented! How I envy those who can draw like this!!

MarmaladeRose said...

LOL! Thank you sweetie. You're very kind.

It's almost like looking at somebody elses sketch books. I now find it hard to believe I did them.

Shortbread and Ginger said...

Amazing - what a great talent to have! The sketch of Hilda is fantastic - I love it!
Liz @ Shortbread & Ginger

Annie said...

How lovely to find such treasures. What talent.
Hugs,
A x

Country Rabbit said...

wowza!!!! you are so TALENTED AT PORTRAITS- im sitting here spell bound!...such detail x

... Bimbi said...

Never mind the stamps. Don't waste your time, your drawings are phenomenal!
Of course you still can, what's more you MUST. Many a portrait is pretty good and the likeness is there, but there is always something not right. Your drawings are perfect, no question ever who it is. I love Cagney & Lacey.
Bimbi x

Lyn said...

wow such talent! very very talented, they are so like the subject!
xxx

Anonymous said...

Goodness me, they are so good! Love the Hilda Ogden and Cagney and Lacey and Keira Knightly and... all of them actually.

Of course you still can. You obviously have a very good eye and that won't have gone anywhere. A little practise and you will be as good as ever which was very good. Don't let it be one of those things that get away, not if you would really want to pursue it.

My neighbour was in her 60's before she discovered she could paint. Seriously, she never knew. She loved it and was very good. You have got years and years on her, but if you procrastinate the years away, then it will be too late at some point. It isn't now though! You are obviously very talented, and talent deserves a chance to shine in the sun.

So go for it!

Susan said...

Excellent sketching. I loved my first year of life class when I did a 2 year foundation course, pencil only. Don't ask about the second year - mixed media - ugg! Knocked out all the confidence I'd gained in the first year.

I know I'd not attempt it now, not on my own, perhaps in a life class, though I'd be really daunted.

Susan

MyCretanlife said...

They are very good. Thanks for sharing.

Used-to-Bees said...

Golly - what great likenesses! I once did a half-way decent pencil sketch of my cousin and then thought I must have a gift for it. But I never managed to do a second one that looked anything like who it was meant to! I think for a short time the ghost of some more artistic ancestor was at my elbow, guiding the pencil! (Now I sound deranged...) Of course you'd still be able to do it - no doubt at all!
x

ruth said...

They are incredible - wow! x

**Anne** said...

Absolutely fantastic artwork. Thank you so much for sharing.
Anne xx

Roxanne said...

Nice! Now I'm tempted to look into my old sketches.

lemonade kitty said...

Wow what a talent you have to be able to draw like that, absolutely wonderful, I so lovvvvvve Hilda curlers and all, Lucey x

sue said...

Lovely sketches, they are like diaries aren't they you remember how you felt, where you were, who you were with brilliant. Should always keep them, I've got a box with scraps of paper that I've doodled on through the years!

Anonymous said...

Eyes are a very noticeable feature in your art work, which is just lovely. Love Hilda in her rollers, and would have recognised many of the other famous people without being told... Sharon Gless and so on.

Caroline Lovis (Redneedle) said...

I love all of the portraits but your landscape painting is beautiful. Bet you spent hours in your attic didn't you?

The Weaver of Grass said...

Now I know why your skills with stitch are so good Fiona.

Scented Sweetpeas said...

They are wonderful, you have a great talent there.

Julia said...

Hello!
My goodness, you have the most remarkable talent for portraits - your eye for detail is amazing and you seem to have a really natural flair!! Hugely impressed, and very inspired - thank you very much for sharing your sketch books with us.

Love Julia x x x

Gilly Tee said...

I am so jealous, I wish I could draw like that--or at all come to that.
Gillx

Sigrun Joh. said...

Wow ... you are so good. I love your sewing and drawing and ... wow. Thank you for sharing, it make's our days brighter.

Sandi said...

There is no end to your talent Fi, you really do have a big slice of the crafty gene. Your sketches have so much detail in them.
Many, many years ago I bought a sketch book and did some sketching, some was pretty good, others were pretty bad, but I did a sketch of Elvis of which I am fairly proud. Haven't sketched since.

Michelle said...

Your sketches are brilliant! I'm the only person in my family who can't draw/paint (can't draw a straight line, as someone once said to me!) so I am very envious of people who can! xx

Alchamillamolly said...

Oh Fiona they are fantastic you must start doing it again. I envy anyone who can draw but this more than drawing its a talent you must use. Please start again you must not waste this fantastic talent x

bibbitybob said...

You have an amazing talent! And if you were sketching Cleethorpes seafront...does that mean you went to Grimsby art college? x

Ash said...

Just calling in to say hi!! Checking problems with ye olde computer, hope you don't mind!!

Maggie Ann said...

You are amazingly talented and I've enjoyed seeing your artwork so much! big smile...

Sharon said...

I love reading your blog, love looking at your fantastic sewing projects...and now fantastic sketches to look at too. How lucky you are to be so talented in drawing AND sewing.
Sharon x

Campfire said...

I've not visited your blog for a while and have so much enjoyed looking at your beautiful sketches. I used to draw and so can appreciate them.

I love the sketches you did at college, the full length ones.