Tuesday, December 11, 2007


St. Ives harbour. The beach at low tide. Pencil drawing on 150 gsm cartridge size 10 x 10 cm. I took a small pocket sized sketchbook with me to St. Ives. A handy size when working outside in an Atlantic gale.
I took with me my usual four clutch pencils; HB 0.5 mm., 3B 2 mm., 6B 3mm. and 4B 6mm. This latter functioned as a sort of graphite stick. I had a chunk of putty rubber and a collection of servietttes gleaned from the various cafés I visit.
I usually take along with me a (very) small box of watercolours. I carry the water in an old, small perfume spray bottle that holds about 50 mls. and a plastic medicine measure serves as a resevoir. All very cheap and easy to carry. I do allow myself one expensive item, the brush; it is a good quality sable that closes like a fountain pen. A good sable will shape to a very fine point. Its bulk holds colour well and when squeezed out, lifts excess colour off the paper with ease. The whole lot fits easily into a small satchel or as sometimes is the case, takes up no more room than two large anorak pockets.

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