To the memory of the wonderful "Sheila"

 

The last portrait of Sheila 

This is so typical of Sheila. She loved cropping grass and always carried some in her mouth. 

This drawing is pen and ink on graphic film. I got the softened look by rubbing the applied ink with either an eraser or a cotton bud depending on the effect I wanted. 

Then I strengthened the darker areas. 

I added shades of green on the reverse of the drawing in coloured pencil. 

Horse Communication Drawing update

 

 

Horse Communication Drawing update 

I was not happy with the composition of the pen and ink drawing of the man and his horse. There was a nasty empty area by Sheila's shoulder. So I went searching for something to support her so she didn't look as if she was about to fall off the right hand side of the drawing. 

There wasn't much space to fill but I found a small tree from one of the other photos of Sheila. 

I didn't want to add colour in that area. That would not have improved the composition at all. As I had drawn the horse and man on graphic film, I drew the tree on the reverse using a 2B technical pencil. Then I softened it with a cotton bud. 

Soft pencil slithers nicely on graphic film with a little help. I avoid touching graphic film with my hand as any moisture marks it with a white spot. I lay sheets of paper, preferably blotting paper, wherever I may need to rest my hand. 

Finally, on the right side I emphasised the edge of Sheila's neck and shoulder against the tree using pen and ink.

I am happy with it now. I felt this double portrait was worth my best efforts. It would be a lovely depiction of the trust Sheila has for the man, if I could do it justice.  

Quizzical Mare Communication

 

Bonded 

It took 34 hours to finish this 7x5 inch pen and ink drawing of a man and horse, which is a lot longer than usual but it was a complex composition. There is so much communication going on between the man and his mare, and she is giving him such a quizzical look. I wonder what she thinks of him. 

It took over a month to complete because I had more cat instigated changes which involved buying a small cupboard to stand my printer in my bedroom, which is the only cat free zone. The problem was that the new cat kept sitting on the printer when it was in the kitchen. Cats have such dirty feet and I worried about cat litter dropping in the mechanism. 

So there has been more furniture being moved around upstairs and downstairs to make space for the new cupboard. 

I also bought a new chair to fit into the small space by my bedroom window where I do my pen and ink drawings now (see last post).

You may wonder if I am regretting rescuing Jet the cat. No. 

I will do a few drawings of him once he has a nice new glossy summer coat. He looks shabby now. Maybe he will get a huge fan club and make my fortune. OK I am joking.