Christmas Card: Winter-Cornwall

So this year, circumstances meant it all went to pieces a bit. The photo I had which was the basis of the card went walkabout. Or more likely, I couldn’t work out where I saved it.

I therefore pulled into use a picture painted for the house, which isn’t *quite* suitable for squashing and printing. However it does mark my efforts in family history that showed my Cornish heritage goes way back, and including people who lived on the Mount.

An inspired-by painting rather than a from-life painting, the echo of St Michaels appearance over the top does at least give a nod to the season.

Pre-Christmas Card Ramble

Every year I have produce a card based on Northampton. This year, marking my exploration of my Cornish heritage, I decided to take inspiration from a favourite view. Absolutely everybody does St Michaels Mount at some point, and I’ve done it more than once. I had this on my drawing desk, not to copy but give me ideas when I painted.

It is a favourite although with hindsight I’d leave out the fluffy clouds next time.

4 of 5: Still Here, Not Gone

Walk past this a lot in St James. Took a picture a year or so ago when the iron business closed and I reckoned it would go for redevelopment quite quickly. Currently surrounded by scaffolding so not long to go I suppose. Not sure all the elaborate iron work will survive which is what always drew my eye.

3 of 5

Occasionally I amble across the Argos car park and cut along the side of the brewery. And thus you get to see the backs of Bridge Street. Although I suppose it would cry out that it’s the front of Kingswell Street, either way I just love the Northamptonian brick work

Mining The Old Stuff

So in 2016 I spent a lot of the year walking the Boot & Shoe, then trying to draw something off each street. Not really an artistic project, more like learning piano scales. Walking, sketching, walking again, then sketching again. Over 80 streets done and the end sketches were definitely better as the year went on.

The drawings had to be face on, and this one was quite intimidating on first look. Very dignified in it’s disused slumber, I never fail to love it on my frequent walk pasts. Yet again in planning so fingers crossed it comes back to life.

2 of 5

So a bit of madness away from the sketch pad slowed this down. The factory is currently being refurbished into a cultural hub type of thing by the council, so glad to have captured the view. Trying to take modern Northampton and through the drawing give it a feel of old lost Northampton. Angel Lane to the right, with the coffee shop and buildings beyond does reflect on the numerous occupied cut throughs all across the town and now lost.

It’s quite amusing that as the road is on a curved hill, the factory feels like it ought to curve but doesn’t. However who says drawings reflect life.

1 of 5

This year I decided to restrict the number of old scenes I draw. Thus I have to do five contemporary pictures before I explore and one.

I had drawn quite a few pictures of the old Mayorhold a few years ago and walking through the other week, I wondered whether I could give the current view any atmosphere. Putting on a night sky always helps, and stripping out quite a lot of the street furniture gave more focus as well.