Holiday Sketches

Just got back from a week on the Northumberland coast, a bit of a working holiday as I managed to get some sketching done which will form the basis for a new body of prints over the coming months. Struggled a bit with the watercolours as the only sketch book I took with me was filled with really smooth paper, which whilst ideal for the pen and ink drawings that are my usual sketching medium didn't take the paint well.

The first sketch, drawn from the kitchen window on the evening of our arrival. A coble drawn up from the beach against a grey sea and sky. Pen and Ink and Watercolour.

Budle Bay, drawn whilst waiting for the tide to drop low enough to cross over the causeway to Lindisfarne. Watercolour.

Following the advice of Augustus John quoted at the head of this blog page. I don't usually go for the obvious and iconic views but couldn't resist this. Upturned boats converted into sheds with the castle beyond. Lindisfarne. Pen and Ink.

Whilst driving up the coast road there were hundreds of Butterflies all moving inland. Mostly Painted Lady's but with some Red Admirals too. On  Lindisfarne they were everywhere. Watercolour.

Another go at the boat sheds. Lindisfarne. Pen and Ink.

Quick pen and ink sketch of a lobster boat offshore with Gannets flying past.

Alnwick Castle drawn from beside the old Great North Road. Pen and Ink and Watercolour.

Pen and Ink drawing of the old Lime Kilns on Beadnell Harbour. Now seemingly used as the village dump. They were filled with old discarded fish boxes, lobster pots, a couple of rusty bicycles and an old freezer.

An evening view of Dunstanburgh Castle from the south. Watercolour.

Dunstanburgh Castle again, this time from the north looking across Beadnell Bay on a flooding tide. Evening. Watercolour.

Looking north across Budle Bay to Lindisfarne Castle on the horizon. Watercolour.

High tide at Beadnell. Pen and Ink.

Inner farne from the ramparts of Bamburgh Castle. Pen and Ink.

Great Black-backed Gulls, Cormorants and a couple of Goosanders at Beadnell sitting on rocks at high tide. Watercolour.
Click on the images to enlarge.