Daily Sketch 11/01/2013 - Doc. Martens

Daily Sketch 10/01/2013 - Garlic & Poison Bottle

Daily Sketch 09/01/2013 - View Towards Wigborough

Because there was no sketch yesterday I'm giving you a double dose today! In fact this was the first fine day for quite some time here on Mersea Island so I was afforded the luxury of a bit of sketching in the fresh air. I took myself off in the direction of the seawall in what became apparent were totally inappropriate shoes. The footpaths have been reduced to a quagmire with the recent rains and the tartist had driven off with my walking boots in the car, so I squished my way through the mud towards the Strood where a large flock of Brent Geese were gathered on the field just behind the seawall. Their constant cackling was a welcome bit of background accompaniment to my drawing.

Daily Sketch 07/01/2013 - Three Shells

Steal Like An Artist

I have been the lucky recipient of a marvellous little book entitled 'Steal Like an Artist' by Austin Kleon, a gift from my good friend and erstwhile fellow musician/artist/blogger Peter and have been itching to share some of the brilliant ideas and advice contained within. If you're a creative type (and maybe if even not ) I think you will do well to get hold of a copy, as this is the type of 'dip in and out' reference book that could become a very firm friend. Why? Well here are the ten titles of each chapter...
1) Steal like an artist. 2) Don't wait until you know who you are to get started. 3) Write the book you want to read. 4) Use your hands. 5) Side projects and hobbies are important 6) The secret: do good work and share it with people. 7) Geography is no longer our master. 8) Be nice. (the world is a small town.) 9) Be boring. (it's the only way to get work done.) 10) Creativity is subtraction.
That surely must have your appetite whetted. This little book is full of wisdom gathered from creative people from all walks of life ie:- "Be regularand orderly in your life so that you can be violent and original in your work" - Gustave Flaubert "We don't know where we get our ideas from. What we do know is that we do not get them from our laptops." - John Cleese and this one I love; "In the digital age, don't forget to use your digits!" - Lynda Barry. You get the flavour, I'm finding it very inspiring already and I strongly recommend it to you if like me you often find yourself in a creative cul-de-sac, or worse still up a certain creek... it may just unlock your creativity. Thanks again banksyboy for introducing me to this little gem.

Daily Sketch 06/01/2013 - Bathroom Tap

Daily Sketch 05/01/2013 - Cupcake

This is in fact a porcelain cupcake salt shaker from a novelty salt and pepper set we've had a couple of years. Purely on impulse I bought myself a little rubber stamp set a while back and wondered when I would get to use them.