Laura, Molly and I went out on Sunday to the Polesden Valley to see the snow. Molly’s fur got iced up and we had to keep crushing the ice balls collecting on her legs. Laura took a very atmospheric photo of a field with sheep and I had a go painting it. (warercolour)

 

I went with Molly to East Molesey to take a walk by the river with the aim of taking some shots of the river. The problem with the camera is that it takes such wide angle views and it seems to stretch the view and makes everything tiny.

To find a scene I’ve had to really zoom in. Here is the painting, its an oil on a 16×12 board. I’ve tried to lift the dull day and provide more colour and interest. St Mary’s Church, Hampton, with Garrick’s Ait to the left and the sailing club in the center.

The art club invited a speaker on ‘Symbolism in Art’ last week and the follow up workshop asked members to include ideas from the talk in their work. Unfortunately due to the weather the workshop was cancelled so I took on the challenge at home.

There have been some fascinating TV programmes and exhibitions on Hans Holbein the Younger recently and I’ve been interested in his amazing sketches of the rich and powerful of his time.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_portrait_drawings_by_Hans_Holbein_the_Younger

So I’ve had a go at a self portrait in his style. Included are some symbols that represent my children and my interests.

Holbein used ink, chalk and metalwork on a prepared pink paper. I employed the time honoured use of tea bags, colouring crayons and drawing ink.