(Re)contextualising

I'm trying to be a little bit like this right now. Taking in the universe and making something from it. Recontextualising, reinterpreting, rethinking, recreating.

(A postcard I sent to a friend; pen and ink on watercolour paper)

Fresh

Sometimes going back to something brings a fresh perspective. At the time I originally painted it, I didn't really like this self-portrait. But coming across it in my sketchbook I added the blue-green background, and now I'm rather fond of it. It reminds me of the work of brilliant Belgian cartoonist and illustrator, Brecht Evans.

Pregnant with possibilities

It's been a long summer, and I've not managed to get as much drawing done as I'd have like to. But nevermind, I'm here now.

I've been trying to ease myself back into the routine of drawing by sitting down in public - in stations, coffee shops and the like - and sketching people as they walk by. It's obviously impossible to draw someone in the same way as you'd draw them for a posed portrait; they're moving fast and you just get an impression. Sometimes the drawing doesn't even look a thing like them. But it gets your pen or pencil moving across the page, which I think is important in itself. So, here are some sketches, with more to follow soon.

Sketchbook!

Sorry I haven't been around. I was slightly busy moving to Japan, but let me present some (largely London-based) sketches:

I have a thing about not using first pages of sketchbooks. How wasteful.





I like this one. Origami-paper with pen and ink:



And now for some sketches done from Fernandez & Wells, a nice little coffee shop in Soho:





Detail:





Today's a holiday, and I'm off to Tokyu Hands, the 'creative life store' to hopefully go get ink and brushes. More posts to follow soon.

Cities

An ink sketch of Sana'a, a city in Yemen on the Frankincense trail. I really like the shapes and colours of it.

Every little breeze...

Another card I sent to my grandmother, again on handmade paper. It's got a lovely feel with watercolours, it soaks them up nicely but also gives them a beautiful texture. I really enjoyed doing the sky in the background on this one!