Sketchbook started!

 

Coffee at Emilio's
pen & wash sketch by Teresa Newham

A chilly Spring is my excuse for not starting my Moleskin sketchbook (a Christmas present) until May.  Flags put up for the Jubilee caught my eye on an early walk to the local shops one morning.  I took several photos - the view I wanted involved standing on the zebra crossing so I couldn't do anything in situ - and worked up the sketch at home.

Southdown Jubilee
pen & wash sketch by Teresa Newham

Better weather encouraged me to try some plein air sketching in Rothamsted Park.  I chose a suitable bench, laid out my equipment, including an old watercolour palette, and got to work. To my surprise several people I knew came past, with one stopping to chat, which certainly got me over any shyness about painting in public!

the new fitness centre, Rothamsted Park
pen & wash sketch by Teresa Newham

It seemed like a good idea to make one sketch a week, and the next was a view down Station Road from the seats by the fountain outside Pizza Express in Harpenden.  I became so absorbed in the drawing that the sun came round and I had to beat a hasty retreat, adding the colour when I got home. People came and went, so I put one of them into the picture to liven up the scene.

view towards Station Road, Harpenden
pen & wash sketch by Teresa Newham

Was I being too optimistic when I took my sketchbook and pen to Childwickbury? I did find time to make a  line drawing of people enjoying refreshments in the seating area by the old stable block. It made for a restful interlude in between looking at all the art. I added the colour later and managed to restrict my palette, which looks effective.

the side of Childwickbury stable block 
pen & wash sketch by Teresa Newham

My favourite is one I made while sitting on a bench in the shade of the big tree outside Boots in the centre of Harpenden. It shows one of the snack vans and some of the customers.  Once again I got engrossed and had to finish it later because I ran out of time.  Since then, heatwaves, holidays and Covid have prevented me from doing any more.  But there's still time before Open Studios starts in September . . . 

detail from Coffee at Emilio's
© Teresa Newham

Waste not . . .

 

cards and offcuts from trial prints of Fence Cross Lane
© Teresa Newham

Every printmaker has spare prints which didn't make it into the edition for some reason.  I decided to turn some of mine into greetings cards. I took trial prints of my reduction linocut Fence, Cross Lane, cut out squares of the most interesting parts of the design and stuck them onto cream card blanks. The offcuts have potential too.

my first experiments with Japanese Woodblock put to good use
© Teresa Newham

The best of my first ever Japanese Woodblock print, an Acer Leaf design, are just the right size for cards, and make good use of something which was essentially an experiment with a technqiue brand new to me.  

revisiting the rainbow-rolled New Covenant
© Teresa Newham

I sold the last two cards of an older design, The New Covenant, at Art on the Common. I've printed more onto pre-cut squares of washi, along with some extras of the Sunflower for Ukraine card design. This gives a better result than printing directly onto the card blanks.

New Covenant and Sunflower for Ukraine card fronts drying
© Teresa Newham

I've also revamped an old linocut print of mine, Meadow Cranesbill, for which I  made a lot of impressions.  Some of these have become cards, this time on white blanks.  I can't tell in advance whether I should use white or cream blanks for the cards, I have to decide on the day and go with my instinct.

an old favourite trimmed down for cards
© Teresa Newham

White card blanks also seemed to go better with the snow on the cards I made from my trial prints of Redwings in the Holly.  It's so much better to use these for cards rather than throw them away, and it's something a little different to offer to our #HertsOpenStudios visitors in September!

trial prints of Redwings in the Holly turned into cards
© Teresa Newham