This will be the last blog for a couple of week as Liz and myself are off traveling again, this time to Israel and particularly Joppa an ancient port on the sea coast.

Over the last few days my thoughts have been about how we think and see things; hence there being two images today.

The top image is of a track way opening out of woodland towards more open climes, it shows my usual way of looking close up with lots of detail and texture. 

Well, why not think differently, so on Saturday Liz and my self walked on Horsell Common near Fairoaks airport and took twenty photographs all along a straightish woodland track every forty or fifty yards. All the photographs were the same focal length, the shutter speed, aperture, height (eye level) above the ground and at the same angle to the sun. Then in photoshop they were all joined up onto one sheet as a single image. A different way of looking; try it.

Try it for yourself. See you in a week or so.

Regards Duncan.

Thh

This week at the Alf's art group there was a great deal of talk about trying, not just new things, but exploring the media which you already use, or think that you are familiar with. The above is two plums done in ink, which was done during the group meeting. The issue is to know the ink which you are using and what that inks strengths are and what it will let you get away with.

Muji is a Japaneses stationary, come clothes, come household shop and there is a branch in Guildford. They sell a range of pens which are not just super fine, but to an extent will allow the use of an eraser to lighten blacks. This erasability is amazing when drawing reflections and light spots. The pen is not designed as an art pen, neither is it designed to be rubbed out; but with a little flexibility and exploring of techniques they can be super. 

So test things, try them new ways and see what you can do.

It is rather nice when people say that they like your work, and this happens more when you do what you are good at. But occasionally it is right to do something that you are not so good at, in order to encourage another person. This happened on Monday in the art club.

A lady came and she was a little lost as to what to paint, so out of my bag came the stand by sea shells. That was good and she was happy; but a little stressed as to how to go about it all. So the answer to that is, stop what you are doing and even if water-colour isn't your strongest point and have a go with her. The result, I enjoyed myself, not trying to impress anyone, just fun painting. 

And even more important, she enjoyed herself! And that is what the Monday club is all about.

One of my tree images this morning because it seems a while since I did so. Lots is happening and life is good, but like I said lots is happening. My exhibition in Guildford comes down on Saturday and that has been an enormous success; thank you to all of you who supported me there.

 I feel a little restless with my drawing at the moment, trees will continue, but I feel drawn (no pun intended) into other directions as well.

A while ago I produced a series of still life inks looking at pieces of glass (i.e. tumblers), fruit and how light interacts between the two. At the moment I am looking in junk shops and looking out for Edwardian and Victorian glasses; that is fun.

The Hebrew boat is coming along fine, in fact the actual sculpt is finished, now the problems of framing are before me; that is all progressing and fine..

And then lastly with the trip to Israel looming, my street sketching skills need brushing up, so into London I am trekking most weeks to do that.

As you will see I am a little busy but enjoying it all.