In March 1999 I started doing ballpoint sketches on postcard for sending to my Mother in Musselburgh. In May that year (after seeing some of my ballpoint sketches) an art teacher gave me a sketch book and some "proper" pencils, promising me lessons as well as refferring me to the art shop Chromos. The main lesson I learned was of observation. I sat down to draw what I saw, not from my imagination or photos. My imagination was occupied in devising the means to apply representations of what I was witnessing, onto the paper.

In July I wanted to try using colour. Painting WaterColour (w/c) with a brush is really difficult. So I got some w/c pencils. Because of opacity reasons I found the pastels usefull for doing highlights. Starting with A5

I brought these elements together in a sketch of the Reigate Castle Grounds at the end of July. I even used a lick of cheap Chinese w/c paints.

A week or so later I sketched the (since collapsed) West Pier at Brighton with a heavy emphasis on w/c pastels.The coarsness of the w/c pastels gives that drawing/wet-finger painting an impressionist look.. This picture prompted a local artist to give me some his own hand made oil paints. The oil study painting on board was an experiment with them.

On being introduced to acrylic paints and canvas boards in May 2000, after a false start, I sat and did my first brush and board painting from real life, a coots nest under a tree overhanging Reigate Priory pond.

The help, encouragment and materials given by many has helped set up a pathway from my imagination, into tangible representations of real life. But is it art? BACK