Manningtree High Street - new work

Since I've been having a go at a few different things recently I thought it was time I did some more drawings/ paintings of buildings. It's a subject I enjoy working on and I'm generally quite pleased with the results.

So I've been looking through my collection of photos for inspiration and decided to start with a painting of Manningtree. This was drawn in dip pen and peat brown ink, then painted in watercolours and Quink.

Manningtree is England's smallest town, located on the banks of the River Stour at the Essex/ Suffolk border. It is also a place which has provided me with a lot of inspiration for my drawings of Hexley street scenes!

I'm planning on making some more paintings on a similar theme - so keep an eye out for those. I expect there will be more old buildings as I much prefer drawing those to newer ones. Old buildings always seem so fascinating to me - much more character and I can't help but wonder about the people who used to live there and what the buildings have 'seen' over the centuries.

By the way, if you like this painting it is now available in my Etsy shop as a 5x7 print (if you would like another size please let me know). :)

Clockwork Robin...

I have a new Hexley illustration for Christmas! :D It's a Clockwork Robin - what else would you expect to see on a Hexley Christmas painting?!

I was really pleased with how this turned out - it's now my new favourite Hexley piece :) I enjoyed doing the border too - all the holly and cogs took quite a while to do but it was worth it. It reminded me of a few years ago when I spent hours drawing a William Morris style border - time consuming but actually quite fun! I'll have to do some more things like this again soon.

When Edwin Cracknell was asked to make a clockwork animal for Christmas his first thought was a robin. His clockwork birds were held in such high regard that the Clockwork Robin soon became a much sought after item in Hexley.This illustration was drawn in dip pen and ink then painted in watercolours. A print of this illustration will soon be available in my Etsy shop.

Elizabeth Bridges

The first in my new series of Hexley people is complete! Inspired by Victorian and other old photos this will be a series of illustrations drawn in dip pen and ink and painted in watercolours.

Elizabeth Bridges first visited Hexley in June 1895. During her two week stay she toured the area making plenty of notes and sketches which were complied into a book on her return home. In the following months Elizabeth travelled to Hexley on numerous occasions and having become so fond of the place and people there she became a permanent Hexley resident in 1896. With her minature notebook and pencil always close to hand she could often be seen sketching or taking notes on one of the latest discoveries or inventions.

This illustration of Elizabeth Bridges is available to buy as a print in my Etsy shop.