Rocks and waves near Bamburgh, Northumbria, charcoal and ink

Rocks and surf near Bamburgh and Howick, ink and charcoal in an A4 S&B Delta sketchbook

There were lovely long stretches of sandy beach but the rocks here were so interesting to sketch.   You can read about the geology here, so different from the rocks I'm used to sketching in Cornwall.

This was done in a cold cold wind with willow charcoal and grey ink, plus some white FW acrylic ink from Daler Rowney.  I love that white ink.   I like the Herbin Gris Nuage ink to draw with twigs as I was here - but it ruins fountain pens :>(.  It was sold as suitable for them too.    Ah well, a fountain pen wouldn't have given me the expressive lines that the twigs did :>)

You can see a drawing done with the grey ink using twigs here.

I've now got several projects to juggle.  One for an exhibition and others for Christmas .... more to comel

Comments

Unknown said…
This is gorgeous! I would like to see a video of how you work with the charcoal and twigs and ink. I can tell it was a cold blustery day when you painted it... something about the scene just has that mood to it. Well done!
4:38 pm
Art Matters said…
I do enjoy the way you combine ink and charcoal - the grey tones of
the ink work well. Do you use fixative as you go along ? I have visions of very messy pages if I used charcoal!
7:56 pm
vivien said…
Merci Cath :>)

I don't usually use fixative until the end Carol - I did have the book on an easel to do this, so my hand wasn't smudging as I went.

I'm glad the weather came through Katherine, worth the hypothermia ;>)

I really was VERY cold by the time I finished. We went off for a coffee in a nice warm pub.
5:31 pm
annie said…
Love your waves and rocks, Vivien, and the link to your twig work. I did enjoy seeing those twiggy trees, again. Lovely washes, there, too.Was that Herbin? Bad for pens but safe for hair brushes? Or NOT??I have saved the geology links. The diversity of rocks and how they formed always amazes me. Thanks for the tip about the Herbin Gris and pens-- So disappointing.
12:44 am
vivien said…
I wouldn't use hair brushes with it, just nylon. I didn't use any brushes at all with these or the woods though. Twigs make an amazing variety of marks, so they weren't needed.

Yes both with the Herbin Gris Nuage. I really like it but shipping is too expensive. :-(

I agree on the fascination of geology :-)
10:31 pm
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