Charcoal landscape sketch:Across the fields, in a Stillman and Birn Alpha sketchbook with Willow charcoal and Derwent charcoal pencil

Across the Fields near Great Bowden

A4 Stillman and Birn Alpha sketchbook, willow charcoal and Derwent charcoal pencil

A charcoal sketch on a hazy but sunny morning with layers of spring growth.   First the long grass and cow parsley of the verge, some light against dark, some dark against light.  Then the hawthorn hedge - a complex mix of light and dark and gaps between twigs where the field could be seen through.  Then a field of growing wheat, a further hawthorn hedge, a bright yellow field of rape, a further hedge beyond which the land falls away to a valley -  and then the far hills, blue and hazy with a few distant fields outlined by more hedges and more yellow rape.  On the right a distant wood looking deeper blue.  Patern and tone.

I had actually gone to sketch more sheep but they'd been moved to another field.

Every year I mean to sketch the fields when these vivid areas of bright yellow are there and usually don't make it in time.  Soon the petals will fall and all will be green again - and peoples sinuses will be much happier, mine included.  I need to track down some flax fields later in the year as the blue is lovely.