If you go down to the woods today...

 More experiments in ink-rements. Took my inks to the woods with me and luckily it was by a stream so dogs were happy whilst I got lost in the colours. I was trying to capture the vibrant acid green of a spring wood and the dark dark trees amongst the leaves. The one above I just got into drawing the roots and path but thought I"d try a version of just the green behind.

 This one I just wanted to concentrate on the greens, though the scanner hasn't really got the colours from my actual drawing.

 All works in progress, not sure whether to make the background darker in the one below and draw more ferns emerging from the dark. Really enjoyed doing these, and again I was drawn back to the Scots pines, I've done a few paintings of these three trees with their red barks vibrant against the rest of the wood. More fun to be had I think with this ink, I'm enjoying seeing where its taking me...

Variations on a theme

When we finally got round to uncovering all the bulbs that we'd overwintered in vermiculite, we found these lily sprouting. I loved the colour of the stem and the bulb, and the little white shoots coming out of the base of the stalk, like little grubs.

So after doing the watercolour, I decided to try inks, not totally colour representative but great to see how the inks work and blend with each other. More practice needed I think to get balance right. As I say, a work in progress. Now I've planted the bulb, I'll wait till a flower comes and add it to the picture.

Lightheaded at the lighthouse

 I braved the heady heights of St Abb's and drew the lighthouse, watching the gulls and cormorants and guillemots nesting on the steep cliffs. But I more worryingly watched a young researcher walk to the edges and cling on while he counted the birds. Didn't look like he had a care in the world, whereas my palms were going sweaty just looking at his precarious positions. Just after I finished the ink one a thick ha (sea mist) came in and obliterated everything  from sight, which was a relief as I was getting almightly annoyed with the wind and trying to hang on to the paper and ink and pens and water and hair flapping in wind and.... but had a lovely day out anyway...