One Sketch #26) Seagulls

Yes, I was looking for inspiration at lunchtime, and these little buggers were standing on my windowsill. I snatched up my biro and a piece of paper.

There's pickings to be found

On the grass, on the ground

Everywhere, all around

It lies.

With my claws and with my beak

I will gather what I seek

I am neither shy, nor meek

No surprise.

So before my verse is through

I should ask, is it not true

- If I'm vicious, aren't you too?

Tell no lies. 

One Sketch #25) Exeter University (Thursday 19th)

Yes, sorry I didn't post yesterday, but I was taking a group of pupils to an event at Exeter University yesterday. 7 hours on a bus, and so although I did make this sketch yesterday, I didn't have the oomph to scan it and post it last night. This is one of the older buildings of the university.

Exeter is a very beautiful university, and I think we saw it to its best advantage yesterday in brilliant warm Spring sunshine. As fort the kids, they were fantastic - we were on the bus 7 hours all told yesterday, and they were a pleasure to be with. 

The Sun is shining

And the world is kind

To give me such pupils

With young and eager minds. 

One Sketch #24) Komodo Dragon

I was stuck for inspiration for today, so I thought about sketching a creature I really like.

It goes back to a children's encyclopaedia I had when I was young, which had a photograph of one in it, and also watching a David Attenborough documentary. What brought it to mind again was a couple of days ago watching Stephen Fry's excellent "Last Chance To See " series.

Not dragon,
Nor dinosaur
Not the stuff of legend
Nor a living fossil.
More than both
I am the stuff of nightmares
Made flesh.

One Sketch #23) Classroom door

As I said in yesterday's post, this is my first week back in work - school - since the Easter break. It's been a hard day. Part of my problem is that the older you get, the less tolerant you get, and the harder it is to put up with the niggling little darlings.

I am too old
A fossil from the chalk age
Too old to do something else
And too young to finish.

Gosh, that's miserable isn't it. Sorry, it's been that kind of day.

One Sketch #22) Abbaye de Hambay in Normandy

No, I haven't been off on a jolly to Normandy. But I did sketch it today, and so it therefore qualifies. I love Normandy, and I love this particular Northern French brand of gothic ecclesiastical architecture.

Pourquoi les batiments Normands
Sont si belles?
It would take a far wiser fellow
Than me to tell.

One Sketch #21) Baby Alfie's bear mat

Right, this is a little bit of a change of pace after all the excitement of the Kaunas sketchpedition. I have 3 grandchildren, and the youngest one, 7 week old Alfie, is spending the night with my wife and me for the first time. I sketched this when we set it up just before he arrived. It's a large, soft, furry mat in the shape of a fat, flat teddy bear, with dangly bunnies and things suspended overhead. He loves it. I'll be honest, I can see the appeal, and wouldn't mind if I was small enough to fit in it myself.

Young man
You'll not stay this way
I know
You'll grow
And learn
And all too soon
Become what you will be.
We'll see
How you will change
But all the same
Stay perfect, as you be.
For perfect's what you are
To me.

Sketchbook Revival

I've just been over to Liz Steel's blog, and seen this free online course offered - called Sketchbook Revival. I followed this link, and signed up. You might want to check it out yourself.

Sketchbook Revival Sign up