tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8467390369172927122024-03-08T04:21:13.874-08:00 It's all a bit sketchy...Liz Porterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07517096942920264178noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846739036917292712.post-33531536928764505922016-09-20T16:51:00.002-07:002016-09-20T16:51:11.017-07:00In Colombia!<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eu-oLwQM5Xc/V-HK5aZHAmI/AAAAAAAAA_Y/KQcS0oD3pekaO4MAWMLkuZIw9DES9IaCACK4B/s1600/Simon%2BBolivar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eu-oLwQM5Xc/V-HK5aZHAmI/AAAAAAAAA_Y/KQcS0oD3pekaO4MAWMLkuZIw9DES9IaCACK4B/s320/Simon%2BBolivar.jpg" width="213" /></a>I am in South America! Here is Simon Bolivar, the Great Liberator, commemorated in squares, on bank notes, in street names, in country names, all across the continent. He apparently visited Salento in 1830, the same year he died. It is probable as apparently the main road from Lima to Santa Marta went through Salento. Lots of place names. Look on a map!Liz Porterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07517096942920264178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846739036917292712.post-14326105588365623672015-09-28T12:52:00.001-07:002015-09-28T12:52:17.430-07:00Portugal scenes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lQw6zWE9i2I/VgmaG7swQoI/AAAAAAAAA-Q/Bbm2Yku28Ts/s1600/Porto%2Bstreet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lQw6zWE9i2I/VgmaG7swQoI/AAAAAAAAA-Q/Bbm2Yku28Ts/s320/Porto%2Bstreet.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RizGItWMzkI/VgmaJjq4ebI/AAAAAAAAA-Y/MTfH6d_KY_g/s1600/Serralves%2Bteahouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RizGItWMzkI/VgmaJjq4ebI/AAAAAAAAA-Y/MTfH6d_KY_g/s320/Serralves%2Bteahouse.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kWjqiFJoYG0/VgmaLk89skI/AAAAAAAAA-g/c7pkcedazfw/s1600/Coimbra%2Bcathedral.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kWjqiFJoYG0/VgmaLk89skI/AAAAAAAAA-g/c7pkcedazfw/s320/Coimbra%2Bcathedral.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Qt7ShR9_CPA/VgmaM_ubRgI/AAAAAAAAA-o/2iXc_qdUViQ/s1600/Coimbra%2Bstudents.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Qt7ShR9_CPA/VgmaM_ubRgI/AAAAAAAAA-o/2iXc_qdUViQ/s320/Coimbra%2Bstudents.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PIujK4b6kc0/VgmaRsPYIZI/AAAAAAAAA-4/0Mka4zTgtDA/s1600/Card%2Bplayers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PIujK4b6kc0/VgmaRsPYIZI/AAAAAAAAA-4/0Mka4zTgtDA/s320/Card%2Bplayers.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6LVOyB6vfA4/VgmaTCos8uI/AAAAAAAAA_A/eE307eXFA2Y/s1600/Cafe%2BLisbon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6LVOyB6vfA4/VgmaTCos8uI/AAAAAAAAA_A/eE307eXFA2Y/s320/Cafe%2BLisbon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Liz Porterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07517096942920264178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846739036917292712.post-36201711610551882582015-09-28T12:17:00.003-07:002015-09-28T12:17:33.408-07:00Q - R - S<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i51_iWPk_lo/VgmSC76OcXI/AAAAAAAAA9w/uGkO51KNWaw/s1600/Queen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i51_iWPk_lo/VgmSC76OcXI/AAAAAAAAA9w/uGkO51KNWaw/s320/Queen.jpg" width="320" /></a> Her majesty the Queen gracing a £20 note</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lCuoRwGGwtE/VgmSFy3PNlI/AAAAAAAAA94/bmRFvK1Zs5s/s1600/Ring.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lCuoRwGGwtE/VgmSFy3PNlI/AAAAAAAAA94/bmRFvK1Zs5s/s320/Ring.jpg" width="179" /></a> Ring</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-luhxz_fukGY/VgmSH81hafI/AAAAAAAAA-A/rbMEVY5et44/s1600/Shoe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-luhxz_fukGY/VgmSH81hafI/AAAAAAAAA-A/rbMEVY5et44/s320/Shoe.jpg" width="320" /></a> Shoe</div>
<br />Liz Porterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07517096942920264178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846739036917292712.post-84417358729762143462015-08-09T04:38:00.001-07:002015-08-09T04:38:17.669-07:00M - N - O - P<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k_Uy8QO-QCw/Vcc7C7guh8I/AAAAAAAAA9E/94cTN1zl6wA/s1600/Myself.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k_Uy8QO-QCw/Vcc7C7guh8I/AAAAAAAAA9E/94cTN1zl6wA/s320/Myself.jpg" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Myself - rather scratchy self-portrait but a fun exercise!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Y7avSRxn1sM/Vcc7EVsEvKI/AAAAAAAAA9M/mkYIapb_yLc/s1600/Necklace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Y7avSRxn1sM/Vcc7EVsEvKI/AAAAAAAAA9M/mkYIapb_yLc/s320/Necklace.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-furYSD1FCH8/Vcc7FhKWOJI/AAAAAAAAA9U/wwTP_WxJLMM/s1600/Outside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-furYSD1FCH8/Vcc7FhKWOJI/AAAAAAAAA9U/wwTP_WxJLMM/s320/Outside.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside! Sitting on the steps of my flat with a lovely leafy view. Black and white cat from next door came to hang out too.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peanut butter!</td></tr>
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<br />Liz Porterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07517096942920264178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846739036917292712.post-23998492233525979492015-08-03T13:03:00.002-07:002015-08-03T13:03:41.709-07:00I - J - K - L<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-40O47MemwPg/Vb_IhezC92I/AAAAAAAAA8c/UTd55FCFgKQ/s1600/Ice%2Bpack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-40O47MemwPg/Vb_IhezC92I/AAAAAAAAA8c/UTd55FCFgKQ/s320/Ice%2Bpack.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ice pack - this was a last minute one "what can I find in the house which starts with 'i'??" </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Onj_sNwVzQU/Vb_Ii8Z4ewI/AAAAAAAAA8k/eSYVjtF35N8/s1600/Japanese%2Bflautist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Onj_sNwVzQU/Vb_Ii8Z4ewI/AAAAAAAAA8k/eSYVjtF35N8/s320/Japanese%2Bflautist.jpg" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Japanese flautist - from some old artwork at the Decorative Artworks Museum in Dublin</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aqmCwXf2eeI/Vb_IkPAfh9I/AAAAAAAAA8s/JAiePxfhuVQ/s1600/Keys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aqmCwXf2eeI/Vb_IkPAfh9I/AAAAAAAAA8s/JAiePxfhuVQ/s320/Keys.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Keys! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ra7FNsyg5Es/Vb_Il2uujVI/AAAAAAAAA80/XwyvD46_MME/s1600/Laundry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ra7FNsyg5Es/Vb_Il2uujVI/AAAAAAAAA80/XwyvD46_MME/s320/Laundry.jpg" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laundry!</td></tr>
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<br />Liz Porterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07517096942920264178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846739036917292712.post-65568552019218654532015-08-01T11:25:00.003-07:002015-08-01T11:27:44.327-07:00E - F - G - H<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-08QG5arPiv4/Vb0OS2MhurI/AAAAAAAAA74/9ilanvibN2U/s1600/Earring.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="177" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-08QG5arPiv4/Vb0OS2MhurI/AAAAAAAAA74/9ilanvibN2U/s320/Earring.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Earring</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MbWBn7pLtJ4/Vb0OUNsBpUI/AAAAAAAAA78/QzvwBHq44NQ/s1600/Falcon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MbWBn7pLtJ4/Vb0OUNsBpUI/AAAAAAAAA78/QzvwBHq44NQ/s320/Falcon.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Falcon (at the Natural History Museum)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ljOAM7_gjCc/Vb0OU0VkCGI/AAAAAAAAA8I/TQCFIyWMufs/s1600/Glass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ljOAM7_gjCc/Vb0OU0VkCGI/AAAAAAAAA8I/TQCFIyWMufs/s320/Glass.jpg" width="177" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glass (drawn on a napkin at a friend's wedding!)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--z24o28fmAU/Vb0OV3NOjHI/AAAAAAAAA8Q/k7hjpjhcDHc/s1600/Hugh%2BLane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--z24o28fmAU/Vb0OV3NOjHI/AAAAAAAAA8Q/k7hjpjhcDHc/s320/Hugh%2BLane.jpg" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Sir) Hugh Lane (from a newspaper photo)</td></tr>
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<br />Liz Porterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07517096942920264178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846739036917292712.post-84791866788545819702015-05-28T14:53:00.002-07:002015-05-28T14:53:48.796-07:00B - C - D<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
B is for banana!<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3Jb3EONKo_s/VWeOGf1ry-I/AAAAAAAAA7U/Tqnat7cVlnA/s1600/WP_20150526_20_00_44_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3Jb3EONKo_s/VWeOGf1ry-I/AAAAAAAAA7U/Tqnat7cVlnA/s320/WP_20150526_20_00_44_Pro.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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C is for chocolate rabbit!<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Zmg38Iwkkac/VWeOJ1rjHXI/AAAAAAAAA7c/wZo1I5GrIsk/s1600/WP_20150427_22_13_58_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Zmg38Iwkkac/VWeOJ1rjHXI/AAAAAAAAA7c/wZo1I5GrIsk/s320/WP_20150427_22_13_58_Pro.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
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D is for dishes (in the sink - just visible!)<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ylb7g3KxMzw/VWeOL9lkyxI/AAAAAAAAA7k/p1YeQMdutsM/s1600/WP_20150528_22_28_25_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ylb7g3KxMzw/VWeOL9lkyxI/AAAAAAAAA7k/p1YeQMdutsM/s320/WP_20150528_22_28_25_Pro.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Liz Porterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07517096942920264178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846739036917292712.post-42546334128962607172015-05-24T06:44:00.001-07:002015-05-24T06:44:06.107-07:00An A-Z of drawing!<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YAHKy6NgQ70/VWHVkMx_oOI/AAAAAAAAA7E/0FcbnmbelS4/s1600/WP_20150425_21_18_56_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YAHKy6NgQ70/VWHVkMx_oOI/AAAAAAAAA7E/0FcbnmbelS4/s320/WP_20150425_21_18_56_Pro.jpg" width="320" /></a>So I have recently been doing a drawing challenge with a friend in which each day, we draw something starting with a letter of the alphabet, from A through to Z. We take turns (I did A, she did B, I did C etc.) and send each other the results via the amazing technology that is WhatsApp!! We just completed the first run-through and are now doing it again, but this time doing the letters we didn't do last time. Here is a preview! My A (there is a little creativity allowed - sorry this was A for ankle boots...). More to come soon...Liz Porterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07517096942920264178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846739036917292712.post-24361438899248437942015-05-24T06:31:00.004-07:002015-05-24T06:31:56.560-07:00Pen sketch 2<div>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HzS2l9rbAJ8/VWHOS0saFhI/AAAAAAAAA60/o11LLKHw0Z0/s1600/WP_20150519_23_12_44_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HzS2l9rbAJ8/VWHOS0saFhI/AAAAAAAAA60/o11LLKHw0Z0/s320/WP_20150519_23_12_44_Pro.jpg" width="179" /></a>This one is not done from life I'm afraid, rather from a black and white portrait in the newspaper which caught my eye. And led me to look up the photographer, a man from Northern Ireland called Bobbie Hanvey who turns out to be quite a prominent photographer and broadcaster, you can have a look at hundreds of his photos <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/bc-burnslibrary/collections/72157622592017038/">here</a>. </div>
<br />Liz Porterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07517096942920264178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846739036917292712.post-76396332927000820672015-05-24T06:30:00.000-07:002015-05-24T06:46:00.625-07:00Pen sketch 1<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hHXNGiVZRLk/VWHORFT4x2I/AAAAAAAAA6s/v76nPog7ffo/s1600/WP_20150521_21_31_31_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hHXNGiVZRLk/VWHORFT4x2I/AAAAAAAAA6s/v76nPog7ffo/s320/WP_20150521_21_31_31_Pro.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I am all about the black pen and plain 15 x 8cm notepad at the moment. It feels like an easy challenge as I don't have much paper to fill - although I do tend to then get quite involved with lots of detail, which is no bad thing. This one is from the local life-drawing class which I occasionally go to. It was probably meant to be a warm-up sketch but I think I then spent at least 30 minutes on it.</div>
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Liz Porterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07517096942920264178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846739036917292712.post-66662154733851216922015-02-15T10:36:00.000-08:002015-02-15T10:36:03.279-08:00We're going to the (dead) zoo! Zoo! Zoo!<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QQkbzFRzl0Q/VODki0UTIrI/AAAAAAAAA5U/R8GX4_tlBCU/s1600/NH140215.1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QQkbzFRzl0Q/VODki0UTIrI/AAAAAAAAA5U/R8GX4_tlBCU/s1600/NH140215.1.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a>Having not been to Dublin's wonderful National History Museum in a while to sketch, I decided to pay a visit this weekend. It's a great old place full of animals stuffed about 100 years ago. Naturally it's pretty busy with families but you can still get some drawing done fairly peacefully. On today's trip my energy was buoyed by a free coffee from a lovely guy at Lolly and Cooks on Merrion Street who <u>could</u> have made me spend the €5 minimum on my card on finding that I had no change but instead sent me off with a free latte! Then I'd just come out of the cafe to see traffic police holding everyone back so that the Irish rugby team in their big green coach could go past on their way to the National Stadium where they would trounce the French! (Well, beat them at least, I know nothing about rugby to know whether it was a trouncing or a fluke!) Anyway excitement over and it was on the the Museum.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tQYOp5V3a4I/VODknvSBVqI/AAAAAAAAA5k/T3aM6WDq9Bw/s1600/NH150215.1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tQYOp5V3a4I/VODknvSBVqI/AAAAAAAAA5k/T3aM6WDq9Bw/s1600/NH150215.1.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aXS5n6b3ou0/VODkmtrbzZI/AAAAAAAAA5c/tDMgQtcONZA/s1600/NH140215.2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a>I usually start with something 'easy', in other words small, and for some reason birds seem easier than mammals, maybe because the form is easier to observe on something with feathers than fur??<br />
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This pair of wild dogs fighting is something I'd been wanting to draw for a while. There should be a big skull of a some kind of deer in the middle i.e. what they are supposed to be fighting over!</div>
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Big giant moose seemed to big a task to draw the whole body but he had such a sad look on his face so I thought I'd just do that.</div>
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Koala bear looked cute in his exhibit box but turned out a little evil on paper!</div>
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Liz Porterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07517096942920264178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846739036917292712.post-32951192209119592472014-12-21T13:39:00.000-08:002014-12-21T13:39:13.935-08:00Christmas time!...... is here again and with the holidays (2 weeks off work!) a good opportunity and more importantly NO EXCUSES for not doing some drawing! Here are some festive objects from around the house. <br />
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Firstly, a) some little wooden decorations off the tree...<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qaqydBFJSzE/VJc8GJMLKqI/AAAAAAAAA5E/X7zmbjjPKWs/s1600/Mince%2Bpie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qaqydBFJSzE/VJc8GJMLKqI/AAAAAAAAA5E/X7zmbjjPKWs/s1600/Mince%2Bpie.jpg" height="235" width="320" /></a>b) Mmmmmm. Okay so this wasn't exactly 'from around the house', rather taken from a tin put on a plate put in microwave until pop! It cracked. My very own home-made mince pies cooked with love and brought over from Dublin. I managed to last a good few minutes drawing this particular specimen until the smell of sugar, fruit and rum got the better of me and I had to eat it!<br />
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Click on the pictures for high-resolution versions!Liz Porterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07517096942920264178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846739036917292712.post-89469004258661027062014-07-06T11:29:00.003-07:002014-12-20T10:44:02.863-08:00The National Gallery<div style="text-align: right;">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DxXBO_uvoX4/VJWfa3kODcI/AAAAAAAAA4A/4_IsQhXJqUo/s1600/NG1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DxXBO_uvoX4/VJWfa3kODcI/AAAAAAAAA4A/4_IsQhXJqUo/s1600/NG1.jpg" height="320" width="217" /></a>I finally made it to the National Gallery today, which I had been planning to visit since arriving in Dublin 6 weeks ago, and also which is only 5 minutes walk from my work! Actually I had been inside the building just to get some information - asked the nice lady on front desk what period the art was from - was told "Well they're all dead now"... and just remembered I'd planned to try and prove her wrong by finding something by a living artist! Ah well, next time. Anyway she's probably right. They seem to be in the middle of a long long refurbishment project so the majority of the works are in storage, but there's still a good collection of both Irish and international art.<br />
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Liz Porterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07517096942920264178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846739036917292712.post-58493100279427405572014-07-06T11:12:00.002-07:002014-12-20T08:09:05.248-08:00La la la la last weekend!<br />
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Another sketch, another Dublin statue! This guy is hidden away singing
his heart out in a corner of the rather lovely Iveagh Gardens in the
city centre. World famous, apparently...<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B6khfVf1NHQ/VJWfDuELCyI/AAAAAAAAA34/zh3ol0aVxlg/s1600/Chester%2BBeatty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B6khfVf1NHQ/VJWfDuELCyI/AAAAAAAAA34/zh3ol0aVxlg/s1600/Chester%2BBeatty.jpg" height="320" width="264" /></a>I also went along to the Chester Beatty library on Sunday with the Dublin Sketchers drawing group (<a href="http://dublinsketchers.blogspot.ie/">http://dublinsketchers.blogspot.ie/</a>). The place is a fantastic collection of all sorts of artistic treasures - illustrations, manuscripts, textiles, decorative items... ALL sorts. My personal favourites were a selection of 16th century Middle Eastern drawings with text of New World people, plants, buildings and animals, which the artist had based on some Italian writings... ok I'm not sure if these details are correct, but anyway, the artist had drawn an armadillo as a bird, and a blue anteater... great place to draw, if a little dark (to preserve all the ancient art!). The sketch on the right is taken from a Japanese print of some famous actor of his time. He should be holding a big yellow chair over his head but I ran out of time / space! <br />
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<a href="http://dublinsketchers.blogspot.ie/"><br /></a>Liz Porterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07517096942920264178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846739036917292712.post-41483237853593236192014-06-09T04:50:00.003-07:002014-06-09T04:52:01.029-07:00The Dead ZooSketches from a visit to the Natural History Museum in Dublin.<br />
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<br />Liz Porterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07517096942920264178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846739036917292712.post-87696111377271527312014-06-01T11:31:00.001-07:002014-06-02T13:10:26.460-07:00New country, new post!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Very very very long time no blogpost... but that will all be changing as I have a whole new city to serve as inspiration - having been relocated to Dublin, Ireland!<br />
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One of the first things I did upon arriving was look up drawing classes etc. I found a local sketching group and below are the results from my first outing with them. We met in a big busy cafe in the city centre, famous for its opulent art-nouveau style interior (not going to name and shame but if you've been to Dublin, you've probably been there), less famous for its impatient and unwelcoming staff, trying to move me on while only half-way through my coffee... and I hadn't even got my sketch book out at this stage! Needless to say when I did so, it didn't go down too well with the waiters. Hmm!! So this was all I managed in there...</div>
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So I decided to head to nearby St Stephen's Green as no-one would be kicking me out of there, not till sunset anyway (which incidentally is about 21:45 round here!), and found some nice sculptures to sketch. Firstly this bloke, who internet research tells me was a Bengali polymath, and also the only non-Irish person to have a statue on the green.<br />
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Secondly this bloke, who is quite famous round these parts. </div>
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<br />Liz Porterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07517096942920264178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846739036917292712.post-88567244733487312982012-11-04T07:58:00.003-08:002012-11-04T08:01:31.624-08:00Sicilian architecture, mostly!After working hard all summer it was finally holiday time at the end of September, so I took off to Sicily for a week of quality food, scenery and weather. And it didn't disappoint - first stop was Catania, which I arrived in about 9pm and promptly headed out for some <i>fettuccine alla norma </i>(pasta with aubergines and tomato sauce, which I later discovered is a local speciality) and to marvel at the beautiful architecture. The next day I had a few hours before my bus left, so I went back to the main square to sketch the cathedral.<br />
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Then it was on to Taormina, a small beach resort on the side of a cliff just up the coast from Catania. After checking into the smallest room ever in an otherwise quite luxurious hotel, and plastering myself in suncream, I headed down to the beach via an interesting hillside path. Typically the beach by this time was actually in the shade, but still good for a nice swim and very picturesque with a little island just about joined to the mainland by a small rocky causeway.<br />
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The next day I headed in the opposite direction, further up the hill to another village which overlooked Taormina and the coast, and had great views over to Mount Etna. I sat in the shade in some castle ruins and sketched the rooftops until hunger got the better of me!<br />
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After 2 days in Taormina my next destination was Petralia Sottana, a small town on the edge of the Madonie mountains in northern Sicily. Most people had been saying to me "Why are you going there?" and "How are you going to get there??" but undeterred I continued with the plan - in the end it was actually a pretty straightforward, if long, journey. While there I failed to do any hiking in the mountains proper (my map-reading and orientation skills let me down!) but did have some nice walks in the countryside around the town. When I first arrived and asked for directions to my hotel, I was told it was just after "the church". I passed about ten churches before I found it, and concluded that the below is officially THE church.<br />
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Next stop was the big city Palermo for the last 3 days - typically chaotic, hot, beautiful. No sketches of the city unfortunately so this last one is Cefalu, a beach town 1 hour by train from Palermo which has the most fantastic setting, just below a massive 270m rock which you can climb for amazing views up and down the coast. After the climb and a very satisfying picnic lunch of <i>arancini</i> (deep-fried risotto balls - delicious, really!) and <i>cassata</i> (sponge cake with ricotta and candied fruit) I went back to the town for a wander and a swim and a sketch of the harbour.<br />
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<br />Liz Porterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07517096942920264178noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846739036917292712.post-69416044614782056812012-09-18T14:52:00.000-07:002012-09-18T14:52:56.293-07:00Fashion!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Phew! Long time no post (or sketch!). Which I blame entirely on spending
the first half of the year studying for my TEFL diploma... and then
just being out of habit. Anyway, I have been forced to get back into it
as I have taken over running the drawing club at school! Numbers have
been a little disheartening - usually nobody turns up, though I had an
impressive 4 students last week!<br />
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In a bid to make it more interesting we are piloting taking students
out rather than sitting in a classroom drawing whatever ropey still-life
I can cobble together from assorted bits and bobs in the staffroom. So,
today it was me and lovely loyal Elina from Japan going off to the
V&A for some inspiration. On her request we went to the fashion
section, the results of which (well, mine, not hers!) can be seen here.
We have a combination of 50s ballgown, Christian Dior dress suit thingy
and a 19th century corset. <br />
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If you were wondering pt 1: lovely Elina did some super-detailed sketches of a flowery lace headscarf (no copies to upload here, you'll have to take my word for it!). If you were wondering pt 2: Yes there is a bra suspended in mid-air behind the dress in the first picture.Liz Porterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07517096942920264178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846739036917292712.post-77564431912817304242011-12-02T13:12:00.000-08:002011-12-02T13:25:17.801-08:00Yawns, epic struggles and contemplationsI have been so unproductive on the drawing front lately! Here are a few recent sketches from sculptures in the V&A Museum and Saatchi Gallery.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XrSY7PpD8tw/TtlAcqL14UI/AAAAAAAAAnE/eVrFzg2U8yg/s1600/Photo0776.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 196px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XrSY7PpD8tw/TtlAcqL14UI/AAAAAAAAAnE/eVrFzg2U8yg/s320/Photo0776.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681643266009063746" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bir6xTLrWts/Ttk_e9XHr6I/AAAAAAAAAms/shI4H821qLc/s1600/Photo0774.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bir6xTLrWts/Ttk_e9XHr6I/AAAAAAAAAms/shI4H821qLc/s320/Photo0774.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681642206004752290" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CRwVxvNgOsk/TtlAVx-Bm8I/AAAAAAAAAm4/UoRmX3tezt0/s1600/Photo0775.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CRwVxvNgOsk/TtlAVx-Bm8I/AAAAAAAAAm4/UoRmX3tezt0/s320/Photo0775.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681643147839511490" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EbPMoh1osag/TtlAtl5zQmI/AAAAAAAAAnQ/2F9j_8qOeHU/s1600/Photo0777.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 209px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EbPMoh1osag/TtlAtl5zQmI/AAAAAAAAAnQ/2F9j_8qOeHU/s320/Photo0777.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681643556917428834" border="0" /></a>Liz Porterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07517096942920264178noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846739036917292712.post-3572701302801430372011-10-25T15:09:00.000-07:002011-10-25T15:18:08.095-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tzg-e5z8Gzs/Tqczy5CjE4I/AAAAAAAAAmQ/FL34KWNZ__0/s1600/Photo0723.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tzg-e5z8Gzs/Tqczy5CjE4I/AAAAAAAAAmQ/FL34KWNZ__0/s320/Photo0723.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667555605467042690" border="0" /></a><br />A pile of clothes on a pile of chairs at the life drawing (minus model!) session this afternoon at the EFL school where I work. The teacher did a nice introduction on contrast, cross-hatching, foreshortening etc, then got the students started drawing the lovely still life composition above. Everyone seemed to be getting on well, we had a nice mix of nationalities, the teacher was moving about giving the usual encouraging comments, then he got to one girl and said "Hmmm, Ok, well, it's always open to interpretation..." I wondered ooh what abstract thing will she have done? Turns out she was just drawing a picture of her cat. The instructions must have got lost in translation...Liz Porterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07517096942920264178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846739036917292712.post-59589558758568367022011-10-22T07:06:00.000-07:002011-10-22T07:22:16.498-07:00Hanging out<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xr6uZ5qznBo/TqLOJZ3f3aI/AAAAAAAAAl4/W2wHRVgOWSk/s1600/Photo0720.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xr6uZ5qznBo/TqLOJZ3f3aI/AAAAAAAAAl4/W2wHRVgOWSk/s320/Photo0720.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5666317942143311266" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C46dSdytdpQ/TqLQVEiPjOI/AAAAAAAAAmE/ZYaOTC_jYy0/s1600/Photo0721.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C46dSdytdpQ/TqLQVEiPjOI/AAAAAAAAAmE/ZYaOTC_jYy0/s320/Photo0721.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5666320341598702818" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I paid another trip recently to Nunhead Cemetery, a beautifully overgrown Victorian cemetery full of cracked, uneven gravestones and the odd angel. These are a couple of pen and watercolour sketches I did there.Liz Porterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07517096942920264178noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846739036917292712.post-25467210002539898502011-10-06T14:19:00.001-07:002011-10-06T14:25:11.340-07:00The garden series: part 2<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-avbrGTRBOYY/To4bjR9N3RI/AAAAAAAAAlw/OGBVTG4O6ms/s1600/Photo0685.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 295px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-avbrGTRBOYY/To4bjR9N3RI/AAAAAAAAAlw/OGBVTG4O6ms/s320/Photo0685.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660492074580827410" border="0" /></a><br />Well, yard more than garden, to be accurate. The deformed dartboard has deformed further since I started doing this one! The ring with the numbers on it is now hanging below the dartboard! There are no longer two darts, but one, and that one has lost its point so is basically no longer a dart! To add further woe, the hammock I was doing this drawing from is on its last legs (moth victim?) and can only be used if you're able to distribute your weight completely evenly while getting into it (i.e. never!)Liz Porterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07517096942920264178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846739036917292712.post-9312152635415828982011-08-07T04:19:00.000-07:002011-08-07T04:24:33.930-07:00The garden series: part 1<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jZKV6HBAFco/Tj50wdSE9dI/AAAAAAAAAlc/TXFjg7RP-o4/s1600/Garden%2B2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 245px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jZKV6HBAFco/Tj50wdSE9dI/AAAAAAAAAlc/TXFjg7RP-o4/s320/Garden%2B2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638072159357433298" border="0" /></a>The upper patio in the beautiful garden at my parents' house with plants, birds and sleeping cats a-plenty... part 2 will be an almost-finished sketch of the back yard in my house with its clothes lines and deformed dartboard, as soon as it stops raining for long enough for me to finish!Liz Porterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07517096942920264178noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846739036917292712.post-715482284061897312011-08-07T04:17:00.000-07:002011-08-07T04:19:08.640-07:00pen put to paper at last!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AiM4t9mtNk0/Tj50Qbqk2lI/AAAAAAAAAlU/WQ9SZmuI2r8/s1600/Forest%2Bhill%2Bstation.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AiM4t9mtNk0/Tj50Qbqk2lI/AAAAAAAAAlU/WQ9SZmuI2r8/s320/Forest%2Bhill%2Bstation.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638071609167501906" border="0" /></a><br />Speed-sketch of north-bound platform at Forest Hill Station.Liz Porterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07517096942920264178noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846739036917292712.post-40615283055420285622011-05-20T16:23:00.000-07:002011-05-20T16:38:27.772-07:00On yer bike!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1otoRl6U6Wg/Tdb5JRuZSMI/AAAAAAAAAkw/BUzKesziltw/s1600/Photo0473.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1otoRl6U6Wg/Tdb5JRuZSMI/AAAAAAAAAkw/BUzKesziltw/s320/Photo0473.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608944323708668098" border="0" /></a>So, it was tuesday evening and I had an hour to kill round Victoria way after work, and I headed out to find somewhere for a nice (decaf) coffee and some sketching. After proving WRONG the theory that in London you're never more than 6 metres from a Cafe Nero, I decided to settle for Starbucks only to discover it was a miniscule one with NO COMFY SEATS! Booo! Then I spied some wicker chairs and tables out the back, so taking my vanilla ("not too much syrup it can be a bit too sweet") latte with me and ignoring the voice in my head saying "Er you've got a horrible cold and sore throat, stay inside!!" I sat myself down, looked up and saw I had a perfect view of Westminster Cathedral. And... decided the viewpoint was a bit too difficult, so drew this lovely Boris Bike instead. Of course, it hadn't occurred to me that somebody might actually want to <span style="font-style: italic;">hire</span> a hire bike, so there were a few hairy moments when people came over, fiddled about with keys and cards and things and I immediately speeded up my sketching, but fortunately it seemed there was something wrong with it so my subject was left be for me to finish. Result! And by the way, the left handlebar is higher than the right one in real life, not just my measurements gone wrong. No idea why.Liz Porterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07517096942920264178noreply@blogger.com6