drawing

Animals in Winter – January 2026 – Saturday

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Twenty two artists met at the hall last Saturday, whilst one poorly artist painted at home then sent in photos of her pictures. It was a lovely relaxing day with arty friends catching up with each other over a cuppa and biscuits. To all members ill with this sore throat/cough bug, get better soon!

The suggested subject of ‘Animals in Winter’ was a popular one and several artists produced two pictures during the day. There were squirrels, highland cattle, foxes, squirrels, deer, birds, puffins, a snow leopard, hares, butterflies, a rabbit, ladybirds, a dormouse and robins. Several different mediums were used, such as watercolours, soft pastels, graphite pencils, acrylics, coloured pencils and inks. Some pictures are finished and others are works in progress, such as a landscape waiting for the animal to be added. The last 5 pictures were created at another art group but are of the same subject.

Some artists chose their own themes to draw and paint with pencils, pastels and watercolours.

Well done, everyone, it was a very productive day!

Ideas for next month will be published on 1st February and the next session will be on Wednesday 11th February from 7-9pm.

Back to Basics – January 2026 – Wednesday

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On a cold, dark Wednesday evening fifteen artists met for the first session of 2026. There were twelve members and three ladies who came along to experience drawing with the art group. We hope you enjoyed yourselves, Christina, Jackie and Isabelle, and want to come along again and join us!

The suggested session was ‘back to basics’ to draw in monochrome pencils and get used to drawing again after the Christmas and New Year break. Many pictures were produced including some drawn at home and at another art group. If you can’t come to a session you’re welcome to do the suggested subject at home and sent Tracy photos that day or the next for inclusion in the blog post.

Some references have been included so you can see the images and objects that we worked from.

Brenda was very productive sketching with ink and her subjects were other artists at the session. Can you see who she drew?

Good work everyone, it was great to see you being creative as we haven’t had an art session since last November.

Our next session is on Saturday 24th January from 10am to 3pm. This will be on the 4th Saturday of January not the 5th one. Hope to see you there!

Open Day – Saturday 22nd November 2025

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Our annual Open Day had 23 artists painting at the hall, 22 members and a young friend of one member being creative with us to see if she’d like to join the group. We welcomed about 40 friends, family, local residents and people who had seen the Open Day advertised on social media.

We all enjoyed the day painting and chatting to visitors and several commented that it’s really interesting to see artists at work whilst they enjoyed walking around the exhibition.

Words from visitors in the comments book included…

“Amazing artwork!” “Really enjoyed the exhibition!” “Wonderful work – so many good artists with different styles.” “Brilliant work, very good standard.” “Well done all of you.”

84 framed paintings were on the walls with 4 sold, one each by Sandra and Tracy and two by Patrick. Well done, Patrick, that’s brilliant!

There were browsers with 70 mounted pictures, with 2 sold by Peta and Angela and Dot sold 3 of her greetings cards. Two enquiries about membership were made. The 4 hours seemed to go past very quickly.

Thank you to everyone who helped with hanging on Friday evening and a HUGE thank you to all members who kept tea, coffee and biscuits constantly supplied to visitors on the day. Also for washing up and drying so many cups, saucers and teaspoons. We couldn’t run the day without your help and enthusiasm!

Here are all the paintings from Friday evening’s hanging session. (Apologies for the yellow cast on the photos, that’s the dull lighting at the hall, but the photos have been brightened.)

Our last session of 2025 will be the Christmas Party on Wednesday 10th December from 7-9pm.

Please email Tracy asap if you’d like to come to the party.

Jane Austen – November 2025 – Wednesday

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Ten members came along to Wednesday evening’s session and enjoyed painting together and having a chat over biscuits and a cuppa.

The suggested subject was Jane Austen as this year is the 250th anniversary of her birth. Unfortunately it was not a popular subject with only one member having a go. The picture took a long time to draw out so only a little watercolour paint was added at the session and it will be finished at home.

Other artists drew and painting to their own subjects with many themes started or continued in watercolours, acrylics and coloured pencils.

Our next meeting is on Friday 21st November 7-9pm when we hang all the paintings for our Open Day on Saturday 22nd November. It’s a normal timed session from 10am to 3pm, with visitors from 10.30am to 2.30pm.

Please email Steve asap with details of all your paintings! Thank you :o)

Tracy’s pictures

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Tracy took part in Inktober 2025 by drawing an image every day using a 4-coloured ball point pen. By dividing up 2 pages of a sketchbook each box was only 5cm x 7cm. Each small picture took less than 5 minutes, including a quick sketch in pencil.

Every day was suggested by a list of prompts. Tracy’s favourite days were the 4th – ‘murky’, the 20th – ‘rivals’ and the 26th – ‘puzzling’. The 30th – ‘vacant’ was the easiest!

Tracy also finished her ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’ picture, now called ‘Zentangle Girl with a Holographic Earring’. Drawn using a black waterproof pen, a Faber Castell Polychromos coloured pencil in Cold Grey III and some holographic nail varnish.

Railway 200 – October 2025 – Wednesday

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Eleven members met on Wednesday evening to draw and paint together over a cuppa and biscuits. The suggested subject was the 200th anniversary of the first passenger railway journey on the Stockton and Darlington Railway, with artists invited to paint historical or any age locomotives up to modern times.

Some paintings have been photographed with the reference image, to see how the artist was inspired.

Some members created pictures to their own theme or continued artworks from previous sessions.

The next session is on Saturday 25th October from 10am to 3pm. Check the newsletter from 1st October for the subject idea.

Inktober 2025

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In addition to our usual two sessions this month, why not give Inktober 2025 a go?

Started in 2009 Inktober is now a worldwide event for artists to draw a picture in ink daily (you can use pencil underneath) and share their work or just for the pleasure of being creative every day.

Use a sketchbook for your images or any surface. If you don’t have much time, use a Post-it note pad for a small picture every day.

Website here… https://inktober.com

Please send Tracy photos of your images if you try the challenge.

Still Life – September 2025 – Saturday

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It was great that the session was well attended with 19 members coming along for a still life session, with plenty of time for a natter over a cuppa and a biscuit. Objects were set up by the artists in front of them, drawings were made and then painted with watercolours and acrylics or further details drawn.

Many of the photos include the still life objects and show the pictures as works in progress. A couple of paintings were done at home of the previous still life theme of fruit and vegetables.

Other artists chose their own subjects.

Super work, everyone, it was an enjoyable day of creativity with good company too!

The next session is on Wednesday 8th October from 7-9pm.

Chris W’s finished painting

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On our trip to Rochester Cathedral last month Chris W started drawing the main wooden doors. At home she painted the doors in watercolours and used pen to define the decorative metalwork. All the more amazing is that the initial drawing was done by eye with no measuring.

Well done, Chris, it’s a beautiful painting!