The end of August brought some beautiful sunsets and I can definitely feel the seasons changing. It's still nearly 8.30pm before the sun sets but the skies are turning autumnal (note the orange tinges to the pastels - loving my new tangerine colour-range of pastels). It's as if the sun changes colour before the leaves on the trees! The sunrises are nearly as spectacular as the sunsets as everything changes position in the sky ready for the colder seasons - I'll be back to drawing both sunrise and sunset when I next come here.

​These are my last few days on Skye for this season. Lynne's Art Shed will become a normal shed again for a few weeks until the fractured ankle is sorted out and I can drive back up. Hoping to open on a pop-up basis through the winter months. I feel sad to leave after all these months but new exhibitions beckon (see the exhibitions page for details) and things need sorting out. Excitement and busy-ness ensues from today as the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge starts. I'll be blogging everyday with a new drawing as usual during these challenges and my subjects/themes and this time will be around clouds, sheep and ink landscapes, as well as getting the illustrations completed for the new Bradenstoke Cake Stall Recipes collection (I'll be collecting the cakes and their recipes at next weekend's Swindon Open Studios). Skye will feature but I have some ideas for other avenues too - not sure 30 days will be enough! Might have to expand it a little - watch this space...

The last two evenings have been both challenging and inspiring - cloud-wise that is! Glad I got to try out my new orange pastels though, the sun was very accommodating in its colouring on the 24th :)

I admit it, I'm becoming nearly as fixated on the clouds above North Uist as I am with drawing North Uist itself. Finding them utterly transfixing, I'm absorbing the way they move with the winds and tides. The colours as the sun sets are mesmerising and seem to seep in as I work the pastels into the paper.

​Last night I concentrated higher in the sky as the space directly above the islands was thick and foggy and I reckoned it would be difficult to pick up the light. So this one is drawn from the higher, less formed clouds. Wispy patches of colour that are subtly connected but not heavily formed.

This evening, for the first time I heard an artist vocalise (Trici Venola - Savvy Painter Podcast - savvypainter.com) what it's like to absorb the mood and being of the subject one is drawing or painting. I've felt that for as long as I can remember and it was so good to hear someone else say they experienced it too. Just a bit of long-distance connection of a spirit sometimes makes all the difference :)

Another night of surprises (skyline wise) - I was all set to draw islands but they disappeared behind fog and the clouds started to do this. Who would have thought it? Just when you think you know a place!

The cloud was getting lower over the headland - it had been a tablecloth fringe for most of the afternoon. North Uist had long faded into the mist and I thought the day would end as it had started: in thick impenetrable fog. Then the sun started to set and the clouds allowed themselves a little space. Colour seeped through and the most glorious shimmering sunset edged it's way towards the horizon. Simply beautiful.

​Happy weekends everyone :)

I've always loved cloudy patterns in the sky and last night decided to have a go at drawing them. Actually quite excited - it could be a whole other abstract set of inspiration in the making :)

remotely sheep-like! Soooo frustrating, but probably very good for my skills. The sketches were so bad I can't actually bring myself to upload them here (imagine donkeys with horns, or indeed rabbits and you'll have an idea). So I decided I'd study bone structure and form in a more close up way that I'd ever get to do so from the edge of a field with sheep that although appear still, in fact move constantly. Yes, I got photos of the particular breed (Hebridean black-faced sheep) from the internet and did some charcoal sketches this evening. I know there's nothing wrong in working from photos but I don't usually in my other work and am somewhat loathe to do so. It has proved educational though - I'm particularly liking the mouth and nose of the lower sketch of the two. Animals have never really been my specialist area so it's all new. I had an idea of maybe basing this years Christmas cards on the local grazing cattle but I'll see how it goes.

​On another tack, the oil-commission has commenced! Starting to feel that I might just become a 'proper' artist...

Lucky enough to catch this beauty last night - love the downy effects of the clouds.

The eve of the new moon was spectacularly stunning this month. Loved the way the islands seemed to floating, detached from those around them. The light played on a misty sea-line too, making them look curved at their bases. (it's not me just drawing wonkily I promise). About three-quarters of the way in to a picture I always wonder if it'll actually ever come together, but I'm please this one seemed to :)

Skye has been blessed with beautiful skies over the last few evenings. Where possible, I've endeavoured to capture them either in pastels or oils. The oils are on mini boards of 7"x5" and happily drying on the windowsill as I write!