Monday 11 May 2015

Ski touring Glas Maol

I just realised I had forgotten to write about a ski touring trip we did last year which was very memorable for me and I'd like to share these beautiful moments with you. We are now well into Spring (although it feels very wintry sometimes!), but some people are still skiing in the Scottish mountains!

Here's the route we took, starting at the carpark at Glenshee Ski Centre.

Ski tour Glenshee ©Fenfolio2015

Enjoy the photos of this amazing winter landscape:

Skiining up towards Glas Maol ©Fenfolio2015


Ski lift covered in rime ©Fenfolio 2015


View to the South towards Spittal of Glenshee ©Fenfolio2015


On top of Meall Odhar ©Fenfolio2015


Making our tracks in powder snow ©Fenfolio2015



Enjoying the sunshine during a lunch break ©Fenfolio2015


The North facing side of this slope was covered with sastrugi ©Fenfolio2015


Sometimes we had arctic conditions! ©Fenfolio2015


Saturday 9 May 2015

Artistic Explorations: Creative Sketchbook (3)

Recently I joined an online group where people who like to draw share their sketches and drawings following two-weekly prompts posted by the administrator of the group. One of the briefs was to draw rocks. Instantly I thought about the standing stones of Callanish on Isle of Lewis we visited last year.

I selected these black and white photographs for my sketches. It really helped that they were monochrome so that I could focus my attention on the shapes, lines and tones.


Callanish stones ©Fenfolio2015


Callanish stones ©Fenfolio2015


Callanish stones ©Fenfolio2015

 The first drawing is a blind contour drawing in black fineliner pen. By only looking at the subject and not on your paper and by keeping the pen on the paper, you feel a bit out of your comfort zone at first but very quickly I felt less restricted somehow. It really is liberating! I like the expressive style you get with this kind of exercise.

Blind contour sketch ©Fenfolio2015

For my second drawing I used the same fineliner pen and focussed on the various tones. But now I used my non-dominant hand (which is my left) to free up the mind! By scribbling light and heavier I was able to create interesting marks and depth.

Pen drawing with non-dominant hand ©Fenfolio2015

The third sketch was again focussed on tones, but this time I used watersolubale graphite pencils (Karismacolor).


Sketch in Karismacolor pencils ©Fenfolio2015

For my fourth sketch I used pastel pencils and a very fine fineliner for the cracks in the rocks on grey coloured paper. I really like the way pastel has given the drawing a more softer, even mysterious feel.

Sketch in pastel pencils ©Fenfolio2015

 Then I wanted to create a drawing with more sharpness and with a more graphic style. I used Derwent Graphik Liner Painter pens on dark grey coloured paper for my fifth drawing.


Drawing in Graphik Liner pens ©Fenfolio2015

 Finally, I wanted to use collage and colour to compare it with my monochrome drawings. For this one I used tissue paper, watercolour paint and inktense pencils on watercolour paper.

Callanish stones drawing in mixed media
©Fenfolio2015

After all these exercises I realised I prefer drawing on darker coloured paper and in monochrome. It's something I will keep in mind for the other prompts!

Monday 4 May 2015

Upcoming exhibitions

During the whole month of May I will be exhibiting a selection of my mixed media paintings, drawings, digital prints and collagraph prints at Whigmaleerie Gallery, High Street, Banchory.


Collagraph print with embossed textures on the side,
rubbed with silver polish and black conté
©Fenfolio2015

In one of my previous articles about Intaglio Printmaking I mentioned I had submitted some collagraph prints for the MarkMaking exhibition at Union Square, Aberdeen. I'm delighted that both (including this one above) have been selected to be on show from 9 until 31 May. Proceeds go to Macmillan Cancer Support. You are cordially invited to the Private View. Unfortunately I'm not able to make it myself but if you would like to meet up with me there on another day, please contact me.


E-vite MarkMaking Exhibition