I know I like a bit of excitement and danger but this was an experience I won't forget in a hurry!
Sitting on my little canvas stool at the side of this babbling brook sketching somewhere in the Scottish Highlands, as I am want to do, with no-one for company but a small herd of coos at the far end of the field and a few midges:
"Walkabout Creek". Felt pens on paper in sketchbook, 2x19x25cm.
But coos, as you very well know, are inquisitive beasties and all the time I am sketching I am aware at my back they are now coming my way to check out the talent who has interloped into their field. All the time I am drawing I've got one eye on what's looming up behind me. "Nice coos, nice coos, keep yer distance for I'm not what you think I am...I'm a bloke and a human one at that!" But as they get nearer they start to pick up a bit of speed when I realise to my utter dismay they are too close for comfort and they aren't coos at all - they're young bullocks with an eye for a bit of rough and I'm off my canvas seat and flinging everything I've got across that burn in jig time!
A close shave but at least I survived to tell the tale and happily my adventures will continue for a while yet.
ps: and as for the midges? - well they are not in the mood yet for biting so that was another danger averted!
3 comments:
The sketch is beautifully done. I think its the balance between the empty areas and the worked on areas which give it a lot of integrity. The coos - that made me laugh. I remember being on the edge of a field painting. I had positioned myself near a gate and during the afternoon some "coos" slowly decided to amble through past me from one field to the next. I ignored them and they ignored me but the last one stopped and I was conscious of a great heavy bulk watching me. Yep, it was a bull. He snorted and pawed as if he was in Barcelona (probably thought I was Picasso) and I knew that if I upped and ran he would chase and win, so I froze. Looked down at my sketch book and stayed totally still and eventually he thought I was crazy or had already died so he lumbered slowly past. My heart was bumping I tell you. I have also had sheep come and investigate over a fence what I was painting. That was hilarious because they really seemed to be studying the work.
I hope Mrs Drawsandpaints has you well insured as you go out into the treacherous world. Your sketch shows that you must have nerves of steel as there is no hint of the perilous circumstances in which it was created. I look forward to the next adventure.
It's an occupational hazard, sketching and painting outdoors in fields, we all surely have been there :o(
This present tale, however, is pure fabrication. It is based on previous experiences for sure but when I was wanting to post this sketch for you all to marvel at I couldn't think of anything else to say. What if I had just said:"sketch of a burn wi' watter in it" you would be telling me to get back in my box and don't come back until I had something exciting to relate. So, there it is - I now feel unburdened by telling the truth :o)
Onwards and upwards to the next big adventure. See me, see nerves of steel, I huvnae got any!
Arrivederci a tutti!!!
ps: Mrs Drawsandpaints is a very happy lady...I remembered the smarties this week :o)
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