In a recent life drawing session at Hush life drawing in Clitheroe I tried something a bit different to my usual pencil sketches. In preparation for this session I made a rudimentary accordion sketchbook using mixed media paper. I then collaged the paper using pages from a vintage nurses dictionary. To help with drawing onto …
Continue reading Life Drawing: collage and watercolour pencil sketches
At the start of this year I set myself a few challenges such as "read 25 books in 2025" and "paint 25 paintings in 2025". The other challenge I set myself was to write 25 blog posts in 2025 and you are now reading my 25th! This has been a difficult challenge for me. I …
Continue reading 25 blog posts in 2025 plus some life drawings
For one of the Fodder School 1 projects I undertook this year the challenge was to make an accordion style sketchbook. This gave me the perfect excuse to continue my exploration into symbolism and create another sketchbook, but also combining it with the techniques I've learned during fodder school. The Fodder school lessons to create …
As mentioned in a previous post this year I have been experimenting with the idea of building up my own symbolic language to use in my art practice and as a way to explore psychological aspects of my Self. The symbol of a "vessel" has come up repeatedly in my explorations and during one of …
At the beginning of 2025 I set myself a few challenges that I've called my 25 in 2025 challenges. These challenges ranged from "read 25 books" to "write 25 blog posts". One of the challenges I set out for myself was to complete 25 finished, individual paintings in 2025. I'm pleased to say that I …
Rachel Crawshaw : The Farne Islands at sunset In this painting I used a photograph from a recent trip to Northumberland and the Farne Islands as inspiration. We went on a sunset cruise around the Farne Islands to see the local wildlife particularly seals, puffins, arctic terns, shags, gannets and other sea-birds. We managed to …
BRIGHT BOTANICALS 2 BY RACHEL CRAWSHAW BRIGHT BOTANICALS 1 BY RACHEL CRAWSHAW Recently I have had fun experimenting with combining negative space, mixed media and semi-abstract botanicals. I created these botanical pieces by firstly starting with a collaged base. I glued the collage elements in place with matte medium. I then added bright layers of …
Last week I took part in the annual Paint Garstang plein air painting competition. This year I decided to use the post impressionist painter Cezanne as inspiration for my piece. In particular I have been interested in how Cezanne paints trees and the landscape. I used The following paintings Montagne Sainte-Victoire 1885-1887 Cezanne, Landscape with …
Recently I have been drawn to the symbolism surrounding Vessels and have been experimenting with the motif of various types of vessels in my sketchbook and art journals. I have been playing with mono printing techniques, negative space painting, making my own stamps and stencils and with collage in my sketchbook to further explore and …
These drawings were from my last in person session at Life Drawing Blackburn, so it was a fun session but tinged with sadness. Stewart modelled for us and as an extra treat he also played us some songs on his guitar and sang to us while we drew. This made the drawing a fun technical …
Mushroom Moon Designs 