My favourite London shops ~ Stamps Galore: Blade Rubber Stamps

I only discovered Blade Rubber Stamps this year. Before I left for London for my annual summer holiday, I did a little internet search to see if there were any shops selling rubber stamps in London. There was a shop, and even better, it was basically just around the corner of where I was staying. And it's a wonderful shop. Stamps galore, from floor to ceiling, on all the walls. Wooden mounted and unmounted rubber stamps, acrylic / clear stamps, foam stamps, metal stamps, and of course a great variety of ink pads to go with them. And there’s loads more. Patterned papers, stickers, rub-ons, stencils, embellishments, punches – a whole range of scrapbooking supplies in short. The shop has a lovely atmosphere, with friendly, helpful staff. I ended up going to that shop not only once during my two weeks summer holiday, but three times. And of course I went again in October.

They also have a Made To Order Rubber Stamp service, run classes and have a blog with lots of ideas, blogging tutorials, freebies, workshops, videos and links.

The shop is just opposite the main entrance of the British Museum, in Bury Place, and it’s pretty much in between Shepherds Falkiners and the third of may favourite London shops. They also have an online shop, and when I asked them if it was possible to order from outside the UK as well, was told that they ship to everywhere and only charge the actual postage. The only exception are punches, which they don’t sell via mail order, as they are too heavy.

A bit over a year ago, I took a scrapbooking class (my first online class ever, and it was then, and because of it, that I started this blog). I enjoyed the class, which was based on colour, but I soon discovered that scrapbooking wasn’t really my thing. I completed three layouts, which I keep moving from one corner to the other, as I don’t really know what to do with them. Also, I found the whole scrapbooking supply industry far too overwhelming. There’s wonderful stuff there, no doubt, but it just left me with a feeling that it was all mainly about spending lots of money on all kinds of supplies, in order to create something, while I think that you should be able to create lots of stuff with only a small, but essential, supply of things. However, there are a few things, I must admit, I have come to love, most of all rubber stamps. I like to use them in some of my paintings, mostly in my art journal.

I really like these patterned cardboard letters I bought in October. The only problem with them is that I’m afraid I’ve already used up most of the useful letters and am now left with all the funny consonants. So now I’ll just have to use individual letters, rather than words, if I want to use them up.

I enjoyed doing these two pages in my art journal. I didn’t really know what I was going to do, I only knew that I wanted to use some of the supplies I had bought in the shop – the patterned papers, the stamps, the ink pads and the letters. I used acrylic paints matching the patterned papers as a base. The words then emerged in the process. Inspiration has been a big word for me this year. One of the biggest things to inspire me endlessly is nature, and colour has always been the driving force that made me pick up paint and brush in the first place. But it’s also the various products and techniques that inspire me to be creative and try out new things. I hope to give back to others a some of the inspiration I find in so many places and with so many artists out there.

And inspiring and inspired life – that is really what I’m looking for, and what I’ve been working hard at since the beginning of this year.

At Blade Rubber Stamps, they also have a great supply of magazines, such as Artful Blogging, Somerset Studio, Art Journaling, Stamper's Sampler, and many more. These magazines aren't available here in Switzerland, apparently, so it's nice to pick up a copy of some of them when I’m there. To be honest, it’s probably better they're not available here, as most probably, more often than not, I wouldn't be able to resist buying them. But it's nice to have the one or other from time to time. They're really inspiring, full of great ideas and photos.

So there’s now only one shop left in my little Favourite London Shops series. Next time, we’re going to take a step back in time and look at some very traditional materials – but in a different form.

Autumn in Russell Square, Bloomsbury, London

Art Every Day Month: Week Two Summary

Week 2 of AEDM (Art Every Day Month). I posted day 8 separately, so here's the rest of what I've been doing during this second week. It was quite a busy week at work, with a big do at the end of the week, which meant long hours and having to spend two nights at a hotel. But I took my sketchbook, pencils, coloured water soluble pencils and one of those clever water fillable travel brushes with me. It was just a bit playing around, and trying out those coloured pencils, but it was fun to do, and definitely a good way to spend the evenings in a hotel room.

Wednesday, 9 November: I did just some simple drawing exercises. Blind drawing, drawing with left hand. I just realised that I forgot to scan or photograph them, but it doesn't really matter. The important thing is that I did something.

Thursday, 10 November: At the hotel, coloured water soluble pencils, inspired by all the coloured and fallen leaves, musing about the seasons and how the trees and leaves change during the course of the year.

Friday, 11 November: It was a long day and a late night, but I still managed to spend a little time sketching before turning in. I'm getting very fond of these coloured pencils. They're perfect for short trips and holidays.

Saturday, 12 November: I bought some more individual coloured pencils, as there aren't many browns and earth colours in the box. I only wanted to buy one or two, but of course ended up getting about ten. I can just never resist colours. But they're just perfect for this leaf. Glad to be back home again, but still inspired by those coloured pencils.

Sunday, 13 November: Finally time to paint, all day long. I did some art journaling. I've been thinking about dreaming and what my dreams are a lot lately (that's the things you dream about for your life, not the dreaming during the night while you're asleep ones), and when I put my thoughts to paint and paper, they always turn up as bubbles, circles, polka dots. I've added parts of Edgar Allen Poe's poem Dreams: I have been happy, tho' in a dream. / I have been happy- and I love the theme: / Dreams! in their vivid colouring of life, / As in that fleeting, shadowy, misty strife / Of semblance with reality, which brings / To the delirious eye, more lovely things / Of Paradise and Love- and all our own! / Than young Hope in his sunniest hour hath known.

Monday, 14 November: More art journaling. I wanted to try out at last some of the supplies I had bought in London last month for my second post in my Favourite Shops in London series - which I'll post later this week, together with more pictures.

The fascination of botanical illustration

Ever since I saw a programme about botanical illustration at Kew Gardens on telly a few years ago, and  a delightful exhibition of botanical art at the small but charming Museum of Garden History, or Garden Museum, as it is now called, in London shortly afterwards, I've been absolutely fascinated by this extraordinary art form. I think it's an art form that is often not really enough appreciated in it's own right. As with so many other forms of illustrations, they tend to be seen just  as accompaniments of the text in books and journals, without giving much thoughts about how and by whom they were done. But even today, in our modern digital megapixel world, a photograph, ultimately, can never be as accurate as a hand painted illustration, which is why all the good classification guide books still rely on painted illustrations rather than photographs. I find that quite extraordinary.

Botanical illustration is the art of depicting the form, colour, and details of plant species, frequently in watercolour paintings. These are often printed with a botanical description in book, magazines, and other media. The creation of these requires an understanding of plant anatomy, access to specimens and references, and are often composed in consultation with a scientific author. (Wikipedia).

Last year, I bought a book about botanical illustration, and then another one. I looked through them, admired the illustrations, studied the instructions, and put them into my book shelf. I was bad at drawing, and rubbish with watercolours. How could I ever dare to even attempt such an accomplished art, without even having the basic background skills? But two weeks ago, feeling so inspired by the autumn colours everywhere around, I took out my watercolours and sat down, trying to capture the colours, patterns, textures of some leaves, without much thinking about what I was doing. It wasn’t until a few days later that it occurred to me that, unconsciously, I had made my first attempt at botanical illustration. They are certainly not exact depictions of the leaves, and would be quite useless in a botanical book or journal, but painting them just made me so happy. And that's really good enough for me :)

Enjoying the autumn morning light flooding the room – and a cup of Earl Grey tea.

I had to run out in between, to take pictures of the flaming red tree in my street – and to collect some of its leaves – which of course I intend to paint as well.

And the final result:

I definitely want to learn more about the techniques of botanical illustration, and practise more, and maybe  find a course to take - maybe even at Kew Gardens? :)

In the meantime, I found some video tutorials on Youbute, like this wet technique autumn leaf  one – definitely have to try this!

Art Every Day Month: Day 8

It's day 8 of AEDM, and I'm still only doing lunch time pencil sketches. I'd love to sit down and take some more time, but I won't be able to do so this week before Sunday.

The two "love birds" I actually did yesterday, after my summary post. I was just about to leave, when I saw a photograph of these two birds in a nature magazine, and I couldn't resist to draw them in my sketchbook. I didn't have much time, as I had to catch my train, but I'd like to draw them again, and maybe also paint them.

Today's sketch was again made during my lunch break. A date stamp, the library's Ex Libris stamp, a pair of scissors, an eraser - just stuff that was lying around on my desk.

I really have to do a lot more drawing practising. I'm not at all happy with my lines, and I'm still far away from the quick, light, but accurate rendering of my subject I hope to achieve one day. Well, practise makes perfect... :)

Art Every Day Month: First week summary

The first week of AEDM is over, and I've been keeping, well, more or less up with it. I missed the first day, as I only read about it last Wednesday. I did do a little sketch then, though. And here's what I've been doing since then.

Thursday, 3 November:

A little pencil sketch of a leaf on the train on the way home from work, which I then filled in with some colour pencils later in the evening, once I was home.

Friday, 4 November: I didn't feel very well, and simply couldn't be bothered to even take up a pencil. There simply are days like that. Best to just stick to the sofa, the hot water bottle and alphabet soup.

Saturday, 5 November and Monday, 7 November:

More leaves. I did some quick, and rather unfinished, watercolour sketches on Saturday, during painting class. The paint wasn't quite dry yet when I left, so I just put a sheet of paper over it - which is why it looks a bit untidy in some places. I added some more pencil sketches of leaves today during my lunch break

Sunday, 7 November:

Again no energy to be creative at all. So back to sofa, the hot water bottle and alphabet soup again (I don't know why, but somehow, I find alphabet soup just so comforting...). I did manage to go for an inspiring walk in the afternoon though, taking loads of pictures. And I spent most of the evening processing them, using a variety of textures. (See also yesterday's post). I'm sure that should count as "doing something", right?

A lovely autumn walk instead...

Last Sunday, I boldly announced the second part of my Three Favourite London Shops series to appear today, but I'm afraid I'm not able to deliver. I've been feeling quite bit under the weather these last few days, and this morning, the mere thought of having to find the energy to sit down, take out my all my stuff, get creative and produce something worthy of the post, take pictures of it all, process them, and wrap it all up in a blog post, simply totally stressed me out. And as this blog really is supposed to be something I enjoy doing, I decided, that I'd just had to admit defeat, postpone the post, and head for the sofa and some much needed rest instead. Especially as I've got a busy week ahead, which will require all of my energy. 

I would have been very happy with a rainy, or at least grey, Sunday, but no, it was blue sky, (far too) warm for the season, and all the trees still glowing bright and colourful. So in the afternoon I just felt too guilty to hang around on the sofa all day and went for a walk. And it did me so much good, both physically and spiritually. So instead of the planned post for today, I'd like to share some images of my refreshing Sunday walk.

I still plan to write those posts about the other two shops. Hopefully, the second part will be ready next Sunday, but I think I'm better not making any promises this time:)

I hope you had a terrific, inspiring, creative, and restoring weekend!

A little challenge for November

Today, I read about the fabulous challenge Elin of Huldas Burålåda set herself for this months: One motif - thirty pictures. A different painting of the same motif for each day of the month. I think it's a wonderful and creative challenge, and I'm looking forward to seeing the different pictures she's going to create. And it has inspired me to look for a little challenge for myself as well.

She got the inspiration for this challenge from two sources: The Sketchbook Challenge, and Art Every Day Month. I've known about the The Sketchbook Challenge before, and have been wanting to participate for quite a while now, but somehow  never managed so far. The Art Every Day Month challenge was a new discovery for me. And I've quite spontaneously signed up for it. Committed to it. There's no chance that I'll be able to paint every day, but it should be possible to do a little something every day, right? It doesn't have to be something big, just a little sketch, like the leaf  on the left, which I made in my notebook last week on the train. That really should be possible.

In fact, I had decided to do something like this  quite a few weeks ago, in order to get back into the  habit of drawing regularly. I had bought a little sketchbook to carry with me all the time especially for this. I've done a few sketches, mostly on the train, but then, somehow, the sketchbook got lost somewhere under a pile of books in my home, and disappeared. So, here's a new start. Tonight, I'm going to find that sketchbook, put it back into my bag, and take it out every day to make a little sketch of something. And when I have some more time, I'll make a little painting. I've still got a whole pile of leaves I collected, which I wanted to paint anyway.

So here's today's piece, a quick little pencil sketch of an apple, which I did in my lunch break.  I just couldn't wait until tonight, so I had to use ordinary copy paper, which made the blending a bit less smooth as I'd wanted. I really have to find that sketchbook!

I won't be able to post my sketches and paintings for this challenge here on my blog every day - painting/drawing something, taking pictures of it, processing them, and putting them all into a blog post, that's just not possible on a daily basis. But I'll plan to post a summary at least one post a week.