148th entry...

Have collected my paintings and cards from the Salisbury Art Trail...Didn't sell any watercolours ( one of them has been reserved though) but lots of cards - so that's good!
Onwards to designing local Christmas card - a series of 6 -  Have decided to focus very close to home and hope that the locals of here will buy them!

The humble Christmas Robin - 2010

Our survey shows that the humble Robin has a big part to play in our Christmas cards....

147th entry...

Hello everyone...apologies for not writing my diary as I was doing the Salisbury Art Trail...
Anyhow...A commission...

Commission - Barney 2011

Photo of - minus tongue...

Am very pleased with the outcome of this commission above; have achieved a good likeness!

My next venture is to sort out a series of local Christmas card designs ...

146th entry....

So - AGAIN....- lost ALL my pictures on my laptop, which are backed up, up to this last weeks work!!!!!
I now have to spend HOURS sorting it all out ..............
Am going to buy a hard drive...and back up EVERY NIGHT!!!!!!
What a Jonah of a day!

145th entry...

Very busy person - VENUE 32 Private Viewing tonight...Off to have a very early supper!
Onwards and upwards!

144th entry...

A bit of advertising for my lovely next door neighbours....

Are you looking for a book on the New Forest, a speaker for your group, or searching for your New Forest ancestors? 
Authors, local historians, speakers, researchers and conservationists Georgina Babey and Peter Roberts offer a range of services to meet your needs. 

visit: http://www.newforestbooksandtalks.co.uk/

Sitting in my art room about to start a commission ...however below are two men shopping at the market together.

Jigsaw Design - Salisbury Market 2 -  2011

This is the last painting that I have submitted to the art trail....

143rd entry....

We have our private viewing on Friday...have hung the artwork at VENUE 32..

This was an extra 'people' one.

Jigsaw Design - People in the market square...2011

I am getting the hang of my distance/tonal depth....My endless quest in the research into watercolours is paying off!
I have mellowed the jigsaw effect by being more aware of were I place the charcoal rather than adding it 'all over'...Am using the watercolours with much more understanding, and being in control is lovely!
'Whisper + SHOUT' all the way!

142nd entry....Your opinion is helpful to me!

More artwork for the Salisbury Art Trail...

Jigsaw Design - New Forest Deer 2011

Jigsaw Design - New Forest Pony 2011 

I am pleased with these as I have achieved an atmospheric effect that I can get in pastels but up to now not in watercolours...What do you think...

141st entry....gosh! What a lovely day - wierd!!!

I am adding a couple more for the Salisbury Art Trail....Both framed 12"x12"

Jigsaw Design - Deer in the Forest - 2011

Jigsaw Design - Salisbury Cathedral from afar...2011

I apologise for the photo being slightly dark...in reality they both hold a better presence!

140th entry....what a beautiful day people!

The weather wasn't quite as beautiful yesterday, but good enough to sit out in the Forest with the girls sketching.  This was my watercolour with charcoal ...and I have got the depth to the painting for once, so am quite pleased when all the research reading I am doing works! Mmmm! this is good!

Jigsaw Design - En Plein Air...2011

Onwards and upwards..............gosh how I love my watercolours!

139th entry....Well done my beautiful daughter...........

My girlie collected her degree certificate for her BSc  Paramedic Practitioner

Plymouth University  - BSc Paramedic Practitioner 2011

How proud are we..... awsome!

Jigsaw Design - The Hoe with a BSc...2011

This is the card I did for her ..........as a 'moment in time'




Now - I am working towards the Salisbury Art Trail...


Venue 32 Unit 7, Loyal Trade Business Park Stephenson Road Salisbury SP2 7NS 

do come and visit...

Jigsaw Design - Salisbury Cathedral from afar  2011

138th entry.....Autumn creeps ever closer!

This is a larger framed watercolour and charcoal for the Salisbury Art Trail.. It is 12"x12"

Jigsaw Design - Autumn walk in the New Forest 2011

This is a walker in Autumn;  the heather is out and the whole area has a beautiful lilac hue to it! We are so lucky to live where we do...
A nice impression of life in the Forest.

137th entry....

This is another 'small edition' for the Salisbury Art Trail....and is of Stonehenge.

Jigsaw Design - Stonehenge 2011

An impressionistic view of it....wet on wet watercolours with a pen topping!!!
Quite dark, with an essence of an evening sun setting. I need to shift on and finish some more...have completed another 12"x12".

136th entry...Monday morning!

Next to work on - exhibition wise - is the Salisbury Art Trail, where artists put their work on display at different venues!

I am in the process of doing four 12" x 12" framed watercolours and a few framed small ones.4" x 6".

Jigsaw Design - Salisbury Cathedral 2 2011

This is one of the latter, and is of Salisbury Cathedral. Am pleased with it for its fluid effect and good palette!

135th entry....

This is a thank you watercolour for my brother and sister in law....for the music CD for my birthday...

'Flowers for my lovely sister-in-law and brother!' 2011

This, for me, is lovely and fresh with an impressionistic style! I have achieved with a quick wet-on-wet, no preliminary sketching...few hues... using warm and cold - red/blue/yellow ....plus green!

134th entry...a blustery day!

Purlieu New Forest 2011

Heather in the Autumn 2011

We went on a 'sketch' en plein air.........in the Forest!  What a lovely time!

These sketch watercolours were achieved sitting on the ground with my paints nestled in the heather! They are straight painting - no initial pencil sketching....I love that freedom that you get with just paint on paper then the pen or charcoal on the top.  I feel so much freer ....

133rd entry....

It was my sister-in-law's birthday the other day and so I did this watercolour and charcoal for them....

They have always been so very supportive with my artwork, and so I admit that I was not  sure if they would enjoy my 'Jigsaw Design' as they have loved my more traditional work and in pastel!

My brother and sister-in-law 2011

It was therefore with absolute delight - and slight relief as their opinion means a lot to me - that they said how delighted and how much they both loved it!  I am pleased with it as the first one I did was a trial to do and so to go second time around, and be happy with the outcome was a good experience!

132nd entry...

A better day weather wise here...

Sarum Artist's - Summer Exhibition 2011

This was a sketch while I did my steward duty at our exhibition in the library. My paintings of 'Music of the Spheres' are displayed in a glass cabinet...all beautifully hung!

131st entry....What a rainy, blustery day today has been!

These are the studies that I did in Jersey.  I have put them all on one day as I feel it was so long ago, I would stretch it out putting one on every day!

Phillipa sunbathing - 2011

The arbour in the garden - 2011

Steps down to the pool - 2011

Post card home - 2011

Seagulls - 2011

Cow parsley - 2011

Cow parsley 2 - 2011

So...I love the one of the arbour...the colours are mine and the paint flows!
People seem to enjoy the first one - which shows the bay in St Hellier. I find it slightly too fussy - I need to reduce down my 'jigsaw' marks! Seagulls were really quickly achieved - while they flew by actually....
and the cow parsley ...I love it at the side of the road with the blue sky behind...every year I promise to paint it and so achieved this year...however ...I feel there is a lot of room for improvement!!! The stalks are too think, and I need to capture more of a mood and not put so many mark in it!
I achieve more work each year - so for that I am very pleased...
Am enjoying very much using watercolours straight, without a preliminary pencil sketch...it is so liberating!!!!

130th entry....

So to the final day of our Jersey holiday watercolour diary...

This a sketch of our suitcases on the bed with clothes and all the bits...

...packing for our homeward flight...2011

A lovely log to remind me of our fabulous holiday in Jersey; staying first with the brother for a week, and then the sister.  Thank you all for a fabulous time! I have enjoyed doing my watercolour sketch book diary, not only for the fact that it is a completed memory - so often things are started and never finished - but also as it has been done from memory which is something I tend to shy away from.  It shows me that I take in more than I thought!
Would I do it again? Most certainly; this reinforces the pleasure gained for me!!!!

129th entry.....yesterday was my birthday...

and I spent it with part of my family - my girlie and her man were working - having a fabulous day! I received art goodies; a new watercolour pan holder, an art book and a holder for my 'work to do'...SO exciting!
Here is the second to last watercolour diary sketch for you!...

...in their Aston Martin...2011

Apologies to my in laws for the incorrect spelling...
This is an odd sketch but it tells a story for me.  A quick watercolour  - all these are done from memory -
Mmmmm! this I like!

128th entry....

Our last walk and the sun shone brightly so loads of photos taken, for my art, of people...
If you visit Jersey this beach is along the west side of the Island.  It is, for me, the most magical beach ...long soft sand and full of shells and pebbles which I love!

Walking along St Ouen's Bay Jersey...2011

A clearer scan of the sketch....and a good impression of a warm sunny day on a beach. I am getting better at my tones with the shadows on the people linking with the sand and a more distinct foreground. I enjoy this one!

127th entry....

Today I shall mostly be painting....as I tend to sit on this laptop from morning 'til night...however before I switch tables let me give you the day we visited Egypt on the North coast of Jersey, and wasn't it beautiful!

Egypt on the north coast of Jersey - 2011

I like this sketch a lot.  It is my typical colours palette, and has worked quite well with my jigsaw design with the view of the coast very apparent!
Now on to my watercolours.....

126th entry.......nearly finished my watercolour holiday....

Simple but says a lot....I know it is me and I know that it is him....with a bit of impressionistic background!

...even after thirty-one years...2011

Thank you to those that looked at my revamped website.  I  look at it and am still pleased with the changes - it portrays my artwork today and my lovely pastels I have slotted in for tasters...I seem to have more hits now as well - which is nice!

125th entry......

Day 9 of my watercolour holiday diary, and a walk along the north side of the Jersey coast.  It really is stunningly beautiful, especially with the sun out!

Jardin D'Olivet - A walk along the north coast - 2011

This is a little more interesting with figures in the sketch giving it more movement! People tend to be my forte...

124th entry....

This day of my holiday diary was a quiet reading day for me...think that the weather wasn't as good as it had been!

Reading day...2011

So I sat and read...which is a delight to do!
A sketch of me in a chair, with book in hand...the pose give a good impression of peace and solitude!

123rd entry...YEAH! DO VISIT MY REVAMPED WEBSITE......

I have wanted to change my website and make it focus on my work to date for AGES...but it is finding the time and knowing how to do it but now here it is - so please have a look and an opinion would be good!
and also here is the next day of my watercolour holiday diary.

Swimming in the pool...2011

This was a relaxing, jolly hot day so we stayed by the pool and read  - I also did my art.  I did swim as well but that will not happen again for a while....although it was quite pleasurable!
A quick sketch of him and her one painting and one swimming. A lovely little reminder for me!

Don't forget to visit my website see if you think it is a better advert for rmy artwork!
Thank you!

122nd entry....

So - day six of my holiday watercolour diary...

On the move...2011

And so we move on...from the vibrant town - is it a town - of St Hellier, to the middle of the Island; the more rural part! From one relation to another! We are so spoilt!!! Please note that this is again a very quick sketch; it just puts across an artist's impression of that moment in the day when we are all packed and on the move!  Can you see Harry the dog in the boot?
So our holiday is half way through... we have shopped and read, and I have achieved some art - but I shall put that on later!

121st entry...on to day five of fourteen!

So, day 5 of my watercolour diary - on my holiday in Jersey!

I made spaghetti bolognese for my in-laws who where hard at work earning a living!!!!

A quick sketch, from memory, of their new kitchen - though this does not portray it very well, it gives me a reminder - a typical Sarah Orchard 'moment in time' ....

Cooking for the workers...2011

It is lovely when looking at these sketches, how it makes me feel that I am there still...that is one of the beauties of painting 'moments in time' cards.

120th entry...day 4 of my holiday diary!

This is day 4 of my watercolour diary.....

A sketch of us all sitting enjoying each others company with an out look of St Aubin's Bay in Jersey. The weather was magic, even though it was early evening, it was still warm!

Family gathering...2011

I am still working hard on the watercolour aspect of my art - these hues are darker than I would normally use - I have a richer colour consistency loaded on my brush. The depth of focus is better and my people are more blended!

119th entry....

Day three of my watercolour journal...

Oyster shells from the party 2011

These oyster shells were very hurriedly done but are beautiful to paint if time is taken on them.  They had individual names written in for the seating plan on the tables.

A lovely anniversary party organised by my niece!
I have changed my side paintings so do scroll down and take a look - click on them to enter my website to see more.....

118th entry....

continuing my artist holiday diary...

Shopping in St Hellier 2011

A frustrated brother in law as we hunted all the jewellery shops for a new watch - my one has eventually died!
Have you ever been to St Hellier in Jersey, what a fabulous place...!

117th entry....back from my holidays, so hello again!

Have spent the last two weeks in Jersey, which is a lovely island in the Channel islands and well worth a visit if you love beautiful beaches and a nice environment!
While there I have studied my watercolour technique and also done a watercolour diary....
This sketch  from memory..is the first day and our arrival on the most minuscule  plane  - 'Blue Island' with a good recommendation for the service that they offer!

Flying over to Jersey with 'Blue Island' 2011

So this is the first day and us on the little 21 seater plane....

116th entry...

I have concluded the work for the exhibition ...found the title hard to get to grips with!
'Music of the Spheres' which has a lovely feel to it but does nothing for my artistic side...

'Music of the Spheres' 2011



I used on the watercolour quite a lot of the colour indigo, which I use regularly but not in such quantities.  It left small 'bits' or residue on the paper giving a grainy effect...which can be beneficial or if used too much can give the painting a slightly dirty look to it.  I have known about this effect but it is the first time it has shown quite so dramatically on my work  - but a good and interesting lesson to have experienced is it not...

So my next project must be Chapter 1 of 'THE BOOK'....my watercolours are evolving; I am understanding them more and more which is so exciting!

115th entry...

My lovely mother died six years ago today, so I shall go to the cathedral and light a candle and leave a prayer ....to say I miss her and love her and thank her for making me who I am....

She would be pleased to see how my art is developing and it is to her that I have promised to make something of it...xxx

114th entry...

...watching a fantastic climb in the Tour.... - last day in the Alps - awesome!!!!!!

Jigsaw series - Lace cap hydrangea 2011

I did this is my art class that I run; 'Art together 2'- feeling in the mood to join in!

Watercolour and pen; achieved with my fabulous centimetre wide sable flat brush.  Found it in my pot of brushes with a .5 centimetre and inch brush. 

If you know what it is like to use a flat brush in oils or acrylics, then this is a similar experience but in watercolour...such fabulous marks can be made! - actually more versatile than my classic brushes.

A new experience; magic!!!!!

113rd entry...

So here is my July 2011 wild flower - the humble foxglove!
The name is thought to have been from a series of corruptions in spelling and pronunciation.
Glove from the Anglo-Saxon gliew- a musical instrument with many small bells, and fox could be a corruption of 'folk's' meaning the 'little folk', or fairies. In Somerset and Ireland they are called 'fairy bells', thus supporting this theory!
Reader's Digest

They are very poisonous yet yields the drug digitalis which is used in small doses in the treatment of heart complaints.

Jigsaw series - 'Foxglove'  2011

If any of you have had the privilege to read the childhood stories by Beatrix Potter, you will know of  ' The Tale of  Jemima Puddle-Duck' and the 'foxy gentleman' story....and this, when I see foxgloves,  ALWAYS makes me think of this tale....

112th entry... I AM SUCH A PROUD MOTHER....

My girlie has passed her degree with a 2-2; Is now qualified as an ECP; Is a registered paramedic and has a job....how bloomin' magic is she!!!! xxxxx

Jigsaw series - Picnic on Hatchet Green 2011

Jigsaw series - Cricket on the green...2011

I have completed these today...and am quite pleased with them!

111th entry..back on track...

Apologies to all for the negativeness  recently; is it an artist's prerogative to be emotional? I don't know however I  am on the road to success again and riding high...
Ooooh! have just realised that I haven't put my July flower in - how remiss of me - watch this space....
Below is a watercolour I did moons ago depicting a truly English scene - cricket on the village green...

Cricket on Hatchet Green - 2010

This is relevant to our book that my neighbour is writing and I am illustrating! It is about the New Forest and starts in the northern corner of the forest; our locality, and shows the peaceful scene of cricket in an English village on a Sunday afternoon in the summer...remember about the tortoise and the hare; we slowly shall get there!!!!

110th entry...and more in control!

day 2 - night sketching!

This was done very quickly - of my mug of green tea.... Sat down late so not much time!

Feel better that I have done x2 pencil sketches not jigsaw.  Puts it into perspective for me!....hopefully this will help!

Onwards to lunch - a hungry girl!

109th entry - part 2.....

Quick charcoal...June 2011

Have quickly done this - ( on a watercolour board that I was using to test my colours)....just to see if I can draw still, and it has made me feel a little better!  

I should maybe - not maybe - will sketch, in the evening ...say in graphite this week and change next week to..maybe pen....

My incentive.... to post it (aaaaah!) daily - but do bare with me as some days are a bit manic!!!

Let us see if this makes me feel more positive!

Now to eat some super with my lovely son!