This time I return to the traditional dip pen and ink – get thee behind me, fine liners! A little 2B graphite pencils enhances the shading.
Scotney Old Castle, in Kent, was built around 1380, as a fortified house with a tower at each corner, but it is believed it was never completed, and by 1558 only the south tower remained. In 1580 the south wing was rebuilt in Elizabethan style. It, together with the New Castle in the same grounds, belongs to the National Trust.
Another special house drawn, for a special occasion, with details only the owner will appreciate. This one is located in the Duchy of Cornwall, where scones are served the ‘right’ way. (That’s jam first, cream on top – next door in Devon they do it the ‘other’ way. Discussion?)
I have availability for commissions for Christmas (!) so don’t wait too long.
This is the new Dan Rox shop in Tiverton, Devon.
A new venture for Dan and Adam selling crystals and rocks, running workshops on all aspects of working with crystals, and having guest presenters along to join in the fun.
And they had a personal anniversary, too!
When a caricature is commissioned I will not post it to the public domain until it is in the hands of its new owner, and the commissioner has given the go-ahead for me to do so. This means that on the run-up to Christmas I have been productive but have no posts to show for it. But here is my first reveal of 2022, a house in south Wales.
Let me know what you think, and remember – a caricature is not just for Christmas …
Around 1830 the railway arrived in Gosport. It was a special line for the convenience of Her Majesty Queen Victoria who had a house on the Isle of Wight, Osborn House, to which she was inclined to visit on occasion, so a train from London direct to Gosport, for onward travel by ferry, was most advantageous.
Also quite handy for others in the area, whether frequenting the railway station, or just in need of refreshment, was The Railway Inn. It was built around 1830 and is of traditional design for the period. Sadly, or not, the licenced trade has not faired well in recent years, and in 2010 it closed and the building was sold.
It has been beautifully converted to a spacious dwelling, retaining many of the original features, and is now grade ll listed, in an area steeped in the history of the Royal Navy.
This was commissioned as a new home gift for the new owners – let’s hope it still has a well stocked bar.
One of my early commissions, three years ago, was ‘The Shed’. It was the new workshop of Karen of @karensquilts. All sorts of ‘additions’ appeared – Cheryl, the crow; Lance, the good knight; Treacle, the family’s late cat – and a strange dog who was who was, perhaps, a premonition of Arthur, the cockapoo.
Karen has now moved to Devon, and for her special birthday, I was commissioned to draw her new home. This is the barn, The Old Granary. And Karen and Ray now have a real Arthur to keep them company.
This lovely house was ordered as a Christmas present to celebrate moving to a new home, but because of lockdown restrictions it wasn’t received until until the person’s birthday. So another happy customer, and I can post it for you all to see.
Do you know someone who has moved to a new home?
A tidy modern house, somewhere in central southern England, commissioned for a birthday. Unfortunately, the first picture not to arrive undamaged.
Not me! The glass was smashed when the new owner received it. I sent it to the commissioning buyer, and it arrived safely, but the damage occurred when she sent it on. Luckily the picture was undamaged.
There are records dating back to 1650 for this Devon cottage. The modern extension is what used to be ‘the stick store’, presumably where firewood was stored, now kitchen/diner with bedroom and balcony above. It is also recorded as being the place where ‘the pauper in the stick store’ resided, according to census records. Apparently, as a family home the younger couple and their children occupied the main house – and grandma was relegated to the stick store.
And now my wife and I call it home.
If your home would like the attention it deserves, or you would like to give a unique and personal gift, contact me for further details.
Image is drawn with dip pen and acrylic ink, enhanced with graphite pencil shading. A4 size.
This Grade ll listed gatehouse was designed by Alfred Waterhouse (1830-1905) and built in the 1860s by T H Wyatt. It is described as being of asymmetrical composition in a French Renaissance style.
This building often appears on the internet in photographs but this may be the first drawing, albeit a tad stylised.
A4 pen and ink with shading. POA.
Pen and Lens Artwork 