Third day!

Wednesday morning and the squeaky floorboard alarm woke me at 7am. Yoga, writing and then -
BREAKFAST!

It's lovely being around people during the day - especially morning, kind of changes the rest of the perspective of the rest of the day.

We seem to be eating then going straight up the hill, beautiful sunny mornings and a fresh stillness that can't be beat. A wee chat on the bench outside overlooked by the unicorn then in upstairs to focus on drawing letters. Today I decided to do the ones I want in my final piece, i.e. - 'Time Suspended' - hopefully it will be a good example of what I can do. Enjoying the drawing - hand to eye through the pathways of the brain and small, tiny adjustments until the letter morphs into a balanced and dynamic form. (What I'm aiming for anyway)

We had a tea break today! Quite short though as I wanted to get back to the letters.

- 3 days in and I can see the difference. Each letter takes longer now because I refine them more and am beginning to see where it looks wrong.

Soon enough - lunchtime - a cold buffet today but as usual, very tasty. I even managed to cake, lemon madeira - extremely moist and exceptionally flavoursome.

Bit o' banter over lunch, questions/ chatting then a slow toddle uphillwards.

Stone swop and off again with the dummy and chisel.

It's the turn of 'H' today and I'm taking more care of my serifs (as Lara piped up - 'I shot the Serif')

Pleased with the end result, mainly because the letter was hand drawn to begin with. I can now see how much better it can be - plenty practice ahead.

Robbie allowed us to use his cheat sheet - his drawn letters on tracing paper -  so I went all out and tried an 'R'.  Plenty to think about before tackling that letter - I can tell you.

Where to begin? - joins? - but maybe that lovely sweeping tail? (it was most enjoyable to cut)

Then I decided to draw in my own 'S' to cut - an easy letter, it is not.

I even went over 5pm just to finish it. Keeping the angles right was tricky (didn't quite) but I am pleased with the end result.

We also got shown how to sharpen the chisels today.

Off downhill but I stopped by the small cemetery (also known as the Pirate's Graveyard) I have never seen so many scull and crossbones carved into gravestones in one graveyard. Wow! 

Interesting looking at the lettering - I now have something else to draw my eye.

The light - as seems to be usual - was warming, a nostalgic kind of light, or maybe that's because I was in the cemetery. As it dappled through the trees it seemed timeless - (I know, a few cliches going on here).

To the stables and then I drove back up the hill - new build on top and I thought the road stopped but on hindsight I don't think it did.

Anyway - I drove back the other way which definitely did come to a dead end. Car stopped, parked, locked and off for a wee wander up the hill. - what a view - and that light again - gorgeous shadows in the grass - the head of land opposite was coloured with a redness from the sun.

Back to base with a smile on my face - wee snack and downloading photos, hadn't realised I'd taken so many.

Robbie popped in to see if I was alright on my own and Lara had asked during the day... really nice.

Blog updated - music listened to - snacks eaten, then it was off to bed with my book.

Second Day!

Morning...

- achey achey but a wee bit yoga and ok again - it.
Lara had suggested that we carry on cutting and then draw letters in afternoon as we were already set up. So that's what we did.

Back to the cutting.

Here I've lengthened a previous vertical, added the horizontal and an extra curve. Is looking vaguely pagan/witchy, not consciously intentional.

Started doing junctions, joins and serifs - not great but then Robbie gave us a demo. Makes so much more sense when I watch - what angle the chisel is held at, where to hold the chisel and which directions to cut - especially with the thin serifs.

Rolling the chisel edge to cut the very thinnest part and trying not to break out of the line - whew!

I'm really pleased that I'm getting recognisable letters but I can also see how ragged they are. We were given some hand-outs today which have helped but the main thing I'm finding is keeping the chisel at those two lots of 45 degree angles.
Arms are aching slightly, as it's something new, learning to hold the chisel firmly but also to relax the hand - holding the dummy (mallet) firmly but relaxed enough to swing from the wrist.

So much to think about. 

Serifs are so very difficult - those wee things that seem just added on can make all the difference to how a letter looks - whether balanced, whether top or bottom heavy - very minor adjustments in the drawing makes incredible difference to how pleasing it is to the eye.

This afternoon it was swop over time and our group was back to the drawing.

I have now tried every letter and most of them are not right, I won't say wrong because there are bits about them that are correct. I need to sort out my thicks and thins - not easy when there are no definitive measurements.

All things of measure end with  -ish at the moment.

But.... feeling like I've learnt  so much and enjoying it immensely.

            Saw this amazing tree stump on the way down the hill.

Then this tunnel.

I was told this was the servants entrance to the big house. Quite a scary pathway to follow. There is a large metal gate so I wasn't able to get any closer. It is quite a grand entrance even for servants - I haven't shown the whole entranceway.

After my gentle stroll downhill, I noticed a wee path, followed it to the shore and this view was at the end.

I forewent the evening meal in the pub, can't really afford it. So instead I went for a drive to Rosemarkie and found an open Spar, good to get out for a drive too.

Took this on my drive out.

It was really nice to make some simple food and catch up on the blog, while playing some chilled tunes. Writing/ computer/ music/ blog.....then shower/ bed/ book - all in all, very pleasant.

Oh Yes! - yet again, the walk down hill from the Stables was scented with peat and log fires - what is it about peat burning that has that calming effect on me? 

I need to have a real fire, the difference it makes to my well being is immense.

Ist day of letter-cutting course

So, Monday has arrived and I awoke early, mainly because of the squeaky floorboards above.
But.... a little yoga and a few bits of physio and almost ready for a lovely cooked breakfast.
Can't be bad ....eh?

Met the other three staying at the Brewery and Robbie downstairs, slight awkwardness as expected then, partly due to Lara, who is very open and lovely, we all got on fine. The other guys are Michael and Innes (who had been their tutor at Forth Valley).

Fab breakfast, real coffee - none of that instant stuff that I'm used to - and silly chat.

A wee walk up a fairly steep hill then a slow start as we got to know each other a little and sort out the stones and supports. The others (not staying at the Brewery) are Tim, Stephen, Allen and Jo - an older lady who had done no carving or lettering before but had done art.

We had a spiel then split into two groups of four. 4 downstairs with the stone and 4 upstairs with learning to draw the lettering. Me, I went for drawing first. Using Roman capitals because of the beautiful balance they have and, according to Robbie, they are also highly sophisticated.

Very basic rules and then we were left to get on with it. It was strange but it helped with the bonding. The idea behind this approach is so that we understand the font but also get a feel for it. Robbie corrected our tryouts and although difficult it did make the lettering come alive more.

There is no real formula for doing Roman Trajan lettering.

Then, a walk down the hill, back to the Brewery and more fabulous food by Gail and Kellianne. I can't keep on eating this much - too much for me and was feeling tired in afternoon. Just practising cuts after a small demo.

I seem to be better at at curves rather than straight lines but practise will help - Getting into all sorts of twisted shapes to get the angle of the cut correct. (45 degree angles)

Terminology learnt so far - 

Serifs / stem / bracket / counter / bowl / tail / x height / base line.

We're also using a mid-line. There is a correlation between the width of the stem and the height of the letter. 1-8 or 1-10 is supposed to be usual but we are using 1-9.

Confusing to begin with but does make sense. (I think?)

Pub for after and very lovely grub there too. A couple of pints and the talk was varied to say the least.
from stone letter-cutting to cannibalism - whew!
I left early, some work on the computer then bed and book.

The walk back to base had smelt of burning peat and log fires, something that brings me instant peace and tranquil thoughts.

The other side looked like this.

  

Cromarty itself.

I parked by the shore and had myself a wee walk - listening to the waves, which always bring a smile to my face, and the various bells and garbled/muffled announcements from the rig on the other side of the bay, which most certainly don't. Fairly strange in that peaceful spot to have the sounds of industry lurking in the background.

I was playing with the shadows because the light was gorgeous and the sun very bright. I am in both pics.

The lighthouse is a beautiful shape so I took quite a few photos of that and a wee sketch had to be done although it was awkward with the sun in my eyes and the breeze ruffling my sketchbook.

After that I went to the Old Brewery - very easy to find, no-one about though. Although, in a very serendipitous manner, Gail arrived just as I poked my head around the side of the building. In a very kindly way, explanations were forthcoming as to my room, where everything was, how it worked, and yes I could put my beers to chill in the fridge, then I was left to myself.

Settled in and I thought another wee wander was in order. Old boats pulled up on the shore, one of them might be in the process of repair but the other has definitely had its day. Blue faded clinker planks.

Cold wind has reddened my cheeks and a weariness has taken hold. Back to base - food, a beer and up to the attic room where workshops, groups and conferences happen. Lovely space.

Check it out for yourself. 

http://www.cromartyartstrust.org.uk/old-brewery.asp

To my room early as the others haven't arrived and I feel a little nervous or maybe that's a bit of excitement hanging about me too. The others are properly trained stonemasons so trepidation is here too. Part of meekness it will be fine, but the other part feels like an imposter.

Cromarty... the journey there.

On the way to Cromarty, Black Isle, Scotland. Not too far from my home but far enough to make it into a wee adventure. I took the scenic route and was very glad I did.

Taking full advantage of having to drive to Cromarty by taking the small roads, winding through the tunnels of trees, road speckled with sunlight. The trees just beginning to yellow, Autumn is on its way but the sun is still full.

From Dundee, through Coupar Angus and past Blairgowrie. Then Bridge of Cally and the roads get smaller - the view gets wider and the traffic is most certainly less. Ballintuim is now behind me and time for a stop.

The photo above is taken from my lunch spot. During the journey there have been some beautiful shots that I wanted to take but nowhere safe to stop. Ah well, just had to enjoy the driving and soak up the views of the Grampians spreading out before me to store in my organic memory instead of the mechanical and digital one in the camera.

It was good to stop. Smelling the air, only a slight wind to make a noise (when the traffic had gone of course) and a sense of calm. Then back on the road to Pitlochry.

Leaving Pitlochry and two young guys were hitching so I stopped, scrambled about moving stuff to make room in the car and off we went. Two students, I think just finished uni, from Germany and they had decided to travel by hitching and had made it from London in two days, which isn't bad.

Took them to Inverness.

Maths & Physics was a talker, Architecture not so much. Very interesting chat about politics/Brexit/Indy referendum/traveling/ and all the usual questions occurred: Where are you going?, Why?, and How long for?

It was good to help folks but was also glad of the quiet after I dropped them off.

Munlochy and the Black Isle Brewery (no, I didn't go in - but did think about it) behind me, I got stuck behind a slow slow car, nice to see the view but....  annoying after a few hours journey when I wanted to enjoy the last bit of the drive and get there.

Never been before so, new places, always something to spy out.

    -Got through Rosemarie and off on the hill down to Cromarty. Out to the left were oil rigs galore - well, about 6 or 7 - which is quite a lot in one area. Ships too.

More on next post.

More Greece, more beauty

The first two images are me playing around on the beach with the stone. Gorgeous day and lovely to wander around by myself making wee sculptures. The large statue is situated outside a museum on the island.

Self-portrait calendar

All these self-portraits were finally exhibited at The Bradshaw Arts Space at Dundee University.
The event went really well and feedback was excellent.

Here are the portraits in a monthly format.

2014

2014

2015

2015

2015

2015

2015

2015

2015

2015

2015

2015