Thursday 10 December 2015

Week 14. Medieval brooches and spoon

I looked through a magnifying glass to draw these - I found beautifully detailed decoration on the round silver brooch. The spoon made an interesting shadow, like a face! I drew them life size - the round one is about 2cms across.

Silver brooch enlarged to show detail

Sunday 6 December 2015

Week 13. Medieval roof tiles (fragments of)

Each one was a subtly different colour with some having inner strata of darker material. I did a watercolour wash on all then completed each with different drawing media - pen & ink, conté crayon, pencil etc.

Thursday 19 November 2015

Week 12 - Medieval shoes

These remains of Medieval leather shoes were found at Grimston near King's Lynn, Norfolk and must be at least 500 years old.  (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
I really enjoyed drawing them and used a Derwent crayon in 'chocolate' colour then a waxy black chinagraph then a black pencil to achieve the texture.


Monday 2 November 2015

Week 11 Medieval Pottery sherds and Display

These fragments of medieval pottery were found locally. I was fascinated by the 'petal-shaped' pattern in relief on the dark brown glazed pieces. The other piece is part of the base of a large pancheon with swirls of an ochre coloured glaze. 

Morgan created a lovely display of my drawings and the artefacts which are on show at the museum until November 7th.

Week 10 Roman Pottery Sherds

Roman Pottery with interesting patterns punched into the clay 
Part of a Roman pot

Week 9 Medieval metal chest

I wonder what was kept in here?

Week 8 Wattle and Daub

This piece of old wattle and daub was fascinating to draw and to spend time studying - you can see the thumb prints of the builder as he moulded the clay and dung around the reeds and animal hair to create this ancient building material.

Week 7 Egyptian vessel

Beautiful vessel from Ancient Egypt, the sandy colours of the desert

Week 6 Roman flue tile

Roman flue tile used to create shafts in walls through which hot air from the heating system could pass.

week 5 - Iceni Coins found in Norfolk

I loved drawing these tiny silver coins - they're smaller than the old sixpence (about as big as a fingernail for those of you too young to remember those!). Many had a depiction of a horse on one side , and the face seems to be wearing a warriors helmet. They were found near Fring in a pottery cup, probably buried during the years of Boudica's uprising against the Romans!




Tuesday 13 October 2015

week 4 Bronze age spear and axe heads

Beautiful colours in the bronze
pencil and watercolour

week 3 - cannon balls

These were a challenge! And very heavy!


week 2 - Flint axe heads

Flint axe heads found in Norfolk - tools from the Neolithic period (about 4,000 - 2,100 BC)

pencil, watercolour and pastel

First drawing - Fossils

Fossils of brachiopods and belemnites, sea creatures found in Norfolk
pencil and watercolour

Friday 20 February 2015