Alphabet fun letter B

Another blog's theme for this year is using the alphabet - I have some catch up home work to do as the letter 'D' I have currently done I don't like, which means a redo!
Sometimes it's great to have a starting off point to go from so I've decided to try for a botanical theme with decorative letters.

Strathmore 2014 homework week 2 completed

Just in case you don't know, Strathmore have a free tutorial/workshop that is great. Found it a bit hard to get onto the site but the nice lady at Strathmore fixed it up and I can now access the classes.
Having a window of opportunity with older family members at a drama production and littler ones in bed early, I finally got a chance to attempt the homework.
Well worth the time to review the basics.

Art journal start page

Toi toi in the wind

 Ten minute sketch at a TaiTapu farm

Taylor's Mistake

Another ten minute sketch at Taylor's Mistake - one of the sunny days we've had this Summer ( slight exaggeration - maybe we've had a couple more).

Sandpapering water colour pencil into a wash technique

Trialing a new technique - sandpapering water colour pencil over a wet watercolour wash. It gave a nice speckled effect on the petals

It finally feels like summer!

 Summer roses in a new technique/style - trying more abstraction and using a white pen as well as a black ink pen