Tabby cat. January 2025 Soft and hard pastels on Velour paper. Velour paper was a game changer for me. With a slight material texture of the surface, it is able to take multiple layers of pastel. 

 I was pleased with this, as first time using this surface, and it looked like a cat. But I wanted it to look more realistic, more photo like and less cartoonlike. This is something I will keep working on.

Sunset. February 2025 watercolour on water colour paper. Watercolours, found this medium really hard. I still have not mastered it. This was version 3 of this one picture. I struggled with clouds and the sea texture. I was too heavy handed with the waves even when using a rigger brush. I later added some soft pastels in an attempt to save the sea.

Also it was my first ever time using masking fluid. Found out the fluid  comes in green and not just cream, who knew!

Cottage. February 2025 graphite drawing with watercolours.  I continued to struggle with watercolours as a medium.  This came out better than expected. My Mum really liked it and it is now framed and and hangs in her dining room. 

River. February 2025 watercolour and gouache.  Liked gouache, a game changer when used with water colours as it is opaque and more forgiving as a medium. Wasn't sure what to do with the end of the river, it is meant to continue under some logs. Worked on reflections. There are 2 versions of this picture, this is slightly preferred as I managed to create some more light and sky through the trees. Will probably repeat this project when I have some time.

Flower Meadow. March 2025 acrylic on canvas. This was first time with acrylics as part of this course, and first time with canvas. Learnt about needing to add opaque white to colours to make them pop and not be so translucent. E.g. the flowers would have been better with a more opaque appearance. Didn't like this work at all, but included it as part of my journey. I learnt lots doing it which is the main thing.

Waterfall. March 2025  Acrylic on canvas. This is version 2. Learnt about trying to make the water have thinner lines with a rigger brush, rather than the thick stripes I had. This version was better after advice from the teacher standing behind me gently saying, "more water, even more water, lighter strokes, no even lighter". It really helped me. 

It was a bit of a battle getting this picture from the ugly stage of the underpainting to something resembling a Waterfall. Used sponge for rock texture. 

Pride Lion. April 2025 graphite drawing with acrylic on watercolour paper. Inspired by Pop Art the brief was to use bright colours. My first lion attempt went into the bin, I was not sure how to proceed what colour to put where. Second one I thought of the concept of a pride of lions so decided to do the lion in rainbow colours.