An introduction to the Ecology Park Pond series

2nd January 2009 (12.30pm)

Canal View Bridge from the side of an icy Willow Pond
8.5" x 11.5" pencil and coloured pencils
copyright Katherine Tyrrell

This sketch was done on 2nd January at midday and is of the view to the left of The Ecology Park Pond in December - but it's been drawn with me sat on the same seat.

The names of the pond and bridge have emerged since the sketch - see below for more about the 'naming of parts' and a map of what is where in this complex of ponds!

It was bitterly cold again and too cold to hang around for long so having got the pencil sketch done, I took a photo of it on the ground (see right) and then started on the coloured pencils - but gave up when I got too cold. In the current cold snap it's been fine to be out if you keep moving but it gets very cold if you stop to sketch!

The subject and the sketchbook
copyright Katherine Tyrrell

I often put my sketch on the ground in front of a subject to see whether it looks similar as I get further away from the sketch - it's a very good test of proportions.

I've finished the drawing which relates to this sketch - but the light has been too bad today to do any photographs of it.

More about the Ecology Park Ponds and the series

Today, I've got posts on two other blogs about the Ecology Park Pond series - they both have the same name but they vary somewhat as to topic.

An annotated map of the Ecology Park Ponds

(click for a larger version)

• Making A Mark - The Ecology Park Ponds - an introduction. This covers the location of the ponds and a couple of maps one of which is reproduced above. I decided to have a 'naming of parts' because it could get a bit confusing as to which pond was which and which bridge was which!
• Watermarks - The Ecology Park Pond Series - an introduction - this provides a summary of what I hope to be doing - in terms of subject matter and media - with this series. It also has some photos of the ponds.

You can also see photographs of the Ecology Park Ponds in a new set which I've published on Flickr - see The Ecology Park Ponds.

Links:

• Watermarks: Reflections on a Pond
• Travels with a Sketchbook: The Ecology Park Pond in December
• and 28th December 2008 (15:30) - Frozen Pond
• Making A Mark - Working in a series - drawing and painting ponds
• Making A Mark - The Ecology Park Ponds - an introduction
• Flickr - The Ecology Park Ponds.