November Round-up

Creative projects, testing new materials and a gorgeous giveaway!

Dear Reader,

Welcome to my monthly catch-up.

This is where I give you an overview of what’s been going on this month and highlight any particular projects that I think will be of interest.

I will also include a favourite sketchbook spread, flowers that I see springing up on the Lizard, a comment on the weather and any thoughts on the season and at the end share with you what’s coming up for December.

November Stats

Wildflowers spotted: Winter Heliotrope (a very early sighting), Ferns, Gorse

Weather: Storms with some cold and mild temperatures -but no snow here on the Lizard yet!

This month I have mostly been: Swatching and testing pencils, recording and editing a mini project, sending out orders, attending a cosy open studio event

Derwent Collaboration + Giveaway

Over the month I have been working with Derwent Cumberland Pencil Company better known as Derwent. I was delighted to hear from them at the beginning of October and have been testing and swatching some of their palettes and pencils I hadn’t yet used, combining them with my existing Derwent pencil ranges in my sketchbook.

I chose to test and swatch the Tinted Charcoal ranges both the paint palette and pencil sets. If you’d like to watch the outcome you can now view a long form video over on my YouTube channel here:

They also sent me a tin of a pencils which I was able to put together and choose from their Build Your Own Tin tool on their website. This is such a handy option if like me you prefer to pick and choose a few different pencils to work with rather than investing in one complete pencil tin range where you know you’ll not use all the colours included.

I swatched the tin I was sent in November’s Swatch and Sketch session which if you’re a paid member can catch up with here.

But I was also sent a second identical tin too-see below!

This is the tin you could win!

I am offering this pencil tin (value over £120) along with one of my 2025 calendars to win in my first ever giveaway here on substack! Here’s a list of what’s in the tin:

• x6 Derwent Drawing Pencils

• x10 Derwent Lightfast Pencils

• x4 Coloursoft Pencils

• x3 Graphitint Pencil

• x1 Watercolour Pencil

The colour palette has been inspired by the Autumn season so you’ll find a mix of warm colours, perfect for woodland and landscape sketching.

How do I enter?

To win make sure you are subscribed to my substack (you can do this for free) and then please comment on this post in Substack (rather than replying to this email) and let me know which range of Derwent pencils you would most like to try and if you have a favourite you use already. This competition is open worldwide, but please add where you are based in the comments.

Derwent have also kindly offered to all who shop on their GB website a 30% discount at checkout - just enter this code MIXED-MEDIA-MC at checkout. It’s valid until the 31st December 2024, can be used on any products, multiple times but not with any other codes.

Good luck to all who enter and I’ll select a winner at random by Monday 9th December (if I do get anyone entering)!

Wild Woodland Artwork

The countdown has begun to Christmas and I’ve loved having the opportunity to work on a couple of woodland themed illustrative projects this month.

The first was running my Wild Woodland Advent Calendar Course. This has been an inspiration to run and see all the wonderful artwork that has been created over the month.

Some who have managed to finish the calendars are now enjoying opening up a new window each day whilst others are planning to keep creating woodland themed artwork in their sketchbooks throughout the winter months which is great to hear.

Below are some of the calendar cover images from those who have shared their work with me on the course. Thankyou Lara, Lisa, Louise, Jo, Noor and Ula and everyone else who has joined the course and participated.

The second activity was working on a woodland themed concertina card which myself and our paid substack members did collaboratively with

Helen C Stark

and her Time Forager’s Club on zoom this month.

This wasn’t a step by step tutorial but more of an opportunity to gather together and create something inspired by nature and wildlife. Helen and I provided photo references and led the gathered group through a series of timed drawing exercises which encouraged everyone to build and draw their own scenes and cards.

I so enjoyed creating my own woodland themed concertina card that I have now filmed and written a step by step tutorial on how to create one.

If you think you’d like to create one exactly like mine then you can find it here on my teachable site. Otherwise if you‘re a paid subscriber you can watch the replay of our zoom session and create your own interpretation.

My work on sale at Pippa’s Open Studio event last week

Shipping dates for Christmas

Just to let you know I’ll be shipping up to and including Tuesday 17th December and then will be taking a break, although orders can still be made please don’t expect to receive your order until the new year. I will begin shipping again from Tuesday January 7th 2025.

Thank-you to everyone who has ordered from the shop over the year, it is such a joy to be able to ship something out to you across the world. If you’re based in the EU and NI and want to order a calendar or zine please do so before the 13th December on my Folksy shop as there may be some big changes ahead which means I may have to stop sending artwork out to you. I’ve yet to get my head around it all, so if you are thinking of purchasing then please get your order in sooner rather than later.

Become a collector

This month I’ve been excited to sell some of my recently framed pieces along with some older ones and know that these pieces are now hanging in the homes of collectors in Australia, Singapore, Isle of Man, America and closer to home.

If you would like to become a collector of my work do get in touch to hear of any other pieces I have available or arrange for a shipment if you live overseas. Here are some pieces I currently have available in my shop.

Pieces that have gone to new homes this month

November Favourite Sketchbook Pages

A very blustery day was had when I sketched this double page spread. I recorded a podcast whilst sketching it- if you’d like to listen in and hear the wind howling and birds squawking you can do so here.

Coming up for December on Substack

Here’s what I’ll be writing / sharing with you on Substack this month (P for paid and F for free)

• Process and Play video-P

• Sketchbook pages for November P

• Explore and Draw podcast Ep.20 P

• Creative Sketchbook Art Retreat- news of my upcoming 2025 Art Retreat!

Upcoming Zoom dates

• Swatch and Sketch Session Friday 13th December 2-3pm GMT

• Christmas Wreaths Drawing Date Thursday 19th December 6-7.30pm GMT

  

You can upgrade to paid to support my work at anytime and access the growing library of posts.

And that’s all for this month! Thanks so much for reading, commenting your support is really much appreciated.