21st September 2026

WIMPOLE HALL SKETCHING

Today I walked to the folly at Wimple Hall to do some quick sketches. When I am working en plein air, the choice of medium becomes incredibly important. When working quickly it is important to use the chosen medium in a way that allows for big quick expressive marks. I especially like using graphite and ink for this purpose.

I make my own oak gall ink from harvested galls during the winter, and I find that this creates some really energetic and exciting sketches. I tend to use a mix of brushes - thick, thin, sticks, reed pens etc. to create variations in the lines and marks on the paper. The energy of being outdoors encourages me to use the ink very loosely. The parts of the paper left untouched are important in creating balance in the composition.