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Sunday, January 25, 2015

Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady - January



You're listening to the theme of the 1984 TV series on. . . .

I recently bought the DVD of the series.  It consists of 12 episodes, one for each month of the year, just as Edith Holden's nature diary.   Here is the trailer for the series. . . .

                           

After watching the episode for January I went to my art desk to practice drawing in the style of Edith Holden.  I'm using this little book to help me. . . .

But first I had to rearrange the desk.  It had been in front of the window on the right.  I decided it needed to be between the two windows. . . .

Then Poetry started meowing incessantly and I needed to see what she wanted.  When I came back I found Gabriel chewing on a cardboard CD cover.  How did he get that?!  I'd left it on the bed....Poetry must have knocked it to the floor for him.  Then the phone rang.  I tell you, once I did sit down to draw I was really in a bother.  I think someone must have been very critical of my first drawings as a child because getting something on paper is such a struggle for me.  I turned on some music, shut the bedroom door and finally started.  I had to erase A LOT, but this is what I finally created by following the sketch in the Learn to Draw book. . . .

Not TOO bad.  But now I had to draw it again on watercolor paper.  In my eagerness I skimmed the directions that followed in the book and outlined the background when I was only to outline the duck and drake with the pen before watercoloring it.  It took the rest of the afternoon to apply more paint, let it dry, and then playing with it some more to get it to where I'd show it to you. . . . 

I hope by doing a post each month on my progress I'll be encouraged to practice, practice, practice.  Each month I'll try to duplicate one of Edith's drawings from her book and post it along with more information on Edith Holden's life.  In the meantime, here is a link to another Blogger's post on Edith Holden's book.  She has provided the text and paintings from the book for the month of January.

Here is a short biography on Edith.  I found several Blog posts on The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady.  One in particular stood out to me because she was using Edith's book, also, to get her daughter started on keeping a nature diary.  I liked how she ended her post:  "When it comes to nature study, the point is to just do it."  That is the advice I'm going to hang on to as I move through the year with Edith Holden's lovely nature diary as my guide. . . .Just Do It. 

Addendum:  Sharon has sent me the link to another Blogger's year-long review of the companion book to The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady.  It is called The Nature Notes of an Edwardian Lady.  I'm including the link for January here and will include it each month as we go along--the reason being, this Blogger, Bunny Mummy, lives in the East Midlands of England and has wonderful photographs of the countryside Edith Holden knew so well.

I'm also adding one more drawing/painting for January that I did today.  This one is from the Diary itself.  I did the sketch first, then drew it again on watercolor paper:
I only did part of the painting.  It was interesting to me that I could not see where I'd gotten the proportions wrong until I colored it in.  And then when I took the photo I noticed a few more things.  They say half the art of drawing is seeing.  I also need to work on my "washes" for the background.  I'm gaining confidence, though--that's the other half of the art of drawing!
•*¨`*•. ☆ .•*¨`*•
Take Joy!

33 comments:

  1. I enjoyed the music and the art. You did really well!

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  2. I'm so impressed with your drawing! It inspires me to stick with my plan to learn to draw. Where did you find the Edith Holden drawing book? I own her Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady book, but wasn't aware there was a drawing book out there. My main motivation for learning to draw is so I can do some nature drawings. Yours ducks are wonderful!

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    1. Yikes, Kristie! I went looking for one (I found mine used somewhere--can't remember where) and found it on Amazon for $197.98! It's not worth THAT much. It's really rather simple. There are much more detailed how to draw books out there, but I do better when I have a theme to work around. I saw elsewhere there is a Learn to Paint Wildlife the Country Diary, but it was out of stock. I'd like to find that one, too. I'll let you know if I turn up anything. This one was published by Top That! Publishing Inc. in 2006 ($14.99 Canada/$11.99 US)

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    2. I had a look on Amazon too and couldn't believe what they were asking! If you ever run across one that is reasonably priced that would be great if you could let me know. Thanks!

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    3. Kristie, I'll keep my eyes open for one.

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  3. Cathy, your drawing and particularly the watercolor is quite good. The "just do it" mantra applies to just about everything we are trying to learn. It is my mantra writing my blog posts and definitely for learning to take better photographs. Practice does make "perfect"---The "perfect" style that is you or me. ♥

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    1. Thank you, Martha Ellen. Sticking it out, hanging in there has always been hard for me. I've been known to walk out of a drawing class after the refund date cutoff. But telling everyone on my Blog what I plan to do, might just keep me going to save face. ☺

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  4. Cathy,
    Wonderful job! I found Edith's book over fifteen years ago now as a new home schooler. Karen Andreola introduced me to her work. We have at times kept nature diaries, its quite fun! I didn't know there was a series nor a "tutorial" type art book . I may check those out. I look forward to your posts and artwork.
    Take Peace,
    Suzanne

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    1. Thank you, Suzanne. If you've read the above comments you will see you will not find the book at a reasonable price on-line! I hope the Blizzard headed your way won't impact you negatively. We are only getting up to 7 inches down this way.

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  5. Good Morning Cathy,
    Your book & painting is wonderful, I am going to hunt for that one.
    I cant wait to read all your other posts on your drawings & painting.
    I will watch the dvd trailer later, thank you so much for the link. It is early here & I need to get everyone up & breakfast.
    Fondly Michelle

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  6. I have just found the drawing set online, it is £133 I can't believe it.
    We will have to just copy from our books.
    Fondly Michelle

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    1. Thank you, Michelle. As you will notice by the comments, the drawing book is not to be found on-line at a reasonable price. It was only $11.99 to begin with in 2006 when it was published! I can't imagine how anyone could ask that ridiculous price. I do hope no one will buy it. They will certainly feel cheated if they do.

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  7. Prynhawn Da Cathy ~~~ Your drawing is amazing and it puts my efforts of colouring in to shame as I'm using stamped images with the intention of drawing my own ~ eventually! Still, I have set myself the challenge of making my friends {February} birthday card of a watercolour by my own fair hand copied from my own photography of Fritillaria from my own garden.
    As with Michelle, I cannot believe the cost of the copy available! Mind, I've found a lot of books and calendars too that are out of print to be in a very high price bracket ~ and they sit there too, unsold. Somewhere, I have an ancient paperback, "How To Draw" and might have to seek it out and take myself back to basics.
    ~~~Deb in Wales

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    1. Good afternoon to you, too, Deb! (I looked it up ☺) Thank you. I'm glad to hear you're going to draw your own images to paint. If I can do it, anyone can! I think it's just a matter of getting past that voice in your head--maybe putting on music is what helped drown out the naysayer in my head and got me going. I'm getting ready to sit down and practice as soon as I finish this comment. I feel I'm on a roll.

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  8. Cathy, I think you're doing very well! Your drake and duck page looks great! Much better than mine would, that's for sure. You're too hard on yourself, although I can certainly commiserate. When I was a kid I was the same - always erasing or even starting over on a clean new page. Little Miss Firstborn Perfectionist, that was me. I expected every drawing to leave the end of my pencil and jump onto the page, perfectly-formed. My mom used to get upset with all the paper I was throwing away, and I can't blame her. I was pretty wasteful. Then she got the idea to start me on sewing and embroidery - and things clicked. I started doing cross stitch and those tea towels with stamped-on designs. French knots were my biggest challenge, but other than that I did very well almost immediately, especially for a kid. And I loved being able to watch TV and work on my embroidery at the same time. Felt very productive. It was relaxing too. And no towels were tossed in the wastebasket on the way either - LOL. Looking forward to seeing more of "Edwardian nature" - practice really does work. Hey, hope you're not in the path of Juno. PS - what was Poetry meowing about? Can you usually figure out what she needs? Enjoy your day!

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    1. She either wants to be let out on the porch or fed. I did both. But then because it's so cold she wants back in. Five minutes later she whines to back outside. With your drawing....at least you kept trying! I would give up too easily (perhaps the perfectionist in me didn't like wasting paper!). I've been drawing this afternoon--birds on a branch this time.

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  9. Hi Cathy!
    I think that your artistic outcome is WONDERFUL!! I had to giggle at all of the distractions that you had to endure, and have to say that it is very cute that you shared about it! I can relate to all the things that seem to happen when you want to settle in and get started on a project! I'm looking forward to seeing your progress because you are very talented!
    I love that series I have the VHF Tape and still fortunately have a working VCR to view it !! Hee Heee! I sure do love Edith Holden! You are very fortunate to have that lovely painting book!!
    Have a wonderful week Cathy, and thank you for your visit today :-D
    Many many Blessings and warmth, Linnie

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    1. Thank you, Linnie. Your words, along with everyone else's, is very encouraging.

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    2. Ooo! Cathy your new painting is lovely!!!!!! :-D

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    3. Thank you, Linnie! Love all the exclamation points! ☺ Are you snowed in up your way?

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  10. Impressive! Your art station looks perfectly situated for inspiration and lighting, and your watercolor is enviable, as I've yet to attempt one. Kudos on pressing forward. I first learned of Edith Holden at this link: http://www.bunnymummy-jacquie.blogspot.com/search/label/nature%20notes and am pleased to learn of the DVD series. There are lots of images of her artwork on Pinterest that might serve as sketching guides as well. Thanks for sharing; I look forward to your next drawing/painting.

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  11. Sharon, thank you so much for sending me that link. I've added the link for her January post to the end of this post along with my new drawing/painting I did today. Bunny Mummy's photographs of the country side go along with Edith's book so well. It will be a real treat for us to see them each month along with Edith's paintings from her book (saves me lots of scanning!).

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  12. Oh those pesky interruptions, too often I create my own. Drawing will always be my favorite, comforting art from. Give me my pencils and erasers ( and yes, they are a must!) a nice stiff piece of watercolor paper and an idea, and I am happy as a peach. You are doing very well thus far, and may I say that SEEING is, I think, 3\4 of being an artist. Seeing shape, form, shading, light, and texture teaches you so much. I don't know how others draw, but My first step is creating the outer shape of the object, the bones, so to speak. Then, I make the object come alive using pencil pressure, shading and detail. You will learn just by doing. and observing the tiny details in nature. Don't give up, I see promise here, you will find that drawing is the most relaxing and delightful of pastimes

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    1. Thank you for your encouraging words, Jeri! Coming from such an accomplished artist as yourself it means a great deal to me that you can see promise. ☺ At this point I'm just giddy with delight that I can get something onto paper! Now I will have to practice seeing, shaping, shading (which I think will be one of my greater challenges), and reading up on technique--I tend to jump ahead and just expect it all to work out (that's the not reading the instructions part thoroughly). I think part of all the interruptions by my animals is that they were sensing my anxiety and were disturbed by it. I am finding it very relaxing to concentrate on what I'm painting. I love color! I'm having a hard time keeping them muted like in Edith's diary. They aren't as vibrant as I'd have them if it were my own creation. But I know I'm not anywhere near composing my own pictures. I'm going to have to "copy" someone else's for a while in order to learn how to draw and paint first.

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    2. Studying another artists technique can be very helpful to many, but I find that the most important thing you can do is develop your own way of doing things. For example, I find watercolor too loose for my taste if I use as much water as most watercolorists do, so I use my paint thicker, and I build up the shading layer by layer, which gives great depth. Experiment on your paper, since you love color, use less water. If you like muted colors, but more depth, try to mix a little burnt sienna into every color you use. Mix your own colors to find the shades YOU like. Another thing to experiment with is pencils. For years I used standard art pencils of varying hard or softness, but 10 years ago I switched to mechanical pencils, Zebra is a good brand. Experiment with the different leads and you may find the perfect lead that enhances your drawing experience. Most of all, don't get frustrated if things don't look like you think they should. After all my years of drawing, the eraser is still my best friend.

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    3. Jeri, thank you for all the tips! I will make a copy of this to refer to.

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  13. Your painting is wonderful! I remember my Mum getting this book back in the 80's and I used to love looking at the pictures and words. The book passed to me when my Mum died. What a good idea to revisit it every month! Sarah x

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  14. Cathy,
    Only today am I getting the chance to read this post I saw from last week---still celebrating my birthday from last week. I just got back from a celebratory lunch with other January birthday friends, and my very dear friend gave me Edith Holden's The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady--I just about fell off my seat. I had never seen her work or heard of her before---and now twice in the same week! Amazing!
    I enjoyed the trailer and the music...and your artwork is lovely! Can't wait to see your upcoming posts...
    And will look forward to my new treasure and pour over the artwork and entries.
    Thank you for introducing her to me!
    Take care...

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    1. Mary, I'm delighted to hear that you now have Edith's book! How serendipitous! Do you draw? I'm hoping to draw well enough by the end of the year that I'll be able to do an illustrated journal of my garden and woods--not anything as elaborate as The CDoaEL, but at least capture in watercolor what I've been photographing for years.

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  15. Hello from sunny California. I just signed up to follow your wonderful blog. I love your watercolors; there's beautiful.

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    1. Hello, Lilly's Mom! It is sunny here in Maryland, too, only it's 12 degrees! Thank you for your wonderful comment on my first watercolors. It encourages me that I just might have some talent for it after all.

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