Fossils and Dinosaurs

We are on the Isle of Wight for a short break, camping at Grange Farm Campsite. We are principally​ on the lookout for fossils for our Dinosaur mad son. And also looking at all the Dinosaur Museums on the island. I’m also fitting in a little sketching when I’m able to!
The Dinosaur Museums are great with some very knowledgeable​ people in them. It’s a fascinating​ island for fossils and dinosaur-related​ things!

Featured sketch above:

Watercolour sketch of ‘the Needles’ and its Lighthouse, from ‘the Old Battery‘.

Materials Used

These sketches are painted in a Daler Rowney, Langton 14 x 10”, ‘Not’ watercolour pad. Using my small Winsor & Newton, watercolour field paint box, with a couple of round brushes – sable no.6 & a no.1. Also used are a black brush pen, black watercolour pencil and a 6B pencil.

Pencil sketch of a Neovenator Skull.

Neovenator Skull

Sketching in the Dinosaur Isle Museum. This is a Neovenator Skull. Neovenator is an approximately 7 metre long predatory Theropod Dinosaur. This is an A4 sketch using a 6B pencil.

St Helens Fort

A sketch looking from the beach out to St Helens Fort.
Sketching this time from the beach at Bembridge Point, looking out towards the Napoleonic, St Helen’s Fort. A4 ~ brushpen, markers and watercolour.

Our little Ventnor Garden

Watercolour sketch looking out from our little Ventnor garden. With plant pots and a picket fence.
A4, Watercolour sketch sitting by the door looking out at the sea from our little Ventnor garden.

Osbourne House Beach

Watercolour sketch of Early Light on the Isle of Wight
Sitting in the sun, on Osbourne Beach, Isle of Wight. A4, brush pen and markers.

Sandown Groyne

Sketch of waves breaking over a groin on the beach
Waiting and sketching, sitting on Sandown beach, watching the waves break against the Groynes. A4, brushpen and markers.

White Cliffs

Watercolour sketch of Early Light on the Isle of Wight
Watercolour ~ A4
A new day and I’m up early sketching before the other two immerge​ from the tent.
I love the early morning light hitting the gleaming, white cliffs on the Needles Headland. This view is from the cliff edge at the end of our campsite – I only had to walk a few paces and plonk myself down, a cup of tea in hand! Obviously, it’s a watercolour sketch, with a little black watercolour pencil over the top.

Dinosaur Footprints

We are walking at Hanover Point, finding the most fantastic fossilised dinosaur footprints all along the beach. They are, probably, mostly Mantellisaurus a genus of Iguanodon. However, we also found some Therapod ones too. The footprints are made from mud refilling the footprint. That different mud has fossilised while the material around it erodes away. Leaving a large ‘boulder’ footprint – Gobsmacking!!
Pen & Watercolour sketch showing the Dinosaur Footprints at Hanover Point.
Two of the, probably, Mantellisaurus footprints. The one on the right is much clearer, while the one on the left is still emerging from the rocky outcrop. Sketched in waterproof pen with watercolour over the top ~ A4. The paper has cockled quite a bit, so will need to be pressed flat when I get home.
Sketch of a Therapod Dinosaur footprint preserved on a boulder.
This sketch is of a Theropod Dinosaur footprint. Eotyrannus or Neovenator? The left digit is missing. Sketched again using pen and watercolour ~ A4.

Finally

In the evenings we often strolled down to the beach to see the last of the sun as it set over Tennyson Downs. It’s very restful sitting there listening to the sea roll in and out.
White pastel & charcoal sketch on grey paper of evening clouds and sea at Brighstone beach.
White pastel and charcoal sketch on grey paper ~ A4. Showing Brighstone Bay with the evening sun shining on the clouds and sea.
Watercolour and brushpen sketch of the Sunset at Brighstone

Sunset over Tennyson Downs

Looking west along the beach watching the sunset. Using watercolour with a Brushpen over the top to block in the blacks. A4

© Copyright Nick Watton.
All Rights Reserved.