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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.
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
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
A4, Watercolour sketch sitting by the door looking out at the sea from our little Ventnor garden.
Osbourne House Beach
Sitting in the sun, on Osbourne Beach, Isle of Wight. A4, brush pen and markers.
Sandown Groyne
Waiting and sketching, sitting on Sandown beach, watching the waves break against the Groynes. A4, brushpen and markers.
White Cliffs
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!!
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.
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 and charcoal sketch on grey paper ~ A4. Showing Brighstone Bay with the evening sun shining on the clouds and sea.
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
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