Visit’s to the Beach
Sketching people in pen, but mostly watercolour on the Exmouth & Budleigh Salterton beaches. These sketches are of my family members on the beach. We head down to the beach in all weathers and at all times of the year.
Materials Used
All of these sketches were drawn or painted in a Daler Rowney, Red & Yellow cartridge pad. Often sketched out quickly first with a 6B pencil, before adding watercolour or pen. I use my trusty Winsor & Newton, watercolour field paint box, with two round brushes, sable no.1 & no.6. The pen used is a waterproof fineliner.
Woolly Hat on Exmouth beach
Watercolour ~ A5
Down to the beach for a quick blow through in the November sun. Halfway up the beach, there is a channel of trapped seawater, in which we are paddling. The tide is on the ebb and there is a fresh breeze blowing. The ‘little fella’ is back in his stripy woolly hat, which is the first time this autumn. I also have my woolly hat on too!
Hermit Crab found!’
Watercolour ~ A5
The tide is out, it’s a bit overcast and windy. We have been poking about in the rock pools and have found a tiny small crab and quite a big hermit crab. Here we are with it in a bucket – we let it go in a large rock pool where it scuttled off to hide under the seaweed.
Making a Splash!
Watercolour ~ A5
At the mouth of the River Otter, on the Budleigh side.
We are enjoying throwing pebbles large & small into the river.
The waves, today, are lazily loping up onto the beach and there is not a breath of wind.
I also saw a trout jumping high out of the water, but he wasn’t as good at splashing as us!
Searching the Rocks
Pen & watercolour wash ~ A5
We descended the steps, down the cliffs, at Rodney Point and explored that bit of beach. Now cut-off from the main beach, doing this always seems exciting. And we have it to ourselves. We are on the trail of dinosaurs – mostly T-rex’s.
On the Beach
Watercolour ~ A4
Mrs W sitting and watching.
Digging in the sand
Pen ~ A5
Chasing the wind!
Pen ~ A5
The ‘little fella’ is digging in the sand and letting it run through his fingers. Slowly, the tide is going out and soon we are able to go rock pooling, building dams and generally running about!
Down at the River Otter with a stick
Watercolour ~ A5
Sunshine and showers today, the little lad has his stripy coat on to keep out the chilly wind. We have come down to Budleigh Salterton for a stroll, with the usual effort it takes us to get out of the house these days! However, once here, we are enjoying throwing stones into the River Otter and poking it with a stick!
Breezy Budleigh
Pen & watercolour washes ~ A5
Wrapped up against the wind, with the waves crashing in. Time for a quick snack & a sketch…
Fossiling at Charmouth
Watercolour ~ A5
Blustery, grey November day…So we all headed for Charmouth beach to meet up with Deds, Carey, Oliver & Henry. Armed with beach tents, sausages, an assortment of cookers, hammers and chisels! For a day of fossil hunting on the beach.
Set up ‘camp’ on the beach, at about 12’ish so were straight away into cooking sausages, Oliver also lit a fire, so we were also kept busy looking for driftwood to burn.
Not many fossils found, that Ichthyosaur alluded us but we all had a great time. It was good to get out of the house in November and do something daft. There were a few envious eyes turned in our direction.
Lastly
Lady with Windbreak
Brush Pen & watercolour washes ~ A5
Just sitting on the beach, this lady silhouetted with her windbreak looked ideal for a sketch.
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