Lambs and ewes....

This week I've been walking the hills of Wales, or at least one or two of them around Lake Bala which is right on the edge of the Snowdonia Park. The area is very beautiful and we were lucky enough to have good weather, not too hot and hardly any rain! The lambs and calves were enjoying themselves in the early summer sunshine and it was such a pleasure to sketch them, even if they didn't assist by standing still for long.....

 

 

Young lambs just doing what young lambs do and wondering why I was staring at them.....

 

Some of the ewes were a bit wary as I stood and looked at them but they soon became used to me and there were some wonderful characters there.  The strong shape of their heads and contemptuous looks reminded me of some interesting human portraits I've seen in various well known galleries.....

 

 

What do you think?!

 

 

This lovely lady seemed completely bored at yet another tourist staring at her!

 

  

but this mother and lamb were happily snoozing in the sunshine ......

 

Little lamb who made thee

Dost thou know who made thee

 Gave thee life and bid thee feed.

 

Extract from  William Blake's poem The Lamb.

 

 

Tate Britain have a display of Blake's work on at the moment and I would recommend visiting if you can, as the colour of some of the pieces and the imaginative use  of line are incredible, and whether or not you are a fan of his work it will give you a fascinating insight into his life.

 

 

A quick sketch from one of the pieces on display - it's so useful to see original works and try to understand them by copying if you get a chance.  Just the exercise of looking again and again at a piece helps you to understand it more deeply and the physical act of drawing lines reinforces your knowledge - why not try it?