Hi Adele. Thanks so much for taking a look . To answer your questions: - Some pictures are sketched entirely at the scene in one go. This is the most ideal way of making a sketch, and to be recommended wherever time , weather, comfort and safety permitting. The sketch of the cyclists on Aberavon Beach is an example of that. My figures tend to be very simple, mostly just silhouettes, because you only get time to sketch a simple outline before they move position. In sketches which have more figures, it tends to be a composite sketch, using figures who were all there, but weren’t all there at the same time. This is time consuming, but once you’ve got the figures in then you can easily add buildings/scenery around them. Some pictures are started at the scene and then finished off using a reference photograph taken at the same time. My sketch of the Bryn Siriol Senior Citizens’ Centre in Cymmer is an example. I sketched out the outlines, and was filling in the detail, but it was a bakingly hot day, and with the sun beating down on my ever increasing bald spot, I started feeling bad after about 15 minutes, so took the reference photo, and finished it off at home. Some of these pictures are done completely at home based on photographs, although these have mostly been because I’ve been sketching them on video for Youtube. I’m not very quick at making the sketches. This was something which working on Youtube brought home to me. There’s one sketch I made of houses on Tydraw Hill which I specifically tried to make in 15 minutes – as a result, even though I was making it in perfect conditions at home, working from a photograph, it’s rather sketchy and less detailed than I would have otherwise done. A very detailed sketch, which includes a full page scene, and is fully shaded, such as my most recent sketch of Tescos and the Aberavon Bridge Canopy can take a good hour to make. Not that I tend to notice. Once I start making a sketch I tend to lose myself in it until it’s complete.

I've got just under halfway through your sketches David, and I am totally in awe! I do prefer the graphite or ink sketches and so far it is hard to choose a favourite although I do love "Ebeneezer Church", despite you stating it is "floating". Do you sketch the picture in it's entirety at the scene or do you just sketch bits and fill in at home? How long does the average sketch take to do? What I would suggest is that you put a thread about this challenge, on the Forum, because I have noticed in the past that a lot of the artists prefer that to the blogs and don't always pay much heed to them.

Thanks Adele

Had a quick look David and they all look fantastic. Will have a proper look tomorrow together with your texts.