Oak Tree, Rat Path, Westwoodside

I’m loving that shape Martin, just my thing, I love drawing old trees… you’ve done a cracking job as well!

I agree with Alan, this is really good Martin

A grand old tree, I like the contrast against the pale distance,

Great sketch.

Great marks here, Martin, making it very atmospheric

Impressive Martin, dark and atmospheric, makes me think of witches and folklore.

What a tree! Fine drawing Martin.

Very atmospheric, Martin. One of my favourite subjects and you have done a great job!

Not only a fine tree - and fine drawing - but also "Rat Path": I have a soft spot for rats ... intelligent critters. For the fifteenth time, I've forgotten what a Fude pen is: I shall look it up and see if it'll lodge in my emptying memory-banks. I probably won't remember until I actually get one.

Thanks very much for your generous comments Alan Heather Michael Stephen Denise Thalia Val Lewis Mia and Robert Much appreciated. Robert the Fude pen is a fountain pen with a bent nib. Very versatile. The Rat path is so named only in my family as the path where I discovered a poor rat had impaled himself on an upstanding wire whilst climbing through a wire fence and couldn’t go forwards or backwards. I lifted him off to live another day. Hopefully

Excellent drawing.

I love the strength and age of these trees you have portrayed so well MArtin.

I love this Martin-it’s full of life and energy, feel as if I’m there.

Super old tree Martin- looks like it could tell some stories! I also have a couple of Fude pens and they are great to use. The bent nib sounds weird but you can get varying widths of line from the same nib very easily. Robert you should try one!

This would look wonderful in a book of sinister fairytales Martin. It feels as though it’s braced to step off the page……love it.

I like the detailed work on the tree and the abstraction beyond it. A slightly scary, menacing picture.

Thanks for your great comments Stephen Carole Rachel Tessa Fiona Spencer and Coral. I’m glad some found it a bit ‘dark’ as that path can feel a bit that way sometimes

A fine drawing Martin, like the feeling of strength and energy coming from the tree.

Great use of the Fude pen again Martin; super sketch of the tree and I love the way you have painted the background too.

Thanks very much for having a look and commenting Hilary and Karen. Much appreciated o

Great work Martin. A bit reminiscent of Edward Ardizzone, to my mind. Very evocative

this is fantastic

Thank you Mark and Mandara. I had to Google Edward Ardizzone, Mark but having done so I was reminded of Stig of the Dump which he illustrated and which my daughter loved back in the day.

Yes… agree with the Edward Ardizonne comparison, but this also a lovely piece in its own right.

Thanks so much Andrew. Very kind

Great old tree.

Thanks very much Emma

Excellent tree Martin, interesting effects with the fude pen.

Thanks Carole. It’s a great tool