Trip to Laikipia, Kenya
Spending some time on a conservation area in Laikipia, Kenya.
Earlier this year I had an incredible opportunity to travel to Kenya, and spent some time on a conservation area in Laikipia. Encountering large groups of elephant, zebra and impala on horseback, from a Landrover and on walking safari allowed me to draw these extraordinary animals in close proximity.
I tend to draw with charcoal in sketch books, finding this medium moves quickly and smoothly across the paper when there’s an urgency to get down as much as possible in a short time and I enjoy the range of mark making you have.
These sketches from life are primitive but exciting; as soon as I began to draw, the shapes and form of the elephants seemed to suit my loose approach, I enjoyed the sketches coming out of the pages.
The mirror imaging was an unexpected bonus of forgetting fixative (I’m not the kind of girl who travels with hair spray..!)
Taking video footage helps to develop these drawings back home in the studio to larger pieces exploring in more depth and tone without losing the immediacy of the life drawing.
I’m excited about developing this theme further, with other wild animals not so common in Wiltshire, white and black rhino, giraffe and zebra in particular…
Study of an elephant in charcoal and pastel on Canson paper, Available.
Study of a Zebra in charcoal on studio paper, Available.
Drawing of elephants in charcoal on large sheet of white Fabriano paper, sold.
