my little iona postcard project

Amazingly (well, amazing to me anyway), I’ve actually completed my little Iona postcard project – almost a week before the end of my stay. If you haven’t a clue what I’m talking about, you might like to see my previous posts on the subject (or maybe not!) - like this one, or this or this? 

To be honest, I’m surprised how brilliant this has been – NOT in terms of the quality of the resulting sketches and like (which have been somewhat crude in many instances) , but in terms of the focus it’s helped to provide for my “down-time” on the island. I’ve really enjoyed the discipline of creating very quick sketches (20 minute maximum, with only one or two exceptions – postcard size is rather useful in this respect!). Somewhat predictably, I’ve found “architectural” sketches very much easier than landscapes (I’ve found results of the latter very disappointing and incredibly frustrating!). I’ve also found that the use of watercolour pencils has been a simple way of adding very quick colour to my scribbles (applying the water back at “home” in Cul Shuna – and therefore avoiding the need to carry wet sketches with me on my walks around the island!).
Although I would probably have brought a sketch book with me, I would almost certainly only have completed a handful of drawings at most.
So, MASSIVE thanks to Ruth for her original project idea and for her encouragement. It’s been a key part of my time on Iona and will provide a lasting memory of my visit.
Photo: some more of the 40 postcards I’ve sent to friends during my time on Iona (as I say, the quality varies!)… I didn’t photograph them all!
PS: I’ve posted off my last batch of postcards so, if you haven’t already done so, you should certainly have received yours by the end of the month (even allowing for the UK postal service)… if you don’t then, perhaps you’ll have to produce your own substitute sketch version!!