Cath Sheard Art

Category: Uncategorized

  • R&F Drawing Oils

    As a mixed media artist I use watercolour, acrylic, almost anything that’s water soluble, acrylic ink, pencils, pens and collage. I occasionally use pastels, but not often. I did a lot of pastel work a few years back but the skin on my fingers didn’t cope and, for the sort of work I do, they need a fixative.

    I’ve tried oil pastels in the past but don’t like the fact they don’t dry, and get everywhere. When I do use them it’s for small accents and I seal it with matte fluid medium. I don’t use oil paint because of the smell and chemicals.

    Recently I watched some YouTube artists reviewing the new R&F Drawing Oil Sticks and thought they sounded worth a shot. I bought the introductory set of six modern colours. Oh my god … love! I’ve since bought another ten or so colours. They’re easy to use, creamy and rich, and dry fairly quickly. I use them for highlights and love the vibrancy of them.

    The orange marks top left, and very pale blue centre right are drawing oil stick.
    The teal blue on the far right is drawing oil stick.
  • Practice means progress

    Practice means progress

    In March I did Marabeth Quin’s online course Mixed Media Collage & the Intuitive Landscape. In the course you make 16 small and 4 slightly larger abstract landscapes. I repeated the exercise almost straight away.

    Yesterday I started a set of 12 larger ones, and today started 12 smaller ones. When they’re complete they’ll go into my sketchbook, joining the earlier sets, along with notes about each one.

    Why create so many when they’re just going straight into my sketchbook? I loved the course, and want the learnings to become embedded in my art practice. But I want to create my work, using what I learnt, not create a simile of Marabath’s work.

    The best way to achieve that is through ongoing practice. I follow Niamh Baly, and she often says “practice makes progress” so that’s what I’m aiming for … progress.

    This isn’t complete yet, but I like where it’s headed.
    My desk covered in pieces I’m working on in series.

  • Sketchbook Revival ‘26 – shifting greens

    Watercolour artist Susan Chiang taught a class called ‘Shifting greens: one base green, two herbs’. This was another class where I was doubtful because I’m generally an abstract or semi-abstract artist. Susan described her pieces as ‘playful and loose’ but they looked very precise to me!

    I used ultramarine turquoise mixed with cadmium yellow pale for one, and mixed with raw sienna for the other.

    I’m particularly pleased with the parsley, and think the sage would have been improved by adjusting the design. I’m tempted to keep playing with this idea, because I’d love to improve my realism skills.

  • Sketchbook Revival ‘26 – ‘Text’ book

    Janine Vangool’s class featured an entire sketchbook of text and typography. This appealed on a number of levels – we used to publish a newspaper, I’ve got a reasonable stash of alphabet stencils & stamps, and I’ve often used lettering in my journals.

    I’ve made a few pages and love them. It’s no surprise my pages focus on the state of the world. I’m going to start a fresh sketchbook and devote it to typography.

  • Sketchbook Revival ‘26 – 5 minute art

    Cynthia Hauk’s class was about 5 minute art journal ideas for busy days. Loved her process and the results … Cynthia has some fabulous ideas & I’m keen to keep using what I learned.