This year's been amazing but I've also been working very long hours, so it was BRILLIANT to get away with Stuart to Dartmoor for five days over Christmas. Dartmoor must be one of the most beautiful places in the whole world, it's like stepping into a Tolkein book or a Dark Crystal film set. 
Photo by Sarah Reeve
Stuart's dad died this year and my parents are far away in Seattle, so we were so glad to be adopted again by the lovely Reeve family. Their poodle, Frodo, was thrilled about GIFT WRAP everywhere.
Photo by Sarah Reeve
Oh, poodle happy day! 
Photo by Sarah Reeve
We went for lots of walks, including some which were a bit muddy to suit the footwear of everyone involved. 
Photo by Sarah Reeve
I love the tors scattered around Dartmoor, it's like being in some amazing sculpture park.
I call this Pancake Tor.
Boxing Day, in particular, was VERY MISTY. Well, downright wet, actually. But the moor still looked beautiful then, what we could see of it.
This tor almost looks like the ancient rubble of some giants' fortress.
It was so good to be with friends, including glamorous moorland photographer Sarah Reeve (she's @SarahReeve3 on Twitter). 
And comedy duo Philip Reeve and his scooter-obsessed son, Sam. 
I love how the moor messes with my sense of scale. My Cakes in Space co-author Philip looks like a 1/48th-scale action figure in this setting:
Tiny Reeve o' the Rocks:
And the landscape's so varied, with so many beautiful, subtle colours. 
Everything from wide grassy plains (spot Reeve & son by the holly tree)...
...to mossy forests with boulders that look like the trolls in Frozen. 
And yes, we occasionally get very wet, but this is okay because we have ponchos! And wellies. Well, I have wellies to stomp around in, I don't know why Stuart doesn't wear them. 
But that is why it is so nice to come back to SNACKS.
Philip's parents brought Christmas cake from the local Christmas fête. (We don't really do Christmas cake in the USA with marzipan and royal icing, just fruitcake, so here's a description if you're interested.) 
Oh, and Christmas pudding, of course. 
The Flake bar in breakfast cereal is Sam's addition to festive food. 
And here's the inevitable Mountain of Teabags.
And prezzies! Sam got Mark Lowery books and was thrilled:
But also orange gloop.
I spent a WHOLE EVENING stitching this pug cushion for Philip - to give something genuinely homemade, you see - but I'm not Felt Mistress and it didn't come out exactly how I'd hoped. But then I didn't have time to make another prezzie, so he had to lump it.
Sam and I got busy with Sarah on camera, making light drawings:
And I didn't have time (or shelter) on walks to make landscape drawings, but I did a few portraits in the dry indoors. (I've posted them earlier but wanted to keep them all together in one blog post here.) Here's Sam:
And Sarah: 
Philip's dad was making his own drawing with the sketchbook and brush pen I gave him, so he held still much better than Sam:
And a bit of moss I found on the ground:
Thanks so much for hosting us, Reeve family; you're the best! :)
Then it was back to London, and one last hurrah for 2014 at the house of our friends Eddie and Caroline. (Eddie Smith is the sculptor who helps make the more ornate of my hats and their daughter, Dulcie, stars in my picture book There's a Shark in the Bath.) 
We even had a surprise piper appearance: 
Happy New Year, everyone! Thanks so much for following this blog, and I hope 2015 is a good one for you. Don't miss Philip's Year in Review, which you can read on his blog here. 
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By: Sarah McIntyre,
on 1/1/2015
Blog: Sarah McIntyre (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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By: Sarah McIntyre,
on 12/29/2014
Blog: Sarah McIntyre (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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By: Sarah McIntyre,
on 12/29/2014
Blog: Sarah McIntyre (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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By: Paintgranny,
on 1/11/2008
Blog: Middle of Nowhere (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: granulation, watercolour washes, Reeves, watercolor washes, drying washes, granulation, watercolour washes, Reeves, watercolor washes, drying washes, Add a tag
The main thing is, I watch my washes hawkishly, like a chef minds his (or her) sauce. This painting already has already two flimsy and dried washes. They go down loose, like liquid tissue paper...
...and when it is finished to my satisfaction, I get it levelled (or I might prop it a little, to push the darker paint into the shadow area) and watch it dry. It has to dry evenly, and naturally. No hairdryer. Ever. The upper photo shows the evaporating, dulling wash in the bottom right corner. This is what I watch, to check it is not drying too hard into the wash, which might create a tide mark. If it is going too fast, I might tip the board, or put a bit more water in, to coax and blend it into the existing one. It's a matter of squinting sideways and judgement. Then acting quickly and confidently if action needs taking.
The granulation; basically a speckledy finish. And below, just to the side of the window, the pigment in danger of drying into a slight trough. If it is left it will create a darker line - so I tilt the board gently this way and that, to even it out.
After about 40 minutes of babysitting it, I popped down to make some tea, and returned to a minor hiccup - the dark area had dried unevenly, resulting in a nasty little blotch.
Somewhat late for surgery, but some careful tweaking just about sorted it. Luckily it's in the shadow area where I will be putting in some pencil work, but I don't loose too much sleep over little mishaps - it's all part of the process. You can't teach this and the most disappointing answer I give - in reply to most things, not just painting - is it takes time, trial and error, which results in experience. Making mistakes and waiting are sometimes the best way to learn. Putting the time in can seem boring - but I don't have a magic, instant solution, and it works for me.
By: Kelly Herold,
on 5/11/2007
Blog: Crossover (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: book review, Young Adult fiction, Catherine Ryan Hyde, Add a tag
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By: Sarah McIntyre,
on 1/1/2015
Blog: Sarah McIntyre (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: christmas, dartmoor, reeves, reeve, Add a tag
By: Sarah McIntyre,
on 12/29/2014
Blog: Sarah McIntyre (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Meet the Legend:
Ha ha, Kevin the fat Dartmoor Pegasus isn't my creation, he started out as a little painting that looks sort of pre-historic but was actually painted by Philip Reeve and hung above a door in his kitchen. 
He modelled a more slimline version of the Pegasus out of Sculpey clay for his wife, Sarah, for Christmas. I love its stubby little legs and gilded wings, so cute! 
So for the picture, I set the Pegasus atop this rocky outcropping - a tor - where earlier in the week I'd photographed his son, Sam.
That's how a lot of story ideas come about, taking a made-up creature and putting it somewhere I've had fun exploring. And hanging out with Philip always gives me lots of ideas (which is why I love making books with him). Even the grass on Dartmoor is inspiring, I want to sit there drawing it all day long. 
In other news: Jamie Smart just linked on Bored Panda to some great comics by Fran Krause (@frankrause on Twitter), about people's fears, some quite odd. Check out Deep Dark Fears.
By: Sarah McIntyre,
on 12/29/2014
Blog: Sarah McIntyre (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: dartmoor, portraits, reeves, morning_sketch, Add a tag
It looks a little bit like him, but not exactly because he wouldn't sit still for more than ten seconds.
By: Paintgranny,
on 1/11/2008
Blog: Middle of Nowhere (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: granulation, watercolour washes, Reeves, watercolor washes, drying washes, granulation, watercolour washes, Reeves, watercolor washes, drying washes, Add a tag
I received an email a while back from someone asking how I get my watercolour effects. Specifically, the granulation. Difficult one, as I have been mucking about with paint ever since my old dad got me my first basic Reeves box, when I was about four. So it's kind of second nature, precocious though that may sound. I break the 'rules' about mixing different kinds of paint (I do, frequently - gouache and watercolour) and I sometimes use old, and often dried up paints, frequently getting bits of dust in the wash. But somehow granulation always occurs in my washes, even though I hadn't heard of the term until a few years ago when someone told me I was doing it.
The main thing is, I watch my washes hawkishly, like a chef minds his (or her) sauce. This painting already has already two flimsy and dried washes. They go down loose, like liquid tissue paper...
...and when it is finished to my satisfaction, I get it levelled (or I might prop it a little, to push the darker paint into the shadow area) and watch it dry. It has to dry evenly, and naturally. No hairdryer. Ever. The upper photo shows the evaporating, dulling wash in the bottom right corner. This is what I watch, to check it is not drying too hard into the wash, which might create a tide mark. If it is going too fast, I might tip the board, or put a bit more water in, to coax and blend it into the existing one. It's a matter of squinting sideways and judgement. Then acting quickly and confidently if action needs taking.
The granulation; basically a speckledy finish. And below, just to the side of the window, the pigment in danger of drying into a slight trough. If it is left it will create a darker line - so I tilt the board gently this way and that, to even it out.
After about 40 minutes of babysitting it, I popped down to make some tea, and returned to a minor hiccup - the dark area had dried unevenly, resulting in a nasty little blotch.
Somewhat late for surgery, but some careful tweaking just about sorted it. Luckily it's in the shadow area where I will be putting in some pencil work, but I don't loose too much sleep over little mishaps - it's all part of the process. You can't teach this and the most disappointing answer I give - in reply to most things, not just painting - is it takes time, trial and error, which results in experience. Making mistakes and waiting are sometimes the best way to learn. Putting the time in can seem boring - but I don't have a magic, instant solution, and it works for me.
0 Comments on Wishy Washy as of 1/1/1900
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By: Kelly Herold,
on 5/11/2007
Blog: Crossover (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: book review, Young Adult fiction, Catherine Ryan Hyde, Add a tag
This review was written by Alice Herold Cynthia, a thirteen year old girl, has to act the mother of her family because her own mother is a drunk, and her three year old brother, Bill, has Down's Syndrome. Bill calls her "Thynnie" which is the only word he is able to articulate. Her older sister, Kiki, lives away from home and doesn't have much to do with her. "Cynnie" herself states on p. 117,
0 Comments on Review: The Year of My Miraculous Reappearance as of 1/1/1970
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Hi Gretel, Thanks for sharing your process and those fantastic close-up photos! I love the muted colours you use, and envy your ability to know which colour does what. I know this comes with practice and experience - I just need to buckle down! Thanks for visiting earlier today. :O)
Thank you for showing this process, it is very helpful. I am afraid to try washes with watercolor because it is so unpredictable but this makes me want to give it a try. =) Hmm.. now I have to go find some tape and a board...
This is lovely to watch - I can almost taste the tea and sense the apprehension as the perfect drying point gets nearer! Thanks for sharing this, G!
Hope you are feeling alot better after your poorliness, sweetie, and sorry for being so crap at posting lately....
x
There is something magical about a wash, waiting to see how it will turn out - I love it! What paper are you using - I like the creamy shade.
Thank you artistic ladies! Jess, I used to be not-so-good with watercolour, one day I'll post some of my earlier efforts!
Parrish, watercolour is like an excitable dog, if you learn to make it walk to heel it will do anything for you, otherwise it's all over the park! Give it another go, go on!
Viggy, wondered where you had gotten to!
Caroline, it's just Arches HP (140lb I think) but I always start with a (very) thin yellow wash on all my paintings, hence the creamy effect.
This seems such a wondrous process, and, besides the talent, it takes so much knowledge and patience. Thank you for sharing this. I am awed.
Yes the effects are magical. you must be very patient.
but worth all the effort.
Re hot choc at the Majorell Gradens - I think we were just lucky - some Moroccans can make you wait FOR EVER!!!
Thanks for sharing the painting process G, its really interesting to see how others work.
Just had a look at your Marrakesh link, such an interesting place, one funny memory I have is a whole market stall of second hand false teeth!
P.x
Thanks for showing this aspect of your process, Gretel. It looks like magic. Your work is so subtle and elegant. I've been inspired by you and Lisbeth Zweger to try a more delicate approach on a painting. Have you using a masking fluid here to reserve some areas? Also I just recently picked up some Aqqua pasto, a watercolour retarder, have you tried this? Any thoughts?
Ooh no, never heard of it - (goes off to Google) oh, I see, it thickens paint...no, I like my paint thin! I rarely use masking fluid, I put a clean sheet of water down onto the area I'm about to wash into, and then work very quickly. If it is a very big wash (A2) I will add ox gall, which helps with the flow, but normally it's just speed, paint and water.
It's an extender, and I've found that it's more effective for gouache inmy own work, if I'm doing clouds with lots of blending, say. Though I rarely use it, I was more curious if it was in your arsenal of tools. I have never used Ox Gall and don't know much about it, it's a wetting agent and it reduces water tension? What does that mean in practical terms? Maybe I should buy some and just try it out.
Whoops, that last comment was me, Eric....
Well, it just seems to stop the wash drying out so quickly, and makes it less likely to make tidelines - I don't know precisely how it works; it's the only 'extra' I use, apart from once in a blue moon I might use gum arabic to bumph up a little area of colour. I find it useful when I have a very big expanse of flat wash to do, which will not have much added to it, but my work tends to be emptier of content than yours (probably because I am lazy...), so you probably wouldn't have a use for it. :)
Hello Aunty Gretel!
Happy new year!
I'm taking a break from "nesting" to say "bonjour".
I miss working in watercolour, there's something magical about it and you have it nailed, IMHO :0)
Erica
xxx
I have always wanted to paint watercolours...I once had a glorious hour long lesson over looking the habour on the Isles of Scilly (a birthday present from my aunt). Now I have time on my hands I am going to have another bash.
Thanks for showing us this, any more help would be most welcome :-)
Take care,
Alison x
Hello and thank you for being so generous with the watercolor lessons.
I agree that the photos are terrific, and really do "show" what you are "telling."
Right now, I have an hour to get ready and to travel to work, but what I would like to do right now is get out the watercolors, brushes and paper! Tomorrow's a day off, so I hope to hold on to this inspiration.
Cheers!
I love watercolor and all the work up on your blog!!! cheers!
I'm sure I left a comment before - am I going doolally, Gretel?!! Beautiful work, fab to see the different stages :)
Whew!
I'm glad I am sitting down!
I feel like I have just witnessed a Magic trick!
Just Amazing! And I love that you don't follow the "rules", me too!
Sandra Evertson
Thanks so much Gretel for letting us in on a few trade secrets on how you do your amazing work. This is such an informative and inspiring post. Of course, we will all rush out and try it and discover how very difficult it is to get just the right result. But ... with time ... and trial and error. Hope you are well!
I always admire people greatly who can make paper, paint and brush into a picture!
I love you cone people too!
And there I was thinking it was all so simple............There's an art to this artistic thingy !
I'm well impressed PG
I put up a process post, so now we can compare notes.