Let's Decorate -a new course!

Dear Reader,It’s with great pleasure that I can announce the launch of my new course Let’s Decorate! - bright ideas for painting everyday objectsIt’s been something I have been working on in the background before I gave birth and over the last few months have been slowly chippping away a bit at a time to bring it to completion. I must admit I didn’t think I’d ever finish it working in such short bursts, but I’m so glad I peservered and can now tell you all about it. Read on for more details…This course arose from a desire to be surrounded by beautiful, everyday objects in my home, featuring favourite subjects like wild flowers, fruit and elements from the natural world. I was particularly inspired by a visit to a sunflower field last year and this got me wanting to paint them on everything.I've always loved to paint murals, back in my twenties I was a mural artist in a school and it was actually how I started dating Tony when he commissioned me to paint a mural on his flat walls. A job that should have taken a week took 3 months as we would find all sorts of things to chat about!I digress…back to the courseWhat you’ll doIn this course we’ll look at 3 types of acrylic paint- heavy body, soft body and acrylic gouache, noting their qualities and discuss what kind of project they would suit best. I’ll then guide you through four projects to paint and give you detailed steps for sourcing materials, preparing surfaces and painting your objects. Working in acrylic paint to transform a space is a great way to brighten your home on a smaller scale and through painting everyday objects there’s also a special sense of accomplishment that comes with customising your space. On the course you’ll gain inspiration and practical know-how to bring your decorative ideas to life and work on similar pieces for your home.If this sounds just up your street or you’re curious to find out more then please hop over to the purchase page here. Any questions just ping them over to me or go to the bottom of the sales page for FAQ.Thanks for reading and I look forward to speaking again soon,PS Seasalt & Serpentine Paid community-I’m offering a 25% discount for you- watch out for the next email with the coupon code. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit melaniechadwick.substack.com/subscribe

Dear Listener,Welcome to another episode of Explore and Draw.In each episode I’ll take you with me on a walk, observing and commenting on the landscape around me. I’ll find a place to draw and then share the finished sketch with you below.In today’s podcast episode I decided to trek down to the most southerly point on the Lizard peninsula. It was such a beautiful morning, sunny, blue skies a bit windy but definitely warmer than last week. The light was bright but just in the right spot for sketching the cliffs and the lighthouse on the horizon.The materials used were a mix of mediums including Derwent’s Tinted Charcoal Paint pan set, Viarco’s water soluble graphite, Caran D’ache Neocolor IIs and a mix of pencils. If you want to join the live draw-along on Monday 24th February I mentioned here is the link:Feel free to use these photos for a sketch-along and if you want to share your sketches join the SSS chat. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit melaniechadwick.substack.com/subscribe

Hello readers!I’m delighted to announce the result of our first giveaway here on Substack.Thankyou to everyone who took the time to comment and enter on my November round-up post. It was really a pleasure to read your comments and hear also which Derwent pencils are your favourite and which you’d like to try.I’ve listed the pencils that are included in the giveaway in case you want to build your own pencil tin.x 10 Lightfast Lichen Green, Mustard, Autumn Red, Foliage, Green Earth, Mid Ultramarine, Golden Sun, Seaweed, Pine, Forestx 6 Drawing Olive Earth, Yellow Ochre, Brown Ochre, Light Sienna, Ruby Earth, Chocolatex 4 Coloursoft Ginger, Grey Green, Pimentox 3 Graphitint Meadow, Autumn Brown, Ocean Bluex 1 Watercolour Blue GreySo without further ado to find out the winner please watch the video above!Remember if you’d like to purchase any of Derwent pencils on their GB site you can enter this code MIXED-MEDIA-MC at checkout to get 30% off voucher is valid until 31st December 2024.And if you’d like to purchase my 2025 calendar you can do so here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit melaniechadwick.substack.com/subscribe

Dear Listener,Welcome to another episode of Explore and Draw.In each episode I’ll take you with me on a walk, observing and commenting on the landscape around me. I’ll find a place to draw and then share the finished sketch with you below.Today I drove across the Lizard peninsula to the Helford area, parked at Kestle Barton and made the muddy walk down to the woods just above Helford Village. My intention was to do a couple of things- record the audio of the woodland sounds for my upcoming Wildflower course and secondly record another episode for this podcast and sketch the trees. The weather was damp and branches were saturated with rain having had a heavy downpour during the night. Thankfully I brought my foldable stool with me so was able to pitch up on the path and laid out my pencils on the foldable mat. See the set up below- the pencils are in my handy Sendak pencil roll.The moss on the trees was such a bright green- it looked like it was on steroids!And here’s the photo of the sketch I created on location.Thanks for joining me today. PS. For those who are interested my Wildflower sketching and illustration course will be opening for pre-sale on Monday- watch your inboxes for the announcement or check my Teachable courses page then.PPS. Until the 1st March I have a special discount for those interested in upgrading to paid- click the button for more details or read this post. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit melaniechadwick.substack.com/subscribe

Dear Listener,Welcome to another episode of Explore and Draw.In each episode I’ll take you with me on a walk, observing and commenting on the landscape around me. I’ll find a place to draw and then share the finished sketch with you below.Today I walked to Mullion Meadows and sat sketching the trees- inspired by my Tree prompt in my 2024 Calendar. Below is my set-up on a stone bench, and I sat on my foldable stool.The weather was bright and sunny, and other than one rain shower it was surprisingly warm.Below is my finished sketchbook spread.Thanks for joining me today This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit melaniechadwick.substack.com/subscribe

Dear Listener,Welcome to another episode of Explore and Draw.In each episode I’ll take you with me on a walk, observing and commenting on the landscape around me. I’ll find a place to draw and then share the finished sketch with you below.It’s been a little while but I’m glad to be back out doing another episode and have you along with me. Today I’m staying closer to home as my subject matter is Treehouse and is one of prompts on my Autumn #joyofsketchingoutside list. I spotted this treehouse a few weeks ago whilst walking around the village and thought I must come back and sketch it.I sketched one image further away making sure to capture the wedge shape of the pine tree along with birds flying around and then went a little closer to focus on the shed itself. Neocolor 2s, brush markers and my sailor pen were the materials I used.And here is finished spread… Thanks for joining me today This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit melaniechadwick.substack.com/subscribe

Dear Listener,Welcome to another episode of Explore and Draw.In each episode I’ll take you with me on a walk, observing and commenting on the landscape around me. I’ll find a place to draw and then share the finished sketch with you below.In today’s episode I made my way to popular beach and beauty spot Kennack Sands on the Lizard Peninsula. This well known area has two beaches, one is closer to the cafes and parking and then the second is just a little further away over the small hill. I headed over to this one and found it to be quite empty bar a couple of dog walkers. Seasalt and Serpentine is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.I spotted a small pine tree up on the horizon by the ferns and just below it was a rudimentary little bench with an inscription hand written on the plaque ‘In memory of Pisky and Peggy’. I decided this would be the perfect place to sit and sketch the view. In complete contrast to my last episode I was able to enjoy sketching in my t-shirt and shorts as the weather was so mild- a lovely unexpected treat for September.I started off with a loose sketch of the tree with my brush pen marker and then worked in layers with gouache and watercolour interchanging with neocolor II crayons and derwent inktense. I decided to try to keep to a rough time limit of 30 mins and find this keeps me moving loose in my Ranger Dylusions sketchbook.If you’d like to view me drawing this in real-time you can as I was able to film it at the same time. You can view the video on my Youtube Channel below.Thanks for listening in and I hope you enjoy the sound of the sea, I found it quite hypnotic and could easily have drifted off if it wasn’t for the sketching! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit melaniechadwick.substack.com/subscribe

Dear Listener,Welcome to another episode of Explore and Draw.In each episode I’ll take you with me on a walk, observing and commenting on the landscape around me. I’ll find a place to draw and then share the finished sketch with you below.In today’s episode you’ll join me at Kynance Cove on the Lizard peninsula. A cloudy, overcast day with a bit of breeze. I’ve had to zip up my jacket and hood to keep the wind out. I’m using the prompt ‘view’ which is the last of my Summer season prompts. It definitely feels more autumnal on my walk today.I’ve used my usual mix of mediums (see photo) along with my relatively new gouache tin which has ready mixed dried paint ready to go. I also pre-painted the pages with a quick glaze of light grey ink and I’m back in my Ranger Dylusions sketchbook.It was a complex subject today with a mix of rocky shorelines, islands, stacks, buildings, grass and paths and definitely required some concentration. Still really fun to incorporate a range of textures and details. You get to hear the Choughs that are playing in the area, snippets of conversation and even a tune from me! Thanks for listening in and I hope you enjoy the sights and sounds. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit melaniechadwick.substack.com/subscribe

Dear Listener,Welcome to another episode of Explore and Draw.In each episode I’ll take you with me on a walk, observing and commenting on the landscape around me. I’ll find a place to draw and then share the finished sketch with you below.Join me today for an early morning sketch down at Porthallow cove. It was a lovely, clear, bright, sunny day and even before 8.30am I could feel the heat of the Summer sun. I sketched for around 15 minutes, keeping it short as I was due to be at Roskorwell Lavender farm leading a creative sketchbook workshop at 9.30am. You’ll see I also sketched on a postcard rather than in my sketchbook. I thought it would make a nice change and a fun project to add to over the Summer season. This time my materials were an oil Pitt pencil with Daniel Smith watercolour and a tube of white gouache. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit melaniechadwick.substack.com/subscribe

Dear Listener,Welcome to another episode of Explore and Draw.In each episode I’ll take you with me on a walk, observing and commenting on the landscape around me. I’ll find a place to draw and then share the finished sketch with you below.Join me today for a morning sketch down at Housel Bay at Lizard Point. The weather was dry, but had a certain mugginess about it. I could see the sea mist gathering on the horizon and the sky was a long stretch of light grey. The view was dramatic with Bumble Rock, the Lion’s Den and the ancient rocky shoreline extended below the Lizard lighthouse which was my focus for today’s sketch. Listen on to find out the best mint to make mint sauce, how the Lizard peninsula was formed (here’s a great video by the lady I met, explaining the geology of the rocks), and whether or not I’m sketching the proper way! All things I discovered from the time spent sketching today. Find out more about Open Studios Cornwall and the workshops I’m running here.Hope you enjoyed joining me on today’s explore and draw podcast. Do you think there is a proper way to sketch? Let me know in the comments!If you’d like to learn more about sketching on location I have created a course all about sketching outdoors and observing the landscape around you. You’ll find it here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit melaniechadwick.substack.com/subscribe