Tales from the Riverbank 1 - The Sentinel | Tim Baker | Watercolour Paintings, Drawings & Acrylic Artworks

The Benches, Queen's Promenade, Fountain Pen and Derwent Graphitint, A4 Artway Eco sketchbook

Tales from the Riverbank 1 – The Sentinel

And from my last post coming bang down to earth in Surbiton, we have to revisit the riverbank – as I have been working more on the river over the summer. Still not to pre-pandemic levels, but I still visit there from time to time and work. Apart from drawing the boats there which is a future post, I have been drawing the lifebouy ring stands in a series called ‘The Sentinel’ after the old computer game. The stands do feel like they are watching the river, and indeed was the subject of my first watercolour of recent times back in 2018.

Sentinel 2, Watercolour and pen, Artway Indigo Panoramic Sketchbook.

We also have some ink pieces on the similar theme – the first one drawn with the cheap Chinese Hero 395 semi-flex fountain pen with Hero ink which tends to glob everywhere but usually has interesting lines. The second is the first one in the series which a passing person compared to Quentin Blake…I know what he means. He took a photo he liked it so much. My work seems to live on in many phones….

Sentinel 3, Hero 395 fountain pen, wash and white marker, A4 sketchbook.

Sentinel 1 (page 1), Hero 395 fountain pen & wash, A4 Eco Artway sketchbook.

Sentinel 1 (page 2), Hero 395 fountain pen & wash, A4 Eco Artway sketchbook. — Sentinel 1 (page 1), Hero 395 fountain pen & wash, A4 Eco Artway sketchbook.

And the rest from the riverbank we have a bit of an odds and sods collection – of a windy day on Raven’s Ait, I think that was the last drawing of my last A4 sketchbook – already because of the Jurassic Jaunt the book I got in July before the Kingston Regatta is almost full – previously it took 8 months to fill one, then a year….I’m speeding up a lot! I already have a replacement ready for when I fill the 2nd Eco Artway.

Raven's Ait Windy Day, Fountain Pen and wash, A4 Eco Sketchbook. — Raven’s Ait Windy Day, Fountain Pen and wash, A4 Eco Sketchbook.

Then we have a painting in the etchr A4 sketchbook – not ignored either, that’s nearing completion as well – a view from the benches of St Raphaels through the trees. This came out rather light, but I like it. The drawing of the church came out well, the rest is very impressionistic view of the riverbank.

St Raphaels from the Riverbank, Fountain Pen and Watercolour, A4 etchr sketchbook.

And talking of benches – here’s a cover image for the Bench Gallery if I ever saw one! It’s a Derwent Graphitint painting with fountain pen I did earlier in the year. I am very proud of this piece, I remember it being quite cold and taking a very long time – I think it was in Feb or March. Although quite green, so maybe a little later.