TIM BAKER

Although spring is around the corner, I’ve not been back to Box Hill yet since Autumn last year, before all the second Jaunt business. I am going through my old work that hasn’t been posted, and this is high on the list – proud of the watercolour of the very pitcherskew Mickelham Church, and another drawing from the viewpoint at the hill itself. That’s from the end of the season in September, and the rest of these are mostly likely from July as I scanned them early August.

The Zig Zag Road has been a common feature in my work at Box Hill, and this gouache and Woody pencil study over two pages in my old A4 sketchbook is no exception. I was trying out my then new cheap Simply Gouache that I used on Jaunt 2 – I learned during that trip that these cheap gouaches are prone to get muddy and really aren’t worth it, so I’ve gone back to my old W&N ones.

I have started using ‘bodycolour’ more and more – mixing black or white with watercolour – and this was the start of that. The white figure on the hill on page 1 was actually there, I think it was someone doing tai-chi or some ritual/meditation, all dressed in white. They were there a long time, passing people were talking to them. I was sitting on the steps just under the road, a short way from the car viewpoint.

Mickelham Church

That was back in September, but in July I took another trip and drew and painted the church at Mickelham. The Mickelham church dates back to Norman times, and although it might seem that the drawing was preparation for the watercolour, it was the other way around. I did the drawing as I waited for the bus in the harsh and difficult environs of The Running Horses pub over the road (recommended, it’s a lovely English village pub, and the bus stops just outside. It was going dark though. Wonder if my lines were wonkier as I drank? ;-))

This was the last work of the day, and the watercolour was the first, making a nice bookend. Love the skies but I really struggled with the greeny-brown of the roof here, I seem to have not used cobalt green but that can backfire and look rather dull. I think I got the browny-pinky-purples of the walls though. I did this standing in the entrance of the churchyard with my plastic A3 holder cum easel balanced on the wall.

I love the clouds in this, it was a very bright blue day with white puffy clouds, not hot because it was frequently overcast.

I did do another work after this on Box Hill itself, as you can tell by the time on Mickleham Church, I got to Box Hill in the early evening but it was dreadful.

Looking forward to going back – March would be a good time, I just need to get my arse in gear and get up in time for trips like that! Looking forward to the light coming back in the evenings, the dark winter this year was bad, especially with everything that’s going on in the world.