Jasmine in my mum's sun hat.

I'm creating a drawing a day for a year, just for the art of it.

Today's is my daughter in my mum's sun hat.

What do you think? Are my portraits improving? Do you enjoy seeing my drawings? Will my creating a drawing a day change my life or that of another? I have four kids and a baby here today, should I have used the time I spent on this to wash our bedding? Day 244, I must have spent at least 100 hours on this, is that wise?

Negative lilies

I'm creating a drawing a day for a year, just for the art of it.

Today's are lilies crested by filling in the negative space. I like the team "negative space" it simply means the space around the object, the spaces between the subjects but it sounds darker!

I have no idea why I chose to do only the negative space, so let me know if you work it out! :)

Chameleon.

I'm creating a drawing a day for a year, just for the art of it.

Today's is a chamaeleon, thank you mum for the subject.

Pen sketch of the château

I'm creating a drawing a day for a year, just for the art of it.

Here is the château Allure du Lac, for the last time think (it's sort of wistful and sad to draw it from my office in middle class suburban England when two days ago I drew it in blazing sunlight with a soundtrack of sleepy crickets and red squirrels rummaging for good things to eat.

French pet shop

I'm creating a drawing a day for a year, just for the art of it.

I took this picture in a French pet shop, and drew from it, in my diary, on a train so it might be a bit wobbly.

Yesterday we got five trains including a double decker, from Angers to East Grinstead and I was so tired I fell asleep without sharing this.

Pots on the ground behind the château

I'm creating a drawing a day for a year, just for the art of it.

Today's is a collection of pots behind the château.

Château Allure du Lac, hiding.

I'm creating a drawing a day for a year, just for the art of it.

Today's is the château Allure du Lac.

My mum says "The château hides, that's it's thing" she should know, she's been here a month painting.

I've included some photographs of the château.

Château hopping in the Loire valley.

I'm creating a drawing a day for a year, just for the art of it.

Today's is the Château Allure du Lac.

I'm not actually staying at this château, I'm on a flat in the manor in the grounds.

Me

I'm creating a drawing a day for a year, just for the art of it.

Today's is a self portrait, well technically it's yesterday's as I could not work out the WiFi last night at this new château we are at.

Briar Rose's Castle

I'm creating a drawing a day for a year, just for the art of it.

Today's is the chateau we are staying at, in the Loire Valley. I love it from the back garden like this as it looks like Briar Rose's castle. Today it's 31 degrees, so sleeping for a hundred years seems like a possibility! :)

Chateau in France

I'm creating a drawing a day for a year, just for the art of it.

Today's is the chateau we are staying in this week.

I've included a photo of the chateau and me in my big hat for drawing in, please don't compare the drawing unfavourably with the photo, that's bad form!

More Japanese blossom

I'm creating a drawing a day for a year, just for the art of it.

Today's is Japanese Blossom.

Japan, Japanese blossom

I'm creating a drawing a day for a year, just for the art of it.

I got the idea from my friend Dominic Roberts.

https://www.instagram.com/domroberts/

Today's is black blossom!

I'm a textile designer and I'm currently making the switch from designing fashion fabrics to designing interior fabrics and wall paper.

An important trend at the moment in interiors is Japan. Currently 50% of my fashion fabric designs sell in Japan. I love Japanese art. It's a bit of a thing with me.

I've included some fashion fabrics I designed for the interested and the trend information.

Brighton

I'm creating a drawing a day for a year, just for the art of it.

Today's is Brighton.

Carnival makeup design

I'm creating a drawing a day for a year, I never said they would all be serious!

Today's is a carnival makeup design. I used to be a face painter, and I'm still drawn to it. I've included a few face painting pictures for the interested. :)

Iris

I'm creating a drawing a day for a year, just for the art of it.
Today's is an iris.

Butterfly

I'm creating a drawing a day for a year, just for the art of it.

Today's is a butterfly.

Little figure against the surf.

I'm creating a drawing a day for a year, just for the art of it.

Today's is a little figure against the surf.

Deer.

I'm creating a drawing a day for a year, just for the art of it.

Today's is a deer.

Sometimes drawings I'm not too excited about get a lot of attention, sometimes I really like something and it goes unsung. It's very interesting to me.

This one I like.

Wader, water bird.

I'm creating a drawing a day for a year, just for the art of it.

Today's is a wader.

Rose, peach.

I'm creating a drawing a day for a year, just for the art of it.

Today's is a rose.

I realise I wouldn't draw on many days if I hadn't said I would. Days it's too late, days I feel sick, days that I'm away... Without the dicapline of EVERY day, I expect I would draw once a month.

Orchids

I'm creating a drawing a day for a year, just for the art of it.

Today's are orchids.

Dylan, my son.

I'm creating a drawing a day for a year, just for the art of it.

Today's is Dylan.

A timorous beastie (timid mouse).

I'm creating a drawing a day for a year, just for the art of it.

Today's is a mouse.

Robert Burns (from my native Scotland) described one thus: "Wee, sleekit, cow'rin, tim'rous beastie, "

Butterfly

I'm creating a drawing a day for a year, just for the art of it.

Today's is a butterfly. I saw one like this today and two less fancifully patterned ones too.

San Francisco Street Corner.

I'm creating a drawing a day for a year, I've been taking suggestions on what to draw next. Someone said "a street corner". This one is in San Francisco.

We are going looking for this beach in 2019!

I'm creating a drawing a day for a year, just for the art of it.

Today's is a beach on the Adriatic coat so it's firmly on the planned route for our year long trip round Europe.

Reasons to get rid of our stuff, make our jobs portable, and explore Europe in a camper!

Meet new people. More ocean in my life. More mountains. More time outside. Draw and paint from life. Learn new skills. Learn languages. Inspiration from new stimulus. Teach my kids to be self reliant. Educate my kids with doing and looking, not just listening and writing down. Spend less than we make. Less cooking (a little). Less cleaning. Less to regret missing when old. Stay active/ fit. Be more like my heroes. Get out of repetitive lifestyle. Quality time with my family. The kids spend lots of time away from screens and wifi. We collect adventures not clutter. Easier to eat more fresh fruit and vegetables, salad and fish. Shed middle class suburban ideas that are holding us back in our comfort zone.