Our Seeing the Landscape project aims to encourage artistic responses to the stunning Penwith landscape.
If you are going out on a trail to explore the beautiful West Penwith landscape and (and we have a number of trails you can try here), you might like to try this art activity on the way. It is very simple to make, and you can use any art materials that you have to hand, from coloured pencils to squashed blackberries!
To take with you:
You will need a strip of paper – I used a piece 40cm x 8cm. Make a mark along it every 8cm, and then fold it up, concertina style, to give you a small folding sketchbook. This could be any size, but smaller is easier to carry. You might also like to take a piece of re-cycled cardboard to rest on, such as old cereal packet/packaging. I also used a paperclip to stop it blowing away!
As you walk along, you can make a visual story of your walk. Things to look for might include:
Landmarks – what can you see on the horizon? A church steeple, an aerial mast, a rocky outcrop, the sea? Closer to, gates, walls and stiles, ancient stones, wildlife, birds and insects, plants and lichens.
Look far away and close up. You don’t need to be an artist! Try looking at colours and textures – I used pencils and oil pastels together to try and record patterns in rocks and the wonderful colours of the heather. It might also help to write place/plant/wildlife names to remind you of where you have been and what you have seen.
When you unfold your sketchbook at the end of your walk, you will have a panoramic artwork, and your own unique record of the landscape.
I walked the St Just to Tregeseal and Carn Kenidjack trail in late August.
We would love to see any sketchbooks you make! And remember to keep visiting our website for details of more artistic activities and events coming up.
