“Campa Mara” - A Gaelic translation for “Seaside Camp” and a perfect fit for this piece. The title was suggested by Sandi Dewar, and of course I couldn’t resist such an ideal description.
I decided to make this piece just after returning home from a trip across Cape Breton and Newfoundland. We put our tent up in so many beautiful seaside spots, I had to make a little ode to to the OG of camp styles. So, this one is very much for the camp lovers and anyone who wants to savour those memories the way I do.
I sketched a rough outline with pencil first, using my protractor to make spaced out circles- Please never let me fool you into thinking I can just whip out perfect circles over here! I just made the two circles in the beginning, unsure of how much I would add.
I followed with light watercolours, the sky and ocean first, and the lower foreground second. Then I started to outline the basics in archival inks- The same ones I always mention, Sakura Pigma Microns. There are some thicker nibbed pens used in this piece, but I generally use the 005 for everything.
I started to eke out a small mandala style border. I added to it, and then added a little more. Eventually I bit the bullet and added a few more circles in pencil. I really love doing mandala style designs and patterns, I find it super relaxing and I really like the repetition.
In the video below, you might notice that I tend to do one side of a pattern first. Then I flip the page a certain way to do the other side. This is usually because there’s one way that is more comfortable and natural for my hand to flow. Each stroke here is going down and away, down and away, down and away. If I did the motion up and towards me, I can guarantee it wouldn’t be as smooth. I just readjust until I find the right movement that’s going to make it a fluid movement.
Slowly and steadily, I eventually finished this piece. To be honest, using these pens over watercolour is a bit of an uphill battle, and I remember truly destroying one pen on this piece. I think the finished product was well worth it!
I’ve had a ton of people buy prints and cards of this piece to send or gift to a friend that they did a camping trip with. It’s nice to be part of the story and part of keeping that memory.
The original piece is 11” x 14”, and so I was able to make prints in that size, along with an 8” x 10” and a greeting card. I haven’t done a vinyl sticker of this one yet, but it is absolutely on the short list!
The finale for this piece was really the naming of it. I was truly stuck for the right fit. I wanted it to represent the camp trip I had done and the joy of the coast. I put it to my Facebook followers and when Sandi made this suggestion and the explanation it was PERFECT. A Gaelic title is such an amazing call. I’m very much Scottish, with long roots here and a couple of trips over there to see the original homestead. It tied in even more than I anticipated. Obviously, I sent Sandi a print as a thank you.
I hope you enjoy this piece, and that perhaps it sparks a warm seaside or camping memory for you too.