Hazel Hayward Art

A New Year ✨ I’ve spent some time today looking back through countless photos but found I couldn’t summarise 2023 in just 10 or a reel. A task worth doing though to really appreciate the expanse and to review changes that have happened, good and bad.

It’s a year that took me by surprise and I have no idea what to expect from this one, but maybe that’s a good thing.

There are no resolutions and it’s not a new start, but it is a fresh piece of paper and a sharp pencil waiting to see what can be created.

So here’s one of my favourite drawings, that for me signifies so much progress. Something I am proud of and something I can always count on continuing to be a part of my life.

Is it acceptable for these to become an all year thing?
Inspired by

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! ✨

I’ve been thinking all the things lately. Something I enjoy most about this time of year is the reflection it brings, as we wait patiently for the promise of new life and with hope of all the new beginnings to come.
It’s a time to take stock and consider what throughout the year has bought joy and what has not.

What to take forward and what to leave behind.

Regardless of the vast expanse of unknown I feel like I am currently facing, there are smatterings of excitement. I may still be lost at sea, but I am closer to the land I wish to live on, to the person I’m supposed to be and the things I wish to say.
For now I simply want to stay hopeful, stay kind and stay creative.

I had so much fun doing this. I've been grazing on these since I was a child but I never knew the seeds were edible too! It just goes to show that despite what you think you might know. Looking a little closer at the details of things can always shed new light on its beauty.
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Pencil on Daler-Rowney Smooth, heavyweight / Scanned and edited with Adobe Photoshop

Tools of the trade ✏️
Lately I’ve been considering experimenting with some different materials to bring some play back into my practice…and life.
It’s been a long time since I deviated from the pencil and so I expect no masterpieces but mistakes are how you grow after all.
There’s some that are a hard no, oils, acrylics, I can hold my hands up and say I will never master. Hats off to those that do. But maybe inks, watercolours…my old love - textiles.
What’s your favourite medium?

Relative of my favourite the Octopus, the nautilus has over 90 tentacles, the most in any cephalopod and I am losing track of them. Safe to say I wont be drawing that many. But since I'm getting tangled in them its a sign I'm close to finished on this one now.

Intention, be it that of others or my own, is something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately. I’m considering more and more the intention behind actions and I question whether it’s possible with the volume of distraction in this day and age to really be able to live intentionally.

Perhaps though that is to be a part of it, to learn to choose, and to choose to turn the eye away from such things.

By definition also meaning the healing process of a wound perhaps living intentionally is life’s healer.

It's been a while since I sat and doodled for doodle sake, so doodle is what I did.
Pencil on Daler-Rowney Smooth, Heavyweight / Scanned and edited with Adobe Photoshop

Its World Rhino Day!
Celebrating these majestic creatures always and the people that work tirelessly to protect them.

R is for’ Rhino. A fine art print with a detailed Rhino portrait. Part of the Alphabet collection, designed to inspire the next generation. A range of prints showcasing the beauty of the natural world. Available from my shop. There’s a link in my bio!

Nautilus wip

Plants and pizza.
Life’s necessities.

I can't believe it's been a year since I was lucky enough to be in Iceland. There isnt a day that goes by that I dont think about it still.
Is it any wonder, being such an inherently creative place with a strong culture of literature and arts, not to mention the vast expanses of wilderness...
If you get the opportunity, I implore you to go.
I hope it isn't too long before i'm back.

🍃

C is for’ Crab. A fine art print with a detailed Crab portrait. Part of the Alphabet collection, designed to inspire the next generation. A range of prints showcasing the beauty of the natural world. Available from my shop. There’s a link in my bio!

I'm taking the drawing outside today to make the most of this sunshine! There's another sea dweller on the horizon, seems to be a firm favourite of mine.
Any guesses of what it could be?

Always remember to look up.

I've been looking for a four leaf one for weeks thanks to a certain someone, you know who you are. To no avail though...
I hope you all had a lovely bank holiday filling your cups! Sadly luck was not on my side and mine was spent in bed with illness. But a lesson i'm trying to learn is that it is ok to rest. Worth is not valued by productivity and listening to what your body needs will lead to more fortune than not.

Apparently it’s been 3 years since I drew the Giraffe so I thought i'd share a recap. Where that time has gone I don't know!
He's still a firm favourite but I can always see room for improvements. It's interesting to look back on the techniques I was using at the time and how they progress to today. All I can ever hope for is that more progress be made and skills honed as I continue along my drawing life. Whether I'll ever get my chaotic eye under control and manage to focus on one area at a time remains to be seen.

'K is for' Koala is complete! The first test print is back and he is now available on my shop. There’s a link in my bio!

I need to fill in some gaps but it is so satisfying seeing the collection coming together.
Tell me your favourite so far!?

On Fridays I get to play. Everyday should be a Friday.

It's the view I wake up to everyday and its an important one. Continually expanding and developing, reminding me that so too can I.

This project has been such a long one its hard not to want to go back to the old ones and make edits as I go, this ones had a few along the way being one of the firsts.
As with everything the passing time means new skills gained, a fresh perspective, and so its not to be deemed a bad thing. It is however time consuming and since i'm determined to push on and finish this I am really trying not to get hooked in!

‘B is for’ Bear. A fine art print with a detailed Bear portrait.

Part of the Alphabet collection, designed to inspire the next generation. A range of prints showcasing the beauty of the natural world.

Available from my shop. There’s a link in my bio!

Monday! Are we feeling bright eyed and bushy tailed or more likely to be found sleeping in a tree.
It's always the latter for me.

Making good progress on this one now. I've always been jealous of artists who manage to complete drawings in sections at a time, eyes, nose, face, arms etc. As hard as I try I cannot for the life of me keep my attention in check, my eyes are forever dotting all over the page and my hand following wilfully. So my pieces get completed in layers, This is at layer one.
Everything but the missing hand of course that I'm definitely not avoiding doing...

No one warns you, when you make your hobby your job, you can lose your way with everything else. That and its bloody hard work ha. As enjoyable as everyday is, it can be all time consuming, the long days...the even longer nights.
This time that i've taken away from a 'normal full time job' was to include some rest and play, but it can be hard to make time for that. No surprise there considering I'm an all or nothing kind of person, balance isn’t my strong point. But every day, as I endeavour to do better in all aspects of life, I vow to make more time for the other bounties life has to offer.
To you all, take time, get outside! Do things for no purpose other than joy.
Taking the camera out today.

G is for’ Giraffe. A fine art print with a detailed Giraffe portrait.

Part of the Alphabet collection, designed to inspire the next generation. A range of prints showcasing the beauty of the natural world.

Available from my shop. There’s a link in my bio!