A sunshine tulip and white sketches.
The tulips I brought back from Amsterdam last year are all in bloom, except for 3 Allium bulbs that I lost to greedy rabbits. I picked all white bulbs and got big surprise when a few of the carefully picked white bulbs turned out to be a bright sunny yellow! That is OK. Oh well, I am not too angry. Seeing that we are still wearing winter clothes and waiting for spring weather, I can only imagine the yellow was chosen by fate to uplift my spirit..some very welcome sunshine in a tulip!
As usual, I wait until the very last to get something done..including sketching the tulips. The yellow ones lost all their petals today, except for one lonely one, hanging on a few petals only for my benefit. While mon chéri saw to diner, I took the opportunity to sketch these tulips, before the fat lady had finally sung. I made it just in time…all the yellow petals are gone..
The white tulips are still flowering happily and elegant in their waving. I am not a huge tulip fan and never had many in my gardens, but I have to admit that they do make for a spectacular show en masse!
à bientôt
Ronelle
30/3/2013: Joyeuses Pâques!
To all my friends and readers and visitors, those who stop for a moment and those who pass right by…whatever you do during this Easter period, whichever way you celebrate it, or even ignore it…I wish you fun and joy, many chocolate Easter eggs, (may you win the Easter egg hunt), and the most important of all…stay safe and pass on that wide smile!!
Joyeuses Pâques a tout le monde!
Ronelle
Umbrella, ombrelle, parasol, parapluie, they all say one thing…sketch me!
An umbrella is easy to draw..right? DING! Wrong!
So many things to consider: Convex, concave, round, shadows, transparency, folds, foreshortening, colour, patterns…
A good challenge!
..two half open umbrellas..
pen and watercolor on Fabriano artistico watercolor block, HP, 23×30,5cm
..wide open umbrella..
pen and watercolor on Fabriano artistico watercolor block, HP, 23×30,5cm
..two closed umbrellas..
pen and watercolor on Fabriano artistico watercolor block, HP, 23×30,5cm
Sketching ellipses..bowls and jugs.
One of my demons in art, is the ellipse. I hate drawing ellipses. Maybe hate is a strong word..I really really dislike ellipses. So many objetcs have some sort of ellipse in it. And like with perspective, you can’t be an artist without coming across ellipses.
With a snowy and rainy weekend keeping us inside, I challenged that ellipse fear and went back to my spiral exercises(see bottom of page).
..Bowls..
pen and watercolor in Arches aquarelle block, HP, 18x26cm
..Jugs..
pen and watercolor in Arches watercolor block, CP, 18x26cm
I do these great spiral exercises to practice ellipses from the book “Sketchbook for artists”. S
- Start with drawing a circle and loosely let your hand move downwards in a spiral. It it best to not do it slowly, but at a natural, continuous speed, without stopping.
- You can enlarge and diminish to your own liking, creating different shapes and volumes.
- Practice placing one spiral into another.
- Vary the thickness of the lines. Don’t worry if it is all askew in the beginning..your hand will get steadier as you keep on doing these spring-like spirals.
..Spiral exercises four ellipses..
Bibliography: Sketchbook for the artist, Sarah Simblet..
Birds and chickens sketches.
With this very first post of 2013, I wish you all a very good new year..may it be all you wish it to be!
I have gotten myself back to the easel and sketchbook..a great achievement here in January. For myself, I hope that 2013 will be a better year than the previous, especially on the art front. But of course, that only depends on one person..me.
Of all the sketches I did today, the following ones are the most successful. The three chickens kept still long enough with their backsides to me, so I could practice my observation skills which got lost during the past year.
..three chickens in a row..
done in watercolor on Aquarelle block, HP, 18x26cm
It is a different story with the birds. The mésanges(tits) are way too quick for me and I could only succeed in blobs of colour which looked more like flying saucers and even that would be an insult to the Martians. So I took closeups and put my own sketch together. According to my own rule, it is then not by definition a sketch, but more of a drawing, using sketching techniques. That is a mouthful! By my definition a sketch is only a sketch when done right in front of the live subject, “sur le motif”, we call it in French. when using the help of otter media..magazines, photos, it becomes drawing. The observation and rendering become totally different. By saying I used “some sketching technique”, I suggest that I used about 4 different photos, composed 2 birds on my paper, referred to the photo’s for colour and lastly added some branches and seeds from direct observation from the tree. So, finally, the whole sketch is my own composition with my branches and seed block being a true sketch with birds drawn onto it…
..Feeding two mésanges..
done in watercolor in Hahnemuhle watercolour sketchbook, 15.3x25cm.
Two favorite Sennelier colours
I am rather boring when it comes to using new colours. Once i find my niche, I am happy for a long time. Probably not the way to be an artist. But I want to believe that it is me, the artist and not the tools that produces the masterpiece (which I’m still working on!!). And so my palette is always very limited to only a few well used colours.
This past week I cleaned out my palette, boutght a new Sennelier palette box and impulsively added some new colours. I am in love, but totally in love, head over heels! Two new colours on my palette..Sennelier grey and warm grey, both from Sennelier.. Absolutely beautiful and perfect for my new search of more faded colours. They will work great this winter…they have mystery, are cool to push you bit back, but then exposes a warmth which draw you closer. I use them clean and pure to have them shine their own star..I think they deserve it. Well, they definitely deserve a permanent place in my palette.
I worked on a thick pad of Canson mixed media paper, which is only meant for exercises, since it doesn’t allow for very wet work and the paper is rather fragile, even though it is 300g.
Two..or maybe three eggs in watercolor.
Eggs. Easy to draw. Difficult to paint. but satisfying, because one can play around a lot with painting eggs..or the suggestion of eggs. Sometimes it works. Sometimes not.
..three eggs 1..
in watercolour and pen on Fabriano watercolour block, HP, 23×30,5cm
..three eggs 2..
in watercolour and pen onArches watercolour block,CP, 18x26cm
..three eggs 3..
in watercolour and pen on Fabriano watercolour block, HP, 23×30,5cm
Three pears in watercolor
I am preparing for some oil painting. But first; more loosening up with watercolor.
..Three pears in watercolor..
pencil, pen and watercolor on Arches watercolour block, CP, 18x26cm
Reds in autumn
Voilà all the reds from fall, the last of my autumn colours.
..the palette for all the autumn reds..
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..line drawings in pen and aquarelle added last..
18×25.5cm aquarelle arches block, CP
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.. wetting the paper, dripped some aqaurelle pigment, leave to dry and finished with pen line drawing..
23×30.5cm aquarelle Fabriano block, HP
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deraing in pan and dripping drops of colour..
18×25.5cm aquarelle arches block, CP
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..drawing in pen and aquarelle wash afterwards..
18×25.5cm aquarelle arches block, CP
Ochre fall leaves
This is my favorite time of sketching.. I love all the ochres and umbers. And on days when the weather is a bit chilly or wet, it is nice to bring in leaves and branches and whatever else I found on walk and fiddle in the studio. I don’t work in my atelier enough and I actually love my atelier! My table is in front of the fireplace, my coffee machine just a further to the left..in fact, the whole barn is my atelier and I am in it for another winter.
..fall leaves..
Both sketches done in pen and aquarelle in Hahnemule watercolor sketchbook, 19X20cm
Sweet chestnut sketch
Sketching a chestnut..not easy.
-pen and watercolor in watercolor sketchbook, 15x25cm-
à bientôt
Ronelle
Sketching two geese in action.
My two geese Aglaé et Sidonie, provide me with hours of fun and pleasure..watching them is better than owning a home cinema! I sketched them this weekend, the first time since I got them earlier this year. I thought it was going to be easy..sketching them. I know them by heart, seeing them every day and watching them, feeding the, following them, being followed by them. When I close my eyes, I can so clearly see them and I can so easily tell them apart. But sitting with the pen in my hand, brought forward all kinds of problems. Even when after changing to a pencil, I couldn’t escape the problems.
..Two adorable geese, Aglaé et Sidonie..
(watercolour and pen in Hahnemuhle watercolor sketchbook, 19x20cm)
I jumped in and tried to capture them while they floated in their fountain(actually MY fountain they took over!). That’s when I realized how little I understood of their morphology! I had trouble sketching their wings and the build of their lower bodies, the length of their necks in relation to their bodies, their typical thoraxes…they are so different from ducks and mine looked like some mongrels of geesed ducks.. so much for thinking I know my geese! So it was back to doing some real studying.
..Two geese in (my) fountain..
(watercolour and pen in Hahnemuhle watercolor sketchbook, 26x18cm)
From a distance, it was fairly easy getting hold of just the shapes and suggesting their actions. They are ideal for studying, because they move slowly(and funny) and rhythmic, with an elegance that originate in their long necks and sideways glances.
..two geese from a distance..
(watercolour and pen in Hahnemuhle watercolor sketchbook, 26x18cm)
Their backsides are quite interesting with their wings crossing one over the other and lying on top of a cute, quirky fantail.
..Two geese’s cute swaying backsides..
(watercolour and pen in Hahnemuhle watercolor sketchbook, 19x20cm)
They have such beautiful character, aren’t mean at all. It seems they love company, so they love lying by my feet or anywhere close by our activities, and they love being by the horses. Only with the chickens do they have a love/hate relationship.
..Two geese watching me as intensely as I did them..
(watercolour and pen in Hahnemuhle watercolor sketchbook, 19x20cm)
The top sketches are the best of all those I did the weekend, trying to understand these two ladies. When I close my eyes now, I actually see them much better! so doing all of this work was really wroth it. Capturing animals is not only about the perfect technique, but also about their character, which to me is more important than the perfect rendition of their morphology. I a feel quite chuffed with the expression in Aglaé in the above sketch..the typical tilt of her head and watchful sideways glance she throws me. Man, I just adore these mesdemoiselles!
à bientôt
Ronelle
Geraniums for a postcard
My very late postcard to Bridget consisted of geraniums, done way back when it was still summer.
..Summer geraniums..
-pen and watercolour on watercolour paper-
..summer geraniums in gouache and pen, on handmade paper..
Sketching a coffee in Toulouse and marigolds at Coin Perdu – 4 & 5 May.
..a coffee in Toulouse yesterday while waiting for my daughter to go fit her wedding dress. – 4 May.
pen and watercolor in Daler and Rowney sketchbook, 25,4×17,8cm
Doing this sketching every day in May is meant to get me back on track. I’ve lost some concentration, my ability to observe and interpret instantaneously. the last few months I’ve been distracted by so many things and art got put onto the back burner. My sketches in May is not supposed to be beautiful work, but a program of work and exercises. Flowers are always a good way to sharpen the saw and by looking at my wonky, askew marigolds…I need a lot of that!
..wonky marigolds – 5 May..
sketching at the bistro – 3 May
…at the bistro..
watercolor, pencil and pen in Daler & Rowney watercolor sketchbook, 25.4×17,8cm
Sketching everyday in May – 1 May 2012
Les muguets de 1er Mai..
..Lily of the valley..
watercolor and pen in Daler & rowney watercolor sketchbook, 254x178cm
Horse sketches
Our post card exchange has now come to an end, sadly, but maybe we have something new in the pipeline.
I sent Desiree horse sketches ..she and her family had horses at an earlier stage. Our two Comtois horses were my models and the sketch on the envelope I did from one of those sketches.
Gubi(envelope)
gouache and pen on envelope
Gaitchi and Gubi
done with pitt artist pens in sketchbook
Sketching the rooftops of Vayrac
For my postcard to Pat, I was in Vayrac, handing in all my old linen to be washed and went for a coffee. Afterwards I looked over the rooftops and realized I haven’t done such a postcard yet. So there. The rooftops of Vayrac for Pat.
..rooftops of Vayrac(envelope)..
done in gouache and pen
..rooftops of Vayrac..
done in pen and watercolor on Daler and Rowney watercolor paper CP, 25,4×17,8cm
Some lunch sketches.
I had some lunch at a small restaurant close by and sketched my lunch of a vegetable soup, coffee and the surrounding salt and pepper set.
…vegetable soup and bread…
pencil, pen and watercolor in Daler rowney sketchbook
The coffee sketch was my first and when I tell you that I had a very upsetting experience just before I arrived at the restaurant, you’ll understand why the lines are so dark and the whole sketch is sombre and almost violent. I’m always amazed by the strong influence emotion has on art.
The salt and pepper set was the last sketch and you can see that my emotion has settled a bit by that time. It did my a world of good to do these drawings…therapeutic.
…vegetable soup…
pencil, pen and watercolor in Daler rowney sketchbook
…coffee and water with cpeculoos biscuit…
pencil, pen and watercolor in Daler rowney sketchbook
Sketches of cute sheep.
A sheep and lamb or two from our neighbors camp. If all goes well and I can convince my husband with my sweet puppy eyes, I might just have my own cute lambs this spring!
…Sheep and lambs 1…
pencil, pen and watercolor in Daler Rowney sketchbook CP, 254x178cm
…Sheep and lambs 2..
pencil, pen and watercolor in Daler Rowney sketchbook CP, 254x178cm
Abstract efforts in inks.
I’m not a natural in doing abstracts, but I can appreciate abstract art work. And I mean real good abstract art, not bad art which hides under the cover of “abstract art”. What I’ve done here didn’t exactly end up being totally abstract, but I enjoyed the line work and the ink marks. In fact, it is probably still only more of my exercises in line and mark making, and not real abstract efforts..
…the blues…
..J Herbin inks with feather quill on Arches aquarelle paper rough,18x26cm..
…the Reds…
…Sennelier inks with feather quill on Arches aquarelle paper rough,18x26cm..
…The Blacks…
…Black Winsor et Newton Indian inks with feather quill on Arches aquarelle paper rough,18x26cm..
Still life with copper pots.
With this second attempt at an aquarelle still life, I didn’t to set it up the still life. I only painted what was in front of me, which was my copper pots filled with brushes and other art stuff. I moved the objects a little to avoid “kissing” and to bring them a little closer. the apple that rolled to the side, was left as it found its place and I was very chuffed with it!It might be overcrowded for some, but I rather like the idea…in any case more than a composed and deliberate still life. Maybe it is a mirror of my life…anything BUT composed and deliberate!
… stil life with copper pots…
..in watercolor and graphite on Fabriano paper CP 30.5×45.5cm…
…and a close up of my strokes and layers. I still feel I overworked it and could’ve let go of the brush much sooner..
Still life with quince.
I have moved on from autumn colours to still lifes, done in the atelier. Working in thin washes, laying wet washes over dry ones. not my usual way of working, but I am quite chuffed and will do a series of these watercolors.
I need to bring in a bit darker values and I want to have more informal compositions. I think my inspiration comes here from Cézanne, whose watercolours I love. There is currently an exhibit of Cézanne in the Musee de Luxembourg in Paris until 26 February 2012, for those who want to jump in their private jets for a visit…and a lunch afterwards, maybe at the Mini palais restaurant?
…Still life with quince…
watercolor and pencil on Fabriano artistico CP, 30,5×45,5cm
I’m posting a close up to show the layering of thin washes.
…close up…
Until the next post where I’ll be back with another still life…hopefully a better one with darker values, more expressive compositions…and one where my patience has reigned!
