Sunday Morning coffee

Last weekend I visited my son David and daughter-in-law Siobhan in Toronto.
I, as usual, was up early.

As I sat drinking my coffee I eyed the vase of tulips on the table and one thing led to another...

Stillman and Birn Alpha series
Pilot Metropolitan fountain pen
Noodlers Lexington Grey Ink

Another Study of my Fallen Leaves ..

They have been on my desk for several weeks now, getting more brittle as each day passes.

This one was done a couple of days ago in pen, ink and Derwent Graphitint pencil (thanks Vickie!)

Much happier with this rendering especially the hatching/shading on the leaf on the left :-)

Alan

Out with my 'Sketchy' friends ...

Today the Urban Sketchers of KW visited the Trinity Anglican Church in Cambridge ON for an  afternoon of, well, sketching...

It's funny how I began with this detail sketch that took about 2 hours to complete

  

Then this pen and ink took about 20 min

Then I went downstairs and settled in for a 'quick' sketch as we only had about half an hour left.

Well I still had 10 min to do one more !

What I discovered was the faster and more loosely I worked the better I liked the result ... go figure

Window

Watched a few youtube video's for inspiration yesterday ..

This one caught my eye

Leaves of Three

Continuing to pick up leaves as I walk the dog...
This time I chose a few 'brighter' ones...

Changed up my palette for this one, I have some QoR watercolours that I thought would add too the rendering of this painting;

QoR
Quinacridone Gold
Pyrrole Orange
Quinacridone Magenta
Green Gold
Dioxazine Purple

DaVinci Fuchsia

WIndsor and Newton Indigo

Red ..

I cannot resist picking up leaves anymore than I can resist trying to paint them !

The blues of the shadows went wonky, so imagine blues in the shadows because they are there ... 'onest

InkTober Bookshelf

I wanted to redo the bookshelf I drew in Stratford as a pen and ink.
What better way than a dip pen and Walnut Ink handmade (but not by me) in good old Guelph!

I'm quite happy with the wood effect and the leaning book :-)

Strathmore tan toned sketchbook
Walnut Ink from Wyndham Art Supplies.
Hunt bowl point dip pen

A day out with the KW Urban Sketchers at the Stratford Theatre Archives..

Surrounded by colour and I chose graphite pencil !
:-)

Gaius' Closet  (well a small portion of it) from "The Merry Wives of Wives of Windsor"

Horse Torso from "The Two Noble Kinsmen" 2002

Urban Sketching in St Jacobs

Today the Urban Sketchers of KW and I descended on St. Jacobs, more specifically the Railway Museum in St Jacobs for a day of sketching.

In addition we were able to leave a piece of work for a show and sale that runs through November (weekends only).

If I learned anything today it is that trains are tricky to draw!

The 124

Especially when you leave all your pens at home!

This was in a Strathmore Mixed Media 400 Series pad (6x8)
Pilot Vpen Disposible fountain pen
Sennelier watercolours
Staedtler Mars Lumigraph pencils
Art Graf water soluble graphite
Holbein waterbrush

Asleep but still listening ..

Winter doesn't sleep as we know it, or that is the conclusion I have come too.I mean, there she was curled up in her favourite spot, breathing deeply and slowly but one ear faced me.
Just in case I snuck out to get a cookie...

I still struggle with getting her nose proportions correct :-)

Derwent Graphitint water-soluble tinted graphite pencils
Diamine 'Ochre' Ink
Jinhau fountain pen
Stillman and Birn Zeta sketchbook

InkTober .. My Birthday celebration continues ..

A busy day wandering around, drinking tea, eating cake and sketching...

Not necessarily in that order :-)

The Pavilion in Valens

Moleskine Sketchbook
Noodlers Lexington Gray Ink
Pilot G73 Fountain Pen
Derwent Watersoluble Graphite pencils

InkTober continues ..

Away camping for a few days, no phone, no internet so here are two sketches I did while away..

I bought a bird feeder for entertainment, it worked until the squirrels found it and dragged it away but not before the Chickadee's had their fill :-)

Pilot Metropolitain
Noodlers Lexington Gray Ink
Stillman and Birn Zeta 8x5 sketchbook

********************************************************************************************************

Autumn leaves were falling in the quiet of the morning while i drank my coffee, some landed on the picnic table ...

Derwent watercolour pencils
Diamine Ochre Ink
JinHau Fountain Pen
Stillman and Birn Zeta 8x5 sketchbook

InkTober 2

No I am not following the rules !

This was from yesterday,,,

Lamy Safari
Lamy black ink
Scrap of watercolour paper (This is about 3" x 5")
Diamine Ochre ink for colour

Inktober ..

The Inktober Challenge is to produce one pen and ink every day for the month of October.
It's day two and I am one behind already .....

Pen and ink plus watercolour pencil (today's deliberate mistake, I put the wrong date ! sheesh) not a good start :-)

Stillman and Birn Zeta series sketchbook
Derwent watercolour pencils
waterbrush
Noodlers Black ink
TWSBI demonstrator Fountain Pen

Autumn Leaves - Pen and Ink

I took the time today to try out a new pen ( Jinhau medium nib ) and new ink Diamine 'Ochre' that was rushed to me by my friends at Wonderpens.ca  :-)
 
Ochre seemed to be a suitable colour for this time of year.

This is quite small only 4" x 6"

This ink is not waterproof (that's what I wanted so I could move it around with a waterbrush)

Urban Sketchers KW in Victoria Park

Met up with the Urban Sketching crowd in Victoria Park, Kitchener today. I must admit I almost stayed home, hiding in the AC ... but I didn't

 The Rotunda .. There was a flag flying but..

Fluid hot pressed watercolour paper 9 " x12"

Sennelier watercolours
Noodlers flex pen
TWSBI Demonstrator fountain pen
Noodlers carbon Black Ink
Noodlers Lexington gray Ink

Pastels ..

Recently a friend gave me an assortment of artistic tools..
Soft Pastels, Oil Pastels, Charcoal sticks, watercolour sticks and books!

I haven't tried using soft pastels since about 1992 but decided to give it a go with this small set.
I stole the image from 'the mind of watercolour" on you tube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cPMRll5JE8

I follow him for his watercolour tutorials.

Not enamored with the rocks, they look a bit fake.
But overallI am quite happy with the attempt

Strathmore Toned Gray Sketchbook
Carre Pastels
Conte pastels

Alan
C&C always welcome

Lowville with the USkKW

Yesterday was a welcome relief from the oppressive heat and humidity and what better way to celebrate than with a group of sketchers in Lowville Park.

I settled in by Bronte Creek surrounded by laughing children who's parents encouraged them to paddle and try to catch fish in nets or with their hands.
All those sounds drifted into the background ambiance as my mind wandered and focused on the scene.. 

Alan

Urban Sketchers KW

I drove to Dundas this morning to meet up with the US KW gang for a few hours of sketching.

I followed a trail through the woods to the creek and found a cool spot to sit a while ..

I added the condo's as it was supposed to be "Urban Sketching" :-)

Alan

Urban Sketchers Waterloo Region

Yesterday, dispite the heat and humidity I joined up with a gang of urban sketchers from Waterloo.
Not my first outing with the group but it has been a while.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/KWUrbanSketchers/

THis time we gathered at the Boathouse in Guelph where each went their separate ways but most of us ended up under the tree lined shore opposite the boathouse in the shade with a not-so-gentle breeze blowing, I must admit it was easy to sit there and the 3 hours passed quickly in pleasant conversation and painting.

I work quite quickly so I managed two paintings/sketches in pen and wash, this one was the better of the two and the one I went with at the 'throw down' ... where we all gather after the allotted time and get to see what we have accomplished.

Not my first attempt at this subject but I am quite happy with it
The colours are a bit washed out, especially the blues but you get the idea..

Alan

Into the light ...Finally

This painting was stuck at the back of a drawer and forgotten for many years. When I found it it was rolled, creased and tattered
.
Recently while talking to my framer, Don Corby I told him about it.
He figured he could breathe some life into it, so I let him and he did!

So here it is after 25 years or so in its rightful place on the wall.

Thanks Don!

20" x 30" Acrylic (washes as in watercolour) on paper
This was a project / demonstration image in a 'how to' book the title of which is long forgotten

Sorry about all the reflections ;-)

Alan

Wolf Howl Pond ..finally ..

.. done!

Well almost.

I'm going to live with this for a while, I see a few things that need treaking already :-)

Canson 9" x 12" XL series watercolour paper

Wolf Howl Pond - Watercolour

and so it goes, you see something and try to tease the meaning from it..
Wold Howl Pond has done this to me and so the search for the image, the meaning continues.

I am getting closer though :-)

5" x 7" watercolour on Fluid hot pressed paper

Some new watercolours:
Sennelier Aqua Mini half pan set
New brushes:
Raphael soft aqua 2,4,and 8

They all came in a little kit from Deserres.ca
 :-)

Wolf Howl Pond -Redux

I feel the need to work and rework this subject as I don't think I am "there yet..

This is a graphite, pencil and white gouache rendition.
Boy that powdered Graphite makes a mess!

My Derwent battery powered eraser ground a deep, dark scar into the white of the moon, that's when the gouache came out ..

I'm tempted to crop this with only the left side/half

Alan

Strathmore 400 Mixed Media Paper 9" x 12"
Generals Powdered Graphite

Wolf Howl Pond - Algonquin

The second visit was completely different from my first visit the day before.
"Yesterday" was warmly lit by a bright Spring sun, this day was cloudy and threatening rain but it is still a great place to sit.

This was a quick sketch to try and capture the scene dominated by old, dead black spruce that surrounded the ponds.
Drawn in my watercolour sketchbook, not the best choice for pencil work but I had it with me :-)

Not the greatest scan but ...

Alan

Perspective... the eternal struggle

I hate perspective, my renderings always look .. awkward.
Yes I know how it's supposed to work and how to do it but it never 'looks' correct.

So I keep trying .. ;-)

So this one started out as a pen and ink rendering and ended up as a little watercolour
(it's about 6" x 3"), using QOR watercolours and trying to work in purples, fushia and violet into my shadows.
I think the angles look a little better but.... 

Alan

Barn on 32

I spent a Curry's gift card on:

a couple of Hot Press 140# watercolour blocks by Fluid
A new Micron 01 permanent pen
and a Signo white gel pen

Then I put them to work ...





























This was on a 6" x 8" sheet


Comments and Critique always welcome..
Alan

Spring has Sprung ...

... The grass is riz
I wonder where the birdies iz ..

Well one of them is here, my subject and challenge for this week..

Stepping ever so timidly out of my comfort zone.

Strathmore 400 Series Mixed Media Paper 9 x 12
Derwent Watercolour Pencils (Thanks again Vickie!)
Windsor and Newton Watercolours

Painted from one of my own photographs

Quite happy especially as it is my first attempt in many years

C&C welcome
Alan

This Old House ..

This old stone house is boarded up now, no doubt awaiting the wreckers ball, so I decided to depict it as it was, lit up as the sun sets, a warm fire in the fireplaces, joy and laughter echoing from inside, when it was someone's home..

The third in a series ..

C&C always welcome

Alan

Barn on Elmira Rd

Another from my short drive around the block (about 10km) last weekend.
This one is located on Elmira Rd.
A slightly different approach this time pen (sepia ink) and wash
Same paper as before

C&C always welcome :-)

Barn in Snow (Hwy 6)

I ripped up a piece of Curry's own brand of 200# CP paper and devoted it to a rendition of a barn on Hwy 6 N.
First I drove over to photograph it and a few other places in the gentle morning light as the snow fell softly.

 
As I mentioned Curry's own brand 200# CP paper (worked well without stretching) Windsor and Newton paints.

The paper has some strange artifacts as you can see in the upper left portion other than that and it being a bit thirsty it wasn't bad.

The painting is about 8" x 10". 

Alan

Burnt Cove - Tobermory

Last weekend I was at Doug's Cottage in Tobermory.
Weather wise a dreary, windy and rain swept couple of days but in reality a time to chat, laugh and catch up with the occasional walk to 'blow away the cobwebs'.

From the moment I saw the little island just off shore in a sea of shifting ice I knew I had to do more than photograph it.

Here is the result; a small ink and wash on Strathmore 400 8" x 5"mixed media paper.

Not exactly as it was but that's not the point is it, this is what I 'saw' as we sheltered in the cedars out of the wind, waiting for an elusive otter we had seen all to briefly as we approached.

Burnt Cove Tobermory..

It's been a while ..

Life happens even when you are not paying attention.
It's been months since I put pen and brush to paper, yes I have been struggling to track down my muse(s) but today I actually did something!

A small line and wash study of an unknown barn (mostly out of my head) on a sunny day ..

Now the ball is rolling lets see if I can keep it rolling !