Category Old and New Paintings and Sketches from My Travels

Feb 17 2018

Watercolour Workshop at @aldercreekstudio1

Joined with other fellow artists for a watercolour workshop today. Instructor Marion Anderson demonstrated first and then we attempted to replicate what she did.

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This is my attempt as we blocked out what would be the birch trees. We added salt to the wet paint to make falling snow…neat idea!

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My completed watercolour.

See how the salt reacted with the wet paint ?

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In the afternoon I painted this scene looking out the windows of the studio on a much larger sheet of paper. There were some amazing paintings produced and a wonderful time spent with very creative artists.

 

Feb 10 2018

Descendants Beer & Beverage Co.

 Today I headed to Descendants at 319 Victoria St., N., Kitchener, who were hosting a Parking Lot Hockey Tournament.

I thought I wouldn’t be able to complete #34 of the 52 Week Challenge…to sketch a hockey game. But this gave me the opportunity and now I can check off #34.

Also while waiting for teams to show up I sampled a glass of their unique beer and sketched inside. Once the games began, I opted to stand just inside the door to sketch the game as it was snowing heavily.

Boy was it challenging to sketch moving targets.

Feb 8 2018

Old sketches

Yesterday I was going through some of my old sketch books and came across these sketches I produced for potential paintings. Some of these did actually end up as paintings. But I thought that it was interesting to revisit my thought process from that time. It made me appreciate the pencil work of fellow urban sketchers Marianne Coleman and Pat Krywy.

Mar 2 2017

Cambridge Farmers Market, circa 1930’s

I sketched this market from a pamphlet I picked up when Alan Norsworthy and I sketched downtown Galt, Ontario, Canada, last week.

I wanted to practice using a water soluble ink brush with watercolour. I screwed up a sketch when I spritzed water on my drawing last week, not realizing the ink was not permanent.

Videos I watched showed that you can work with these inks…so here is my attempted to master this medium.

I used a Faber-Castell  Pitt artist pen, Sakura watercolour brush, Tombow water soluble brush and gouache.

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Feb 25 2017

Sketching in Cambridge (Galt)

Joined Alan today to sketch old buildings in Cambridge (Galt). Met up at the Melville Cafe at 9:30 and got some hot drinks because it was COLD. But in spite of the cold we persevered and stood in the entrance ways of stores to get out of the wind and sketched for 4 hours.

I’m trying to loosen up my drawing and to be quicker like Alan, but I still get bogged down with detail.

I was really pleased with the one sketch I did with blue ink of the old town hall. Directly went to ink…no pre drawing with pencil and it worked…until I added water. I forgot the ink was water soluble. Interesting results.

 

Sketch of facade in Galt
This was aacross from Melville Cafe in Cambridge ( Galt)
Watercoloured Fire Hall Museum in Galt
My sketch of the Fire Hall Museum in Galt
This is what happens when you forget that the ink is water soluble and you spritz a little water on the paper to add colour, Oops!
My attempt at sketching directly with pen in a loose style quickly.
Watercoloured facade in Galt
Jan 28 2017

Celebrating Chinese New Year

Today, 7 members of Urban Sketchers Waterloo Region met up to sketch and eat at the Cameron Chinese Seafood Restaurant to celebrate the Chinese New Year, the Year of the Rooster.

While waiting for our meal I sketched the tea pot and tea cup.

Then the meal came. The problem right away …to eat while meal is hot or sketch it first.  So I filled my plate and thought …. hey! Once I sketch a morsel I should be able to eat it and that is what I did. Delicious meal and great company and some wonderful artwork. Some of the patrons and staff were kind and seemed pleased with our efforts.