From my sketchbook, ink drawing with wash of a Paris scene in the olden days inspired by a black and white vintage photo.
Month February 2017
A birthday card for someone special
It is my sister’s birthday and I have decided to paint a special card for her : I picked up a watercolour bloc 23×30, 5 cm 300g/m2 and painted on half the page so I can fold it into 2, thus creating a standing card. I will do some calligraphy inside with the brush and will make it original and unique. I used lots of water to obtain that loose effect. I prefered fruit to flowers they are more juicy looking which makes perfect for the watery look.
Charlie O’Shields’portrait #WorldWatercolorGroup
I was inspired to paint a portrait of Charlie who is the creator of an online community of artists called #WorldWatercolourGroup . Artists can share their work and be part of a community of kindred spirits. For me, it is a joy to look at the work of so many amazing, talented artists. It is always uplifting to read comments of encouragement or advice from others. Doodlewash.com is Charlie’s blog name where he provides a new art challenge regularly where everybody can join in if they feel inspired to do so. I had the honour to be featured as a guest artist in his blog in 2016. I am very grateful for all the work Charlie ,himself a talented artist,does and this group would not be so successful without his commitment and will to share his passion for watercolours.
This portrait was done on a paper called Bamboo from Hahnemühle for mixed media 265 g/m2 125 lbs 24 X 32 cm 9,4 X 12,6 in. It is very strong and great for portraits as it is easy to lift the paint. The grain is equivalent to a cold pressed watercolour paper with a good tooth. The only drawback is this paper doesn’t take very well masking tape and tends to rip….But overall, it is a good paper to work with and I will buy some more in the future.
Happy Valentine’s day !
Inspired by the shape of a paper weight, today is my take on Valentine’s day….
The cockerel : French symbol
Ok, everybody knows this is the Chinese year of the rooster but it is also the French national symbol…why ? Here is a bit of history :
THE FRENCH ROOSTER
In the Middle Ages, the Gallic Rooster was widely used as a religious symbol, the sign of hope and faith. It was during the Renaissance that the rooster began to be associated with the emerging French nation. Under the Valois and the Bourbon kings, the royal effigy was often accompanied by this animal, meant to stand for France, in engravings and on coins.
Although still a minor emblem, the rooster could be found at both the Louvre and Versailles.
Although still a minor emblem, the rooster could be found at both the Louvre and Versailles.
Back at the English Book Centre in Valbonne
After an Autumn break, I am back with fresh new original paintings at the English Book Centre in Valbonne village. The paintings feature the shop and its beloved mascot Maggie the dog as well as Valbonne and its surroundings.
Scarecrows
I was walking up the street of a Hampshire town early Autumn last year, when I saw these lovely scarecrows for sale just outside of a shop pavement. Not only did they look very cute and not at all scary ….but also not too expensive ! Would they frighten birds away in a field… that is another story. Anyway, I took several pictures of them and decided they would make a perfect subject for a painting.
7 day challenge #WorldWatercolorGroup Day 7
This is my last day for the 7 day challenge with the WorldWaterColorGroup. I set out at the beginning to do a portrait every day inspired by cutouts from magazines or newspapers with one exception : today. This final one is a painting I did last year. As I was finishing this portrait it reminded me of the famous painting “Aristide Bruant” by Henri De Toulouse-Lautrec, obviously just the scarf and the hat were the link…
I found this experience of daily painting very uplifting. I limited the size of each portrait by using my sketchbook with a maximum spread when both pages used of 26cm(10″)by 21cm(8″). Because of the relatively small size of each painting, it was feasible to sketch daily time wise. I enjoyed all the feedback and felt really part of a great community of artists family and friends. Big thank you to everyone for you support !
7 day challenge #WorldWatercolorGroup day 6
Another actor from the past : the very much loved Ronnie Barker. I just could not resist his funny stare… I used a 2B pencil and watercolour and played with the 7 day challenge sign integrating it into the painting.
7 day challenge #WorldWatercolorGroup day 5
I found a black and white picture of the actress Carol Bouquet. I particularly liked her posture and the light shining onto her face. I really enjoy this challenge as it makes me paint everyday. I feel very much motivated because of the daily deadline on Facebook. It is challenging though because when I start painting I am never sure of the result…
Hobby Sketcher 