I had such fun painting this wedding portrait as the whole picture is like a fairytale.
I used 3 different pictures to obtain this landscape and put a lot of details in the middle ground to balance out the quiet foreground. I hope that this picture will be a great present to keep as a good memory of a fabulous day and most excitingly … I was there to witness the magic !
I was invited to a wedding last weekend in Brittany and the reception was taking place near the Odet River with its wonderful views. The weather was perfect and this gate between stone walls caught my eye as it created a beautiful contrast in shape and texture.
From a touristic point of view, the river runs past, or through, the towns of Bénodet, Combrit, Plomelin, Quimper, Ergué-Gabéric, Briec-de-l’Odet, Langolen, Coray,Trégourez, Leuhan and Saint-Goazec.
A huge seagull looking at passers by at Antibes old town ramparts. The light was particularly warm giving this pinkish tone to the sea. I got a very close look and it did not seem to mind thankfully ! I know in general that seagulls can be quite aggressive specially if you happen to eat something..; All I had in hand was my mobile phone… not so appetizing!
Last night before sunset, we decided to have a picnic at the top of a hill near Gourdon village . The 3 little white triangles on the left next to the sea are the buildings shaped as boat sails, in Villeneuve-Loubet. As it was a particularly clear evening, we could see the coast of Corsica ! This sketch was done with a wash first and then I added some lines.
Late Spring, I was in rue Mouffetard, a lovely street in the 5th Arrondissement of Paris where you find lots of shops and food stalls at all time plus free entertainment. This jazz band was amazing and performing among the shoppers and passers-by with great professionalism.
The band was standing next to a wine shop and I decided to paint just the window not to be too distracted by all the bottles appearing behind the musicians…
Time to cool down at the beach…
A very loose sketch with just a pen and a very quick wash done during our “coffee outing” in the mountains. You can see that the lines are sometimes not in the right place and of course with a pen you can’t erase these lines. A splash of paint and a fast gesture drawing give a spontaneity that you can’t obtain when you pre-draw with a pencil and erase the lines before inking.
I went to the Summer party for the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Hangar art centre in Chateauneuf de Grasse. It was a great party with friends and family . There was a very well organised buffet dinner as well as live music with Jo Bens Duo. The music was great and gave a very relaxed and festive atmosphere to the whole celebration. I hope to translate this warm evening with the special light effects done with watercolour.
As I won a beret as a Tombola prize…..I take my hat off to all the organizers !!!
A unusual house in Tadoussac, Québec caught my attention. I had to paint it in my sketchbook. Normally Tadoussac is known as a tourist destination because of the rugged beauty of the Saguenay fjord and its facilities for whale watching. I was lucky enough to spot several whales in fact they were white ones called belugas. I could see their tummy coming out of the water just like white clouds popping over the waves. Very exciting but not easy to paint so I opted for a house instead…
Mary Poppins left her bag in the Hangar art centre during a watercolour class for the greatest pleasure of the students ! The bag and umbrella were put in the middle of a table with a white background. I added a bit of colour and texture to the foreground to contrast with the sleek and shiny leather effect of this vintage bag.
Hobby Sketcher 