Day 120 The View from where

June 30, 2020Leave a comment

I sit. Lamy Ef and Namiki Fude. Trying out different effects that the Fude can do. Lots of smudging.

Meant to post yesterday but completely forgot while packing to go to the cabin. This is the story of the black snake. He’s in the Apple tree in the foreground. Slithered off the porch where I am all the way over to the tree in a half an hour or so.

Out my back window with pencil. One of those cheap pencils u can get in a box of 12 at staples.

Stillman and Birn Alpha. Xoxoxo

The view from where I sat and drew today. You can rent it on VRBO Sweetwater Flyfishing camp. Bytw my son and grandson pulled five trout out of the river in a half an hour today. One was a foot long rainbow. Yummm.

One of six waterfalls at Sweet Water. This is at the fishing and swimming pool. The rest are big ones.

Margaret xoxoxo

Day 118 Quayside in Croatia

June 29, 2020May 19, 20214 Comments

with Vlad Yesilesev on a paint along today. Paint and paint brushes flying.

Maybe done. Think so. Quarter sheet 300# fabriano rough aka 11×14″ Dont we wish we could hop on a jet and go there??!

The photo

Sketch with first washes. Yellow ochre cobalt blue and alizarin

Sorry for the blurry pic. I tried to unblur but nope. Not working.

Lots of white gouache highlights. Masts and other dark lines done with the saber brush. I should have blotted it more. An interesting way to spend the afternoon.

All in all I like it.

Margaret Xoxoxox

Day 112 Piedmont Park Atlanta

June 23, 2020May 19, 20212 Comments

A beginning but lots left to do. The gazebo on Lake Clara Meer in Piedmont Park. Did not like it at all when I went to bed last nite but today in daylight I do. Paint along with Vladislav Yesileyev.

The photo. It’s a popular spot where the ducks teem to get fed. The value sketch. Ready to be hung at the Louvre🤣. Wasn’t sure I wanted boats. They aren’t allowed in the lake but I went with the flow. We always do these first w a 2B pencil and cheap printer paper on a clip board.

The sketch. Rough 300# Fabriano. No more Arches for me. Sorry for the bad photo. Can not improve it. I tried. Drawn w an hb pencil.

First wash. Colors used yellow ochre cobalt blue alizarin dioxizine purple.

I was not suppose to leave all the white in the water. Trying to follow him who is painting lightening fast and cover a half sheet. Groan. I did use my big size 16 kolinsky from Cheap Joes. But still. I do better for details like leaving white columns on the gazebo and making them straight with my 14 kolinsky from Cheap Joes. In my next life I am getting a Raphael or Windsor Newton. Hmm maybe I should try my mop next time.

Moving onto darker colors. But still very sheer. I have to admit painting with Vlad is like running a road race always trying to catch up with the number one runner. Leaves me worn out but in a good way.

How it looked when I quit for the day.

Ok more colors used golden ochre cobalt turquoise. Neutral tint made from indigo burnt sienna and doxizine purple. Adding white coach’s for lost highlights. Still need to do.

Half the trick is learning to use those pesky perla escodas and that saver brush. Vlad now sells his own brand for $89 from Rosemarys brushes but I have two sets of the Perlas so will wait til I wear them out. Some kind of synthetic fibers. I don’t think u can do the dry brush with my much loved kolinsky sable and I would NOT touch my Charles Reid kolinsky da Vinci on this rough paper. I don’t want to destroy it with the texture.

And I know you can’t do those I the tiny details w a kolinsky sable. The sabers have a wobble to them that makes interesting lines. Controlling them well that’s another thing. They really shine on tree branches and railings. Light posts. Power lines. They make graceful lines.

Top two brushes are the sabers. I use the green handled one a Loosey Goosey from Cheap Joes the most. Then three Perlas. Hmm I have four. 8 10 12 14. Got them dirt cheap on amazon. And my two Cheap Joes Kolinsky sables.

The tree Branch is done with the saber brush. An odd paint brush that does hold a ton of water despite it being synthetic. Right now I am trying to decide if the tree branch needs more work. Maybe?!! It is done with the saber brush.

Margaret who needs to quit goofing off make some bread and paint paint paint. Xoxox

Day 110 Done

June 21, 2020May 19, 20219 Comments

Been finishing up assorted paintings. Amazes me how the details can make them really pop. Cumberland half sheet 300 # rough Fabriano so many paint alongs with Vladislav YesileyevCottage Arles, France 10×15″ 300# rough FabrianoGrand Canal Venice 15×15″ 300# rough Fabriano Roofs of Parafuegal, France 10×15″ 300# rough Fabriano

Laguna Beach, California 10×15″ 300# rough Fabriano

I am beginning to make myself tired with all this painting. Three more to finish up still. 😫😫😫

Margaret going to bed now. Xoxox

Day 104 Sometimes you get LOsT

June 14, 2020Leave a comment

So many cabinets and things to draw. My perspective went wonky. Counters different heights but it was fun to while away a rainy morning drawing this while the kids watched cartoons. Lazy summer day.

I think I should have a redraw next I go to Atlanta. Micro uniball. Actually urban sketch. There’s a house out that window if u can find it in all the business.

Was going to color it with my new small box of 12 caran d’ache neocolor ii but they seem to be missing. Hope my magpie granddaughter didn’t squirrel them away somewhere. Not even opened. Eeek

Uniball micro pen and stillman and birn Alpha. Only nine pages left.

The house in this pic is also in the drawing out the window of the kitchen. If u look at the people all in black they are carrying ar 15s. I didn’t notice that when I took the photo. Oopsey. Part of the Black Lived Matter protest in Decatur last weekend that marched down my sons street.

Margaret Xoxoxox who used to laugh about mom wondering into the middle of the Augusta riots in 1970. Must be an inherited talent. Genetic no doubt. Rofl.

Day 103 Flat Iron Building

June 13, 2020June 13, 2020Leave a comment

Or is it the Fab Four the Beatles??

Did a draw along with Danny Gregory and Ian Fennelly last nite at 11. This is drawn with my 2B Derwent sketching pencil. Love it so dark and juicy. Thick lead gives great lines.

And I like the energy of this sketch. Aka the energetic lines.

Danny gave us the pic and we all drew together along. Kinda can see Vlad Yesilesev influence in this sketch. It’s almost a value study.

Stillman and birn Alpha.

Margaret heading to bed early tonite. Did not go to sleep til 1 am. Kept having watercolor dreams. Xoxoxo

Day 102 A Rainy Evening in Paris

June 12, 2020May 19, 20214 Comments

15×22″ 300# Fabriano rough press

With Vlad Yesilesev. Started the paint along TWO days late. And finished just as zoom made it go poof today. Thank goodness.

The picture. The church is St Eustache Eglise on Ile de France with Les Halles in the distance. The services of nearby Notre Dame have been meeting here since the fire.

The sketch. Erase erase erase. 😫

First washes. Forgot to take a pic of the very first wash. Darn it

Finishing up. But it went too dark I think maybe. Soooo

I taped her up and lifted some color with my sea sponge. Vlad should never have showed me how to do that.

Here it is lifted. After I looked at it for a while I decided it had to have some more darks especially under the cars. They looked like they were floating.

Here it is now. I may go back and add a few more darks on the buildings and a few more turrets.

Anyway we are off to hot sunny Laguna beach Sunday. Come join usat the paint along. You will be glad you did.

Our my back window. Can’t decide which view I like better.

Margaret xoxoxox

Day 101 tv Henry

June 10, 20202 Comments

Tv time. Always the easiest time to draw Henry. I think I forgot to finish his feet. Thought he would put his feet back in position but never did.

Sad he’s growing up. Eight in a few weeks. When did that happen?!

Does it count as urban sketching since the neighbors house is in the window?!

Lamy Ef, noodler eelskin Ink, stillman and birn Alpha.

Margaret packing up for home. Xoxoxox

Day 100 Livie makes cat toys

June 9, 20204 Comments

According to Gov Cuomo we are now on day 100. Well at least we were when I drew this yesterday.

My granddaughter Livie is crazy for making things. She was taping magnolia leaves together for a cat toy. Go figure.

She has long legs but that one may be a little too long. Blaming it on the crack in the page. Hard to draw over.

I also worked on this a bit more with my Lamy EF. Might be too dark now?! Oh well. It’s just a sketch right?

And that’s it for today. Moral of the day no sketch is ever perfect. Right?

Margaret ready to get home and paint. Xoxoxox

Day ? They run into each other

June 6, 2020Leave a comment

Don’t they?!

Loved the quote at the top of the page from Marguerite in 100 Foot Journey. Then I started sketching scenery and some of the characters. I think I caught papa on the bottom left.