Category: Charlotte

Day 103 Flat Iron Building

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

And Hassan. Been listening to it on audible. So different than the movie but still the same in many ways.

Both were great. Shot out the window from the cabin in the N Ga mountains where we are lucky enough to be staying. Beautiful here.

Margaret xoxoxo who needed to get out of her house for a while. Xoxoxo

Day 80 – All my Paint Alongs

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To date. or maybe this should be called how far I have come.

All my paint alongs with Vladislav Yeliseyev from most recent to oldest. Join him next Sunday for another jaunt to France. Great way to pass an afternoon. http://yeliseyevstudio.com/school/live-paint-along/

A friend asked how this works. $19 you sit at home. Sign up on his website and pay thru PayPal. No one has to see what you do. Watch and paint along on your iPad or computer using Zoom. He answers questions. Tells you how to mix paint in real time. You can rewatch the video for two days.

He does these every T and Sunday at 2pm. Also offers more expensive lessons on how to draw, mix paint colors in depth and painting lessons during the month. I have learned a lot.

He’s a consummate teacher and leaves no rock unturned trying to help his students. No question goes unanswered and he’s funny.

Vladislav Yeliseyev Join him next Sunday for another jaunt to France. http://yeliseyevstudio.com/school/live-paint-along/

The Grand Canal Venice Need to add a few darks and fox those darn windows. Should not have touched it when I was so tired last nite. Joukas France May need a bit lore done to the street. BarcelonaProvence Havana Rooftops of Parafuegel France Rooftops of Parafuegel France1&2

Coasta Brava, Spain

Red Barn, Cambridge NY the birthplace of my other favorite teacher Charles ReidProvenceHavanaCroatiaLost Coast Florida panhandle Barn N Georgia Green Doors PragueThe Walk in Prague

Provence

Loving these paint alongs. Sorry I am going to miss the next two since I will be with my kids and grandkids and paint alongs = disaster I think. Hmm well maybe if they are napping. Hahahaha. Getting to have out grown that!

Margaret off to run a few errands. Xoxoxox

Day 79 – Venice

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The Grand Canal Venice. All this travel is wearing me out. Aka and now I am Tahred.

Off to the races aka paintalong with Vlad Yesilesev today . I was rotten. I didn’t do the value sketch because I was drawing this largish painting. 15×15. Rough press Fabriano.

The photo.

First wash. Whew that was exhausting but I like it so far.

Vlad has us screen shot his value sketch so I had it anyway.

And then we were almost done. Zip zap. I lifted some of the water. It was getting to dark.

Here’s how it looks now but I still need to work on the buildings on the right. Too tired to care right now.

Worked on this a bit. Darkened the walls.

Here’s what it looked like. It still needs a couple more things but mostly done.

This is the next paint a long with Vlad Yesilesev. I wish I could make it but in Atlanta for a birthday. The big first one for my sweet grandson David. Can’t wait. And I have a very similar photo I took in Bayeux France so really wish I could make this one. Poop.

Yesterday’s baking and it was delicious.

Margaret ready for bed. Xoxox

Day 77 Joucas France

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Another quick jaunt. Half sheet 15X22″.

I really enjoyed painting today. I was totally relaxed instead of worrying I would make a mistake. Painting along with Vlad Yesilesev today. Another one on Tuesday. We go to Venice. Go sign up for it. It will be fun and he’s a wonderful teacher.

The photo just looks valise doesn’t it?!!

Value sketch and class notes. Today he said accuracy in fine art is NOT the main thing At all. No rulers allowed period.

First wash. Red blue and yellow ochre plus a little burnt sienna.

Almost done.

And here it is done though it’s not signed so I can change it right?!My patient painting companion. She actually took a very long nap plus two potty breaks.

Margaret Xoxoxox tired from painting like a madwoman all afternoon. Xoxoxo

Day 72 Italia

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Probably my least favorite painting I have done with the Vlad Yesilesev on his paintalongs. The top part looks great but don’t like all the brown on the very dull steps. Maybe I will wipe them out tomorrow and try again. Or maybe I won’t. Easier sometimes to just have a do over. Too many muddy colors on the bottom. Right now I am blaming the new Lukas paints I bought but Vlad doesn’t get them when he uses them so hmm. Read they have a lot of white added to them and that kind of color will mud easily.

Anyway back to my knitting. My mile long scarf is growing. Just what one needs in summer right?! Oh well as they say winter is coming.

Calling this the body blanket. Might just sleep on the sofa under it since I am too tired to move right now. Knitted most of this since Friday or is it Thursday?! I am a mad knitter.

Margaret xoxoxo who thinks she needs a break out. Oh and I have already signed up for two more paint alongs so a good crash and burn won’t keep me down.

Day 70 National Show

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Loosing my mind entering but Gypsy arrived at the National Transparent Watercolor Show this week. Still can’t believe she got in. Summertime got in the South Carolina Watermedia Show and thanks to my friend Colettes reminder I entered it in the National Watercolor Show. Cross all your fingers and toes it gets in and that Gypsy wins a big juicy prize.

Makes me wish I had finished this one today. Pepe’s the oldest eating establishment in Key West but sinuses were feeling stuffed up so nursed them and binges some tv shows today. Already working on a headache is not conducive to painting under stress especially palm trees which are always tough.

Edie on Amazon. LOVED it. Now watching Silent Witness. Only 18 episodes to go on Brit Box. 🤗

Also watched Inferno on AMC about some nuts releasing a pandemic to thin the earths population with Tom Hanks riding into the rescue. The Dan Brown spin offs always are wonderful for watching major art hot spots in Europe vicariously like Florence in Inferno.

Margaret is still feeling a little stuffed up. Xoxoxox