Parges, France

Near Paris. 12×16 arches 280cold press. Did a wild hour long paint all with Vlad Yesileyev at shopkeeparty,com. Also on shopkeeparty’s YouTube if you want to give it a try.

The photo

The sketch

First wash

About an hour of painting. Adding darks. I actually painted the people with my brush aka I didn’t draw them first. I think they are some of my better people.

Debating with my self when is it done.

I never know when to stop but time to add some calligraphy marks with the saber brush I think. Feeling totally uninspired.

And as she is now. She may get more torture tomorrow. We shall see.

Have to capture all five kittens and take them 30 miles to Edgefield to get them neutered or spayed. What happens if one runs. I guess I can always schedule another trek to Edgefield.

Margaret xoxoxo

A post before

It slips my mind. I think the only time Henry holds still is when he’s doing class work. Virtual school now out for this week.

The first drawing was terrible as you can see. Doesn’t pay to lay off of drawing people for a while. No a curve in the back of the first one.

Practice is necessary a lot or you get rusty.

I didn’t get around to drawing the chair again. Class was out for lunch.

Colored with Fabre castell watercolor pencils, stillman and birn alpha, Lamy ef.

Margaret xoxoxox

Drawing with Danny Gregory

When you aren’t inspired to draw or paint guarantee Danny Gregory on his YouTube Draw with me show will get you going. Free every Thursday at Noon.

We all drew a pigeon skeleton today. Well the show was last weeks show. I was busy so did it today. That’s the great thing about YouTube. The shows wait for you and ready when u are.

He furnished the picture we drew.

I used a Micro univalve pen and a namiki fude. Oh and a lamy ef. All that cross hatching was eating up the ink. I may add watercolor to it but letting it dry overnight before I do.

Stillman and birn alpha.

Catching up on escape to the Chateau on YouTube then my binge of Killing Eve on Hulu. Love watching the British couple rehabbing a decrepit five story chateau WITH mote in Escape to the Chateau. The jobs they undertake are monumental on a show string budget. Watch it. They are intriguing. A visit there is on my bucket list.

Margaret xoxoxo

Composition- Provence or the Blue Ridge?!!

I am thinking it’s the blue ridge. I love the views from the tops of the mountains with the towns snuggled in the bottom around a lake.

I think this paintings done. Going to sleep on it to be sure.

12×17″ arches 280 cp Cheap Joe’s American Journey paint.

Paint along with Vladislav Yesileyev

I took a class with Vlad Yesileyev on composition today.

Fascinating and educational as usual.

He said composition is THE most important thing in a drawing.

Typically you divide a drawing into thirds vertically and horizontally. And where they cross is your focal point. It’s the place where you should put the greatest contrast in your painting with less detail in the other areas.

MINIMIZE anything not in your focal point. And if you don’t like your value sketch then don’t start painting.

I highly recommend that class. He’s just THE best teacher. Willing to answer any question and stay as late as necessary to help if needed. He explains everything so well leaving no detail unexplained as to why he’s doing what he’s doing. And if you don’t understand he will patiently explain it again.

And he has a GREAT russian accent and a GREAT sensenofnhumor.

The drawing

First wash. I managed NOT ago sticky my fingers in the sky or blot it. My two fav things to do to mess up My sky wash. Yellow Ochre cobalt alizarin and neutral tint

Finishing first wash using the same colors

Adding trees. I can finally do lacy dry brush trees. Well more or less.

Still using the same colors and some burnt sienna and burnt umber and indigo for the dark greens.

Teacher critique. Too much splatter and pines too Lacey. Oops. Easy fix.

Can I whine but I like splattering. You should see the tv I watch the zoom on. Covered w specks of paint.

and yes he was right. Too much splattering of flowers in the foreground.

Do yourself a favor and sign up for his paintalongs and his classes. You will be glad you did.

Day 231 So many Spots!!

On the Farm down Florida way. Arches 280 cp. Nice paper. Scratches so well. Paint along with Vladislav Yesileyev

The photo

Vlad’s value sketch.

My sketch. Did get tired of drawing a jillion little cows and all those legs. 😜 My dad used to joke to us on trips to count the cows by counting their legs and dividing by 4. That was the best part of drawing a jillion cows. Remembering the joke.

First wash. Cobalt cad yellow alizarin dioxzine cad orange yellow ochre

My cows are too light I think. We shall see.

Painting the background trees. Still using the same colors and burnt sienna and umber.

So I painted my cows a little darker grey. Cobalt yellow ochre and alizarin dioxzine mix. That mix will give you all kinds of grey.

Greens mixed with cad yellow cobalt and indigo. Oh and cobalt teal on water tubs.

Think this one is different but I can’t tell. Shadows under white spots? NOPE. Since these are Holstein cows painted lots and lots of grey and blackish spots made with that same grey mix. I think I added ultramarine and a dab of alizarin to mine.

Cows up close.

And adding in the foreground tree. Once again that green mix on the grey side.

Can I put my feet up now?!

Margaret xoxoxox

Day 237 Undercover spying

I like to draw random people when I am out and about. Get bored sitting in a class or in talk and then I draw the people I can see nearby but I don’t want them to see me drawing them. Thus undercover spying.

Spent the day going thru old photos of random people and tossing them into recycle. Or terrible print outed photos. They look blurry. Who needs them when they are on your iPad available for painting or running a slide show?!

Probably should paint them. Found my tiny whiskey painters box today when I was cleaning. Hurrah!!

Hahnamuhle journal with no idea of what pen. Probably a Lamy EF loaded with eel skin ink. Lettering done with my namiki fude today.

Margaret xoxoxox

Day 235 Urbansketching in Decatur

The view from our lunch table at Taqueria de Sol on W Ponce yesterday. Thought my fingers were going to freeze off.

My favorite hamburger joint the original Farmburgers and Chai Pani Indian Street food the home of blistered tongues from their hot food. Give me a farmburger please. Sooo good.

Stillman and Birn Alpha and Micro univalve. Meant to post yesterday but was too busy watching the election returns. Swore I wouldn’t but oh well. Now I needs a nap.

Margaret still listening on NPR. Xoxoxo

Day 233 Alla Prima

My granddaughter and I were painting together today. I decided to do one of her. No pencil drawing first. Not too bad. Her hair is wild aka bed head. She might have dreadlocks soon. Now if I could just get rid of the seam. What was I thinking?!

Groan. It’s not like I didn’t have some fluid 150 cold press nearby.

Cad red and cad yellow. Alizarin Quin gold burnt sienna burn umber a dab of black. Peacock blue and Verditer blue – a pretty soft sky blue that I think has white gouache in it

Stillman and Birn alpha which was very forgiving when I lifted a few areas.

Margaret xoxoxo

Day 229 Recipe time

They never seem to turn out how I imagine but the recipe book is filling up. Try these two. Easy ad delish.

Snickerdoodles. Yum. Quite popular with my friends

My fav go to easy meal

Margaret going to watch Queens Gambit because I got sidetracked Fishermans Friends a feel good movie about some British fisherman who hit the top ten with their sea shanty recordings. A true story. Xoxoxo