@drawingisfree_org

May 30, 2023May 30, 20234 Comments

Thanks Chloe @drawingisfree_org We were live from Paris sketching!! The Zoom link is at the top of this page. What a great FREE opportunity!!

A marvelous face on this old man sitting almost in the dark en Paris. My Fav sketch! All of these were done in my superaquabee 10×14” sketchbook with two Derwent sketching pencils a lightwash and a 4B I got at Blick Atlanta. Lovely dark soft pencils with a thick lead. Love them.

These are all two and a half -3:14 minute poses. The length of the great music she played. Different song for each pose mostly Francais, mais oui!

In case u r wondering where I have been now on day 43 of the #jyportraitchallenge on IG. Check them out at @maggieinsc.

This is a totally FREE drawing session. His first time attending and she asked him to pose😵😵😵. His glasses really were crooked.

Every Monday @drawingisfree_org has two sessions at 4 am EST and noon EST. Short 2-3 minute poses w different attendees being called on for a quick pose. So fun. Great music for each pose.

Her 80th coming up but shes still drawing! Hopes to spend it in Paris sketching. I

Lots of hands to practice on. A challenge when the pose is two and a half minutes. Great spikey hair and yellow glasses which i didn’t get to.

Despite a Zoom collapse which was a total reboot and a power outage right before the end best fun i have had sketching since BC Before covid.

Used two Derwent sketch pencils a 4B and a lightwash which had been languishing in my pencil box. Yes I have a PINK pencil box. Lol. Actually i have several to store my watercolors in my color.

Not my best but only two and a half minutes. 🙃Grwar curly red hair.

Chloe our fearless leader. Started is off posing to some great French music. When in France do as the Francai do, n’est-ce pas??

A Bientot! Margaret xoxoxo whose gotta go paint. #jyportraitchallenge

#28

March 25, 2023March 28, 20234 Comments

Done. **Painting #2**8 done since January.
Quitting. I like this one. A little too realistic because of the hard edges would be my only critique. The roses went well. Did them with alot of wet on wet to keep the edges soft. I seem to be painting alot of leaves lately. Ready to NOT paint leaves. Lol.
Half sheet fluid 140# which performed so well I wonder why I ever use anything else. Lifted like a champ.

**The photo**
Johannes Vloothuis did a free class on artist network today. While he was doing oil i painted watercolor. Really not painted in the same way at all but i enjoyed. He runs a very well organized class. his prices are so reasonable as to be ridiculous. $25 for three upcoming classes. I may take them although i really need to be doing my own work but i am a sucker for a deal.

He provides a very easy to print sketch for the class. On the pay classes he even provides a how to transfer it if u don’t want to draw it.

Ready to rock and roll. Used masking to save preserve my whites for the flowers.

The roses were done by saturating them with water and dropping buts of color in til I was happy with them. Probably the most successful roses i have ever done. The wood was done with my chinese brush flattened and then dry brushed. I should have used some of my old acrylic brushes that are splayed from paint drying in the ferrules.

Leaves were painted with blue and yellow i have and then i added some white gouache to a few. i used thalo blue ultramarine joes turquoise colbalt green gold cad yellow light aureolin yellow ochre to name a few. Oh and chrome green and thalo green. I tried them all. I should gave tried my beloved winsor newton filbert. Super painting for leaves.

See ya in one of Johannes classes. Margaret who is tahred xoxoxox

Springtime in Paris

March 22, 2023Leave a comment

Just realized i have painted TWENTY FIVE paintings in the last two months. I think i needs a nap. And an art show. Lol.

First wash. Soaked the oage the. Added a cobalt sky, ultramarine and burnt sienna grey with a touch of alizarin for spring warmth according to Alex Hillkurtz leading the paint along. Raw Sienna and Burnt Sienna on the buildings

Thalo blue awning and windows. Funny how that bright blue disappears as the painting develops.

Adding darker greys same combo Building details that grey adding orange for reflections.

Lots of details added. Loved doing the balcony. And i always love drawing the lines on the buildings. really like these people. And could not resist the urge to add flowers on pots. Always in for a bit of splattering. Something liberating abt splattering.

Have to say that Alex Hillkurtz is a thoughtful teacher who loves Paris so much he moved there eight years ago. Have to agree its a magical spot. if u want to take a class from him he teaches on Domestika. Reasonable prices $10-15. Also does. Painting tours in other spots. He does great explanations leaving out nothing.

Have to say he tickled me. Didn’t know the names for the architectural details like cornices. Said he was not an architect. Most of the guys who teach classes like this are. However he is an urbandsketcher and loves drawing buildings, urbans spaces, and the people who inhabit them.

Margaret who is tired. No wonder 25 paintings should do it. xoxoxox

Off to Paris

November 9, 2021November 10, 20212 Comments

Who doesn’t want to go to Paris for the day or a week or a year?!
Half sheet Hahnemuhle rough

I took a class today on Shopkeeparty with Michal Jasiewicz. He’s a great painter but he can’t paint and talk about what he’s doing at the same time because he speaks Polish.

Of course he speaks better Polish than I speak English but when it’s an online zoom class you don’t pay attention to what he’s doing when he’s not talking. You don’t have time to just sit and watch because he’s painting like a madman.

He would be off painting like a madman someplace I wasn’t because I didn’t know he was painting.

I only realized that after the class was over.

That’s another thing. Why do they have to paint like a madman. I can usually keep up BUT i know a lot cant so WHY!?

The drawing. Did two because I drew the first one last nite on the back. Hahnamuhle doesn’t have sizing on the back so I has to draw it again.

First wash. A mix of red yellow and blue no specific colors. Just a nice light grey.

Heading. Down the road. All this was done wet on wet which makes me a little crazy and slab happy with the brush.

No idea why I didn’t take more pics. Here it is for now. Already thinking of scrubbing the tree off some but who knows.

At this point I decided to do why I wanted. Started really slapping paint on. Drawing with my saber brush, the Cheap Joe’s scroobys loose Goose, which is always uncontrollable fun.

Before I took it out on the front setups and took another photo. The iPhone just takes crap pics as a whole. Still had to lighten it even outside.

Yesterday from the front porch. Love my trees. And the bright fall sunlight glancing they thru them

From where I was painting this am. Chad really has to get over here and get his overspray off my windows. Always one thing or another right?!

Margaret xoxoxo

WIP Paris Cafe

May 18, 2021May 19, 2021Leave a comment

Hahnemuhle 140# half sheet

Wishing I was sitting here having an espresso followed by a croque monsieur. For now. Too tired to work on it anymore today. Not crazy abt the people but then that’s not new. Paint along with Vladislav Yesileyev

First wash yellow ochre alizarin and cobalt Cad orange.

And the rest of the first wash. Cad red light, cobalt teal, cerulean w neutral tint yellow ochre and dioxzine mixed in. Funny how light the left hand buildings look now

The shadows added and MORE windows So many windows

And now. Time to put my feet up. Color me tahred. Xoxoxox Margaret

Sacre Couer

March 29, 20212 Comments

Sketching Paris – Sacre Couer which sits on the highest point in the city and can be seen from all over the city. There are a few tweaks coming sooner or later.

The photo.

Step 1. Lay out pens on your paper at the angles you will draw the buildings.

Step 2. Drawn with a very light Tombow on 140# hot press Fabriano 15×20″. Delicious paper. Sometimes I think it would be easier to start these off with a pencil. Then you can erase the inevitable oopseys.

Step 3. Ink it with a .03 permanent fine liner adding a few more details.

Step 4. Watercolor layer. Only four colors used. Ultramarine, cad red dark, burnt sienna or quin sienna and cobalt teal light.

Step 5. Adding more Tombow and darker tombows including black.

Step 6. Adding more details! Using the permanent fine liners. .03 .02 .01 And a bit more Tombows.

Step 7. And last add a bit more watercolor. And a few more splatters. I do love splattering.

That’s a wrap. The last Sunday Funday with Ian Fennelly. Ian’s been a very busy boy during the pandemic offering a ton of classes in Studio56Boutique.com.

Margaret tucked up in bed. Xoxoxo

La Tour Eiffel

March 22, 2021Leave a comment

Done for the moment. Sunday Funday with Ian Fennelly. Who could resist drawing the Eiffel Tower with Ian??! Really enjoyed it despite I wore my hand out inking it. Should have taken a lunch break. One of my fav places in Paris esp when lit up at night.

I sat under it on one Saturday nite drawing it. Heaven for someone who loves to sketch.

Of course I can’t find the picture of the sketch right now. A double page spread too.

The photo

The sketch. Tombow time.

Firming it up with permanent ink markers. Like the lettering but little matchbox cars. Oops. Oh well. Can’t have it all, right?!

First layer of watercolor. Four colors. Winsor Newton Brown Madder, WN Cerulean, WN Prussian Blue, and M Graham Azo Orange. Oh a dab of ivory black used as a grey.

Close up. Yummy colors. The weird brown red is the the brown madder.

Adding more tombows. Coloring with the marker end. A range of greys and black. Second sweep with watercolor. Cross hatching underway with permanent fine liners .05, .03 and .01.

Finished exhale or it got a little dark. One good thing abt fluid hotpress. You can wipe some of the color off.

Here it is now. My fav bit are the cobble stones near the crosswalk. No idea why but there it is.

But this one is still my fav.

Next Sunday Sacre Couer!

Margaret watching Bull again. Not listening to it again. Xoxoxox

On a roll

January 25, 20212 Comments

Some of my favorite British birds from Paul Dinnings Videos and Sounds for Cats: Garden Birds. They really are the best bird videos I have seen on YouTube. Some people use them for a good nights sleep.

Another new Favorite is Prowalking tours. I went to Rome and Montmartre today. Think I will try Venice next. Just the beginning of it is gobsmacking.

Stillman and birn alpha pentel brush pen uniball micron Caran d’ache neocolor ii watercolor pencils and a teabag to wet the Caran d’ache.

Margaret whose going to try Wendy’s for dinner. Xoxoxox

Oops meant to post

November 20, 2020November 20, 20204 Comments

This yesterday.

Drawing Van Goghs The Room with Danny Gregory. Always a fun activity on YouTube. Low pressure. Everyone yaks away via chat while Danny yaks. Last about an hour. He’s always relaxing.

As to The Room. Drawn with Caran d’ache neocolor ii which are crayons that turn into watercolors. I wet them with my fingers aka finger painted. I was too lazy to get up and find a brush so I stuck my fingers in my nearby water glass and smeared the color around.

Did u know the actual painting has turned purple. Some reaction to the underpaintings color. Oops Vincent what happened?!

Margaret xoxoxo

Reflections in L’ Isle Sur La Sorges

November 17, 2020November 17, 2020Leave a comment

Aka France Evidently the town in Avignon is a lot like Venice w Canals and boats. Also near Vaucluse which I live near another Vaucluse. Guess the French Huguenots settled the one near me. A lot did settle in South Carolina.

So far but as usual a WIP a work on progress. Someone please tell me why I hate them when I am done painting three four hours and always like them better in the morning!!?

Vlad paint along Sunday. One more paintalong next Sunday before he takes a winter holiday break.

The photo

I think I need more shadows in mine and an oranger pinker roof. A few more darks in the foreground water. Try to lift some lost highlights. Mr Clean to the rescue I hope.

The drawing

300 lb fabriano rough paper half sheet 15×22. Really don’t like this paper. Maybe I will repaint it tomorrow on Kilimanjaro. The fabriano just sucks up paint making it look pale.

First wash. Always a wild ride with Vlad. Five colors. Yellow ochre alizarin cobalt cad orange. and neutral tint or as he calls it emergency mix.

The whole thing is painted with the same mix of paint and water.

Moving along second wash. Usually we paint everything from the first wash thru each layer but not this time.

Adding greens and darks. Still only a few more Colors. Indigo burnt sienna burnt umber

And here we are as of now. Spent most of the day waiting for the Carpet cleaner to come to clean the sofa the kitties pooed on. They ate now litter trained and e sofa will be covered up as soon as it dries. Aka no more kitty poo.

Margaret tired from not doing a whole lot. I did bake a quiche full of chopped veggies. Does that count?!! And moved stuff out of the way of the carpet cleaner. Xoxoxo