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

Composition- Provence or the Blue Ridge?!!

November 13, 2020May 19, 20212 Comments

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 171 The Louvre – After the Rain

September 2, 2020May 19, 2021Leave a comment

The painting so far. Still a lot more to do like add the darks in the sky that I lost. Paint alongs with Vladislav Yesileyev

Cadaques finished. Almost forgot I finished this one.

More tomorrow. One should not deep clean the downstairs before a paint along. Do tomorrow I will clean some more and finish the painting. The finishing shouldn’t too take long. Just darken the sky in places and maybe the street.

Margaret too tired to move. Xoxox

Day 144 Paris Barges

August 5, 2020May 19, 2021Leave a comment

Nothing better than walking by the Seine in Paris passing the barges under the fabulous bridges, Pont Alexander, and by such landmarks as Les Invalides and my fav – le tour Eiffel aka the Eiffel Tower.

Vlads picture

A wild paintalong with Vlad. I bet his wife, his manager, has to wear track shoes to chase him around.

Vlads value sketch.

Seems I forgot to take a pic of my sketch. This is Vlads.

First wash. Almost done.

And the washes are piling up. Pointy brush w Paris grey to the Eiffel Tower and the Pont Alexander.

Sliding toward home. Pulling the masking off the boat lines and a few other whites I wanted to save.

Going to have to fix these lines now the masking gone. Can’t leave them stark white.

Lines

Looking better. Really need to work on softening my lines.

Calling it quits for tonite.

What a difference a few minutes makes in the sky.

Margaret Xoxoxox

Day 143 Paint brushes flew

July 26, 2020May 19, 20212 Comments

300 lb Fabriano rough

Away to Dubrovnik Croatia paintalong with Vlad Yesilesev today. Great fun. Lots of mad painting. Vlad was funnier than usual today and he’s always funny. You really should join us.

The photo. Not much to look at as a photo is it?

The value sketch. Vlads. This is what we paint from.

The sketch

First wash. Yellow Ochre alizarin cobalt and card red orange rooftops. Not much paint at all.

Heading down the sidewalk. Sky cerulean cobalt neutral tint and whatever else Vlad decided to toss into the mix.

More washes. Darker ones.

Adding browns and dioxzine purple.

Trees cad yw cobalt ultramarine yellow ochre burnt sienna neutral tint.

And more darks. Scratching out lines. Think I might take some of the purple out of the wall but not til tomorrow.

Wildly painting lines with my sword brush which worked fine today skimming out electric lines without a problem.

Some splatters for crepe Myrtle tree flowers.

Margaret who needs a nap now. Xoxoxox

Day 44 A Day in Provence with Vlad

April 26, 2020May 19, 20215 Comments

Did a paint along with Vlad Yesilesev today. He will be doing some more. Think it’s a great format that lets what he says sink in. And you get a copy of the class to download. Some dummy didn’t get that 911. They expire after a couple of days. OPPPSEY. I Will do it this time. Using a 2B mechanical pencil we all do a value sketch under his tutelage. Lots of squinting.

Light washes of yellow ochre cobalt and dioxzine and alizarin.

First wash. Oopsey. Always leave holidays and then duh go back and repaint. That does NOT work on damp watercolor. You get blooms.

And opps forgot to take more photos duh. Next time.

Hugs Margaret. Xoxoxoxo

Day 2119 Van Gogh did NOT commit suicide

July 29, 2019July 30, 2019Leave a comment

Auvers Van Goghs Blue Church on the hill my version

But I knew that.

Auver from the Oise River Bridge. Ravouxs Auberge (Inn) where Van Gogh died on far left

This article based on a forensic analysis of his death says otherwise.

Van Goghs famous blue church

Of course I can’t get to my sketchbook and share a map of Auvers. It’s in Augusta and I am not.

Go on a Viking Seine River cruise in the winter and they will take you to Auvers since Monets Giverny near Normandy closes in October.

Margaret in Atlanta with the grandkids. Xoxoxox

Day 2074 Rue de Gros Horlage part deux

May 28, 2019Leave a comment

Been working on this all day today. Takes a while in between washes to dry.

Rue de Gros Horlage in Rouen Normandy France. Thinking maybe it’s done or close?! Now to stare at it a while. It will tell me one way or the other. rough 300# fabriano

adding more darks to windows and doors and people.