Urban Sketchers KW

I drove to Dundas this morning to meet up with the US KW gang for a few hours of sketching.

I followed a trail through the woods to the creek and found a cool spot to sit a while ..

I added the condo's as it was supposed to be "Urban Sketching" :-)

Alan

Urban Sketchers Waterloo Region

Yesterday, dispite the heat and humidity I joined up with a gang of urban sketchers from Waterloo.
Not my first outing with the group but it has been a while.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/KWUrbanSketchers/

THis time we gathered at the Boathouse in Guelph where each went their separate ways but most of us ended up under the tree lined shore opposite the boathouse in the shade with a not-so-gentle breeze blowing, I must admit it was easy to sit there and the 3 hours passed quickly in pleasant conversation and painting.

I work quite quickly so I managed two paintings/sketches in pen and wash, this one was the better of the two and the one I went with at the 'throw down' ... where we all gather after the allotted time and get to see what we have accomplished.

Not my first attempt at this subject but I am quite happy with it
The colours are a bit washed out, especially the blues but you get the idea..

Alan

Wolf Howl Pond - Algonquin

The second visit was completely different from my first visit the day before.
"Yesterday" was warmly lit by a bright Spring sun, this day was cloudy and threatening rain but it is still a great place to sit.

This was a quick sketch to try and capture the scene dominated by old, dead black spruce that surrounded the ponds.
Drawn in my watercolour sketchbook, not the best choice for pencil work but I had it with me :-)

Not the greatest scan but ...

Alan

Road Trip - Erin

I went on a road trip this morning all the way to Erin.
OK not a long way but far enough for some fresh scenery.

After checking out the (ahem) Bakery we settled down across the street to draw/paint the buildings of downtown.

I chose a rather freestyle pen and ink method (one line sketches) that I am tinkering with, thanks to Larry in Quebec City  http://www.larrydmarshall.com/

Noodlers Carbon Black Ink in a Noodlers Ahab flex pen
Strathmore 300 mixed media sketchbook 8.5" x 5.5"

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Patrick had taken on a rather large watercolour so I was done before him so I decided to work on a small watercolour, a fire hydrant ... thanks to Larry again!

It was to have ink added but I was told to leave it alone ...so no ink.

W&N watercolour Field set W&N travel Brush set
Moleskine 5" x 8" watercolour sketchbook

All in all a great, relaxing morning

Alan

Sitting beside the river ..

..on a quiet, cool Saturday morning.

All the humidity had gone it was a 'good to be alive' day.

I was waiting for a friend whom I had arranged to meet at the Boathouse for tea and conversion; I arrived early so I could put in some sketching time.

The Boathouse is a local eatery, ice cream vending, canoe renting, and as this description hints at, an eclectic kind of place.

I have been meaning to sketch it for some time..

5 x 8 Moleskine watercolour sketchbook, Windsor and Newton watercolours applied with brushes from my little W&N travel kit.
Pen and Ink from Noodlers (Lexington Gray)

Misty Morning - Watercolour Pencil -

Continuing on from last weeks attempt at a misty morning rendition and reading through David Bellamy's 'Winter Landscapes' and 'Mountains and Moorlands' books.

... I love his atmospheric landscapes but they are not as easy as he makes it look !

Derwent Watercolour pencils and a water brush in my Moleskine watercolour sketchbook 5" x 8"

Alan

Morning up on Hwy 6 North

I was going to start a 12 " x 16" painting but chickened out and created this in my Moleskine watercolour sketchbook.
So it is about 5" x 8"  

A misty morning photographed as I drove north on Hwy 6 several years ago seemed like a perfect opportunity to try creating mist over the landscape.

Maybe I should try the 12 " x 16"

:-D

Kissing Bridge.

Larger size here .. https://www.flickr.com/photos/ajn_photography/19015248265/in/dateposted-public/

Yesterday I decided to visit the West Montrose covered bridge. I had an image in mind for a watercolour, so off I went.
It was a perfect morning, just warm enough to sit in the shade and cool enough to keep the bugs asleep.
I sat by the river for I don't know how long, as usually happens when one is drawing or sketching.
. I was brought back to the present time when a Mennonite Lady approached to see what I was doing, after all I was sitting on her property .. oops.

A short but genial conversation followed and I continued with my painting, here is the result.

A two page spread in my Moleskin Watercolour sketchbook given to me by Constance ..

Happy Fathers Day to all the Dads out there :-)

Alan