Scots Pine Pen and Ink Study

Yesterday I decided to sit in the yard as the air was cooler and the bugs almost non existent.
Besides Winter loves to be outside with me.
I was looking at my old Scots Pine slowly coming back to life after the winter and thought it would be a good subject for a pen and ink rendering.

 Alan

Sketch Walk in the University of Guelph grounds

Today I decided, because of the heat, to get an early start and stay 'local' instead of going on an afternoon sketching trip to New Hamburg with my 'Sketchy Friends'.
So I wandered around the U of G for a while before the heat drove me back to the air conditioned comfort.
Yes I'm a wuss....

 

 My first stop ( I got out of the car pulled out my chair and sat down) was the "Portal" a rebuilt section of the original doorway that became the University..

Second stop in the shade .. Mills Hall 

Last stop, on the way back to the car, this old tree caught my attention

 Alan

Inktober to now... getting caught up !

January 2018

So that brings us up to date 

Alan

Pencil Sketch - Scottish Highlands

No I wasn't there, well maybe in spirit but not in person.
This was drawn from a photograph on a watercolour tutorial by Grahame Booth.

I have been sketching, drawing and painting since 'Inktober' but have neglected this blog.
Time to catch up !

Stillman&Birn Beta 8x10 shetchbook
A couple of no name pencils HB and 2B, 
Generals Woodless Graphite 4B for the darks

Alan

Westfield Village - A grand day out

Westfield Village is a great place to visit if you love old buildings.
Yesterday I took my friend Karen for a day out to sketch and draw a few of them.

Gillen House - pencil 

This took a while, especially with the steam tractor rumbling by spitting oil, smoke and dust. I had to stop and cover my sketchbook each time ! 

I didn't notice the slight lean until I scanned it...

Cathcart School - Pencil

I decided on a less formal study of the old school. This was drawn quickly with a 'fat' (2mm) mechanical pencil .

Albrecht Seip Boot Shop - Pencil, Pen and Ink

Trying to stay off the roadway (that steam tractor again) I was 'forced' to work on my perspective drawing.

Boy the day went fast, before I knew it we were given the 10 min warning as it was 4:00pm already!

Perspective Drawing

Today I spent the day with like minded people coming to grasp with 'perspective' in all its forms, some easy some not so much, in fact some of it mind boggling!

Once I got my brain wrapped around 'foreshortening' we went on to 'curvilinear' . If I thought foreshortening was difficult try curvilinear !

Throw all the rules we just learned out the window ...

Yes it was fun and a big thank you to Brenda Murray for the lessons

Wandering again ...

This weekend with the 'nicer' weather rolling in I was out and about.
Yesterday I participated in a Shinrin Yoku (forest bathing) outing to the Huron Natural Area in Kitchener.
Yes we kept our clothes on and yes we had a great time!

At one point we could sit by a stream so I took the opportunity to pull out my sketchbook and recorded this pencil sketch ..

Then this morning I met up with a friend and after Bagels and tea we headed out to sketch an old house that is slated for demolition to make way for our new highway.. AKA progress :-(

Two totally different approaches but both equally satisfying

Alan

Ignatius Centre walk ...

... or have pencil will travel.

Plus 10c with clear skies and a warm sun. It sure feels like Spring is coming!

After a walk I sat myself down to sketch, opened my bag and realised I had fogotten my pens !
I did have a Pilot V Plus fountain pen but it's not waterproof
so I decided on pencil sketches ...

1 .. Finding a sheltered spot out of the wind I also found this old wheelbarrow.
Pencil, a touch of Vpen and watersoluble graphite.

2 .. Braving the wind on the other side of the building to sketch a small shed in the tree's. Quickly drawn in pencil and then back into the lee to finish it off
Pencil

3 .. Looking for another spot this time in the farmyard I came across this 50 gallon drum up against the cedar fence.
Pencil

 

Staedtler Mars Lumigraph pencils,
Stillman and Birn Beta Sketchbook,
Art Graf Water soluble Graphite,
Pilot Fountain Pen,

A morning at Timeless Materials in Waterloo

I spent the morning with the KW Urban Sketchers at Timeless Materials in Waterloo.
So much to see and sketch and we only had TWO HOURS ! 
Still I managed to produce three sketches with various materials;

This old Chestnut canoe in pencil in my Stillman and Birn Beta sketchbook

The second was a bunch of old doors (well a selection as there are hundreds!) Drawn in Conte Crayon on Strathmore tinted paper.

Last but not least, with about 20 min left before the 'throwdown' I took on this pile of doorknobs! (Again a selection as there were dozens)

Micron pen in my Stillman and Birn Beta sketchbook

A fun morning that went byway too fast ! 

Alan

Pen and Wash .. Lessons from Peter Sheeler

I promised myself a down day painting and reading.
Well I did the painting bit, watching youtube video's by one of my favourite artists Peter Sheeler

http://M.youtube.com/channel/UCZWYIO-v3dYNkhBjxFEYZ0g

and trying to emulate his simple style that I like so much ..

 Pen and Wash Barn

 Still working on using more pigment !

Pen and Wash Farmhouse

Unfortunately on this one I got a little impatient with my initial wash and with noodlers black ink you cannot do that .. so there are a couple of small runs, Oh well.

Overall I am quite happy with the results and happy with the day !

The first one was in my Stillman and Birn Beta sketchbook
For the second one I tore up a sheet of Saunders #200 Hot Press paper that I had bought to try, I like it :-)

Pen was a Pilot Mertopolitan
Ink Noodlers Black
W&N watercolours 
W&N travel brushes
Rosemary & Co travel 'sword' brush (First time I tried it)

Alan