Winter Landscape Workshop

I recently attended a watercolour workshop conducted by Marion R. Anderson of Alder Creek Studio.
www.marionAnderson.ca 
 
The morning was spent learning how to mask area's with masking tape, something I had never done and applying salt to a wet wash, a technique that was popular 'back in the day' but I had never really tried.
You have ZERO control over what happens ! 

 It's a waiting game as to when you add the salt wait too long and you get nothing to early and it overpowers the field.
This was my first and only attempt I was quite happy with the result. 
Not so much with the tree's ! 
I'm going to go back in to add a few branches I think

Although the masking technique worked quite well next time I will try to avoid the straight line of the tape.


This was on Saunders Waterford 200lb Hot Press about 8x10



The afternoon was a 'practice what you learned' session which I got so carried away with I completely forgot the salt !

Oh well I was pretty happy with the resulting watercolour 

Half sheet (!) Arches 140lb cold press that is a big piece of paper for me!

This is the result:

 Again the tree's were masked with tape, cut a little more carefully this time.

The cottage and railings were a result of negative painting (something else I was trying) 

All-in-all a great day of learning with a bunch of like minded people, many of my sketchy friends attended.
Next workshop is about using 'Alcohol Inks' that should throw me way out of my comfort zone!

Alan

Another weekend away ..

It's funny how when I am away I find time to draw.
It's probably because I am not sitting by a computer!

More from Valens Conservation Area...

A sketch in pen and ink of the Lookout (Winter's favourite paddling spot) :-)


Then in Watercolour back at the trailer

Next morning, coffee  ...
Made with my new French Press :-)

 A bit wonky but I was outside drinking said coffee :-)

Pencil study

Vacation time is relax and sketch time..

I spent an extended weekend in Valens Conservation Area this laast weekend.
Time to relax and put pen and brush to paper..

My trailer nicely situated in the dappled shade 

 Pen, ink and soluble graphite with a waterbrush


On the other side of the trailer, the picnic table under an old Hemlock (?) 
 

 Pen, Ink and pencil

A little further afield just to prove I did actually walk somewhere..

Early morning over the lake a thunderhead was forming, this is my attempt at capturing the scene.

 "Portable Painter" setup with W&N paints on a new paper from the Bee Company a single sheet ( 6 x9 ) clipped to a board, very wet in wet and it held up well.   

 

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

Freezing in Galt ..

.. all in the name of art !

I met up with my friend Roger today for some sketching practice.

I was completely under-dressed and ended up buying a sweatshirt to keep the icy wind at bay. Between that and hiding in doorways we managed to survive for 4 hours :-)

Across from the Melville Cafe

Galt Town Hall

We did manage a stop in at Phidon Pens to get warm, yeah that's it we stopped in to warm up nothing to do with pens, ink and stuff :-)

Farm at dusk - a la Peter Sheeler

Another 'challenge' ..
My interpretation of 'Farm At Dusk' by Peter Sheeler 

Learning that Hot Press paper is a LOT more difficult to work on with watercolour washes than Cold Pressed !

Saunders HP 200 # paper 5" x 7" 
Windsor & Newton Watercolours, 
Micron pen 01,
Signo Gel Pen White,

It's Never Too Late to Learn..

Yesterday I attended a watercolour workshop put on by The Urban Sketchers of KW:

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

and presented by Hasib, one of our members:

https://www.facebook.com/Shaheedh/photos?lst=100003579202742%3A1182874175%3A1483886478

A day full of information and friendly banter, boy the time went fast!

I learned two major things ( and a great deal of smaller things!)

#1 Use more pigment !! (Professional paints by Windsor and Newton and Lukas)

#2 Loosed up by using bigger brushes !! (Escoda Synthetic and Kolinsky Sables)

Alan

Leaves of Three

Continuing to pick up leaves as I walk the dog...
This time I chose a few 'brighter' ones...

Changed up my palette for this one, I have some QoR watercolours that I thought would add too the rendering of this painting;

QoR
Quinacridone Gold
Pyrrole Orange
Quinacridone Magenta
Green Gold
Dioxazine Purple

DaVinci Fuchsia

WIndsor and Newton Indigo

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 ..finally ..

.. done!

Well almost.

I'm going to live with this for a while, I see a few things that need treaking already :-)

Canson 9" x 12" XL series watercolour paper

Wolf Howl Pond - Watercolour

and so it goes, you see something and try to tease the meaning from it..
Wold Howl Pond has done this to me and so the search for the image, the meaning continues.

I am getting closer though :-)

5" x 7" watercolour on Fluid hot pressed paper

Some new watercolours:
Sennelier Aqua Mini half pan set
New brushes:
Raphael soft aqua 2,4,and 8

They all came in a little kit from Deserres.ca
 :-)

Barn on 32

I spent a Curry's gift card on:

a couple of Hot Press 140# watercolour blocks by Fluid
A new Micron 01 permanent pen
and a Signo white gel pen

Then I put them to work ...





























This was on a 6" x 8" sheet


Comments and Critique always welcome..
Alan

Spring has Sprung ...

... The grass is riz
I wonder where the birdies iz ..

Well one of them is here, my subject and challenge for this week..

Stepping ever so timidly out of my comfort zone.

Strathmore 400 Series Mixed Media Paper 9 x 12
Derwent Watercolour Pencils (Thanks again Vickie!)
Windsor and Newton Watercolours

Painted from one of my own photographs

Quite happy especially as it is my first attempt in many years

C&C welcome
Alan

This Old House ..

This old stone house is boarded up now, no doubt awaiting the wreckers ball, so I decided to depict it as it was, lit up as the sun sets, a warm fire in the fireplaces, joy and laughter echoing from inside, when it was someone's home..

The third in a series ..

C&C always welcome

Alan

Barn on Elmira Rd

Another from my short drive around the block (about 10km) last weekend.
This one is located on Elmira Rd.
A slightly different approach this time pen (sepia ink) and wash
Same paper as before

C&C always welcome :-)

Barn in Snow (Hwy 6)

I ripped up a piece of Curry's own brand of 200# CP paper and devoted it to a rendition of a barn on Hwy 6 N.
First I drove over to photograph it and a few other places in the gentle morning light as the snow fell softly.

 
As I mentioned Curry's own brand 200# CP paper (worked well without stretching) Windsor and Newton paints.

The paper has some strange artifacts as you can see in the upper left portion other than that and it being a bit thirsty it wasn't bad.

The painting is about 8" x 10". 

Alan

Burnt Cove - Tobermory

Last weekend I was at Doug's Cottage in Tobermory.
Weather wise a dreary, windy and rain swept couple of days but in reality a time to chat, laugh and catch up with the occasional walk to 'blow away the cobwebs'.

From the moment I saw the little island just off shore in a sea of shifting ice I knew I had to do more than photograph it.

Here is the result; a small ink and wash on Strathmore 400 8" x 5"mixed media paper.

Not exactly as it was but that's not the point is it, this is what I 'saw' as we sheltered in the cedars out of the wind, waiting for an elusive otter we had seen all to briefly as we approached.

Burnt Cove Tobermory..

It's been a while ..

Life happens even when you are not paying attention.
It's been months since I put pen and brush to paper, yes I have been struggling to track down my muse(s) but today I actually did something!

A small line and wash study of an unknown barn (mostly out of my head) on a sunny day ..

Now the ball is rolling lets see if I can keep it rolling !

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"

**************************************************************************************************************************************

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

Scotsdale Farm

Niagara was too far (KW Urban Sketchers went there today) .. so I decided to stay closer to home and visit Scotsdale Farm nr Georgetown.

600 acres of trails and buildings, another hidden gem.

The old house is currently unoccupied ( boy, what a place to live!) I have sketched it before from a different angle but wanted to try and work on my limited perspective skills.

Saunders Waterford 140lb NOT 16" x 12"
Windsor and Newton watercolours
My handy dandy W&N field sketch brushes

Yes that was way to big for a sketch !!
No my perspective skills still need work

But I enjoyed myself and met several people who stopped by to chat and even admire my work :-)

Alan