March 2007 – Africantapestry

Posted on March 30, 2007July 6, 2008 by Myfrenchkitchen

A french guesthouse

I’m doing some paintings for a lovely Irish lady with a lovely Irish accent! She has a beautiful guesthouse in the countryside, not far from here. These paintings were done in the beginning of spring, so I’ll have to redo them when her roses are all in full bloom. I’d like to do another painting of the house too, since I think I’ve done this one a bit gray? The house dates from the seventeenth century with lovely little turrets which were used by monks. For more information on the guesthouse http://frenchguesthouse.com/ click on the images to enlarge. Both were done in pen and watercolor on Fabriano HP paper. 30.5 x 45.5 cm.

12 comments:

Robyn said…: I don’t think it’s too gray. I think it is elegant and inviting and beautifully loose in your painterly style. I also love the Wisteria around the tower.; April 30, 2007 7:28 PM
🙂 Silvia said…: Such a beautiful house – I really can imagine how fantastic it will look with all those roses in bloom 🙂; April 30, 2007 8:30 PM
Sandy said…: What a lovely home and you have captured it with a light bright touch, I want to do home WC sketches and now that I understand saving whites better perhaps I will give it another try – you inspire me!; April 30, 2007 9:55 PM
Dave said…: This looks like a lovely house; it is certainly a lovely painting.; April 30, 2007 11:45 PM
Lin said…: OH MY GOSH, RONELL!! THIS IS ABSOLUTELY GORGEMENTOUS!! It look so romantic and beautiful!! FANTASTIC WORK, my friend!; May 1, 2007 12:34 AM
Nancy Van Blaricom said…: This building looks so intreging… romantic yet mysterious at the same time. Lovely painting.Hmmmm, I’ve all of a sudden realized that I have never watercolored a building…. how odd.; May 1, 2007 4:00 AM
platitudinal said…: This is a beautiful house and I think you portrayed it so well in your painting. The grey roof gives the house a formal air, yet not cold. It looks great as it is, but now that you mentioned full bloomed roses — it does make me wonder how it would look like with them.Is that the monks’ turret with the wisteria climbing around it? Very pretty!; May 1, 2007 4:14 AM
Cin said…: hi Ronell, many thanks for your comment today, your blog is new to me too, lovely watercolors! I hope one day to learn this medium.; May 1, 2007 5:49 AM
mARTa said…: I agree with Robyn, not too grey. I love how you work in watercolor. I have noticed you like HP paper. I’ve only tried it once and wasn’t sure about it as it wasn’t quite what I am used to. I might have to give it another chance. La maison c’est tres beau!; May 1, 2007 7:18 AM
aPugsLife-laserone said…: WOW! When I saw the house one, I was like “OHHHhhh, my goshhhh”. These are just gorgeous! I love architecture and I just love when someone draws or paints architecture beautifully, which you do. 🙂; May 1, 2007 9:21 AM
Anita said…: Oh Ronell it is perfect just as it is! Simply gorgeous!; May 1, 2007 7:42 PM
phthaloblu said…: What a beautiful home. Inviting, quaint. You did a really wonderful job on these.

Posted on March 27, 2007June 27, 2008 by Myfrenchkitchen

Red Ill. Fr.

Some “Antillais” chillies that I chose for their vibrant color and interesting shapes and of course, “red-hot” is illustrative as well as figurative in this case…
Watercolor on paper.

andrea joseph’s sketchblog said…: This is gorgeous. I like it a lot.

Posted on March 26, 2007May 1, 2013 by Myfrenchkitchen

People in Amboise and one window

Tuesday Casey and I had our weekly art afternoon, this time at her place and since it was such a beautiful day, we decided to go out into Amboise and sketch some people. It was sunny and bright, we enjoyed a coffee, moved to new spots every so often, searched for a new pen she wants to try out, got sunkissed and lastly, looked for a birthday gift for a mutual friend, which we couldn’t find…some people are just hard to buy a gift for. I hope I’m not one, I adore gifts! Once again a great day, although the sketching truggled a bit. Here are my results. See Casey’s as well at http://fr.blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-Agz0ThsyaL8P0qvejInpNJXD9QY-?cq=1

17 comments:

Dave said…: Nicely observed sketches! What materials did you use?; March 29, 2007 8:24 PM
artín said…: beautiful sketches. same question than dave…; March 29, 2007 8:33 PM
phthaloblu said…: These are so beautiful and full of life. Wonderful job!; March 29, 2007 8:40 PM
Africantapestry said…: Hi, thanks for the nice words..I used black pen, no 01. I always use a thin point when I sketch these type of sketches, since I don’t make single lins, but I keep my pen going all the time. If I use a thicker pen, it is just a black blob after a while. Then I gave the sketches a monochrome wash later.; March 29, 2007 9:08 PM
caseytoussaint said…: T6hese are really wonderful. I love the wash – it adds a lot!; March 29, 2007 9:13 PM
Teri C said…: Wonderful sketches. so full of well-observed life. You two sure had fun together.; March 30, 2007 1:43 AM
Kay Cox said…: You had a very productive day. These are such nice sketches. What fun you two must have had.; March 30, 2007 3:55 AM
Deborah said…: These are great. Wonderful gestures and I really like the washes you colored them with.; March 30, 2007 7:04 AM
Karen said…: Nice job with these, Ronell. The monochrome wash really works great.; March 30, 2007 4:05 PM
Jana Bouc said…: I really like this style with the monochrome washes. They’re quite lively and expressive.; March 30, 2007 8:46 PM
Emma Pod said…: Very nice sketches and washes. They guy with the glasses looks a bit like Clint Eastwood! Dontcha think??; March 30, 2007 8:54 PM
Carole said…: I also like these, especially the chap with the dark glasses. I was going to ask how you did the wash on site, but you’ve answered my question if you added them afterwards. They do work well.; March 30, 2007 9:57 PM
Felicity said…: It’s wonderful when EDMers meet up! I’m going to Google Amboise and see where you are. Lovely sketches, I love that monchrome wash effect!; March 31, 2007 10:17 AM
MrsSnowy said…: Terrific sketches – and so many of them for one outing. Just lovely. Have you tried using a waterpen for washes on location. If you sketch with a non-waterproof pen you can just drag the water over the lines to create the wash.; April 1, 2007 11:11 AM
Fanta said…: Wonderful, Ronell.; April 1, 2007 10:40 PM
Fanta said…: There’s a broken link in Casey’s address. Try copying this into your address bar: http://tinyurl.com/2re5jy It should take you there.; April 1, 2007 10:49 PM
Africantapestry said…: Thank you for the lovely comments, everybody…
Fanta…I fixed the link to Casey, I think it works OK now, thanks..
Ronell

Posted on March 25, 2007July 6, 2008 by Myfrenchkitchen

Spot the differences

Play along and spot the differences between the two pictures.

Stand on your head to read the answer at the bottom.

casey said…: My, you are productive! I really like this one too. I’m running out of adjectives here!; March 25, 2007 5:43 PM
Teri C said…: Good thing I have a laptop:) because the only difference I see is the lighter one on the bottom.Wonderful painting!!; March 25, 2007 7:18 PM
Lin said…: I must be blind but I don’t see a difference — but I LOVE the sketch!!!; March 25, 2007 8:03 PM
aPugsLife-laserone said…: I can’t see any differences, but I’m not awake, LOL! But I do love the painting! 🙂; March 25, 2007 9:04 PM
🙂 Silvia said…: There are 7 differences??? My oh my… and I am only able to spot 2 of them…
What a creative idea :)!; March 25, 2007 9:41 PM
Ujwala said…: Spotted 2 too and if you’re counting the colour difference then one more 😀 neat idea for the ilo.; March 26, 2007 6:01 AM
Africantapestry said…: Hi everybody…thanks for the comments and playing along…there are really 7 differences(lines), maybe a bit more subtle than expected..it is actually hard to see on the small image and not easy to flick between the two images..but thanks, it is more about the idea anyway.
ronell; March 26, 2007 8:20 AM
phthaloblu said…: This is such a cool idea. And the paintings are wonderful even tho I can’t see the differences.; March 26, 2007 2:45 PM
Fanta said…: I only spotted three differences.
Thanks for commenting on my blog, your works are wonderful, and so glad I found you through Casey’s blog.; March 28, 2007 11:40 PM
MrsSnowy said…: Wow – there is so much that pleases me here. First of all, I love the simple but so effective style of this sketch – now I’m going to bookmark your blog and enjoy it when I’ve done some housework! ciao Robyn; March 29, 2007 1:16 PM
Carole said…: Well, I found 3 plus the colour difference! Lovely paintings. I like your pen and wash of the fisherman too.; March 29, 2007 7:49 PM
Africantapestry said…: Again, thank you for the wonderful words, everybody, I really apprecite it!
Ronell; March 30, 2007 12:37 AM
Marilyn said…: really don’t see any differences. See, we always see our own “differences” and think everyone else sees them.
I love your blog. You’ve done some mighty fine art.

Posted on March 24, 2007July 6, 2008 by Myfrenchkitchen

Fresh from the sea

A drawing in ink and wash. I started out, planning this to be a painting, but somehow it ended up as a sketch with a wash. I chose the wrong day to do a painting…a bit low on energy that day. I used one of my photographs I took on my recent trip and it can clearly be seen in this sketch – it is lifeless and without feeling, without energy. I find that I cannot do a sketch from a photograph, somehow I don’t have the ability to give it …oomph..
Click on the image for a larger view ( hope it works this time, since I have been having problems with this clicking-thing.))
This sketch is pen and wash on Fabriano hotpressed paper.

Bonny said…: Ronelle, I think you’re being a bit too hard on yourself. This is a great sketch!
If you really, really think this is medioce (which I don’t agree with), think of it this way:
The sketch is a nice reminder of your trip and what you saw that particular day. When you look at this weeks and months down the road, you will be reminded of that day.
I like this. I can make a story from what I see in the sketch: what the fisherman is doing or thinking, what he might do next. It’s a wonderful sketch!; March 25, 2007 4:00 AM
casey said…: From here, this looks active, vibrant, spontaneous – everything a sketch should be! I don’t see what you don’t like about it. This is beautiful work, Ronell.; March 25, 2007 5:38 PM
Lin said…: MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE IS PEN AND WASH AND HTIS HAS THE VIVID SPONTANEITY THAT MAKES THAT METHOD SO GORGEOUS! I THINK IS THIS GLORIOUSLY DONE!; March 25, 2007 8:02 PM
Africantapestry said…: thanks for the comments…I do feel better about the sketch, Thanks!
Ronell; March 26, 2007 8:24 AM
mARTa said…: Ronelle….this is how I wish to paint! This is so lively and reminds me is many ways of a Singer-Sargent….really lovely; March 29, 2007 5:44 PM
df said…: hi ronelle thanks for visiting my blog so that I could get to yours! I love this sketch. It’s very loose and energetic. Of course we have to work from photos every now and then. There’s no way I could ask everyone that I wanted to paint to hold the pose for twenty minutes. Can you imagine asking the fish guy to just hold it for a minute?
Plus, I love the self portrait that you have in your profile area. Very wonderful!

Posted on March 24, 2007July 6, 2008 by Myfrenchkitchen

In the limelight

I finally finished this oilpainting. It took my some time though. I can’t say how long…too embarressing. I have been sidetracked by unimportant things for a while there, hopefully I’m back on track now. (Click on the image to enlarge)
I love working in oil and I enjoy using it “dramatically”. It is not a medium where I wish to be delicate and thoughtful and now I don’t mean being disrespectful to it either by being sloppy and messy. Since oil is such a wonderful medium to push around with your brush, or knife as in this case, I enjoy going for extremes, where the endresults aren’t always “pretty” or even pleasing to the eye, but where a lot of telling and emotion is conveyed to the viewer.
This was done from a series of photographs I took at a dance one evening.

oil with painting knives on canvas.

65 cm x 81 cm

7 comments:

Lindsay said…: You have a very expressive brush! Lovely drama and intemacy in this one.; March 24, 2007 2:35 PM
Carole said…: I love this type of painting – lively, expressive, colourful and emotional. Sorry I can’t help on the blogger problem, as I gave up on blogger when the beta version gave me huge headaches!; March 24, 2007 6:14 PM
Teri C said…: Gosh, it’s great and looks like it was fun to do.; March 24, 2007 7:17 PM
E-J said…: I have dabbled in oils and find them very challenging. I like your use of the medium, and I don’t see this as being sloppy or messy.The couple have such sweet faces!; March 24, 2007 10:39 PM
casey said…: Congratulations on getting this done! It looks great, Ronell!; March 25, 2007 5:41 PM
Ujwala said…: I like your style and this painting very much!; March 26, 2007 5:56 AM
Africantapestry said…: thanks for the nice comments, everyone…oil is very close to my heart and the good thoughts here are wonderful encouragements!
Ronell