We have had rainy weather lately, not to mentions storms causing trees to fall and roofs to fly.I am eager to get outdoors to paint plein air, bu in the meantime I honed my skills a bit with animal painting. My chickens, Omelette and Rembrandt and our German shepherd Lindiwe.
Omelette
oil on board, 30x40cm
Blocking in shapes for Rembrandt
Rembrandt
oil on board, 30x40cm
Lindiwe
oil on board, 30x40cm
blocking in shapes for Lindiwe in oil
on the easel
I love my old French tableware…soupiéres, platters, plates, bowls and other dishware. Sketching them is quite challenging though, since they have such nice old patinas that I would love to capture. The only way for me to get that is to use different media. In the 2 sketches below, I used J. Herbin inks, De-Atramentis inks, watercolour, watercolour pencils, nib pen, pilot prera pen and gouache. I think I sort of got some patina on the dishes..
The sketches below are an old French soupiére, a Polish jug with my chickens’ feathers that I stick in at will.The second sketch is an old French platter and oval plate.
French soupiére and Polish jug
mixed media in Stillman & birn sketchbook, epsilon series14X21.6cm
Old French platter and plate
mixed media in Stillman & Birn sketchbook, epsilon series14X21.6cm
à la prochaine
Ronelle
We have more measuring tools in our home than we have food. Fascinating stuff..all these rulers, square edges, the laser beams, the ultrasonic beams, I even have tiny pocket tapes for a handbag. An unending array of measuring tools, never to be found when needed
..measuring tools..
dip pen and Sennelier ink in S&B sketchbook, 14X21.6 cm
Lipstick. What does your lipstick, or lip balm say about you. Our good friend, Google, says the following:
..5 lipsticks for 5 personalities..
dip pen and Sennelier ink in S&B sketchbook, 14X21.6 cm
à demain
Ronelle
Some time during my school years I read a book on Frans Laarmans, an office clerk who decided to quit his job and start his own company. Full of optimism he started planning; his office equipment, all the tools he needed such as printing paper, letter heads, pens, everything he thought a successful busniness should have in his office. He was so frantically busy setting up all that office, that he never got around to what is really important, his business. This book made such an impression on me. So when I walk into an art store, picking up another watercolour brush or oil brush, or pen, I stop and ask myself…do I need it? Will it really turn me into the legendary artist of the 21st century? Well, you all know THAT answer, because we are all at some time or another a Frans Laarmans, acquiring one art tool after the other.In the end it comes down not to the amount of bristles you have, but to doing what needs to be done. But maybe…just maybe that Kolinksy brush in the art store will make my art soar…
..bristles on an art table..
watercolour and dip pen with ink in Daler rowney skatchbook, 21X29.7 cm
à demain
Ronelle
Few things are as comforting and warming as an old woodburning stove, or coalstove as we used to call it. during the day it gets stacked with wood and at night with coals which can simmer all night long with closed vent; Coming down to a kitchen, smelling the heat from the coals and just moving the kettle over for an old fashioned coffee,…it is a joy few people know about today and many might remember it form childhood. In winter this is our chef in the kitchen.. For heat, for comfort, for a homely ambiance, for cooking , for keeping the kettle ready, and warming the hands. Of course this thing can push out some mean kilowatts and I have a few scars as evidence. But boy, a tajine or a boeuf bourguignon or a rosemary leg of lamb coming out of that little oven…it gives total a new meaning to the term oven baked. As the thermostat is long gone, I am obliged to step back in time and test the oven temperature by sticking in my hand in the oven and counting….warm, hot or freakin hot!
..kettle and woodburning stove..
watercolour and pilot prera pen in Stillman & birn Alpha sketchbook, 22.9X15.2 cm
On this hot note I leave you until tomorrow when I will hopefully be back with “bristles”.
Ronelle
I have been struggling with a fatigue for a few days…it may well be the change of seasons? Just the thought of going out sketching already tires me..so I have been mostly in front of my table, fiddling with small sketches, moistly fruits and veggies, which is usually a good idea when all else fails.
I’ve noticed that I have actually never done red peppers..which is surprising. Et voilà..some red peppers for today.
..red peppers in aquarelle on watercolor block, HP, 18cmx26cm..
à la prochaine!
Ronelle
Africantapestry 