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People sketches in ink in a bistro in Tours..and a postcard.

I’ve picked up my pen again. If one stays on a break for too long, you can lose the desire to return. It is like that with everything in life. At some stage you need to apply some discipline to get going again.

For the first time in along while, I have done some sketches while having coffee in a bistro in Tours. My favorite way of doing it, is with contour lines. If I don’t watch it, I’ll do everything in contour fashion. I love it.

Some of the sketches worked, others didn’t. But it is always like that. Not every sketch is a success. I’m happy with the sketch of the three men at the top and I’m happy with the two men to the left in the bottom sketch. Unfortunately the child and man to the right didn’t work out.

I have also received my first postcard from Albrecht in Germany. Please visit A postcard from albrecht in Germany to see the post on his postcard.

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Sketch of Beaulieu centre ville

I had a few things to do in Beaulieu centre ville and after walking up and down in the sun and heat, I sat down at Les Voyageurs for a coffee and cool glass of water and made a quick sketch of the center of town. I will probably sketch much better if I sketch slower and pay more attention, but I can’t sketch slow. I get bored too quick and want to move on.  So my sketches will always be quirky. But now I am off for my painting “sur le motif“, as plein air painting is called  here in France.

I used pencil, after fumbling through my whole bag for a pen and only found pencil after pencil. I prefer doing architectural sketches with pen.

…Beaulieu Centre ville…

Sketch done in pencil and wash in watercolor sketchbook, 25×15,3cm.

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Sketches of a future kitchen window an an apple tree.

Work is still continuing here at Coin Perdu. I made a sketch of my future kitchen window from the outside in. It will be one of my most favorite places in our mountain home, that is for sure. From the inside it has the most stunning view and I can already imagine the inspiration on my cooking!

On a  late afternoon, while the fire was crackling for our dinner, I stood at a little table with watercolor, black Indian ink and a charcoal stick and just scribbled down an apple tree down below. The paper was far too small for such an exercise but it was the only ones I have here. I’d like to do this again, but with large pieces of paper. the exercise was good though, bringing a bit of freedom to a stiff wrist.


The bottom sketch (to the right, apple tree 2) is upside down. I put down the tree trunk in ink with a big brush, left it to dry, took off to see to the salad and when I came back, the wind took it from the table. I picked it up and watercolored int he foliage, only to realize after a while I did it upside down. Well, it still served the purpose, not needing to be good art.

All sketches done in Indian ink with Japanese brushes, watercolor and charcoal sticks on CP watercolor paper, 29,7x42cm (11 3/4″x16 1/2″)



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Sketching in Beaulieu.

Poor Africantapestry is in some abandonment. Not completely, but just enough to make her feel a bit lonely. I hope (how many times have I said this already??) to get back to frantic activity soon….one day….hopefully very soon…!! So, to all those who follow in such good spirit, thank you for your patience and loyalty and hang in there, I’ll be back with gusto soon…one day….hopefully very soon!

About two weeks ago, I went sketchersizing by the Loire at our Loire house and stopped only once for this pencil sketch, which I then added some ink lines to with an ever so slightly wash, because the pencil was too hard to get some feeling into the sketch.

…sketchersizing by the Loire…

sketch done in pencil pen and light wash in watercolor sketchbook, 26x18cm

I went sketchersizing here in Beaulieu a few days ago and sat down just when the morning market started packing up  for the day. I enjoyed a deca allongé at Les voyageurs with a view on the place and the marché.

If interested in seeing some photos of the medieval town of Beaulieu, you can visit The Charming character of Beaulieu sur dordogne at Myfrenchkitchen.

…sketchersizing in Beaulieu sur dordogne…

sketch done in pen and watercolor in watercolor sketchbook, 26x18cm..

à la prochaine!..

Ronelle


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Two sketches from Caen, France.

Having the youngest daughter finishing her studies in Caen.., had us renting a truck and taking off in the directionof Caen to empty her apartement and bring it back home. Another chapter finished. She starts in Paris next week for a long “stage” and then we’ll take on another chapter, who knows where.  Always an exciting life when you have kids – it never stops!

Sketch in rotring pen and watercolour in watercolor sketchbook, 15.3x25cm.

When all was packed and we waited for the estate agent to come over for the “etat de lieu” – checking that we didn’t steal the ceiling or the shower etc…I sat on the windowsill of an empty apartment and scribbled a sketch of the building opposite her window, as well as the pigeons of Rue St Martin, trying their best to hide from the pouring rain and the cold. Not much in terms of great sketching, but at least some pen to paper!

sketch in pencil in wartercolor sketchbook, 15,3x25cm.

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Sketchercise walks 27 and 30 March.

We were for a quick weekend at Coin Perdu, starting some work again. but it was raining and we didn’t get alot done. Went for some nice walks though. On my sketchercise walk I took my pen and sketchbook and roughly sketched some dry weeds from last season. The fileds are covered in flowers, especially the bright yellow marigolds, but since it was overcast, they were all closed.

Here are dry Scottish thistlel, some goutweed and young Plantain.

All sketches in pen/pencil and watercolor wash in Sketchercise book, 18x25cm.

This morning on my walk here in Montlouis, the weather was as bad,  if not worse. It is alwasy a few degrees warmer in Correze than it is here. I went for my walk, having a hanglip becasue of the weather. My bones are asking for good spring and summer weather now! I need to be outside now, in nature and in the sun and by the river and bare arms and walking barefoot!

So here are some frustrated sketches from this morning’s walk in un temps de chien(awful , dog weather)!

A daffodil and hyacinth and tulip encountered on my walk, as also an underground water pipe.

A sunny Forsythia in bloom, and a curb and flowerbed near my home.