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Sketching a pansy and boxwood in the garden.

While waiting for a delivery…and everybody knows how that can turn into a long wait…I sat beside the pansies. I couldn’t help myself. The urge for capturing in a sketchbook was too strong for me. I finished the pansies. I checked my watch…still waiting. I moved on to a boxwood with a little statue.  Then the delivery showed up.

..Pansies..

watercolor and pilot prera fountain pen in Epsilon Stillman & Birn sketchbook, 14X21.6 cm

Pansy..boxwood and statue..

watercolor and pilot prera fountain pen in Alpha Stillman & Birn sketchbook, 22.9X15.2 cm

boxwood0001

..some blue pansies.. painting pansiesà la prochaine fois

Ronelle

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Sketching at the Dordogne.

Today was a burst of sunshine and blue skies. I decided on a much needed break and took off with my sketch tools to la Dordogne in Beaulieu sur Dordogne. It was beautiful by die river, under the trees, with only a jogger here and there. Sat on the edge, I sketched the opposite side with its quint homes on the river. Hunger drove me to Café Douceur for lunch, before I could get in another sketch. The empty table next to me became a second sketch.

..la Dordogne..

watercolor and TWSBI-mini pen in Daler & Rowney sketchbook, 14,9X21,0 cm

la dordogneI tried a new pen today after reading about on a blog and I am highly disappointed. The TWSB-mini struggles to write over dried aquarelle and it scratches. When it does draw, it is thick and unforgiving, even though it is a fine point. Back to my preferred pilot prera.

..table and chair at Café Douceur..

watercolor wash and TWSBI-mini pen in Daler & Rowney sketchbook, 14,9X21,0 cm

table et chaise

à l bientôt

Ronelle

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Sketching in the garden

This morning it rained. then the rain made way for the sun. We decided some grilled fish would be great for lunch. While mon chéri grilled our daurade over the coals, I lazily, splashed watercolor  and squiggled pen lines in two Stilman &Birn sketchbooks. White tulips in an urn and white daffodils among boxwoods…simple scenes turned into messy washes…how I love it..!

..Sketching in the garden 1..

pen and watercolor washes in Stillman & Birn sketchbook, alpha, 22.9×15.2cm

ronelle van Wyk - watercolors - sketching in the garden

.Sketching in the garden 2..

pen and watercolor washes in Stillman & Birn sketchbook, Epsilon, 14×21.6cm

ronelle van Wyk - watercolors - sketching in the garden-001à la prochaine!

Ronelle

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A tomato, half an orange and a bunch of garlic in oil.

I only realized this morning that February has almost had it. I am still going strong with my little food studies and by now it has become a habit to do a little food study or even 2 a day. It is all still about the brushstroke. The best ones will be put up on my website, Ronelle’s art for sale after February and I will continue doing these studies…great exercise.

..a tomato..

oil on linen, 20x20cm

tomato on branch..half an orange..

oil on linen, 27x19cm

half an orange..a bunch of garlic..

oil on linen, 27x22cm

bunch of garlicUntil next time

Ronelle

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A turnip, two spring onions and five gooseberries in oil.

These little studies !i do for February are really testing me. Sometimes I finish a canvas, stand back, look at it and it horrifies me! I then put it way back in the darkand when I come back to it a day or so later, I find it not so bad after all.The painting fairy passed by and touched it with her magic wand.

..turnip..

oil on linen, 20X20cm

turnips

..two spring onions..

oil on linen, 33X24cm

spring onons

I am a little under the weather since last Friday and feel tired, mentally and physically. The gooseberries were a bigger challenge than usual and if the Painting fairy hadn’t stopped by and woven her wand over it, you might not have seen it.

..five goosebrries..

oil on linen, 41X26cm

five gooseberriesUntil next time

Ronelle

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An orange, a branch of dates and a fennel bulb in oil.

Our weather has suddenly changed from grey and rainy days into explosions of sunshine. Of course it makes me want to go into the fields for plein air painting. But I am restraining myself and keeping to my goal and project for February. Fruit and vegetable practicing in oils. I have had quite a few bloopers, but then there was/is also the successes, however small they may be. And of course, the process. Always the process. I love pushing oils around on the canvas and as it turns out, I even enjoy doing it in still lifes. I love the liveliness of a brush stoke, the vibrancy of contrasting colour, the depth of values, the brilliance of the oils. I love it all.

..orange and leaves..

oil on linen, 26x22cm

Orange and leaves..fennel bulb..

oil on linen, 20X20cm

fennel bulb-001

..branch of dates..

oil on linen, 26X22cm

branch with datesà bientôt with more fruit paintings in oil..

Ronelle