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A postcard from my walk – a global art exchange.

Just a quick interruption in my break..which I’m still enjoying…to tell you about a project that I’m involved in.

…pen sketch by Cathy Gatland…

A postcard from my Walk  has its roots in Sketchercise, a group of artists  sharing a love for art and the outdoors, nature and different forms of exercise. As our project name suggests, we are painting postcards from our Sketchercise outings and mailing  them this way and that way to each other, criss-crossing over 4 continents.

…a collage of works from our group..

Please visit our new blog, a postcard from my Walk, to follow along in our adventures the next year and more and where you can meet all the members on their introduction posts, see all the postcards and get fired up yourself to do more exercise and be creative while doing it.

Hope to see you there!

à bientôt!

Ronell

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Sketches in January 2011-flora of the Loire

There is always something to pick up on a walk and take home to sketch, especially on a rainy day like we had today. I picked up a few twigs and leaves..which are always good to sketch. Leaves in winter have fascinating shapes which make up for their overall monotone brown color.

I also sketched some scampi and prawns, which are normally a translucent, greyish color, but turn red after cooking. Unfortunataly I couldn’t put these to mouth after sketching them..it felt a bit too “cannibalistic” to eat them after studying them so up and close…

..all sketches done in Fabriano artisico water color sketchbook, 18x26cm, with inks and watercolor..

…scampi and prawns..

..dry leaves of “Platanes” (Sycamore)tree and moss covered twig..

..a variety of seeds, leaves and twigs..

..bon week-end et à la prochaine fois..

Ronell

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Autumn sketches I..hydrangeas in an autumn garden.

I’ve cleaned my garden, prepared it for autumn and the colours are already turning beautiful golds and reds…and old colours, like the hydrangeas.

This afternoon was the first of my art afternoon with MArie-Christine. We do such different work, which is inspiring. I forgot to ask her psrmission to show her piece here today, but she will be continuing next week, and maybe even the week after, so keep an eye open on Thursdays to see how we progress on our pieces.

For today I only did two sketches in pen and watercolor, but from next week on I’ll also do more serious work…I was so fatigued today and didn’t have the energy to do an oil painting..

Sketches of the autumn hydrangeas in the garden just outside my atelier..

both sketches in pen and watercolor in sketchbooks.

…hydrangeas and greens…

…hydrangeas and urn…

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Sketching in Bretenoux, France

I was dropped off at the market in Bretenoux, about 30 minutes drive from Coin Perdu, early this morning. After doing my market shopping…olives and saucisson and tomatoes and peaches and berries….oh, and salad… I had time left while waiting to be picked up. Took out my sketchbook, walked around, sketched two market scenes and the “eglise”, opposite the market. My ride showed up and I had just enough time to blotch the church. A quaint little town in the department of Lot…see the link above for some nice reading on Bretenoux. But I still prefer the much quieter and rustic Correze where we have our little hide away…

…le marché à Bretenoux – baskets galore…

…colorful umbrellas on a sunny day at the market…

…l’eglise à Bretenoux…

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Tokala and Aiyani sketches

Taking over the Van Wyk bed..with some snacking in between.

…Tokala and Aiyani…

Sketch done in pencil, then pen and watercolor in watercolor sketchbook, 26x18cm (10,2″x 7,1″)

..until next time..

Ronelle

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Sketching chickens and cows

W are living a whole saga of chickens, running for a few months now, but that is a story for some other day. For now, here are Tartelette and Omelette, the latest addition to the chicken chronicles. They are two Bantam de Pèkin, porcelain chickens, and SOOO cute! Now being fully adapted and taken ino the Van Wyk household, they reign alongside the cats. In our home, the humans take second spot in the limelight. Here they are just lazing in the barn by my feet. It was raining outside. They don’t like to get wet. And the barn is comfortable.

Th cows roaming the hills have a beauty all of their own. With their velvety brown eyes and long lashes, they love attention and eagerly respond to “vient, vient!” hoping for a delicacy, which is quite often the case…a branch of poplars held out to them, or soft green grass.

The bottom sketch is done on a different day, in a different sketchbook where the paper has more texture. Some of the cows look rather like dogs…or bulls…or even rabbits? Let’s just say I’m out of practice(sic)…

All sketches done with rotring pen and watercolor in CP watercolour sketchbooks(400g/m²), 26x18cm and 25×15.3cm.

until next time..!

Ronelle.