sketchbook Stories

Le Somail on Canal du Midi. I’ve always loved taking people here. We go for that table virtually in the water - almost and look towards the ‘hump’ bridge which is great to sketch.

There are several huge ducks - ducks are really big here - in more ways than one - you’d think they were geese - and they are hilarious the way they try to be the boss of everything on the canal.
They are pretty noisy if they don’t want people getting too close, but everyone loves them and the leader often goes up the gangplank to the man who owns it, and they have a cuddle. Brings a tear to your eye.

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Mostly we’re here in our village of Trausse Minervois a little later than this, so seeing Spring bursting forth is a real bonus.
Mornings and evenings are still chilly but the blue sky days are glorious without the high heat of Summer - coming in June and July.
Our walks are full of surprises for us as we see big varieties of roadside flowers and herbs, walk on Thyme underfoot - and the air is filled with the aroma.

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February ‘Taste of Sketching’ Workshop on a hot steamy Sunday.
That’s February for you in this part of the world. Very humid as well, but we survived the day very well.

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The Winter has passed in the South of France and Spring is springing. Some of the big trees in the square are just getting tiny first leaves. They look like sculptures rather than trees.
The vineyards are full of newly pruned grape varieties they too have the first tufts of green.

The poppies are out everywhere. The beautiful Flanders poppy. Coming up in fields and ploughed spaces. Sharp red alongside yellow Mustard flowers and purple Wood Violet all blooming together. So beautiful among the grass road edges and fields.

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Our final week was about journaling.
This is where you can carry your sketching skills out into the big world and record your impressions in this simple and effective way, wherever you are.
Travel Sketching at it’s finest.

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Sketching people can truly be fun. No faces required. Just shape and form.

The little mannequin was met with much delight along with a sheet of ‘sausage people’ to help see proportion.
It was also a gorgeous sunshiney day and everything in the garden was lovely.
We only had one wood mannequin today. But, wait till later this week!

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Let’s take the big plunge and sketch plain air/ on location this week.
A great plan starting with a sea-shell still life to warm up our sketching hand, and coffee.
Then a real life beach scene as seen through your very own eyes!

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If you are alone your sketchbook is your friend.
Take yourself to a cafe and do just what we did here in the Workshop.Get yourself a coffee and maybe a cake, and there’s your still life waiting to be sketched. You’ll find you’re far too engrossed to worry about anyone watching. In fact it’s a lovely friendly way to engage with others - theyre usually sooo friendly and impressed.

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Day2 and 3 of our 5Day Travel Sketching Workshop in the Minervois are glorious days once again and not as hot as it is this week - thank goodness.
You can book a 5 Day Travel Sketching Workshop from mid September - 2 available

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In Sydney Australia Kirsten’s Week 5 group were at Government House in Sydney, which is rather castle-like.
In Southern France, our very keen client from Naples had booked herself a 5Day Travel Sketch Workshop - and what a wonderful week we had.

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Both our Workshops from this week were on Saturday.
And so was my USk Gold Coast Australia event.
However when I wake up on Saturday in the USA those events have happened 14hrs earlier.

Takes some getting used to!

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First sketch done even as we are heading to New York. New York.
How many’s songs have been written about this town. How many sketches have been done!

Well we are about to add a few more sketches to the many done before us. Ours will be quick impressions with my classic one color over another to get bright upbeat results. And we do.

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It was pretty chilly when we first arrived in Boston on May 5th 2022.
Luckily we had left a puffer jacket at our daughter’s home when we were last here - two years ago. Seen being worn stylishly above!!
Knowing that there was an Urban Sketchers event coming up the next Saturday May 8th - I was ready for whatever the weather threw at us.

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This week was one everyone was very excited about. Eye level perspective. Woohoo.
There is one classic little church up the street - you won’t miss it - which doesn’t even have a name anymore. A passing gentleman said it’s just called The old Federal Church. Ah well.

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We’re into Week 2 in the Kingscliff and Bangalow classes both in NSW.
Our subjects were Cafes Food and People. One of our favourites to be sure.

The Urban Sketchers Gold Coast meetup was a load of fun. Love our group.

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In Bangalow we explored a village we hadn’t been to called Federal.
It’s less than one street long but every building is heritage and perfect for sketching. We sat sketching on the balcony at Federal Dome Cafe and a second sketch of the wobbly old table of succulents.
Truly whatever is around you is a sketch.

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I’m surprised that I’m feeling this positive!
Is that whenever I take a class or plan one, I’m fully engaged?
Is it students are checking that tours are definitely going ahead?
Is it that despite all the horrifying things going on, I realise I can still carry on with my life?

We can certainly lend a hand to others who need it, but I’m much more able to help if I’m feeling up rather than down.

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It does surprise people when we slow down enough from our busy lives, rushing from here to there and seeing nothing - that observing our subjects is actually meditating.
Particularly in a scene like above. Calm, relaxed, focused, breathing. Just a lovely moment in time.
That’s what we do before we start sketching.
Because we don’t sketch from photographs these are the bonus moments you get from sketching the real thing.

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Steps.
Not something we give much thought to until you’re asked to sketch them.
The first thing is to establish is the shape of the steps and which they’re going. Up or down.
A very fun lesson albeit frustrating at times. But golly. That’s how we learn.

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Colour was on our minds this week.
Often I hear people say ‘I don’t know how to get more variety into my colour.’
So we decided to do colour swatches using only the 12 colours we have, and see how each looks with some of the others over them.
Sooo interesting. Who’d have thought to put Hookers Green over Cad Red - gorgeous.
What about Cerulean over Permanent Rose. Wow.
So many surprises when you do this exercise and you the have reference to go back to.

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