New view
Posted: December 29, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized 61 CommentsDuring my absence over Christmas there was apparently a huge wind storm. I know this because the neighbour’s fence fell down, and in the process it offered me a new view for my wheelbarrow sketches. The neighbour didn’t have time to fix the fence before the snow storm hit us today, so those sections may very well remain under the snow for months. The white stuff is still falling and we may end up with 35 cm. before it’s all over tonight, so I sketched from my kitchen window today. With cars sliding all over the roads and ending up in ditches, it was no day to be out sketching in my car studio.
Sketched in a Handbook Journal Watercolour book, 9″ x 12″. Falling snow added by flicking white acrylic paint from a dry toothbrush.
Shari Blaukopf's Sketchbook 
Hi Shari – love your work as always! Where do you buy your various journals that use when you travel?
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Hi Helen, I buy them all over the place but you can get most of what I use at Avenue des Arts on Victoria. Thanks for writing. Happy new year!
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Your sketches are amazing. Love how the gentle gray color gives so much definition to the mounds of snow. I get so much pleasure (and inspiration) each day from your blog.
Thanks so much. Happy New Year!
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Thanks so much Alan. And happy new year to you too!!
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Superbe atmosphère !!
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Merci Martine!
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I didn’t make the cut off for adding your sketching the city to my classes before the half off sale ended =(. Any chance you have a link for the reduced class? Just curious.
Thanks,
Sherry
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Hi Sherry, Here’s the magic link: http://www.craftsy.com/ext/ShariBlaukopf_6838_H
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I love everything you do..
yes mam..huge windstorm..our patio table w/ glass on top..weighed down and tied w/ a tarp flew over the deck into a garden..luckily..no glass broken..but it is now in the garage..
winter wonderland out there..not so much for Christmas.
Bonne Année!
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Bonne année to you too Monique. Glad there was no damage from the wind!
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I like this variation on the wheelbarrow sketch. The repeating fence slats give a nice pattern to the background. Thanks for the acrylic white paint tip.
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I guess I never get tired of painting that old rusty wheelbarrow. Happy new year Vicky!
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Superb composition – tells a story. And great work in watercolor.
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Thanks so much! All the best to you for 2016!
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We New-Brunswickers are partaking of similar weather today. Kudos to folks like you who make of this a thing of beauty! Hoping to make an attempt at sketching winter scenes – May as well, we’re in it for the long haul, and “if you can’t beat it, sketch it!” Thanks for the inspiration.
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Hi Gayle, Winter has become one of my favourite times for sketching. I would have never predicted that but I love the contrast snow provides to just about anything — from fire hydrants to cars to stairs and window sills — everything looks a little better with a sprinkling of snow. You just have to get used to feeling a bit cold, that is if you paint in your car like I do.
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I promised to blow the snow your way. Hope it’s not to much. Love the soft gentle colors of this one.
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Sharon, it was just the right amount. Thanks for sending it my way.
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Your gorgeous grays inspire me again! You are a master at neutrals.
It is always a treat to see your wheelbarrow in the snow.
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Thanks Linda. I hope you are having a wonderful holiday with your family. All the best for the new year.
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Your sketches show how there is always something interesting around us. This would make a
good New Year’s resolution for us all. Open your eyes and just sketch what you see.
Thanks for an inspiring year and hope your New Year is the same.
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I agree..even the most mundane becomes extraordinary..especially when Shari pants it
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Linda, thanks so much for writing. Hope your new year is wonderful.
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Thanks so much Janice. Hope your 2016 is wonderful!
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Love it – leave the fence down! Well, I guess that’s up to your neighbour, but he may not find it until March!
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Hi Susan. I think the fence will stay down for quite a while since the snow won’t be melting any time soon. He’ll probably fix it in the spring because he has a hot tub and I think it’s probably illegal to have an unfenced yard. In the meantime, I like the new view.
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Love this!! And snow finally…plenty of it as well by the sound of it. Really wonderful scene you’ve captured, Shari. I was wondering when I saw it about the snowfall, so thanks for mentioning the flicks of acrylic. Cool effect!! 😃
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Hi Charlie, Thanks! I’ve never tried this acrylic technique. Usually I use white watercolour but I thought this might be a bit more opaque. It’s not really, is it, but I still like the effect.
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It’s wasn’t completely opaque…so I thought it was gouache until I saw your call out. I like the semi-translucent effect though…gives a sense of motion! 😃👍🏻
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Lovely
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Thanks Zuzala!
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Oh boy, we can now look forward to snow paintings from up north. Hopefully, this old guy in Baltimore won’t have to use the electric snoe shovel he just bought. I enjoy your work, especially your paintings of Our Lady of Good Hope.
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Hi John. Yes, some snow paintings should be in the cards for the next little while. The weather is looking cold for the next few weeks before I go back to school, and I hope to get out there and paint some more snow. It doesn’t sound like you want me to send any snow your way, though… All the best for the new year!
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I soo love your wheelbarrow sketches Shari
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Thanks so much Helen.
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At last …. the wheelbarrow!
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And I’ve been saying “At last, the snow!” Happy new year to you Tony.
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Its lovely, Shari! I agree with other comments, the greys are superb! We sre enjoying Australian summer, with clear cerelean blue skies! Happy new year and thanks for your inspiration
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Thanks Toni and happy new year to you in Australia! It seems like the weather is pretty warm there now. I have had lots of reports of very hot temperatures. Best wishes for 2016.
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Such a beautiful rendering of smooth snow against the texture ps and colours of the tree trunk and barrow.
No sign of snow here in the SE of England. Very mild, 12C and the spring flowers in bloom already. Thankfully we haven’t had the storms and floods on this side, like the devastation in the North and Scotland.
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Spring flowers already? That seems so early. Is that unusual for late December?
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What a beautiful snowy scene Shari! Like Toni I am also enjoying an Australian summer so your snowy scene looks very exotic to my eyes!
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Hi Wendy,
Thanks so much. The snow is not always paintable but when it’s fresh, it’s so beautiful to paint. By March we are all sick of it and it looks grey and ugly. I will try to paint it often while it’s still bright. Best wishes to you in Australia.
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I love your subject this morning. I live on a farm and love the wealth of scenery it provides. I am a watercolor wantabe and I look forward to your beautiful sketches.
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Thanks so much for writing Carol. You don’t need much to start in watercolour. Just get a little sketchbook and a small box of paints with one brush. Spend 10 minutes sketching every day. Then you won’t have to be a wannabe anymore. It’s amazing how daily practice will help you improve.
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That famous whellbarrel has been sketched many time before and everytime you do it. its seem to get better. Love the collor tof the tree back.
Happy new year Shari.
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Hi Andre. Yes, I do love sketching the wheelbarrow, especially with a topping of snow on it. I hope you have a joyous and healthy new year!
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Curious about that car studio. What kind of car? Any special adaptations? Winter looong here too. Car sketching a necessity. Happy for your input on that.
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Barbara, I keep saying that I will do a post about my car studio. I just have to drag a family member out in the cold to take some photos of me while I sketch, but that is not easy to do in winter. I have no special equipment for the car. It’s really just how I place things around me. I will try to post something about it this week.
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Ditto the ‘white acrylic’ tip for falling snow! I have been struggling to get my flicked paint to look the way I want and this fills in that blank. Again, your work is inspiration for new watercolor painters like me.
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Hi Lynn, Glad I could help. The toothbrush technique is an old one but I have never tried it with acrylic before. Thanks for writing!
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Happy to see the old wheelbarrow still upright!
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Lee, you made me realize that next year we will be doing some landscaping in the back yard and I haven’t thought about where the wheelbarrow will go. I have to keep in mind that it has to be in a place where I can see it from my window.
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You make the smallest scene look so welcoming!!!
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You are very sweet Joan. Thanks!
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Lovely!
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Thanks!
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Wonderful watercolours, my friend Joan sent me you link
We are both members of Manotick Art Association, in South Ottawa
Both long time residents of Montreal too
Please add me to you mailing list.
Sheila King
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Hi Sheila. Thanks to Joan for sending you over to visit the blog. I will certainly add you to my mailing list.
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I love seeing your iterations of the wheelbarrow. I really like this composition with the diagonal line of the barrow and the opposing diagonals of the trees and wavy horizontals of the fences. It creates a wonderful vehicle for the eyes to explore. Really beautiful. Happy New Year!
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Hi Jeff, The wheelbarrow certainly is a popular subject but I never get tired to sketching it. Maybe it’s because its shape with the big diagonals, but it never gets boring for me like other subjects. Hope your new year will be filled with lots of sketching!
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