Two from Mount Royal
Posted: May 21, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized 13 CommentsThanks to Les Amis de la Montagne for inviting Urban Sketchers Montreal to enjoy the third annual day of sketching in Mount Royal Park. There’s always so many things to draw on the mountain, especially on the weekend. The morning started off pretty quiet with hardly a soul in sight when I sketched the pavilion at Beaver Lake. At the last minute I added in a few figures so it wouldn’t look completely deserted.
In the afternoon things got a little more lively in the park. Entire families arrived with coolers of food, bags of charcoal and kids in tow. Soon the air was filled with the aroma of grilling meat. We were headed up to the lookout to paint a panorama of the city but stopped in our tracks when we saw the birthday party under the trees. Who can resist the balloons, the ribbons, the party favours and loot bags? With a scene like this the hardest part for me is the figures, so I just jumped right in and drew those first. I’m not used to drawing children so I started with the little girl in the white dress and moved on from there. The day ended with a nearby family offering our group of sketchers a plate of food from their table. Can’t get much better than this on a Sunday in the park.
Shari Blaukopf's Sketchbook 
These are both so fun…especially the one of the celebration. You are really getting into figures!
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I can’t say figures are very easy for me but I do feel a different comfort level after drawing so many this winter. That really helped.
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What a great sketch of the party!
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Thanks so much Suma!
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I want to have been there. Your paintings captures the feel of the day. How limited was this palette? The red is just right. Red and green are a happy combination. Actually red adds to most things. Love these.
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Hi Judy, I wasn’t really thinking about a limited palette but I did use mostly yellow, cerulean and ultramarine with some touches of red.
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Lovely joyful picture
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I’m glad that came across Anne. It was a joyous setting.
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My, oh my! I love these but especially love your birthday party scene. You nailed it! Starting with the most difficult for you, the people, was a great idea. The small details you included (ribbons wrapped on the trees, a Happy Birthday banner and even a cooler under the table) add so much to the painting. You simplified the details….for me the most difficult part. It makes me happy just looking at it.
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It made me happy to be there Bernadette. Glad you like it!
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Love the party scene. Strange how we all have our different ‘phobias’ ….. your’s was the children whereas I suspect most of us would be living in fear of so much green (or maybe it’s just me!)
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Thanks Tony. There really was an unusual light at the park yesterday — I think because the trees are just starting to leaf out. The green surrounded everything and it was very different than a day in the middle of summer where the shade is much deeper. It was quite unusual.
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I’ve never been to Montreal, but I’ve heard it’s nice. I used to date a guy who grew up just outside the city; he always spoke highly of it.
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