A gift of the holidays
Posted: December 19, 2020 Filed under: Uncategorized 9 CommentsIt was a fun time last night in Sketching PlayLab‘s end of year virtual block party. My friends Suhita and Paul shared their favourite sketching tools (check out Paul’s new Daniel Smith set) as participants listened and sketched. I think all sketchers love to get a glimpse into other sketcher’s toolkits, right?? I have to admit it was hard to draw and watch at the same time, but I did manage to sketch some pinecones in India ink and liquid watercolour.
If you are looking for an art experience for the holiday period, I have a suggestion. The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, now closed because of the pandemic, is offering a gift for the holidays. They have made their five current banner exhibits available as virtual tours. I was hoping to see Paris in the Days of Post-Impressionism: Signac and the Indépendants but never made it there before the museum closed in November, so I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to walk through the exhibit, even on a virtual visit. Also a must-see: Riopelle: The Call of Northern Landscapes and Indigenous Cultures. I did preview both of these briefly, on my iPad, just to see what the experience was like. You can get a really good view of the work. Not as wonderful as if you were standing in front of the paintings, but it’s certainly better than not seeing them at all. I will be spending more time at all five of the shows over the holiday period. Here’s the link to all of the exhibits.
Great tip Shari! I will check that out for sure!
Love the pine cones. Always a terrific subject. Your treatment is original and delightful.
Interesting. Liquid watercolor? Have to look that up. Sounds like ink. Intense color on the pine cones, very nice. Do you find yourself changing your palette when you see others? I like to try new colors but after a time it got too expensive. BTW, my eyesight finally cleared to the point that I started your class on boats.
Great, thx for the info Shari, I was hoping they would do that as I know they can’t sadly prolong the exhibition dates. I too was eager to see these exhibitions. Happy holidays and painting! I have done yr Angel woods painting twice now, still not super happy with it, will do again no doubt… practice makes perfect 🙂 Jane
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Thank you for sharing. And your pine cones are lovely.
I will have to remember to check out the exhibits over the holidays. Nice pinecones! You are right about loving to look at other sketcher’s toolkits. That was always one of my favorite parts about the show and tell after our sketch events in NYC. I miss that!
I have tried pinecones before but not happy with the results. Your colors and highlights have given me helpful ideas. Thanks so much for the museum link!
I love the pine cones Shari! I went and checked out Paul’s set…very interesting colors! I have a ton of Daniel Smith watercolors (hey, I live about 40 minutes from their factory/shop) and I’ve never tried that cobalt blue violet. I could mix it I guess from quin rose and french ultramarine, but it’s a nice blue violet.
What is it about trying new palettes anyway? I know I am far from the only palette-aholic in the watercolor world. I think when I set up a special palette for a season or just to play with it for a couple months I get that same little thrill that I used to get as a kid with a big new box of crayons. I like the stretch that I get from limiting colors sometimes. Paul’s palette would challenge me with hansa deep as the only yellow and with so many darker colors – it is definitely a “gritty” feeling palette 🙂 My biggest stretch was a fall palette I set up for myself two years ago and the only blue I put on it was cerulean blue chromium. That was fun 🙂
Beautiful take on pine cones!
Good Afternoon dear friend Shari,
Lovely images of these pinecones, specially that orange and yellow combination. Very beautiful.
Blessings
Uma