Wetlands in spring
Posted: April 18, 2021 Filed under: Uncategorized 16 CommentsI was only made aware of the Technoparc Oiseax quite late in the fall when the trees were bare, so I’ve never explored its beauty in spring or summer. This morning when I sketched, it seemed like the colour in the wetlands was waking up. The faintest greens and ochres were visible in the distant trees. What you don’t see here, and what I’m not quick enough to sketch, were the geese landing and taking off across the pond. We are used to seeing lots of them in parks and farmer’s fields, much to the dismay of many, but don’t get to see them often in the water. Quite a dramatic sight! Sketched with gouache in a Pentallic Aqua Journal, 7″ x 10″.
Shari Blaukopf's Sketchbook 
Love the trees reflection in the rippled water!
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Thanks Bernadette. It was pretty amazing today, and I will definitely do a larger painting soon!
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This is wonderfully loose and “washy” which in my (meagre) experience is quite hard to pull off easily in gouache…. 🙂
Did you leave all those lovely whites on the paper in the foreground & in the sky? Looks like you may have used some white gouache in the mid-ground. It’s lovely!
How did you find working solely in gouache in the field?
All the best, Mary (Toronto)
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Hi Mary, I love working with gouache in the field, especially with my new easel which makes it very convenient. For this one I started with a very diluted wash of blue and ochre (in the middle) and then I drew into that wetness with a water soluble pencil. Some of the whites are the white of the paper, but as I moved along in the scene, I also used some thicker paint and opaque whites too. And we filmed this so you may get to see the process soon! Hope you are well. I know things are quite bad in Ontario.
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Hi Shari – thanks so much for describing your process. Can’t wait to see the video! Once covid is over, would you consider a plein-air workshop in gouache in the Montreal area? Pleeeeease………. :).
Things are very worrying in Toronto at the moment. The variants are kicking our butt. We’re in one long Stay-at-Home order, and the poor healthcare workers and frontline people are all exhausted. But…..the tulips, magnolias & daffodils are blooming……This too will pass.
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Mary, I hope it gets better there soon. I read every day how bad it is.
And yes, I would absolutely love to do a pleine air workshop in gouache once this is all over! I can’t wait to teach in person.
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Love the reflectons in the water and the bits of color emerging in the distance. Well done!
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thanks Joan!
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what a pretty scene, I love the reflections
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Thanks so much Beth!
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Very beautiful! Definitely see spring around the corner.
We awoke to… snow here in the forest.
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Thanks so much Elaine. We have snow coming too tomorrow. Lots of it, apparently. But I know spring will be back after that!
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Good Morning dear friend Shari,
Very beautiful sketch and excellent color combination.
The reflection is just amazing.
Blessings
Uma
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Thank you so much Uma. This is one of my favourite places in spring.
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Appreciatee your blog post
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Thanks Tiffany.
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