White tulips
Posted: February 22, 2024 Filed under: Uncategorized 23 CommentsI think I bought these tulips about two weeks ago and I’ve been good about changing the water daily. They’re on a kitchen sill where I admire their beauty as I do the dishes. Instead of flopping over and dropping petals, they’ve remained upright, but I’ve been witnessing the slow shrivelling and browning of the leaves and flowers. They’re much more interesting to sketch this way than when they’re fresh out of the cellophane. Sketched in my Hahnemuhle 100% cotton sketchbook, A4 portrait size.
The White Dove of the Desert x 3
Posted: February 16, 2024 Filed under: Uncategorized 22 CommentsSan Xavier del Bac Mission, situated a little south of Tucson on Tohono O’odham land, can be spotted from miles away. Its bright white towers can be seen from miles away, hence the nickname “The White Dove of the Desert”. I drew it three times on my recent visit to Arizona — once on my own and twice with groups of students. And I never got tired of drawing it.
The first visit was to prepare myself for teaching at that location AND to have time to tour it, which I rarely get to do during a workshop. Sketching it gave me a little time to understand the white octagonal towers, the Spanish Colonial architecture and the ornate sandstone facade.
The second time I sketched it was a little easier, although it wasn’t as dramatic with a backdrop of clouds. It’s a wonderful place to draw and we were fortunate to meet with the director of the foundation, who gave us a little history and background of the decades-long restoration of the church’s frescoed and stencilled interior, which you must see if you visit.
On the third visit, we had blue skies, more tourists and the same strays dogs as on other outings. You might think that drawing it three times would get monotonous, but that was hardly the case. It’s beautiful, complex, dramatic and most of all, welcoming. That’s all a sketcher could ask for.
Sabino Canyon walk and draw
Posted: February 12, 2024 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: arizona, hiking, photography, sabino-canyon, tucson 35 CommentsOn a day off between workshops in Tucson, we took a drive to see the popular Sabino Canyon. There’s a shuttle you can take to the top, and since we had no idea how difficult the climb would be, we took it. In hindsight, we could easily have walked it since it’s a paved road all the way up. But we did walk down, and I stopped to draw (in ink) along the way.
During my short drawing stops, I tried to capture the distinct characteristics of the landscape — the steep cliffs, the Saguaros clinging to the hills, the winding stream and rocks — as well as a few features of the park such as the stone bridges and the Sabino dam. Each of these scribbles took no more than 5 minutes.
Back at the ranch I added colour to my sketches, as well as a few notes about each location, including one about a place where, from my spot on the shuttle, I caught sight of another sketcher. I was hoping to run into him again on the walk down but he was gone by the time we arrived there. I drew his view anyway.
The desert museum
Posted: February 8, 2024 Filed under: Uncategorized 32 CommentsOne of the stops on our pre-workshop Tucson visit was the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. It’s a little different than the Tucson Botanical Gardens because besides a wide selection of plants, you’ll also find lots of animals in desert habitats. I’m not really a fan of zoos and I don’t like to see caged animals but at this museum the enclosures are quite large and most of the animals were hiding from the afternoon sun, which somehow made it less painful for me. As with yesterday’s stray dog drawings, I used a water-soluble pen to draw these, and achieved a bit of tone by wetting my ink lines. If you like using water-soluble pens, I’ll be showcasing some of my favourites in the February issue of my newsletter The Wheelbarrow, which comes out next week. If you’re not a subscriber, you can sign up here.
Thanks SO MUCH to everyone who responded to yesterday’s panicky post when I thought I had lost my follower database. Clearly that was not the case, since I received hundreds of replies. I’m making my way through all of my thank you replies but I haven’t finished yet. If I haven’t gotten to yours yet, it will be soon!
Strays of San Xavier
Posted: February 6, 2024 Filed under: Uncategorized 248 CommentsDuring my recent workshop weeks in Tucson, we spent a day drawing at the San Xavier del Bac Mission. It’s a very special place, and my drawings of the mission will be coming soon, but I had so much fun drawing the stray dogs from there that I thought I’d post them first.
We spent the day sketching on the plaza that faces the church. At first we had the place to ourselves but one by one, about half a dozen strays appeared. They were gentle dogs who were clearly well fed and had no intentions other than to keep us company. They milled around and dug holes in the dirt under a tree. One of them walked across a sketchbook that I had carelessly left on the ground. Several of them eventually napped in the shade under our stools. They were good company for the dog lovers among us. We shared our lunch leftovers with them, but they ate their portions slowly and carefully — turkey first, cheese next, bread after that, and finally lettuce and tomatoes.
It was hard to capture their poses in my sketchbook while I was teaching, but I took many photos and added them in later with my water-soluble fountain pen.
A special note: If you read this post, please send me a comment or a like. It seems to me that the subscribers on my WordPress blog have all disappeared. It may be a glitch, but it would help if I knew that this was making its way to you.
Cactus in the rain
Posted: February 4, 2024 Filed under: Uncategorized 19 CommentsI’m just back from a teaching trip in Arizona. My sketchbook is filled with drawings of desert landscapes and historic architecture, and there’s much to scan and share in the coming days. Most of the sketches in that book were done in the context of my workshops but here’s one I painted on a rainy afternoon before my students arrived.
Unlike last year’s trip when almost every day was sunny, this year we had lots of rain, including on the day we arrived. Luckily I had a view of the Sonoran desert from my room and a comfy chair in front of the window, and I tried to capture a view of the varied vegetation in the mist. The desert landscape looks very different after a downpour. Everything is greener and brighter when the dust gets washed away by the rain. Ok, maybe not as yellow as I made it seem, but certainly more vivid than the grey Montreal I left behind.
A few exhibitions and an article
Posted: January 16, 2024 Filed under: Uncategorized 87 CommentsIt’s always nice to receive an email that starts with “Dear artist, We are pleased to inform you that your work has been accepted…” but this one was particularly sweet. My painting “Low Tide Yacht Club” was juried into the American Watercolor Society’s 157th Annual International Exhibition. Since this is the third time I have a painting in the show, this also gives me signature status which, I have to admit, is something I’ve been hoping for since I first started painting in watercolour many years ago. I think a trip to NYC is in order, so that I can see the show, which will be held at the beautiful and historic Salmagundi Club from April 2 – 26th, 2024. Many thanks to the jurors and organizers of the show and congrats to all the selected artists.
I’m also very honoured to have three paintings in Here & Now 2023 the CSPWC online Members’ Exhibition, including “Hidalgo 1” (below) which won an Endeavors Think Play Award. Have a look at the wonderful paintings in the show here.
They say that good news comes in threes, and I guess this was true for me this week since I also received my copy of Artists Magazine. It was great to see the first in a series of sketching articles I’m writing for the magazine. This one is about sketching from your car, which seems quite timely as I stare out of my office window at the falling snow.
Ruts
Posted: January 15, 2024 Filed under: Uncategorized 19 CommentsWe haven’t had much sun these past few months, but when we do I rush out with Alice to take a walk in the fields and gather some winter reference images. Near the sand quarry at the end of my road, there are some beautiful and messy open areas with piles of logs and tall grasses. Not much to look at when there’s no snow, but complex and beautiful on a sunny winter’s day. Painted on a quarter sheet of 200lb Saunders Waterford High White paper.
Alice after a walk
Posted: January 14, 2024 Filed under: Uncategorized 10 CommentsAlice is very tired after her walk in the woods today. Her head keeps flopping off the bed. After yesterday’s big snowfall the woods are great exercise for her — jumping over logs, running back and forth on the paths — but she comes home ready for a long nap. In case you’re wondering, she’s ten years old now. She’s lean and still in really great shape from all the exercise she gets, but she’s whiter in the face. Of course I think about her mortality, as all pet owners do when their beloved pets get to a certain age, but hopefully our many walks will keep her young.
I drew Alice today with a Fountain Disposable Pentel pen. I was introduced to it some time ago, and I am using it more and more for quick pen drawings. It makes beautiful variable weight marks, and I love to add a wet brush to the water-based ink to soften the lines.
My 5 Essential Tools for Sketching
Posted: January 12, 2024 Filed under: Uncategorized 16 CommentsAspiring sketchers often ask me about which art supplies to buy. I generally say, buy the best you can afford but don’t let tools be a barrier. Doing is more important than having. I can point to accomplished sketchers who use nothing but a ballpoint (“biro,” if you live in England)! In fact, I’ve done my share of sketches with a ballpoint as well.
When I began sketching, I didn’t invest a ton of money in materials. I bought a small 3” x 5” sketchbook and found an old travel palette in the back of a drawer. Only gradually did I begin buying better materials. First, my sketchbooks got bigger, and then I invested in a good travel brush.
The takeaway from all this? Sable brushes will not make you a better sketcher. Time and practice will.
So where to begin with your starter kit? Below are my recommendations for 5 essential tools you can pack into a small bag and take wherever you go.
Each photo shows the tool I use, alongside a budget-friendly option. I’ve provided links where possible (just click on the names), but I encourage you to support your local art store. I love to drop into art stores in Montreal and wherever I travel, because I get to feel the paper stock and try out the pens and brushes.
Pen
What I use: Platinum Carbon Desk Pen with Platinum Carbon Ink Cartridges (bottom)
Budget-friendly option: Pitt Artist Pen, size XS or S (top)
If you’ve ever joined an urban sketching event (and if you can, you really should), you’ll see many sketchers clutching a favourite ink pen. It’s hard to resist an expensive fountain pen. They feel so luxurious in the hand!
But my favourite isn’t a splurge at all. I love my Platinum Carbon Desk Pen (extra-fine) because it has an extra-fine flexible nib that instantly responds to pressure by creating a thicker line, producing lovely curls and swirls every time I draw. If you do get one of these, I also recommend permanent Platinum Carbon ink cartridges vs. a bottle of ink and a converter. Cartridges are less prone to disasters, especially when traveling. And just be warned, the free cartridge that comes with this pen contains water-soluble ink, so it will run if you try painting over it.
My budget-friendly option? A Pitt Artist pen, with an XS or S nib. The nib is durable, the ink waterproof, and the pens last quite a long time. Pitt also makes brush pens, which are handy for creating solid black areas on a page.
Pencil
What I use: Muji Resin Mechanical Pencil (top)
Budget-friendly option: Office store mechanical pencil (bottom)
Sometimes I draw directly with an ink pen, but if the perspective is challenging, I might start with some light pencil lines until I get it right.
Years ago, I bought a mechanical pencil with a 0.5 2B lead at the MOMA design store in New York City, and have been using it ever since. It’s made by MUJI, a Japanese chain of shops with outlets in some North American cities. There’s nothing particularly special about it. It just feels good in my hand. Plus, I don’t have to carry a sharpener. (If you’ve taken my online courses, you might have seen me using it.)
But you don’t need a Muji. You’ll find lots of great mechanical pencils at any office supply store. The photo above shows a Zebra DelGuard pencil — also great to draw with!
Brush
What I use: Rosemary R2 Travel Brush (bottom)
Budget-friendly option: Pentel Water Brush (top)
If you’ve seen my newsletter (The Wheelbarrow), where I recently posted photos of my studio, you know I own a wheelbarrow-full of brushes. They get a real workout when I paint large studio watercolours. But for everyday sketching on the go, my kit is much smaller.
A natural hair travel brush, like the Rosemary brush in the photo, is my preference. A #8 brush holds more water and comes to a finer point, so it’s good for both big washes and fine details. If you ever splurge on a good quality travel brush, I’d recommend Rosemary, Escoda or Da Vinci brushes. Just make sure you don’t bend back the hairs when replacing their caps!
And my budget suggestion? A Pentel water brush. Simply fill the reservoir with water, and there’s no need to carry a bottle. It’s great for smaller sketches, and for travel. I use this in airports and (along with water-soluble pencils or pens) in places where wet media isn’t permitted, such as museums.
Sketchbook
What I use: Hahnemuhle 100% Cotton Sketchbook (right)
Budget-friendly option: Speedball Travel Watercolor Journal (left)
Good sketchbook paper is important, so here’s where I don’t skimp. Even my budget-friendly option isn’t all that cheap. But I have been using the Speedball book for years and I can attest to its quality.
Since I use lots of juicy washes in my sketches, I want a paper that doesn’t warp, that maintains colour vibrancy, and that has a bit of texture. Since both options contain acid-free cold-press paper, you’ll get similar performance from both. The difference? The Hahnemuhle book is 100% cotton, whereas the Speedball is probably cellulose paper. (But don’t quote me on that!)
Both options have durable hard covers, come in many sizes, and have strong bindings so you can paint across both pages. And despite their cold-press finish, both papers are smooth enough for my fine line ink pens.
Palette
What I use: FOME Palette I fill myself with tube colours (right)
Budget-friendly option: Cotman Prefilled pan palette (left)
If you’re just starting out, the best choice is a prefilled palette with 8 or 12 pan colours. You’ll find lots options out there, made by reputable manufacturers such as Daniel Smith, Cotman Watercolour (Winsor & Newton’s student-grade brand), Schminke and Sennelier. They all contain good quality pigments, perfect for sketching.
Of course, if you want to invest a little more in an empty palette you fill yourself, you can find many types, and then choose your tube colours. I currently use a FOME palette from Italy.
As for choosing which colours to buy when filling your palette, I’ve just launched My Essential Watercolour Palette, which I think could help. Also this January, my Big Bloomin’ Sale discounts every course by 30%.
Happy sketching!
