At my feet
Posted: May 16, 2024 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Alice, dog sketch, ink sketch, sketchbook 11 CommentsI’m catching up on stuff in the house and garden today, and of course Alice is at my feet. I’ve been checking her after our walks on the trails because I found two ticks on her after our walk on Tuesday. Luckily she’s blond so those nasty critters are easy to spot on her light fur and neither of them had attached themselves to her. Of course I have to keep her on a leash now instead of letting her run free in the long grasses since that’s where they are likely to be, but it’s still a beautiful walk for both of us if we stick to the middle of the trail.
I drew her today using my new Pilot pen in my Hahnemuhle cotton sketchbook. I just love a fresh ink line on white paper so I didn’t do a preliminary drawing with pencil, but that can sometimes get me in trouble. Her hindquarters weren’t wide enough and I had to go back and move the line for her tail, which is why she looks like she might have stitches on her leg. Corrections like this used to bother me, and cause me to start over, but now I just keep going. That’s what sketchbooks are for.

These are a few of my favourite things
Posted: May 15, 2024 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Hudson, sketchbook, spring, street scene, urban sketch, watercolour 31 CommentsIt’s finally warm enough (and I am home long enough) to sketch outside. That’s a reason to celebrate. I’m still discovering new places to draw, and of course trying to find places that look like my old favourites. The village of Hudson reminds me so much of Pointe Claire, especially now that it’s spring and the main street is getting busy again.
Today I ordered coffee from Furley’s Bakery and sat outside on their terrace to draw the view down Main. I felt SO rusty so I started with something I feel comfortable with: the bins and the utility pole! My drawing grew organically from there. The tree was next, then the yellow picket fence, a bit of the building, the awnings, etc. It made me so happy to be outside, to be looking at the things I love to draw and to watch people going by.
There’s plenty to draw in Hudson, including lots of charming buildings, a lakeshore and even a boat club. I’ll happily be discovering it all with my sketchbook this spring and summer.

















