:: The Art Spirit :: In considering lines as a means of drawing, it is well to remember that the line practically does not exist in nature. It is a convention we use.
— The Art Spirit by Robert Henri
For those of you who are interested in the spirit of art, I highly recommend this book The Art Spirit by Robert Henri who was a teacher in NYC and died in 1929. “Henri was an inspired teacher with an extraordinary gift for verbal communication, with the personality and prophetic fire that transformed pupils into idolators.” I have this 5″x 8″ sketchbook next to me when I am watching tele at night and I draw what I see in front of me… which is mostly my husband. My dog is constantly moving around, and the minute that he sees me watching him, he gets up and wants to play even though he has turned 8! So yesterday I decided to look at a woman on the tele, and then draw her from memory. I think that this is a good mental exercise to do… remembering what things look like without looking… A bit like hide and seek in art -) www.janehannah.com
:: A few tries later… :: Great love is never justified. It’s like the little tree that springs up in some inexplicable fashion on the side of a cliff: where are its roots, what does it feed on, what miracle produces those green leaves?
— Wisława Szymborska (July 2, 1923–February 1, 2012)
Last night I decided to draw my husband and he kept moving non-stop even though he id not realize that I was trying to draw him. It took me eight tries to eventually get this somewhat decent one, at least one that shows some sensitivity towards the model. He tends to look fatter in this drawing than he really is…
I have been looking at Joseph Zbukvik’s wonderful video Planning your painting, and what a guy and what an artist! He is very generous with his knowledge and at some point in the video he says that we should draw without ever lifting the pencil from the paper… and this is what I tried today. I liked the sensation of doing this and I should practice this more often. Definitely something that I will be teaching my students this coming semester.
Paper: The Colour of Water Sketchbook from the MMFA
Lead Pencil 0.5
Location: Rigaud, Québec, Canada
www.janehannah.com
:: Simple things… :: Grandpa was a carpenter,
he built houses, stores and banks,
he chain-smoked Camel cigarettes
and hammered nails in planks.
He was level-on-the-level,
shaved even every door,
and voted for Eisenhower
’cause Lincoln won the war.
— John Prine
Sounds like a simple poem, does it not? But I love it! Simple and you get the feeling that you know him. He would have liked living where the this painting was done. Here is the same scene as yesterday but more emotional and vocal in a simple landscape scene. Hope that you like it! This paper had been taped down for quite a long time and when I finished my painting and peeled it, some of the painting tore off… and that’s why it has a screwy angle -) Paper: Bockingford app. 10″x11″
Watercolours: Q. Gold, New Gamboge, Pyrrol Crimson, Burnt Sienna & Ultramarine
Location: Ste-Marthe, Québec, Canada
www.janehannah.com
:: Song of the Open Road :: Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road,
Healthy, free, the world before me,
The long brown path before me leading wherever I choose.
Henceforth I ask not good-fortune, I myself am good-fortune,
Henceforth I whimper no more, postpone no more, need nothing,
Done with indoor complaints, libraries, querulous criticisms,
Strong and content I travel the open road.
The earth, that is sufficient,
I do not want the constellations any nearer,
I know they are very well where they are,
I know they suffice for those who belong to them. (Still here I carry my old delicious burdens,
I carry them, men and women, I carry them with me wherever I go,
I swear it is impossible for me to get rid of them,
I am fill’d with them, and I will fill them in return.) — Walt Whitman
Yesterday I had many going-ons… I had to drive my husband to the hospital for some tests, then headed back to the house and feed the dog and do some chores, then went back to the hospital to get him, then came back… then went off again to do a bit of shopping and then back again. A lot of road time, gazing at the beautiful skies…
Last night as I calmed down I decided to paint those skies and of course my part of the country, looking at Rigaud mountain where I live.
Paper: Saunders Waterford
Watercolours: New Gamboge, Q. Gold, Raw Sienna, Pyrrol Crimson, Ultramarine
:: Lieu historique national du Commerce-de-la-Fourrure-à-Lachine :: Do not fail to draw something every day, for no matter how little it is, it will be well worth while, and it will do you a world of good. — Cennino Cennini, 1370-1440
I was painting with my friend Chi Mai today on the Canal Lachine in front of the Fur Trade at the Lachine National Historic Site which dates back from 1803. It is a gorgeous place, right next to the Canal Lachine and next to Lake St. Louis which is part of the St. Lawrence Seaway. Chi Mai has a vast knowledge in watercolours and she helped me out in the end which is very generous of her. Thanks Chi Mai! If you would like to see her work, just click on this LINK -- https://cmchin.wordpress.com/. I find that I have trouble with midtones and usually my paintings fall flat as all of my values fall in the same range… not enough contrast. So I worked today with one concept in mind and this was to have values in mind. To do this I started with a value sketch in lead pencil. The other thing that I did do differently today was only use flat brushes, and I loved it. I had a big 1″, 0.5″ and 0.25″ and I really enjoyed using these and kind of liberated my arm.
Paper: Arches 12″x12″
Watercolours: Pyrrol Crimson, Ultramarine, Cobalt Blue, Q. Burnt Orange, Raw Sienna & Burnt Sienna.
www.janehannah.com
:: Books on painting :: Cast shadows provide an object with roots and stability and keep it from floating in midair. They are an important structural unit. They help describe the surface the object rests on.
— David A. Leffel
I have not been painting that much this summer, but I have been reading alot — actually tons of watercolour & oil painting books that my friend Linda Denis kindly gave me. Two of the books that have retained my attention on a daily basis are these:
The Art of Watercolor, revised edition by Charles Le Clair which is an exceptional book as it is a handbook offering a comprehensive course of study you would find at university level, it features the works of contemporary and historic masters, it offers how-to techniques and combines studio information with art-historical comment. Wow!
Oil Painting Secrets from a Master “David A. Leffel” by Linda Cateura. This book is like following a workshop with the master David A. Leffel for one whole year and he is right behind you guiding you. It is incredible!!!
So the painting that I did is of Mount Royal which is in the middle of Montreal and you can see the skyscrapers at a distance on the left. I was practicing my skies and then decided to add the mountain for visual impact. Today I used the last page of my Travelogue Sketchbook and I am filing it away… it has been part of another chapter in my life -) Travelogue Sketchbook 8″x8″
Watercolours: Cerulean, Ultramarine, Raw Sienna, Burnt Sienna
