May 2013 – Painting to see : Peindre pour voir

Sketches / Drawings / Paintings, Urban Sketching

Kamouraska, here I come :: Kamouraska, j’arrive!

2013-05-312016-07-13by Jane Hannah7 Comments

I love clouds! I keep gazing at them and seeing forms appearing… and today the clouds were totally awesome. I think that they were cumulus, but I am not sure. I first sketched in pencil the outline of the clouds, then went in to put in a tad of detail, and then took my watercolours. Clouds are difficult to paint.

We are leaving for Kamouraska to paint for one whole incredible week… can you imagine? Nothing else to do or worry about? Shari is giving a workshop and I can’t wait ;-) I might not be able to post anything for the whole week as there is no internet access. So my next blog might only be in one week’s time! I am bringing my book “Kamouraska” by Anne Hébert. Excerpt from Amazon… A classic of Canadian literature by the great Quebecoise writer, Kamouraska is based on a real nineteenth-century love-triangle in rural Quebec. Translated into seven languages, Kamouraska won the Paris book prize and was made into a landmark feature film by Claude Jutra.

Je pars dimanche matin pour Kamouraska pour peindre pendant une semaine de temps… quel luxe! Nous partons trois femmes ensemble, et rejoignons 9 autres peintres. On s’est loué une superbe maison au bord de l’estuaire avec un balcon qui fait tout le tour de la maison et est directement sur la rive. Il se peut que je ne puisse pas blogger car nous n’aurons pas accès à l’internet. Je vais vous revenir avec plein de peintures de Kamouraska! J’apporte mon livre de Kamouraska écrit par Anne Hébert pour lire en cet endroit idyllique.

Paper: Moleskine Sketchbook
Ink: Noodlers Lexington Grey
Pen: Pilot Flexi Grip EF
Colours: Cadmium Blue, Aureolin Yellow and Alizarin Crimson

Sketches / Drawings / Paintings

Roses

2013-05-302016-07-13by Jane HannahLeave a Comment

Even though the temperature was beautiful and warm today, I could not go out and sketch on location or “plein air” as I did not have the time. So here is my take on a trio of beautiful red roses (you have to imagine the colour — LOL). I wanted to mention that the Moleskine Sketchbooks are wonderful with a fountain pen for drawing. Today I used my Sailor EF Fountain Pen with Lexington Gray Ink and it glides on the pages. If you like drawing with fountain pens, this paper is fabulous for this.

Je n’ai pas eu le temps de sortir et peindre en plein air aujourd’hui… donc je vous offre trois roses… vous devez vous imaginer leur couleur… rouge profond! Par contre, je voulais spécifier que si vous aimez dessiner avec des plumes fontaines, les carnets sont incroyables car l’encre glisse comme du beurre sur ce paper.

Paper: Moleskine Sketchbook
Ink: Noodlers Lexington Grey
Pen: Sailor EF

Sketches / Drawings / Paintings, Urban Sketching

Road Trip :: Trip de char

2013-05-282016-07-13by Jane HannahLeave a Comment

Went back today on the Chemin de l’Anse in Vaudreuil-Dorion as it is a small, rural and very winding road… which gives it alot of appeal. This is the street where Félix Leclerc lived, a famous Québécois singer-songwriter, poet, novelist, playwright, actor. He was one of the first “chansonniers” in Québec and is renowned for his songs Moi et mes souliers and Le petit train du Nord.

I tried experimenting on finding a focal point in my painting today, and the winding road helped me. Who would know that there are so many telephone/electric poles in a rural setting? And I actually omitted to paint some as there were too many ;-)

Je suis retournée sur le Chemin de l’Anse aujourd’hui car ce chemin est plein de courbes que je trouve très pittoresques. C’est le chemin où Félix Leclerc, un chansonnier québécois bien connu, résidait pendant la saison estivale. Félix était un auteur-compositeur, poète, auteur, dramaturge et acteur.

J’ai tenté de trouver un point focal dans le paysage aujourd’hui et la courbure du chemin a bien aidé. Qui aurait pensé que dans un milieu aussi rural il y aurait autant de lignes téléphoniques et électriques? Et en plus, j’en ai omis car il y en avait tout simplement trop ;-)

Paper: Moleskine Sketchbook
Ink: Noodlers Lexington Grey
Pen: Pilot Flexi Grip EF
Colours: Winsor Blue, Cadmium Yellow L. and Burnt Sienna

Sketches / Drawings / Paintings, Urban Sketching

Here comes the sun :: Oooh soleil, soleil -)

2013-05-272016-07-13by Jane HannahLeave a Comment

Today was the first day of sun in a very long time and everyone seemed to be thrilled to be outdoors. While I was painting this scene from my car, two men kept walking close to my door and tried peeking at what I was doing. They kept walking to and fro. The municipal employees also came over to check! When the police passed, I told myself that probably they had phoned them to give me a ticket? They seemed to have the time to peruse and wonder why I looked so intent on doing what I was doing. Here is the view from le Chemin de l’Anse in Vaudreuil, overlooking Calvaire Mountain in Oka.

Le soleil est apparu ce matin après une très longue absence et tout le monde semblait être très heureux d’être dehors et se baigner dans ses rayons chauds. Aujourd’hui pendant que je peignais cette scène, deux hommes marchaient tout près de mon auto pour essayer de voir ce que je faisais, rebroussaient chemin et revenaient. Les employés municipaux se sont mis de la partie et eux aussi sont venus voir ce que je faisais. Quand j’ai vu la police arriver, je me suis dit: “Oh my! Ils vont me donner un ticket?” Mais non, la police est passée sans rien voir ou sans me voir. Fiou!!! Voici le Mont Calvaire à Oka peint du chemin de l’Anse à Vaudreuil.

Paper: Moleskine Sketchbook
Ink: Noodlers Lexington Grey
Pen: Pilot Flexi Grip EF
Colours: Prussian Blue, Q. Gold and Winsor Red

Sketches / Drawings / Paintings, Urban Sketching

Roundabout to the right :: Tourner à droite

2013-05-262016-07-13by Jane Hannah2 Comments

Today I was so happy as I was going to paint with the Montreal Urban Sketchers at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. I arrived 20 minutes late, so when I passed in front of the museum there was already a crowd of people waiting in line to get in. I was frantically looking for a place to park, turned right and went down to the next street, turned right again, and again, to find myself in front of the museum… and there were two school buses full of people that had just arrived. So I continued on my merry way, going one street further to find a parking space… and there were none. Again, I turned right, and then right again and then right again, to find myself in front of the museum… and now 3 buses had arrived!!! The line of people stretched to the other street and turned downwards and back up. I gave up! At the time, I did not know that it was the Montreal Museums Day in Montreal (this means that the museums are free on that day).

So I painted this view from Hudson Heights… there was no way that I was not going to paint today…. no matter what ;-) The clouds were beautiful today.

Aujourd’hui j’allais rejoindre mes Sketchers urbains de Montréal pour peindre au Musée des Beaux Arts… ce que je ne savais pas était que c’était la journée des Musées portes ouvertes. Quand je suis arrivée, il y avait déjà une ligne d’attente dehors en avant du musée. J’ai tourné à droite, à droite encore, et à droite encore et pas de stationnement possible. Quand je me suis retrouvée en avant du musée, il y avait deux autobus scolaires qui venaient juste d’arriver et la ligne d’attente descendait le long d’une rue pour la remonter!!! J’ai démissionné.

Mais il n’était pas question que je ne peigne pas aujourd’hui donc je me suis retrouvée à Hudson à peindre ce paysage… car les nuages étaient tellement beaux.

Paper: Moleskine Sketchbook
Ink: Noodlers Lexington Grey
Pen: Pilot Flexi Grip EF
Colours: Indigo, Q. Gold, Alizarin Crimson

Sketches / Drawings / Paintings

Rainy Days :: Journées pluvieuses

2013-05-242016-07-13by Jane HannahLeave a Comment

This past week has been quite rainy and cold in our Quebec area. I always remind myself that April Showers bring May Flowers and this past April was very dry… so nature needs tons of water at the moment as we went through April with no rain — we had a snowstorm, but no rain! I have been going to Montreal quite often these past few weeks and it is quite incredible to realize that Montrealers or should I say, city dwellers, have no inkling if there has been too much or too little water.

Here is a partial view of our settee in the living room. It can sit three people, but should ideally be used for lying down to read a book or just have a catnap. I read this afternoon as the weather has been rainy… Rainy days have their own personalities and if you adapt, they give you perfectly languid days.

Last week I received my TWSBI Mini fountain pen and it is awesome. It holds tons of ink, feels very comfortable in the hand, has the cap that screws at the top of the pen to give it balance, and glides like butter in the Moleskine Sketchbooks and mostly, the ink always flows… never stops! On top of that, you do not have to buy a converter… everything comes included… except the ink. For the price of 55 US$, it is very very good.

La dernière semaine a été plutôt pluvieuse et froide au Québec, qui est très bénéfique pour la nature, car elle est en grand manque d’eau. Quand je regarde la cime des arbres, tout indique qu’on est tout près d’une grande sécheresse. Pourtant à la météo, les météorologues s’empressent de dire comment le soleil et la chaleur vont revenir bientôt… comme si la pluie était vue comme la peste ou pire encore… pourtant, elles devraient être les premières personnes à indiquer les bénéfices de la pluie… on vit dans un monde tout à l’envers… selon moi évidemment!

Paper: Moleskine Sketchbook
Ink: Noodlers #41 Brown
Pen: TWSBI EF

Sketches / Drawings / Paintings, Urban Sketching

A Car with a View :: Automobile avec vue

2013-05-232016-07-13by Jane HannahLeave a Comment

Yesterday I had 2.5 hours to kill between appointments and I decided to arrive early for my second appointment to go to the Cléroux Nursery in Pierrefonds. As I parked, my eyes went up and lo and behold, a beautiful view of the Terry Fox Elementary School was waiting for me to paint it. Well, I stayed put, right there in the car, to sketch and paint this as I heard the hustle and bustle behind me of people coming in and out of the Nursery with loads of flowers, plants and earth. If you have never been to this Nursery, it is well worth it.

Hier j’avais une succession de rendez-vous et je me suis retrouvée avec 2.5 heures à tuer. J’ai décidé de me rendre à l’avance à mon dernier rendez-vous et passer du temps à la Pépinière Cléroux à Pierrefonds. Comme je stationnais, mes yeux se sont levés à cette vue — l’école primaire Terry Fox, et je savais que je devais la peindre. C’était super car toutes les fenêtres étaient ouvertes, et pendant que je peignais j’entendais le va et vient constant des employés et clients qui se promenaient avec des fleurs, arbustes, arbres et terreau — le bonheur! Si vous n’avez jamais été à cette pépinière, elle vaut le détour ;-)

Paper: Large Moleskine Watercolour Sketchbook
Ink: Noodlers Lexington Grey
Pen: TWSBI EF
Colours: Cobalt Blue, Yellow Alizarin, Quina. Deep Gold and Burnt Umber

Sketches / Drawings / Paintings, Urban Sketching

Footbridge Canal Lachine :: Pont piétonnier Canal Lachine

2013-05-222016-07-13by Jane HannahLeave a Comment

I was in Westmount today and had 2-1/2 hours before my next appointment… so I decided to go to the Atwater Market and sketch there. I sketched the footbridge crossing over the Lachine Canal.

This coming Sunday the Montreal Urban Sketchers are meeting at 10:00 am. Here is the information on the Montreal Urban Sketchers blog.

Voici le pont piétonnier du Marché Atwater vers le Canal Lachine.

Ce dimanche matin les Sketchers urbains de Montréal se rencontrent à 10 heures au Monument Georges Étienne Cartier (la statue de l’ange) dans le parc sur Avenue du Parc (si Rachel se rendait si loin, c’est à cet endroit). Voir pour plus d’infos sur le site des Sketchers urbains de Montréal.

Paper: Moleskine Watercolour Sketchbook
Ink: Noodlers #41 Brown
Pen: TWSBI EF

Sketches / Drawings / Paintings, Urban Sketching

Restaurant Hamelin

2013-05-212016-07-13by Jane Hannah2 Comments

Every little village in Quebec has its junk food haven… and in Rigaud, it is the Restaurant Hamelin. Good, cheap and fast… and clean! I painted this after successfully ruining three other paintings… I have alot of trouble painting without ink lines. So I painted a very quirky looking restaurant ;-)

Chaque petit village au Québec semble avoir son restaurant de patates frites… et Rigaud a son Restaurant Hamelin. Cheap, bon et rapide. En plus, dois-je mentionner que c’est propre? J’ai peint ce resto après avoir réussi à ruiner trois autres peintures sans lignes… j’ai besoin de pratique!

Paper: Moleskine Watercolour Sketchbook
Ink: Noodlers #41 Brown
Pen: TWSBI EF
Colours: Cobalt Blue, Rose Madder, New Gambodge & Burnt Umber

Sketches / Drawings / Paintings

One year behind me :: Un an derrière moi

2013-05-172016-07-13by Jane Hannah7 Comments

On May 17th 2012, exactly one year ago, I was posting my first sketch on this blog… as I had no idea what to paint, I just painted what was in front of me… my feet! With Chinese slippers ;-) One year has gone by and I have posted 180 posts. This means that I averaged about 1 painting every two days. As I have one year behind me, I wonder what my paintings will look like in one year from now? Very curious!

Il y a exactement un an à ce jour, je publiais mon premier croquis en aquarelle… et c’était mes pieds! Chaussés de pantouffles chinoises ;-) Je ne savais pas quoi peindre, donc j’ai peint ce qui était en avant de moi ;-) Depuis ce temps, j’ai publié 180 “posts”, environ 1 peinture/dessin aux deux jours. Comme j’ai un an derrière moi d’aquarelles, je me demande ce que mes peintures vont avoir de l’air dans un an? Très curieuse!

Paper: Moleskine Watercolour Sketchbook
Ink: Noodlers #41 Brown
Pen: TWSBI EF
Colours: Prussian Blue, Cadmium Yellow Light & Burnt Sienna