Month: July 2018

Painting, Watercolour

:: Lieu historique national du Commerce-de-la-Fourrure-à-Lachine ::

by Jane Hannah7 Comments on :: 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.

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. And Chi Mai helped me with my values -)))

Paper: Arches 12″x12″
Watercolours: Pyrrol Crimson, Ultramarine, Cobalt Blue, Q. Burnt Orange, Raw Sienna & Burnt Sienna.
Location: LINK

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Sketches / Drawings / Paintings

:: Books on painting ::

by Jane Hannah2 Comments on :: 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:

  1. 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!
  2. 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

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Sketches / Drawings / Paintings

:: Flat Wash ::

by Jane Hannah4 Comments on :: Flat Wash ::

All is lovely outside my house and inside my house and myself.
— Winslow Homer

I decided to play with flat washes today and here I went… but how could I just put in a sky and not put in a beautiful Montreal skyline at the bottom? So I took a picture from the internet, and drew it in rapidly.

For the flat wash I worked on an inclined surface to let the watercolours run downward and used the biggest brush that I could handle and tried keeping a juicy mixture of paints… I find that the colours are a bit too dark for the sky and a bit too even too — I should have put different colours of paints… next time! I began at the top and tried to let each stroke settle before continuing to let the bead settle. I did horizontal strokes but realize now that I should have used a zigzag approach to break the linear lines and avoid a striped effect. No matter, it did not take me too much time and this is the excuse to try and start painting more as I neglected my paints this summer… life sometimes just has to do its own thing, huh?

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Sketches / Drawings / Paintings

:: Grand séminaire de Montréal ::

by Jane Hannah9 Comments on :: Grand séminaire de Montréal ::

I see and write things first as an artist,
second as a woman,
and third as a New Yorker.
All three have built-in perspectives that aren’t neutral.
— Laurie Anderson

I met up with the Montreal Urban Sketchers yesterday at the Grand Séminaire de Montréal and it was quite astounding! The chapel was gorgeous and the grounds, well… huge! To think that the Sipulcian priests thrived within the seigneurial system from 1675 to 1840 in Montreal! It is my Dad’s passing away day — a great deal of thought for you Dad!

Location: Montréal, Québec, Canada

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Urban Sketching

:: Stewart Hall ::

by Jane Hannah4 Comments on :: Stewart Hall ::

 “When love and skill work together
— expect a masterpiece.”
(John Ruskin)

Another lovely day and a wonderful event was held today at Stewart Hall in Pte. Claire. The organizers do a very fine job and we are very grateful to them. We were about 30 Montreal Urban Sketchers working frenetically at times—having to deal with the strong winds gusting from Lake St. Louis—and the minute that we would deposit our paints on the paper, they were already dry. Working in plein-air certainly has its challenges and its rewards.

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Sketches / Drawings / Paintings

:: Sunday Sketching Stewart Hall in Pointe-Claire on July 8th :: Dimanche le 8 juillet à Stewart Hall, Pointe-Claire ::

by Jane HannahLeave a Comment on :: Sunday Sketching Stewart Hall in Pointe-Claire on July 8th :: Dimanche le 8 juillet à Stewart Hall, Pointe-Claire ::

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On Sunday July 8th the Montreal Urban Sketchers  have been invited to a Picnic Vernissage Day at Stewart Hall’s Cultural Centre in Pointe-Claire. Stewart Hall is situated in a gorgeous historic mansion and is a unique cultural venue located on the bank of Lake Saint-Louis. It is an absolutely stunning spot to sketch in all seasons!

10:00 am START: Urban Sketchers Montreal
Sketch Stewart Park, Lake Saint-Louis, and the Cultural Centre. Paper and pencils will be provided.

12:00: Picnic
Bring your lunch and sit by the water to enjoy the beginning of summer. Snacks, drinks and ice cream will be available!

2:00 pm: Vernissage MAKING A STAND: Revisited Pedestals – Part III
Everyone is invited to the Art Gallery for the vernissage of the exhibition.

3:00 pm End of the day: Meet-up Montreal Urban Sketchers
We will gather on the patio facing the lake to share our drawings.

During the day there are many other activities available for you. At 11:00 am there will be a Botanical drawing workshop, at noon the Launch of the public piano season Latin jazz and Cuban program and  from 1:00 to 4:00 pm Friends of Stewart Hall book sale, amongst other activities.

In the event of rain, there is a room on the first floor that has been reserved for us; we will still have a nice view over the lake and everything; (but let’s cross our fingers that it won’t rain!)

Directions Stewart Hall on Google Maps: LINK

Hope to see you there -)))

If you are interested in seeing all of the activities during this day, check out this LINK.

On Sunday July 8th the Montreal Urban Sketchers  have been invited to a Picnic Vernissage Day at Stewart Hall’s Cultural Centre in Pointe-Claire. Stewart Hall is situated in a gorgeous historic mansion and is a unique cultural venue located on the bank of Lake Saint-Louis. It is an absolutely stunning spot to sketch in all seasons!

10:00 am START: Urban Sketchers Montreal
Sketch Stewart Park, Lake Saint-Louis, and the Cultural Centre. Paper and pencils will be provided.

12:00: Picnic
Bring your lunch and sit by the water to enjoy the beginning of summer. Snacks, drinks and ice cream will be available!

2:00 pm: Vernissage MAKING A STAND: Revisited Pedestals – Part III
Everyone is invited to the Art Gallery for the vernissage of the exhibition.

3:00 pm End of the day: Meet-up Montreal Urban Sketchers
We will gather on the patio facing the lake to share our drawings.

During the day there are many other activities available for you. At 11:00 am there will be a Botanical drawing workshop, at noon the Launch of the public piano season Latin jazz and Cuban program and  from 1:00 to 4:00 pm Friends of Stewart Hall book sale, amongst other activities.

In the event of rain, there is a room on the first floor that has been reserved for us; we will still have a nice view over the lake and everything; (but let’s cross our fingers that it won’t rain!)

Directions Stewart Hall on Google Maps: LINK

Hope to see you there -)))

If you are interested in seeing all of the activities during this day, check out this LINK.

______________________

Le dimanche 8 juillet 2018, les Urban Sketchers de Montréal sont invités à participer à un Pique-nique Vernissage au Centre culturel Stewart Hall de Pointe-Claire. Stewart Hall est une demeure historique sur un lieu enchanteur situé aux abords du Lac Saint-Louis. Un endroit absolument magnifique pour faire des croquis, en toutes saisons!

À partir de 10h : Urban Sketchers Montréal
Vous aurez l’occasion de faire le croquis du parc Stewart, du lac Saint-Louis et du Centre culturel. Feuilles et crayons seront fournis.

12h: Pique-nique
Apportez votre pique-nique et installez-vous au bord de l’eau pour profiter du début de l’été. Des grignotines, des boissons et de la crème glacée seront offertes.

14h : Vernissage STATUER. Les figures du socle – Partie III
Tous sont invités à la Galerie d’art pour le vernissage de l’exposition.

15h fin de la journée: Rencontre Urban Sketchers Montréal
Sur le patio face au lac St-Louis pour partager nos croquis/dessins/peintures et voir ce que les autres ont croqué.

Pendant cette journée il y aura aussi un Atelier de dessin botanique à 11h, le lancement du Piano publicà midi, une Vente de livres Les Amis de Stewart Hall, un Atelier de création artistique à 13h et d’autres événements qui pourraient être fort intéressants à peindre aussi.

Dans l’éventualité de pluie, il y a une pièce qui nous a été réservée face au lac au rez-de-chaussée.

Directions Stewart Hall sur Google Maps: LIEN

En espérant vous voir -)))

Si vous êtes intéressée d’avoir plus d’informations, tous les événements sont bien indiqués ici sous ce LIEN.
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