End of the year orders - photo of my stand at the festival BDécines.
Showing posts with label Animals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Animals. Show all posts
Holidays homework in Normandy #4 - Trouville, ink and color boats, portraits and mojidos...
Today let's listen to something special from Normandy !
Down at Trouville there's a fish market with a beautiful arquitecture. (I'll draw it next time, for now you can enjoy the recipe of its whelks mayonnaise and the now famous calvados mojito called mojidos: have a try...)
At the fish market, my favourite place is the bar opposite, so tiny between the souvenirs shops. This bar is always full of fishermen and local people having a typical breakfast (whelks and cidre, fine...)
Wow, the boss comes along and says "Hi there ! I've seen you here before with your paintings!" Then he asks me to draw his bar, 3 hours of fun.
Checking the proprtions with my pencil and my rubber (just like Gérard Michel and Fabien Denoël from Belgium), really patiently, so patiently that when I put the ink on it, people have already changed several times : one of them asks me why I drew him as a girl !
Then I put the watercolour on it, really softly as the paper is thin. Less water, stronger colours. People who went away, let's do them from memory. I finish it at eating time, the market is about to close, and everybody goes home. The bar will close at 19h actually, early !
From the terrasse we can see the trawlers. I try to capture the details with several techniques. Drawing series helps domesticate complicated things...
The one on the upper right has received a special oil treat (from the oil bottle I'll draw, see below...) The accident is not that bad, oil gives softness to colours and paper, but you ought to putting some paper to protect the whole sketchbook from this dripping drawing...
On the lower left, Trouville's rubbishmen are totally green. Horses deserve a wash drawing...
Next to me at bar, there are some guys from Paris who came just for the day to play at horses races. It's been like this the whole summer : people prefered to enjoy one day at the seaside than long and expensive holidays. Maybe it's been because of exeptional weather...
After domesticating the creature, give a try to the big portrait with waves and reflections and all...
From above Trouville you can see the beach and Marguerite Duras house in front of the sea. She used to say she'd never go out, only write. I try to draw with the Veronica Lawlor technique : "just play with ink and line, colour and forms, all what you want..."
Some guy arrives and throws a bunch of marguerites to a Juliet on her balcony. It's such a city of literature heroes ! Proust house is just down the street, I will draw it one day...
My brother lives in China with his wife. I missed their last visit. I can now see them a bit through the things they leave after each visit.
Daily life things, like synthetic-fur-lined boots to be at ease (Schenzhen is much more tropical... Except this, in 1980 it used to be a fishermen village too : it's been changing a bit...)
Chinese papers and books, make-up and hair oil (the one good also for drawings, see higher up...) and several things to make tea... When people you love live so far away, daily life is moving, so emotional at last.
Holidays homework in Normandy #2 - Waves, illustrated landscape, animals and calligraphy set
Gosh ! My parents live near the beach and I never go there. Except if it's a wild beach, during the spring tide... Happening early this year ! The guys from around gather with their net. I wish them "Fish well" and they get upset : is it bringing bad luck ?
I don't know anything about fishing but I really enjoy to watch them. Wow, quickly buddy, caus' it's true what they say, you know : the tide gets high faster than a race horse !
Right, the beach is not my kind of thing. It's more quiet in the garden. Except for the dogs. If you don't fear the slobber, totally sketchable.
First with a pen, only one line, cheeky cheeky, moving creepy-crawlies !
Then with an old calligraphy set. Not ideal for sketching animals, moving too much between you draw and refill ink. Must be better for arquitecture (like Ch'ng Kiah Kiean with his sticks and chinese ink).
Oh yeah ! My dog's got a Mickey tatoo !
You rock, baby !
Oh well, they didn't dribble too much on my sketchbook...
Another challenge : drawing the village's gossip in a landscape.
First of all, we see the snob place Trouville - Deauville on the hill in front : there are supermarkets and low rent houses. All right, there are also porsches down the street in the valley.
Up on the in-front ill, Gérard Depardieu is said to build a house. It's obvious mussels and fries are much better here, anyway !
Between the two hills, nothing, too fragile : the sea used to wave here before ! How dig she get so far away ? Mistery...
Down the street, there's a river where Eugène Boudin and Claude Monet used to paint. I should go back there, last time I saw a fox...
Tonight, won at poker again : good weather, let's go sunset picnic !
Little story by the way, in these bunkers, there were only old german chaps playing cards near their false canons... "They'd never land in Normandy" they said... Can't imagine their face when the horizon darkened with the allies boats... The American pilot who bombed the zone came some years ago, he couldn't believe it !
35th Sketchcrawl - Malaga - Spain
So crazy ! Crossing Spain by bus, from Madrid to Malaga, just for one and only day: Sketchcrawl day, the international drawing meeting "let's draw all together, each one in its place, but all around the world..."
Thank you so much to Malaga's urban sketchers for its warm welcome ! Luis Ruiz shows us beautiful houses, he's an arquitect and we enjoy it !
Above, Sagar Fornies and Cristina Urdiales in front of a villa full of tropical trees.
From Madrid to Malaga, across Spain... Makes me feel like listening to Keren Ann...
...We cross a mills forest - Cervantes' ones Iberdrola's, a few ghost villages (already plenty of switched-on street lamps, but no house around...) and a place called desempeñaperros - which means the mountain where we throw the dogs down... Hoping they're not spanish clichés.
Along the road, on the hills, we can see toro and tio Pepe's silouhettes, two ads for local wines... what about the donkey ?
Malaga !
We find an old paper shop. A friend of mine has been searching all around Madrid for graphite pencils Caran d'Ache, impossible to find !! And hop, miracle, in Malaga for middle price !
On the beach, andalouse tradition : he explains me that the first time you see the sea after wintertime, you should put a bit of its water on your face... Done !
Bars are still traditionnal, awesome.
The fish market, worth a painting. Fish sellers are so good at organising their products, with love, poetry, and such an artistic sense. Comments seem to be included in the price...
One of them sings : " Have you seen what we offer, girl ? Yes, yes, my fish is so fresh ! It's from Malaga, as I keep on telling you ! Direct from the sea, ya ya ya ! They still have the mouth open, they're from today, come-on beauty, buy them, nenaaaaaa !"
A delivery boy stops by and harangues :
- Hey, they already came to draw yesterday ! But why are they drawing you, the ugliest one of the market ??
- They honour me !
- Well, we'll see if you look better on the paper !
- Hey, something fell down.
- A 10 bocks note !
- Well that's also paper, that's also falling down...
Such a cheeky market !
Another Keren Ann song...
Do you know we call the beer "victory" in Malaga ? Perfect to celebrate sketchers meeting again.
Malaga is beautiful, with such an history. In the garden, we can read an arabic poet verses, Ibn Said : "Oh my dear Malaga, where are your towers, your belvederes ? I took up to the pure stars my generous wine glass thousand of times overthere !"
Each time I see the sea, I remember autobiographiques tellings from Delacroix and Monnet practicing waves' drawing.
They used to do it in Normandy, which was sure more wavy. Monnet tells he was painting directly in the water. And the sea - so petty ! - she dared to steal some of her portraits, sweeping away all his tools !
I admire how the other sketchers figure it, Cristina, Sagar, Luis Ruiz (and his boats !), Miguel Herranz, Inma Serrano, and Luis Simoes who's going to be travelling for 5 years ! A dream-come-true !
Malaga by night is surrounded of fireflies off the coast. Must be a weird life aboard, in a Corto Maltese way !
At Malaga, we meet truculent characters !
Picasso's doubles with an authentic costume, almonds sellers with great cap, motorbikers with fantastic noise, and traditional dancers, young ones ! Tradition is a treasure in the area !
Last look at the city, fun and sexy city !
(Just have a look at the boat's names, amazing yate digo !)
Trip back by bus.
During our outward journey, we saw Cordoba's sport superstore Décathlon. On our way back, we can see Granada's Repsol big ads...
Still, seeing the Alhambra so tiny, golden jewel above an emerald setting, amazing !
You can see more about Malaga here : http://malaga2016ciudaddelparaiso.blogspot.com.es/
Drawing with Urban Sketchers in Madrid
Urban Sketchers : meeting at the museum ABC of illustration to draw the museum and its surroundings (Conde Duque).
What is obviously obvious :
- The museum is so so SO difficult to draw,
- There are a lot A LOT of dogs around,
- This year's colour seems to be RED...
We all begin to portrait the place. Later, Mauricio, de Tres Editores, says : "Illustrators and publishers are shy. That's why they find their own way to express themselves..."
While drawing we really discover the place's life : old chaps speaking loud, holding their ciggie on their lip, newspaper under the arm ; old ladies pushing caddies ; young fashion people walking their dogs ; first floor blond guy watering flowers on balcony.
But the most surprising : two young sisters speak to us from behind the convent's windows railings. They laugh just like children. They seem to be from Philippines. Francis, who's drawing just nearby, reminds me they chose this life. It always impresses me...
We move to Conde Duque, and a scooters' gang rushes in ! Just like in Quadrophenia, the Who's movie... Such a noise, such faces, and awesome retro jackets...
A friend draws the Comendadoras sisters' church, children do too. The eldest deals out the colour pencils, a bit strict !
Urban Sketchers in the museum yard...
Urban Sketchers in the museum yard...
At the museum, there are two lectures about comic strips. We learn comic is considered culture now, and that text is as useful as pictures do.
We end in a cider bar, I hope to end this drawing one day. Choni's sketchbooks are awesome to draw in !
And this cider bar invites you to realise a panoramic vue...
And this cider bar invites you to realise a panoramic vue...
My favourite shop windows
Fish market - Madrid
Everybody comes here, awesome atmosphere...
Le Pourquoi Pas - Trouville
A fishermen jumble
The whole Fish is good :)
But the little monkeys are what I prefer here !
Other curiosities :
An Antarctic post for this polar wind
Dear Françoise,
As there is such a polar wind blowing through Europe, I draw your office, the most beautiful office in the world : the ice field.
I'd like to thank you for sending me a greeting card. It arrived just at the beginning of january. What a surprise to notice the sending day : October, 25th !!! The postman is not coming everyday on the South Pole...
Fantastic detail, you got your own stamp : a penguin, of course !
Thank you so much for sending me a picture of your "house", under a magnificient aurora borealis.
It must be such an experience to live in the Antarctic Base, to share moments over there with people and animals, and realise a dream.
I really enjoy to follow you on your blog : your stories are really nice and your pictures allow us to see where you live, your everyday life with penguins Adélie, adventure !!!
I also enjoy the baker's blog, faipacho (itscold) !!! How does he dare preparing you ice creams ??? And his religieuses with chocolate in a penguin shape seem to be delicious : mancholigieuses, miam miam :)
Dear Françoise,
when you'll be back in Europe, where the blizzard is blowing nowadays, which could be a nice hot sirocco for you, I hope you'll pass by, down in Madrid. We will have a white wine at the Venencia to celebrate !
Cheers,
Emily
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