The first one



oil on board 6"x6"



This one is the first nasturtium in my garden, this year;at the beginning  of sowing the ground was too dry, then,it was too wet (it has been raining for 1 month, now), and here it is.I've sown a lot, and, of course, I'll be unable to watch them, since I am leaving in 2 days.

I painted that after a idea of James Coulter, for this weekly DPW challenge .The orders were to use only:  blue, cad.med. yellow, cad red light + white,  3 brushes, large, medium and small, and paint a flower of our garden in an hour.This last one was, for me, the hardest thing about this challenge, and I am proud to say I succeeded!What usually I do in five-ish hours was done in one, and not worse than my other ones!I hope I'll be able to do it again.

Ne me quitte pas

pencil on strong bristol 9"x12"

It is finished now, and done for this week DPW challenge, we had to illustrate a song.

Do you know Jacques Brel, and his song "Ne me quitte pas"? Nina Simone sang it in French too, Frank Sinatra and a lot of others (If you go away).

Here is a link to listen to the song, by Jacques Brel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2wmKcBm4Ik

PIQUE-NIQUE (picnic)



black pencil on strong bristol, 9"x12"



Every year,in August, we are lucky to share a picnic, with twenty-ish islanders of the Lake of the Woods, invited by Jan & Dave.

Dave cooks on the huge outdoor stone oven he built by himself, 2 years ago, Jan takes the head of the operations.Everyone brings something for the meal, and we are sure to spend a enjoyable afternoon;49% Canadians,50% Americans, 1 French, who, after a while, feels her mind confused in the middle of the whole conversations!.

For the moment I am still at home, in France, and I'll join my husband in the middle of next week.

So, I drew after a picture of Dave cooking last year.

Homeless(wip)

pencil on strong bristol 9"x12"

This drawing is not finished, I have to work on the young girl.The subject was proposed by Idrawandpaint .
Those days, I don't paint a lot, I were busy with the selling of my flat near Paris, at least!The final signature is next week, and just after I'll join my husband in Winnipeg, for the remaining summer.

N°5, 150ml

oil on board 5"x7"

I suppose there will be enough until next Christmas...

What a mess!



oil 5"x7"

There are some of my painting supplies, here.

For painting

OIL 5"x7"

It was painted for PADT challenge.

TWILIGHT

oil on oil paper 5"x7"

This was done for DPW challenge this week, after a picture given by Jean Nelson, who painted a lovely one.
After an underpainting in Alizarin, I used mainly one flat brush, and ended with a knife.

Watermelon and bowl

oil on canvas paper 5"x7"

It was  required, in the DPW challenge of this week, to paint after a picture, upside down.In fact, most of the time, I used to do that;I learned this technique, a long time ago, in Betty Edwards's books, and I like it.When I am not sure about my drawing, I turn my painting for checking it, and  go on for a while, upside down, I find it funny.

Burnt Sienna

At the beginning, I intended , as a title, to put the first name of this man with an initial, in case someone could recognize him;he is a man I like to listen quite everyday, on Radio Classique .But now, watching his face, I think he does not look like him..Anyway, among people listening  to him, a lot don't know his face;and a lot don't know my blog..
I painted this burnt sienna portrait for DPW challenge, which run a few weeks ago, of course I am greatly late.I am just aware, reading again Carol Marine's instructions,(I like her instructions) she asked for burnt umber, but I never had this one.So, as usual, I overworked this portrait;if it was acceptable after one hour, maybe after 4 or more, the dark values are too dark;well, it's done, and I like the feeling, when I am  slowly drawing or painting a portrait, to gradually learn about the model , understand his character.
Voilà! 

The same cups

The same cups, after a few hours extra work.I was not satisfied yesterday, and wanted to go on.It's better, now.

3 CUPS

oil on paper 5"x7"

I  painted those 3 cups for DPW challenge this week, it was asked to create a stack of something that is balanced, in many ways.Even this subject, the cups, was not very original, I enjoyed to paint it. 

Happiness



pencil on strong bristol 6"x9"

 For once, I decided to follow a drawing challenge and give it a try.Maybe I didn't draw for years, and I am quite glad with the result.The picture was given by idrawandpaint, but apparently, they don't want any link to their site on the blogs.
So, it was drawn with a 2B pencil;I didn't remember how long I took for this kind of work,before, about 4h, I suppose, but I am now aware of the difference of mood I am with it.I am more concentrated, and I am "in"the character, I never have this feeling with painting;  well, now I notice a few improvements I should do, of course!  

FLEURS DE POMMIER

oil on canvas paper 7"x 9"

It was painted for ARTISTICS SENTIMENTS challenge, and I enjoyed the subject, with thoses subtle colors.

From my window

oil on board 5"x7"

This week, the DPW challenge subject was to paint what we see from our place, so it was an opportunity to paint a small view of our garden.
We have been living here for 3 years and half, now, and it’s such a pleasure;it’s a small village, just in border  of a big river, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean, at 30mn drive. We cross the fingers not to be  flooded!Last year, during the storm  Xynthia, we were fortunately spared.I like to hear the waves, in the night, with the open window, it's soothing.