No coffee any more

oil on paper 7"x5"

I have been suppressing coffee for quite one month now, even if I was not a fervent of tea.I think it’s better for health.
So I painted this one for DPW challenge;the subject ? paint your favorite mug.It’s not my favorite, but one of those I have here at the Lake.It was not a small thing to do this work!We were said to go to learn how to paint an ellipse.

I followed the consigns, ok for the rectangle, the dots, etc., but after?how to adapt this ellipse to the rest of the body, and what does determine the size of the ellipse, why does my cup look bended?
I did it in several sequences, and the last time, I forgot to notice I’ve changed of table, and this one was lower, that is not the same thing for an ellipse..
I guess I have to work again on the ellipses, but not this one, it’s enough!

The window sill



oil on paper 7"x9"

 I painted this for DPW this week.We were given this picture in black and white, and we had to paint the scene in color, respecting the values.
My pot is too big,maybe the colors are  somber, but I enjoyed doing this exercise.
I have been arrived at the Lake of the Woods, Ontario, for one week now.We have a nice weather, although unpredictable, for example this morning at 11.00 am: suddenly a thunder storm  burst, with a black sky .We were obliged to tidy up everything on the porch, fold the parasol, shut the windows..
It lasted about 30mn, and everything is ok now, the sun shines, sunglasses and parasol are compulsory.Maybe you know this kind of weather, but at home, in France, it’s not usual.
Here are some pictures taken yesterday from our terrace, at the twilight.”
I
We have a lovely landscape ‘, I don’t know why I’ve  never painted it…

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!