Shipyard

 

Just a quick scribble sketch, nothing serious or realistic. Based on a picture of the Staten Island ship graveyard.

Den Bosch St Jan

 

Also painted on location, acrylic gouache on toned papeer, the cathedral of 's Hertogenbosch.

Nocturnal Den Bosch part 2

 

Nightpainting:  a view of a shopwindow across the street of the previous image. Also a new experience: During painting I chatted with a tourist, and he threw 5 euro's in my hat as tip. As if I was a streetartist. Well, maybe I am.

Nocturnal Den Bosch

 For the first time since the start (2017) of Urban sketching Netherlands Foundation (of which I have been board member and secretary from day one) we had a board dinner together.

In 's Hertogenbosch. And of course, we went drawing out in the city together, even though it was just above freezing point. The challenge was to paint/draw a nocturnal scene on coloured paper. I took my newly made wooden paintbox with acrylic gouche paint with me. A great challenge!

Cow in Leuse (F)

No time (and weather) to go out to sketch. Based on apicture I made this summer of a large cow in Leuse, France. Ink and watercolour pencil.

Portrait in gouache

 

Painting in acrylic gouache. I found the picture of her on Pinterest, but it was gone before I knew who it was or who made the photograph. I used only 3 colours: white, black and carmide red.

Heist op den Berg

I had a business appointment in Belgium, in Heist op den Berg. On the other side of the road there was this quite bizarre building, and I couldn't leave without making a quick sketch. 

I mean, Belgium is renowned for its eclectic buildings, but this one was even more over the top. And this wasn't even the most bizarre side (Unfortunately the other side had a truck parked in front). You may notice details like round stained glass windows, four types of masonry and two male statues carrying the towers on both sides of the front door. Belgium is a lot more interesting than the Netherlands anyway.

MG TF drawing for John

 

A surprise gift for a collegue who left our company a month ago. As a hobby he restores old MG cars. Among others this MG-TF 1957, which was originally owned by his father. 

Unfortunately I forgot to make a decent scan of the painting, the photograph is a bit discoloured.

Amstenrade in gouache

 

 

 This morning I went painting in the park behind the castle of Amstenrade (just about 1 km from my house). It was not cold, and I was be able to do this painting in (acrylic) gouache on darkbrown toned paper. In the picture you can see my gouache setup, fixed on a camera tripod. I made the box myself.

Leuze in 2 themes

 

I made these two paintings on location, in Leuze, France. The subject was to make them in two different colour themes. Below you see the real situation. Unfortunately, it began raining halfway, and I had to finish them in another location. Acryl paint 40x40cm each.

Faces in watercolour and ink

 

An excercise in faces, at a live painting session. Two of about twelve that I made in about 2 hours. First a few strokes of wax. Then a few watercolour strokes. And after drying a minimum of lively ink lines, trying to catch the features without overdoing. Surprising enough, both images resemble Paul and Willebrord.

Aachen

I was in Aachen (Germany) last friday. A view from the terrace of the major bookshop there, Meyrische.

Isabel

 

Model class again. This time a highly pregnant woman. We had to scratch te paper with a wax candle, then use watercolour, and add a few ink lines after that. Quite outside my comfort zone, but it was a nice excercise.

Faces

Some random quick sketches of faces, after pictures I found on the internet. Made during lunchbreaks Normally I go for a short walk with collegues during lunchbreak, but when it rains we stay in, and i take my sketchbook out.
 

Roermond challenge

 

During the National sketchday in Roermond, I initiated two challenges. The first was on the market: you had to make 4 or 5 little sketches of details that you notice. I did the excercise myself on the Market of Maastricht, to provide an example (top one). The second challenge was: define and draw in a few strokes the total scene of the market, but then fill in only one or two details. These will draw the attention (the market of Roermond, bottom one). The results of the excercises were beyond expectation.

Gouache portrait

 

Painting with acrylic gouache again. This time based on a picture I found on the internet (probably AI). In my moleskine sketchbook, size A5.

Roermond: USk-NL day

 

I helped to organize another National Urban sketchingday in Roermond, last Saturday. We had perfect weather, and a great turnout. More than 200 sketchers spread out over the city to draw. I enjoyed the fine weather, the drawings, meeting new and old friends. 

I also gave a workshop, perspective drawing for urban sketching, which was attended by some 15 people. In the end I was only able to make one drawing myslef, of the Munsterkerk, which you can see above.

Below a picture of the crowd, at the end of the day, at the "show and tell".

Maastricht: Huis op de jeker

 

Another experiment: using gouache on location. I made a portable gouache box, to be mounted on a camera tripod. I painted this house before. It worked out fine, but there is room for improvement on the box.

1/2 marathon

 

Last sunday I managed to run a half marathon again. 21,1 km in 2 hours 4 minutes, 30 seconds. I finished place 250 of 305 runners. I think that is not bad for someone aged 66.

It was the first time in 15 years, and quite heavy at the last 2 km. But hey, pain lasts for a short time, pride lasts forever.

More stones

 

the second drawing of the geology tour. The girld stood there long enough for a pencil sketch (contour, wheels and posture was enough). The rest drawn after she was gone.