Schinveld, Nonke Buusjke

 

This afterrnoon, I took a nice ride on my bike, wanted to draw some cows, couln't find hem, so I drew this old farmhouse instead. It's a open air museum showing domestic life 100 years ago, and called Nonke buusjke (local dialect, to be translated as: our uncle living in the woods).

Heerlen: Glass palace

 

Glaspaleis / Schunck. My city used to be rich and bursting of energy, in the coal mining era. In 1930 a department stote commisioned the architect Peutz to design a store. It resulted in this fully glassed square building, with elegant and visible columns, thin cantilevered concrete floors and a penthouse for the Schunck family. It's nearly 100 years old but could have been made today. It;s a museum and library now. This morning I picked my painting up from the exhibition there.

 

Valkenburg (3)

Also the Urban Sketching meeting in Valkenburg, a very quick one, maybe 10-15 minutes. The man was actually a statue, so he did not move :) .
 

Something different

 A random image of a face, inspired by an image I saw on Pinterest. Just fun to do. Sepia ink and watercolour on Khadi paper.

Valkenburg (2)

Here another sketch of the Urban Sketching Meeting of last saturday in Valkenburg.
 

Valkenburg: USk.

 

The Maastricht Urban Sketchers met today in Valkenburg. The group was about 12 people, we even had three from Eupen (Belgium) with us. The weather was lovely. I managed to make 3 drawings, this is one of them.

 

Bones

 

Something random. Just started doodling.

Amsterdam

 

My wife and I had a few nice days off to celebrate our wedding anniversary: one to Utrecht, one to Amsterdam. I managed to make these 2 quickies on the Prinsengracht. 

Passaasj Heerlen

 

I am very proud that one of my paintings was selected for the exhibition "Passaasj" in Heerlen. Out of 500 artists (both professional and amateur) 100 works were selected, among other this piece. Theme of the exhibition was "at home". This painting refers to the cold winters in the 60s, where my Father would bring in fresh coals for the hearth in these kind of buckets. And it also refers to our forme coal-mining region.

Gouda: sketchday

 

Last Saturday I helped organize a National Urban Sketching Netherlands day. This time in Gouda. I had visited Gouda for preparation purposes early March (see some of the sketches below), so I figured I would try something else now.

As it happened, last week I read the Thesis of Tania Cardoso "The illustrated cityscape: Imperfect lines of urban exploration", a very interesting scientific text on illustrating the urban environment.

I used her methodology to make this drawing, on a 50x70cm piece of paper. The cross-form was based on the fact that my backpack can only handle a 25x30cm drawing board and drawings. In this way I could fold the paper to that size. I used Inktense watercolour pencils, which I found to be quite suitable for this purpose. I hadn't used them fo maybe 10 years.....

Anyway, an experiment worth repeating. 

Portrait

 

Live portrait session, with palette knife, last monday.50x60 acrylic..

Brunssummerheide

 

We had temperatures of above 20 degrees this week, very early. I went out to the Brussummerheide, a forest area a few kilometers from my home. I usually run there. Two impressions in ink and watercolour.

Hair in ink

 

Portrait in Ink, based on a vintage picture I found on the internet. Could not find the photographer.

Washed out ink on Khadi handmade all-cotton paper.

Croy Castle

 

Quick sketch of a castle standing quite alone in the Brabant landscape. Kasteel Croy. Made 2 weeks ago, forgot to post.

Count your blessings, Gemert

 Another quick sketch made during the Tattoo session at Count your blessings, in Gemert.

St. Servaas, Maastricht

 

We had a meeting with the Maastricht Urban Sketchers last Saturday. a few hours of drawing, end then a nice beer in one of the cafés.

My previous sketchbook was full, so I tried a new one. Usually I use Moleskine ART (watercolour) sketchbooks A4 and A5. But this time I thought I would use something else: a Khadi sketchbook, 210 grams all cotton paper. I behaves totally different, it takes the watercolour in a different way. I kind of like the effect, but it needs adapting.  

Count your Blessings Tattoo

 

My son Mart treated himself to a tattoo. At "Count your blessings" In Gemert, an award winning tatoo shop. It took 2 days to make the piece, and I made this drawing during the process. At least it's an advantage that the subjects are sitting still for a while.

Mila with oranges

 

Finished another paiting: stilllife inspired by Matisse: our cat Mila behind a basket of oranges. Acrylic on Board, 60x70cm.

Gouda Goud Asfalt

 

Quick sketch across the canal in Gouda, and asphalt company unloading into ships.

Laboe harbour

Forgot to scan this drawing from Laboe, Northern Germany. I made this in the harbour, when I needed a break from the exhibition and library opening. Ink and gouache on toned paper.