Treehouse

 

This is a real and existing Treehouse. My wife and I had a nice long weekend on a holidaycamp, in the middle of forests and heath. Perfect weather, nice long walks, beautiful colours. We had a nice small luxury cottage, surrounded by trees and squirrels. But elsewhere on the terrain there was this beautiful wooden treehouse, for rent, but not in our league.

I forgot to take water for painting. But I still had a waterbrush, so I washed out the ink before it was dry.

Vreeland

On the easel. Diana Vreeland, a American journalist, excercise in shadowtones, based on a picture. Made in the atelier of Annemiek Jongen.  Acrylic 50x60cm, took me an hour to make.

Huis op de Jeker (2)

I had forgotten to post this one, the facade of the House on the Jeker (Maastricht), of some weeks ago. I had to stop a few times due to the rain, but it was fun to do a precise drawing.
 

Sunflowers

 Sunflowers in a field on the "Wintraak". You don't say IN the Wintraak, because it's on top of the hill, Actually it's the first steep hill that you will encounter if you come from the north, from Holland. 

And yes, it's windy up there. Anyway, there I was, in the middle of a muddy field enjoying the still warm autumn sun, making this drawing. Took me about 20 minutes to make.

Khadija Arib

 

Excercise in charcoal: a portrait made by erasing parts from a page that was blackened with Charcoal.

She is a well known politician, presiding our parlaiment.

House on the Jeker

 

Huis aan de Jeker (house on the stream "Jeker"). The Jeker is a small stream that runs through Maastricht. For large parts it's hidden behind and under buildings, but here is a small house that hangs over the stream. I wanted to draw it for a long time, I had the chance yesterday.

Jan Siebelink

  

Unfortunately, due to Corona, live model drawing is not possible anymore. I am doing a course with Annemiek Jongen again, on portrait drawing. These are the first excercises: charcoal drawings

Thumbnails

Some thumbnail sketches of plants and trees. Autumn will be there soon
 

Vogelzang in Puth

Vogelzang ("singing birds") in Puth, a small village near where I live. I went there to draw the old farmhouse, but by chance chatted with the lady of the house, Marietje van der Linden. She is an sculpture artist (or rather jewelry designer), but her house is full of works by her husband, son and daughter in law. I saw fantsatic works, big and small. And was allowed to draw the inner courtyard, feauturing some of her stuff.

Sleeping Sheep

 

I am not working a lot in our office nowadyas, so those days I have to go, I use the bicycle. It has been nice weather lately anyway. Last monday I saw this along the road, a few sheep dozing off under a flatbed. It took a few minutes to make this quick sketch.

Ford F500 (1951)

 

Went out drawing again, to draw some nice old cars (on location). I found these beauties in front of an vintage car restauration workshop, in Heerlen.

It's a Ford F500 truck, dating back from about 1951. On the right there is a Dodge van, on the left a chevrolet, no idea about model or year.

Quaira

  

The city of Quaira, in the Stellae desert. Ink drawing, digitally coloured.

Jan Vermeerlaan

 My brother became 60. He likes older romantic paintings from the early 20th century.

So I made a small contribution to his small collection of paintings: a romantic do-it-yourself painting, including a rural scene and his own house. Just a bit of fun.

Schinnen Wolfhagen

 

Just another scene from Schinnen, the view into a courtyard of an old farmhouse.

Huis Fabritius

 

House Fabritius is a fortified farmhouse in Schinnen, in a hamlet called Wolfhagen (wolf's hedges). It dates back to 1615, and has a long history, housing both Sheriffs and cruel gangs of robbers. These gangs were called Bokkerijders (Goat riders). This was because they came and went so fast, people said they could only do this with the help of the devil. And riding on the back of goats. I was told there is even a hidden cave a little up the hill where they stacked the loot. Don't know if that's true; even though I am more or less a local I have no idea where it's at.

Jan Decleir portrait

My painting was finished last monday. I should add that the original photo by Koos Breukel was also very good. But still, it was quite a challenge to get it right. It took me 4 stages to paint this, with each a week in between (oils have to dry): 

1: underpainting (below, left),

2: shadows, blues and the parts which should look like further away (below, top right)

3: light parts and the parts that shold come forward. (below bottom right)

4: finish and highlights (zee final painting above).

 

Zara

Zara, our granddaughter, stayed here at our home for a day. What a joy. I made this pendrawing, which I coloured with digital means.

AEC Matador

I was randomly cyling through Heerlen, when I came across this beautiful, fully restored AEC Matador. A small truck from World War 2. It looked like new.

I talked to the proud owner, who had more of these restauration projects under way. I saw the remnants of some other old machines. Some kind of a hobby!

Loempia in Hoensbroek

Loempia's are the Dutch word for Vietnamese Spring rolls.

I saw this guy standing next to a little foodtruck on the main square in Hoensbroek. I did not have a sketchbook, just took a quick hazy picture and made this drawing at home.

Antwerp

I had a business trip to Antwerp last friday. Took the opportunity to make this little sketch from the parking lot. It was just a few days before they shut down Antwerp, due to too many Corona cases.
They even have curfew today. It looks more and more like war.