Comics by Willem and Zara

 

The 26th, Second Christmas day, our children and grandchildren were here for a festive dinner. It was a great family moment. After dinner I helped Zara (the top drawing, she is 5 years) and Willem (the bottom one, he's 7 years now) to make Christmas comic stories. All about Christmas presents being stolen by either Aliens (Zara) or the Grinch (Willem). Luckily the presents came back where they belonged :)

Best wishes for these Festive days.

Best wishes for the Christmas days and may 2026 be a year of enjoyment and good health.

(based on a gouache painting I made on location in 's Hertogen Bosch december 2024).
 

Utrecht: Museum Speelklok

 

I am secretary of the Association of Dutrch Urban Sketchers. We have 2 new boardmembers, and one leaving, to get o know each other we had a lunch in Utrecht. Unfortunately it was too cold to sketch outside, so we went to a museum of automated musical instruments, like pianola, streetorgans, carrilions and clocks. The top one was cute: an automated Van Gogh puppet, who paints sunflowers every hour. And when he is finished the sunflowers turn around in the painting :) .

Maastricht Helmstraat (2)

 

A guy sitting in front of the entrance of a supermarket at the Helmstraat in Maastricht. I quietly observed him from the other side of the street. He was not a beggar, maybe homeless, or passing time, I don't know. Just before I finished he stood up and left.

Maastricht, Helmstraat

 

Maastricht, de Helmstraat. This morning. Ink and watercolour in a A5 Moleskine watercolour sketchbook.

2 men: portraits in ink

 

Two quick ink drawings, made this afternoon, based on pictures from the Internet, a photo by M. Odekerken (left) and a picture of some unknown Zapatista from Mexico (right).

Aunt Leny's anniversary: 100 years

 

My aunt Leny, living in Amersfoort, will celebrate her 100th birthday tomorrow. As a present I painted a scene of Amersfoort, at the Elleboogkerk. 

There is a little story attached to this scene. As long as I can remember my aunt has had a painting of exactly the same viewpoint hanging in above the dinnertable. But that painting dates from before WW2 (if I recall correctly). But it's a winter scene with lots of snow. Last summer I was in Amersfoort and I sketched on the same location, but I disliked that drawing. So I remade it with acryl gouache, here it is. Actually, nothing much changed during that time, only the trees are in bloom and they are a lot larger.

Update: 14 december: we had a great party yesterday to celebrate her birthday. Here you see both paintings next to each other :) .

 

Anja, live portrait

 

Anja, monday morning live portrait session. Same technique as last week. Took 2 hours to make.

Armand portrait

 

Some experimenting this morning. A live portrait session, Armand this time. Acrylic paint and charcoal. on bamboo paper treated with tilemortar. That's what gives it's gritty effect.