Amersfoort, USk-NL day (2)

 

Forgot to post this one. Not 100% content, but that's okay. My aunt lives in Amersfoort, she is 99 years old, will be 100 in November. She has a painting of this scene hanging in her apartment, dating from about 1940 or so. But even though that one is a winter scene, nothing much has changed since then.

Amersfoort, USk-NL day

 

We organized another National Urban Sketching day in Amersfoort. There were about 300 sketchers in town. Even gthough it was quite hot (>31 degrees Celcius), we had a great day. But it is a beautiful old Dutch town. With canals, tiny streets, ancient gabeled houses, and these kind of old fortifications. I tried watercolour pencils (W&N) on toned paper, with some parts in white gouache.

USk Maastricht: Faliezusters

 

Another one from the Maastricht Urban Sketching meeting. Het Faliezustersklooster. Made rather quick, maybe half an hour.

Enschede (2)

 

Drawing of the side of the Jacobuskerk (Jacob church). It was a secluded little square, quite popular to draw.

Enschede: café Moeke

 

I just had a great weekend. Not only did I visit my good friend Igor (which I hadn't seen since my study days, 35 years ago) and his lovely partner Wilma, but the Urban Sketching Netherlands organized a Saturday of sketching in Enschede. This is café Moeke, where all 220 participants assembled before we went into town to paint and sketch.

Den Bosch: St Janscentrum

 

Last saturday there was a coördination meeting with the local Urban Sketching groups, in Den Bosch. After exchanging views and brainstorming on new ideas, we all went out into the cloister garden to draw. The magnolia trees were almost popping out in beautiful blossom.

Spoorwegmuseum

 

A locomobile, as on display in teh railway museum, that we visited a week ago. It was a quick one, I had only half an hour left before we had the final closing meeting.

Spoorwegmuseum

 

Urban Sketchers Netherlands (of which I am boardmember) organized an event in Utrecht, at the Spoorwegmuseum (railway museum). There were numerous trains to paint and draw. And we had 350 sketchers joining us, a great event. I made three drawings. One of them was a total failure, which I destroyed immediately. The other two were fine. This is the front part of a huge Scottish steam train, exhibited because it played a role in the liberation of the Netherlands, 80 years ago. black ink on toned paper, with white gouache.

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!

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.

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".

Roermond

Impression of the market place in Roermond. We were there to prepare a national USk-NL sketching day, but took the opportunity to do some sketchig ourselves.
 

Leiden: St. Peterchurch

THis is the second sketch I managed to make during our National Dutch Urban sketching day. Due to the rain (and time spent on social activities) these wre the only two drawings I was able to make.

Leiden usk sketchday

 

We organised another national Urban sketcher sketchday. This time in Leiden. A beautiful city to draw in, unfortunately the weather was not very good: strong chilly wind and low temperatures (10 degrees C). But worst of all, some occosional and sudden rainshowers. Real Dutch weather. This drawing was a victim of the rain: as I had finished inking the rain soaked my sketchbook. You can still see the leaking ink and blotches. Anyway, despite the weather we had a great day. Nice to see the 250 participants joining us all over the city. This is the view from the fortress on top of the city, with a nice view over the rooftops.

Den Bosch: Hieronymus Bosch

 

Day 2 of the National Urban Sketching weekend in 's Hertogenbosch. I gave the perspective workshop again, so I had little time to sketch myself. I did this one on the central market place, a statue of the famous Den Bosch painter: Hieronymus Bosch. Not the L.A. detective by the way....

Coffeebar "Het Front"

Made during the Maastricht sketchcrawl last Saturday. A coffebar in a converted seacontainer. The Owner was quite enthousiastic and brought us coffee twice. It was nice to be out sketching again.

Zoe and Bèr

 

Sketchmeeting at the Fronten, Maastricht this afternoon. Here are Bèr en Zoe in action.

Sketchweekend: Charles Vos Cour

A drawing of the Charles Vos Cour, a modern building complex taking old building styles into account. By the Belgian architect: Charles Vandenhove.