Kitty Cat Moment (Digital Painting)

I bought myself an IPad Pro for Christmas. Here's my first drawing with it. Teena Tumbilina (The best feline in the world) modelled for the painting.
I'm still learning the features of the software (I didn't know I could make my lines straight....Next time).
Nonetheless, I'm pleased with my quick sketch. I really like the narrative and the composition.

Caricatures

I've been doing caricatures lately. It sure is fun. Here's one from the other day of a cute couple who just got engaged. 

More Caricatures

Yesterday I decided I wanted some practice doing caricatures so I went to Dallas Road and put up a sign offering to do free caricatures. I know it's an odd thing to do but artists can do odd things, eh. Anyways, in all ten people were adventurous enough to indulge me. Here are three of them. It was fun and it was also so nice to chat with new people. 

Bastion Square Sketch

Here;s a little composition I did recently at Bastion Square. 

Caricatures from my Artist Residency at the Coast Harbourside Hotel

Here are some caricatures I did yesterday at the Coast Harbourside. It's really a lot of fun doing them. I've been doing them for free to get some practice...and to take the pressure off.  I have a disclaimer on my sign that reads:
"Any resemblance to any person living or dead is purely a coincidence. " LOL

The Waiting Men, Lunds Auction, Sketch 4x4" on paper

I just had to capture this scene at Lunds this afternoon. These guys were patiently waiting in the viewing area while the person they were with was in the auction room. 

Zentangle Botanical Illustrations, 81/2 x 11, Pen on paper

I just bought a new sketchbook and pen set. I thought I would try a Zentangle type drawing. Here's what I've come up with so far. They are done totally from my imagination. Normally I only paint from what I can see so this was new to me. I'm quite pleased with the results.

Bastion Square Sketches

A couple of sketches I did at Bastion Square. 

Lund's Auction Sketches

Last night I sat in on an auction at Lund's hoping to find a much needed storage cabinet. I didn't get a cabinet but Did manage to do a few sketches. The place was packed!

I've been at Bastion Square the past few weeks. Here are a few sketches I've done there.

Willows Beach

I spent the day sketching at Willows Beach. Here's one of my sketches.

Pride Parade 2015

This is my sketchbook opened flat with two different sketches. The left side is my sketch from Canada Day and the right side is my sketch from the Pride Parade. But the two sketches flow together like one scene.  Just about every week there is some festival or other all summer in Victoria. (The woman on the right in the black skirt is Victoria artist Carollyne Yardley (also known as the Squirrel Artist).

Canada Day Sketch

Canada Day

Yesterday was Canada Day. I did this quick sketch of people on the lawn of the legislature.

I added some watercolour later when I got home.

The fireworks were great!

Canada Day Sketch with Color

Montreal musee des beaux arts

I went to the exhibit at the Musee yesterday. The exhibition VanGogh to Kandanski is on. I was so humbled and inspired. My heart just pounded with excitement.  It was everything I could do to control myself. (One doesn't ever want to get on the wrong side of the musee security)

I could spot the artists among the crowd. They were the ones that get too close. Studying the burst strokes. Analyzing the technique. Looking beyond the top layers to discover the underpainting. They take too many photographs, even having the gall to snap a pic on works thst don't permit photos. They also get in the way of others viewing. After a while these out of control artists fall under the attention of security. 

I love watching the crowd. People of all ages come to see the art treasures so generously shared by the legal owners of these wonderful works. Theyre excited too. We're all becoming enriched in a way that for want of a better word is spiritual.

I always buy a VIP Plus membership to the musee. It is a pass that allows me to come and go without waiting in line for a ticket. And I can bring a friend. I can return to the exhibitions several times. I cannot just look once. I must go often to look again to really have a closer look. It's exhausting. Impossible to do in just one day.  It's my favorite thing to do in Montreal other than paint. The VIP plus membership is well worth the price. In fact it's the best deal in town.

Advice:

If you notice a crookedly hung painting at the Musee never EVER attempt to straighten it.

Waiting Room Scenes

In the waiting room sketch before colour.

Wriggly kid

 Here's a couple of sketches I did in a waiting room recently. The kid was so wriggly squiggly. And his mom was too. So I just sketched as they moved. I heard Picasso's work started out that way.

Copying Masters Works

Sometimes I see a masters work that I love and must copy. In my opinion copying great paintings is a learning experience that improves my own sense of design. Here are some of my copies of Masters works I've done in the past few years. Some I did on my own while others I did at Paul Peregal's Masters Class at the Victoria College of Art (Also known as the Bank Street School).  I highly recommend this course and the Bank Street School overall. If you study art there you will leave with great drawing and painting skills. They also have an illustration and animation program. (I would really like to do animation). When I studied there I felt like I had entered an Ashram of Art Creation. If you haven't been there do check it out. Even the building is wonderful. It's a very old school with 15 foot ceilings and windows. In the winter they cover the windows with bubble wrap to keep the heat in. This makes it feel rather like an aquarium.

The Oil Change

View from my car when I got my oil change.

Here's a sketch I did from inside my car at my last oil change at Jiffy on Douglas). Having my car serviced is a very stressful event for me because I don't have a mechanic I know and trust yet. I had Glen from the Esso on Menzies Street a few years ago but he's gone and I can't find where he moved. (It just occurred to me that I could hire a private investigator to find him. Would that be weird?)

I bought this amazing 2004 Pontiac Sunfire a few years ago. It was a private sale and it had less than 25000km. It has $50000km now. I want it always to be reliable and to last forever. (Yep, I'm gonna be driving this in the vintage car parade when I'm 105). So I go through the manual and look for the manufacturer recommended service. Then I do a lot of online research. Then I ask everybody I know what they think. I journal a lot about it and even meditate on the whole thing. Then I go to a place like Jiffy and spend like 3 times more than I should. I just don't want to skimp and regret it.

What about tires? Mine look like new and they always check them when I go for an oil change. Of course they're not worn down at all because I only have 50000clicks on them. But do tires have a "best before" date regardless of their use. I mean they're rubber? Doesn't rubber dry out and begin to crumble in time even without use.

Barb Lacing Her Skates

Tonight I went ice skating at the Empress. Here's a quick sketch I did of my friend Barb lacing her skates. 

The Critique

Here are some sketches I did at a critique yesterday. The critiqued was very expressive with her hand gestures. Fun.

The Critique

Musicians at the Memorial