Winter walks

 The less traffic route to King St and Liberty has modern townhouses and condos by the tracks. Looking south there is a great view of the old carpet factory buildings. The more modern builds make it seem more  exotic than before. It’s cold in Feb so phone photos let me think about it as a possible subject and work up value sketches and composition- on iPad in this instance.

TOUSK at Union Station

Toronto Urban Sketchers @torontourbansketchers met at Union Station last Sunday afternoon, and I took my tripod and sketch easel. This was the largest turnout I have ever seen. There was changing light and a not too cold day, which made for good sketching! The throw down at the end I found quite intimidating! I was please with my two tiny sketches and then every one else’s impressed me so greatly -it was humbling. 

Greek Orthodox Cathedral

 My library offers lots of Thomas Schaller (book and videos) and I can’t stop thinking about how those dramatic colour washes are hung on a drawing with so much light and atmosphere. They have the creative freedom of Cee Cee with an architect’s precision and spacial sense. Still tight enough, but LOOSE. I want a system for watercolour plein air that works for me. I want my drawing to improve, but I still want to play. I want my first inspiration to carry into the paint.

Proper watercolour paper by Strathmore,

photo c

Mother in Law’s House

 We go nearly every day to look in on Mom and help her out. This house had sunlight on it and cast shadow on the adjoining house because of the hulking hospital across the street. Toned paper makes unfinished parts invisible! Gouache is great for layers of detail and solid hues. Did the brilliant whites and oranges lead you to Mom’s porch?

Now I see it in the photo, it seems to me the pencil sketch had accuracy that got lost under the paint. (Roof line right side). The fussy details are too much, but I wanted to make my sword brush dance along the railings. I would correct the bay windows. Maybe gouache can help with quick adjustments And testing composition. I do think the shadow and light effect holds its own in spite of that, because the idea works and the values and complementary contrast support the idea.

10 minute pencil sketch on King St West

 Today like every day I do the driving and we avoid the cold, paid parking and ttc problems by scooting out to do errands together. When I am waiting in the car, I try to frame the vast city into a small rectangle in the notebook I carry in a pocket. Today it went well, but instead of pencil shading for value I washed in some Payne’s Grey with a water brush at home.

It worked well as an IG post also. One point perspective is pretty easy= less angles to worry about. It’s amazing to me how little detail is really needed to get the story across.

On large paper, with flowing washes, I can see this being fairly dramatic. The cars on the left could be developed, mainly in shadow with strategic highlights or reserved whites. The FedEx truck lettering would be readable.

Next time, remember to get a reference photo:)

Hard Start

 Mom passed when I painted the last entry in 2022. I’ve always wondered how that experience might feel. So many emotional adjustments were happening in the lead up - a fall, illness, fragility and the like. The process isn’t easy or fun but we made the most of those days. Family are closer than ever now, and I feel fortunate for that. Drawing hasn’t been regular enough, and I’ve been preoccupied with other things. Some of my current laziness is just deep winter onset.

This sketch of what I could see from the porch happened just because of a rare sunny interval.

Looking at work by Thomas Schaller and others, I’ve decided to work out “stories” in three values for possibly painting later.  I love how Clippie the cat appears at the right

These two quick studies were done by toronto urban uh sketchers Andres Shmatnik (Kensington Firehall) and Hagen Maturne (Distillery). I met them At Origin Coffee where Urban Sketchers Toronto had an exhibit opening. These have the dramatic shadow and light effect I’m after (look at those puddles!)

Begun onsite while waiting outside in the car, this sketch of my Mother in Law’s house was completed at home. The value sketch shows white shapes aligned left to right and the sun barely sneaking past the hospital on the opposite side of the street. I have a Blackwing pencil to try, and some really nice Reeves Pencils in various hardness.

This quick painting was made in the I Deal Cafe after a brisk walk with my daughter.