I’m continuing to have fun with small 3×5 (or smaller) sketches. Thought I’d share a few more with you.
This is a small, adorable building that is the home to a dress designer. It looks like something from a fairy tale and seemed like a great small sketch subject. As with my previous small sketches, this one (and the others here) were done in a Moleskine watercolor sketchbook. This particular one was done with a Pilot Prera and Platinum Carbon Black ink.
We took a day trip down (up?) the southern coast of the St. Lawrence River to Kamouraska. I’d hoped to sketch some of the great buildings there but instead I did this sketch of my daughter looking out at the ocean (the Atlantic is out there somewhere if you look far enough). I like this one a lot, probably because of the subject matter.
I was walking across the bridges that crosses the St. Charles River just as it flows into the St. Lawrence and decided, without much thought, to sketch this scene. I think the scene would have been better served by a larger format but the little sketchbook came out and the pen started jittering around the paper. I’m not a fan of sketching while standing and this is further evidence that I’m not very good at it. But they can’t all be great. It was still fun, which is why I do this.
Lastly, and certainly least, I was taking a break on Terrace Dufferin, a large boardwalk associated with the Chateau Frontenac. Across from me was this guy, looking out at the St. Lawrence. I took out my cheap sketchbook thinking I’d just do a one-minute sketch of him and, big mistake, I started the sketch in portrait format, thinking I was only going to draw him and couple boards to represent the bench. Then I sort of got carried away making squiggles to represent the railing and before I knew it I was having to draw him smaller than I planned, the bench became more integral to the sketch, and in the end I had a tiny, 2×2 vignette of a guy on a bench. It’s sort of scratch and way too small but again, quite fun and I thought I would share it as an example of improper planning… or maybe just the right amount 🙂 This one was done with a Uniball Signo UM151 (brown-black) pen. I really like these pens and I’m now armed with several of them.
Larry, I really like the one of your daughter. Notice you have added color to some of them. Thanks for sharing what you do.
Yes my approach is to create a sketch with pen and then, quite often, add color to it. Not a sophisticated approach, perhaps, but it works for me 🙂
Cheers — Larry
Bonjours Larry. Je m’appelle Caroline. J’habite pas loin de chez toi, dans le quartier St-Jean Baptiste. J’aime beaucoup ton travail dans tes sketchbooks. J’aimerai bien savoir où tu achètes à Québec tes Stillman & Birn Sketchbooks, particulièrement les Beta et/ou Delta, ceux avec le papier aquarelle. J’en voudrais pour moi et aussi pour ma nièce.
Bonjour Caroline,
Je m’excuse en avance pour mon Anglais. I have to respond in English, however, as it takes me too long to write my bad French (Grin).
Unfortunately, bilingual labelling restrictions prevent Stillman & Birn products to be available in Quebec. You can buy them, however, from Above Ground Art Supplies (see link in the right sidebar of my blog). Their website is something of a challenge but their service has been wonderful. Curry Art Supplies in Toronto also stock S&B.
The Beta and Delta books are 180lb paper that resembles good quality cold press watercolor paper. Their new Zeta books are also 180lb paper that is very much like quality hot press paper.
That said, I regularly use watercolors on Alpha and Epsilon papers. These 100lb papers work much better for watercolors than most people of this weight because they are heavily sized, like watercolor papers.
Hope this helps.
Cheers — Larry
ps – if you and your niece sketch outdoors, maybe you’d like to go sketching with us sometime. Everyone speaks good French except me (grin).
Ou sinon si il n’y a pas de Stillman & Birn Beta à Québec, j’aimerais que tu me recommandes les sketchbooks que je peux trouver ici qui prennent le mieux l’aquarelle. Parce que là, à toutes les fois que j’ai l’intention de mettre un peu d’aquarelle dans mes dessins, je suis obligée de descendre au sous-sol pour me couper du papier Arches ou Fabriano Artistico. C’est un peu plate & long, même si j’adore ces papiers. Et je n’aime pas vraiment le Strathmore série 400 (relié) qu’ils vendent au Deserres. Je voudrais un sketchbook avec du vrai bon papier aquarelle, et que je n’ai pas besoin de commander sur Internet. Merci à l’avance. Caroline, Québec.
Oops I see you just answered me right before I sent my last message! Thanks!
“” ps – if you and your niece sketch outdoors, maybe you’d like to go sketching with us sometime. Everyone speaks good French except me (grin). “”
Yes. certainly. But she’s just 6 years old… She’s coming to visit in 2-3 weeks & I’m sure she would enjoy such an experience. She would remember this for months!!
Unfortunately, DeSerres seems more interested in stocking inexpensive art supplies than good ones 🙂 I have seen several of the new Strathmore 566 watercolor books (brown covers, 140lb paper) in the store in St. Foy but they were gone last time I was there. Also, at the Zone, on rue Charest, there is Fabriano watercolor sketchbook but I have no experience with it. These days I rarely buy any art supplies locally as the selection is just so poor.
Let’s create a day for your niece to remember. I love kids. Have one of my own, though she’s now 18 and not quite as much fun 🙂 We have no formal events planned for August except to attend the Nouvelle France event to sketch people in costumes. Given her age, a formal event may not be the best solution anyway. Maybe something a bit more relaxing, like a trip to the Plains of Abraham or somewhere else that you think she might like. I could bring some of my sketchbooks for her to look at and we could sketch together. If you can tell me when it would be convenient, I may also be able to get a few other sketchers to show up. There are 4-5 who sketch regularly together. Send me some details of her visit: larry@larrydmarshall.com Oh…and it’s fine to write in French. Comme vous voulez.
Cheers — Larry