Ottawa Sketching??? Adventure

Posted on August 21, 2016 by Larry Marshall

Chantal and I headed off to Ottawa on a five day trip to visit our daughter. Of course, I hoped to get some sketching done as well but on this trip it wasn’t the high priority.

Nevertheless, I contacted folks in the Ottawa Urban Sketchers via Facebook and one of the members said she’d send me an email to arrange a session. Sadly, my host server’s spam mail filter decided it was spam so I never received it. While disappointing, truth was, the rain would have likely scuttled any chance of meet up. Next time for sure.

While waiting for our daughter to get out of work, Chantal indulged my passion by agreeing to wander around the nature museum while I sketched this guy. While Fred Flintstone’s pet looked like a baby brontosaurus, I suspect that cavemen might have been happier with this dog-like beast. The display only had the leg and back armor on one side, I drew it as it sat and thought it pretty cool.

Stillman & Birn Alpha (5.5x8.5softcover), Esterbrook J9550, diluted DeAtramentis Document Black

Stillman & Birn Alpha (5.5×8.5softcover), Esterbrook J9550, diluted DeAtramentis Document Black

We had a ball the rest of the week but there wasn’t much sketching involved. I did a bunch of quick-sketches as people ran up and down the shopping malls while the family shopped. We visited museums and walked a lot. We ate too much. We dodged the rain…lots of rain.

One evening I was sort of antsy about not having done any sketching so while the family was reading, I tried to channel Paul Heaston and drew my daughter’s kitchen. I’m afraid that Paul and I had a bad connection because I don’t have the hatching/drawing skills that Paul has but I had fun doing it and that’s all that matters.

Stillman & Birn Alpha (3.5x5.5softcover), Esterbrook J9550, diluted DeAtramentis Document Black

Stillman & Birn Alpha (3.5×5.5softcover), Esterbrook J9550, diluted DeAtramentis Document Black

Sadly, it was time to leave but Ottawa hasn’t seen the last of me yet. Besides, someone was coming for a visit in Quebec City and I had to be there to greet her. More on that next time.

2016 Nouvelle France Sketch Fest

Posted on August 19, 2016 by Larry Marshall

The Croquistes de Quebec held their August sketchcrawl in conjunction with Quebec’s Nouvelle France event, a time when people dress in 18th Century garb, some act like pirates, minstrels, swordsmen, etc. and everyone has fun. This year was no exception.

I apologize for the blog going dark for a while but it seems that the busier I get sketching, the less time I have to write about it. I’m going to try to make a push to get caught up but this sketchcrawl event took place on August 4th so you can see how far behind I am.

My goal that day was to talk as much as possible, eat a lot, and do a bunch of quick sketches. No long sit-down sessions for me this day. They can be placed in two piles. The first are the people in costume and here are few examples of those:

Stillman & Birn Alpha (5.5x8.5, DeAtramentis Document Black

Stillman & Birn Alpha (5.5×8.5, DeAtramentis Document Black

I didn’t limit myself to people, though. I did some quick vignettes of scenes surrounding the venue. Sorry that I haven’t written more but if a picture is worth a thousand words maybe the sketches make up for it. I’ll leave you to peruse these sketches cuz I’ve got a bunch of scanning to do 🙂

S&B Alpha (5.5×8.5)

Taking A Break By Drawing A Bridge

Posted on August 5, 2016 by Larry Marshall

I was out walking the other day and realized that I’d forgotten my stool. This limits where I can sit to sketch so I started looking for the magic sketcher’s triad. A shady spot, a subject to sketch, and something to sit on. Eventually I found a bench under a tree and the end of a bridge I could sketch. This was the result.

Stillman & Birn Alpha (5x8), Esterbrook J9550, diluted DeAtramentis Document Black

Stillman & Birn Alpha (5×8), Esterbrook J9550, diluted DeAtramentis Document Black

Sketching In Limoilou

Posted on August 4, 2016 by Larry Marshall

Our group wanted to sketch some more in the allies of Limoilou. I’ve written about our previous sketching sessions there. This part of the city was built mostly during the period where alleyways were used for garbage collection, electric wires, and other services.

But while the rest of the group headed off to the alleys, I decided to draw a chapel on 3rd Avenue. I’ve wanted to sketch it for a long time and think most about the idea when there are no leaves on the trees as this affords a better view of the building. But trees are nice too and this is what it looks like in July.

Stillman & Birn Alpha (5×8), Esterbrook J9550, diluted DeAtramentis Document Black

When I finished I wandered around the alleys looking for the group. I found them and they were all finishing up drawing an alley scene. I only had a few minutes but I documented this gaggle of sketchers.

Gallerie-Margalis Revisited

Posted on July 31, 2016 by Larry Marshall

Previously I posted some sketches I did at an event hosted by the Charlesbourg Watercolorists at Gallerie Magella-Paradis in the north part of Quebec City. I guess Yvan and I didn’t make too much of a nuisance of ourselves because we were invited back when the group decided to do it again. I don’t really have much to say about the day that wasn’t said the first time we went except that these folks are really nice and the weather much better than the first time we attended.

Here are the sketches I did, all in a Stillman & Birn softcover (5.5×8.5) sketchbook. I used an Esterbrook J2048 pen with DeAtramentis Document Black ink. Clicking on them will make them larger.