sketchbook selection

From time to time, i like to visit my old sketchbooks. I browse them discovering them with fresh eyes, and new perspectives. Here is a quick selection of what caught my eyes recently.

 

 

 

 

Pastels?

After finishing my first children book, I'm thinking about what shall I do for the next one. Our next story is ready, and I would like to try something new, artistically. I'm experimenting mixing oil pastels and watercolors.

For the piece below, I started with a saturated wet in wet wash, then once it has dried, I used pastels to finish it up. I kinda like the result, I've never done something so saturated in my life. Using pastel is making me realize how weak or pale my watercolors are, and there is a much bigger range that I've barely touched yet.

For the pastels, I'm using sennelier oil stick. They are gorgeous to worth with, fat, greasy, they glide on the paper with such an ease and grace.

Still trying to figure out water

 

Following this weekend experiement, I went back to the shores of Riviere du Nord for another try.

I think I got caught up in the overwhelming amount of details, and failed to see the simplistic version of what the watercolor expression could be. I do like the value arrangement. It Does feel natural. 

Its Spring!

After 7 months back in Canada, this is my first plein air painting...and when I think of it, It's actually the very first time I was doing plein-air painting in Canada. I found this spot near my home, in a small parc called, Nicolas-Viel, the big wide building across the river is a HighSchool. The river itself is  called Riviere du nord, meaning  river of the north. It's the nothern limit of Montreal. I wanted to emphasize the gradation on the water, but I think I've overdone it a bit. I should've used a cooler darker brown. I'll surely go back later when leafs come into play.

Having a break

I took a mental break this afternoon from my current project.  Mixing colors for dark complexions still puzzle me, I should try an auto-portrait someday.

 

 

Latest Work: Fennec Cub & Butterfly

This is the project I'm working on days & nights, a children illustrated storybook. It will come first on digital platforms(ipad, kindle, android), and then later this year will be available in print. Enjoy the sneak peek!

 

 

 

With time to kill, Gotta keep running