There are some branches of the black currant on my computer desk, trying to make roots in a glass of water. So I drew them. If you touch the leaves, they give out this unique smell, it can only be black currant. Only for that alone I would put these in my garden :).
I have spent a week in the south of France, helping out in a small village. The weather was great, sometimes cloudy but also lots of sunshine. And the landscape was beautiful with mimosa, wild flowers and the vineyards ready to start growing.
In the evenings I had time to read and to draw a bit in my sketchbook. And now and then we left the village for a small tour, here you see Minerve, a small town with beautiful houses and a bridge.
I also saw lots of beautiful windows and doors, for inspiration for my Characteristic windows-serie of cards (see my shop on Etsy).
And now it is back to work at home.
When I read magazines I always tear out interesting pictures. My subjects are often landscape, texture, colour combinations and people. These are kept in my studio in folders, and when I just want to practice or am looking for some inspiration, I take the folders out and pick something.
Like these beetroots. I started with some already painted paper, then drew them with charcoal, added a cutting board and knife for the composition and started painting them with acrylics.
And I like the end result. The painted paper has added a dimension, and the shading added depth. And I learned by doing this, so another bonus :).
My sketchbook is still there to be filled with some fun drawings in between. Like this pair of feet with just one colour pencil and permanent marker.
Such a simple subject, but the experimenting with texture and materials is always surprising.
Have a good week!
Last weekend I followed a course on Nature Photography. It was a dry day so it was a pleasure to be out in the forest with a group of enthusiasts. I like to make pictures of nature, and of course I take my painter's eye with me. So I am looking for interesting combinations of texture, colour, detail and composition. It is good to train the eye.
However I am not all good in camera technique, so this course was a bit of challenge. I took many practice pictures which did not turn out great. This is one I liked, mostly because of the layers in the landscape and the colour tones in the water, but if it is technically right... mmm.. I do not know.
Ah, Spring is coming. Finally some days of sun, and immediately nature responds. It also means that I am spending time outside, working in the garden and exploring the woods. And getting some exercise... But I am still painting in the studio though. Wishing you a good week!
Here you see the palette of colours I was working with in my studio last week. A couple of months ago I made a sketch/composition of a woman writing. I thought it would be interesting to paint, but I never got to it. But now I took the sketch out and started.
The painting is sort of finished and as you can see I kept the colours quite neutral, serene. But maybe it is too neutral for me, so I will look at it again and see whether I should make changes and add colour.
And so the process continues...
Sometimes you stumble upon a story that speaks to you. I visited a small museum on the island of Vlieland and it appeared to be the home of a painter. And quite a remarkable one, a female painter called Betzy Berg from Norway, married to a Dutch man and fascinated by painting the sea.
You see a picture of her here below. She sits in a small custommade box, in which she could sit and paint without being bothered too much by the wind and the cold... It had wheels so she could pull it on and off the beach.
The story of her life is written in a book by Tineke Hendriks, it gives insight into her thoughts and methods, and passion to paint. Her road was not easy, but she followed her heart. The museum shows the house they were living in, her studio, her garden and some of her paintings. See for more information here, Trompshuys.
Here you see a picture I took last week. This is the Veluwe, a large area of nature and forest: Dry grasses, brown patches of heather and darkgreen pine trees. In between wild oars and deer can be seen sometimes but we did not see any. The sky was grey, as it has been for weeks... A ray of sunlight would have made this scene golden-coloured. But anyways, I still like these muted colours, they are calming and serene. So back in the studio I made some small sketches with pencil and watercolour in my sketchbook, also to see what composition I would choose. There is so much to learn and try.
Last week I was able to spend some time in the studio, doing small tasks, taking time for inspiration and I also did some painting. So this is the beginning of a portrait, I have no idea where this is going but it is waiting for me...
In between other activities I found time to paint for a few hours in the studio. It is so nice to focus on just one activity for a while. I had prepared my canvas earlier with some paper and gesso and then started on a beach view, in soft blended colours.
With my left over paint I painted some pieces of paper for the next project. I do not like to throw good paint away. I mostly use acrylic paint of the brand Galeria by Winsor&Newton.
Hi, on this so-called Blue Monday I am sharing another colour with you. On my forest walk I spotted the colour Hazelnut on several occasions. It is a colour which perfectly matches with blue, and it has been a popular colour for interior decoration. But outdoors you notice it a lot, so here is my little collage of inspiration:
And here is the blue-hazelnut combination in a small drawing:
I have been away, strolling along beaches, hiking paths, bird-watching and relaxing with my husband. It has been good, well the weather wasn't particularly good with storms and gusts of wind, but maybe those elements are needed to feel refreshed.
I found inspiration in the clouds, the muted tones of colour in winter and in visiting a small museum with works of a female painter. I am trying to hold on to this inspiration and look forward to go painting and making. When it is difficult to keep focus, Will Kemp (an art teacher from the UK), who knows about having too much ideas and distraction, advised: Just pick one thing and start.
