Watercolour sketches

Moleskine watercolour sketchbook

The weather is still very changeable but there were real patches of sun this morning so I headed out to sketch a tiny detail of the valley we overlook from via Dante.

My local painting group is getting together again on Wednesday afternoons. This time everyone is trying watercolours rather than oils. I've been carrying around a photo from a trip to Venice. It's a beautiful old building full of decaying detail. With limited light and time, I restricted myself to sketching one of the doors.

Moleskine watercolour sketchbook.

Collection of Old Doors

Moleskine watercolour sketchbook
Lamy pen with sepia ink and watercolour wash

A quick sketch. This one was done perched on my backpack stool. When a lady up the hill behind me emptied her mop bucket I made a hasty retreat.

And here are some more doors I strolled past on my way home.

Sargent and Venice

Pen & Watercolour Pencil large Moleskine sketchbook

I've just had a couple of magical days in Venice wining and dining with Margaret and David and enjoying a feast of art. I couldn't believe my luck when I discovered the Sargent and Venice exhibition had been extended into September. A couple of hours with John Singer Sargent's inspiring watercolours was such an education. The next day, looking for a quiet spot to sketch I stumbled upon an Albrecht Durer print exhibition which was a rare treat too. I desperately wanted to sketch the cloister at the Museo Diocesano which was the venue for Durer but I had a train to catch and they don't allow photographs. Finally an exhibition Artempo: Where Time Becomes Art at the Palazzo Fortuny was an the opportunity to see the amazing Veiled Lady 'Purity' by Antonio Corradini.

And sketching in Venice? Not very productive I'm afraid. I should have heeded Katherine's advice on sketching en plein air and realised that the friendly early morning sunlight was going to turn into a blazing torch before I'd finished my drawing. I had to complete it at home.

I 'd carted watercolours and paper along with my pencils and pens in my sketching stool/bag on my back, but such were the crowds and other temptations I didn't get to use them. I did manage some photographic references that I hope to make into paintings in the next couple of weeks.

Venice is even more special now I see her through the eyes of Sargent, Turner and Whistler and the thousands upon thousands of dreamers like myself who stand clutching a sketchbook, awestruck by her beauty.

Sketching in Rome

Ponte Fabricio 62BC

We live two hours from Rome, this week I was there for the first time in two years! Shame on me. But what a treat. Dear friends, Jim and Philippa invited me to stay in their apartment near the Pantheon - what bliss. They totally indulged me with food, walks, art, wine, Bellini cocktails and precious time to sketch.

Bernini's delightful little Elephant balancing an Egyptian obelisk was just around the corner. It's a favourite of Philippa's, so while they went off to their Italian class, I attempted to sketch it for her.

The Piazza was deserted when I arrived and next to a pile of rubbish I found a cardboard carton full of junk to sit on. Bliss. Half an hour later the rubbish men arrived in their truck, grinned at me, examined my sketch, loaded the bags of rubbish and then did a double take. They had spotted my 'seat'. I bashfully stood up but they showed no pity. Off it went in the truck. I continued as long as I could sitting on the cobblestones. Ouch!

Pulcin della Minerva

7"x10" HP watercolour paper - ready to paint

Alas, HWEM was at home with the dogs so I headed off for a nostalgic cup of coffee at a favourite spot of ours in the square opposite the Pantheon.

Time,I decided, to attack the Mt. Everest of sketches - Benini's Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi . When I arrived in the Piazza Navona I found it covered in scaffolding. I wasn't really up to the task anyway. Besides it was blazing hot and there wasn't a scrap of shade, so I stood for a couple of minutes beside the Fontana del Moro and tried to capture a couple of details.

Fontana del Moro

Jim and Philippa also introduced me to what must be the best art shop in Rome (Ditta M. Poggi, via Pie' di Marmo 39). So, armed with my new Pitt artist pens, I headed back to the apartment to sketch a portion of the view from my bedroom.

Watercolour Moleskine

I took lots of photos in order to do a larger painting of the entire cluster of charming little Roman apartments.

It was a fantastic two days. The highlight? Standing in front of Caravaggio's Saint Matthew Cycle in San Luigi dei Francesi to see, for the first time, his Calling of Saint Matthew.

Un Regalo

Pigment Pen in large Moleskine

I recently received a gift - un regalo- from our very generous next door neighbour, Lorenzo. It's a beautiful old Tuscan wooden trunk. It's moments like these that I become really frustrated with my inability to express myself properly in Italian. In the end I just kissed him on both cheeks. I think he understood.

The other gift I've really appreciated this last year was the inspiring workshop on Sketching from Life that Katherine Tyrrell conducted through WetCanvas. It really inspired me and finally got me sketching in public.

Most of you will already know Katherine through her blog Marking a Mark but if you don't, and you are interesting in sketching, she's posted about it today and includes printable material from her workshop that you can download.

Finally ... Light!

I've been waiting since November for a proper light in my studio. Since I don't have a window in my 'cupboard', much of the time I haven't been quite sure what I'm painting. It's finally arrived and after a naked 60 watt bulb I'm dazzled. I'm also grateful to our wonderful electrician/friend Carlo who found it and eventually installed it. And, of course, to HWEM, who encouraged me to spend the money to get it.


Before I was driven home by spots of rain smudging the ink in my Moleskine this morning, I managed this quick sketch of the gate we pass through twice a day taking the dogs for walks up to the tower.

I love Wednesdays

Wednesday is the day my Art Group meets. I love saying that!

It's taken almost two years for me to find a local art group. Now, thanks to generous friends, each Wednesday afternoon I will spend three hours in the art studio of a beautifully restored 13th century convent owned by the Tanganelli family.

Back in September the first sketch I did in my Moleskine was the restored convent, Residence Le Santucce.


I had no idea there was an art studio behind those walls. Fate!

At present everyone is painting in oils - the only medium I don't have in my mini-warehouse of art supplies. Yet!


This week I just sat quietly and sketched. Quietly, because only my gracious hostess, Miranda, speaks English. Everyone hopes this is going to help my Italian. If this doesn't motivate me, nothing will! On the other hand my companions are more likely to improve their English.

Next Wednesday I'm going to dip a toe into the world of classic oil painting. To say I'm excited would be an understatement.

Draw a Bowl

I finally joined in the Every Day Matters Weekly Drawing Challenge with #111 - Draw a Bowl.

I'm hoping the discipline of drawing a simple object from life once a week will loosen me up a little. We'll see. I'm my own worst enemy in that the bowl I chose to sketch was a tangle of wire and shadows - we do have normal bowls, I'm just too stupid to use them. Next challenge I'll try the KISS approach.

The Every Day Matters Group is a very friendly and supportive bunch and if you haven't already done so, I recommend a visit. The founder of EDM is Danny Greggory who is an inspiration to all who love to draw and particularly to those who would like to but think they can't. The group also has a blog of blogs.

La Finestra

Our garden shed is getting a face-lift. What was to be my studio is now going to be a studio for HWEM. When it came down to it, he was prepared to share with his garden tools and boots and I wasn't.

So this is 'before' with broken window jammed shut with a piece of wood to keep out the generations of local cats who have lived and sometimes died in here apparently. I hope HWEM isn't going to be haunted - except maybe by guilt, for taking my studio!

This was the first outing for my new Moleskine watercolour sketchbook. I was very disappointed with the paper. It will be good for coloured pencil but watercolour looks quite dead on the page compared to my Clairefontaine Aquarelle sketchbook.

Valentine's Day Whimsy

Chance Meeting - A little still life I lucked upon in the Dentist's Waiting Room. It started life as a quick pencil sketch and then I refined it slightly in my Moleskine sketchbook which isn't getting enough attention lately.
Happy St. Valentine's day everybody. Now back to Van Gogh......