Monschau in the Eifel

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We spent a few days in Monschau.
I took along

  • Polychromos colour pencils
  • Albrecht Dürer watercolour pencils
  • Twelve Colman half pan watercolours
  • Da Vinci mixed hair paint brush, size 6
  • A Copic 0.3 fine liner
  • Small Moleskine watercolour sketch book
  • DIN A6 Leuchtturm1917 sketch book (190gsm A6)
  • … and a few other little things (pens, pencils, sharpener)

Well, it was too much. Perhaps it was the weather’s fault (mostly drizzly) or all the walking we did. I’m considering only taking one medium (probably dry) next time. Having so many possibilities, I felt overwhelmed, as if somebody was expecting too much of me. Had even taken some cheap paper and my George Bridgman “Bible” with me to do some practicing for figure drawing.

2 sketches came out of this trip.

A sketch of my wife reading at the Rur-Cafe. (Watercolours in Moleskine, 20 minutes) .. When I look at this, I realise I may have been watching too much rugby lately. No, seriously, I’d decided to paint my wife reading, and then her “salad on the side” arrived (what am I trying to say here? … I hope my wife doesn’t read this blog. Lena, are you reading this?).

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And a sketch from the Kräutergarten on the slopes overlooking Monschau. Here you see Monschau castle residing above the old town centre. (Polychromos pencils in Leuchtturm1917) (20 minutes, with some colour “depth-corrections” in the following days.)

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The last few hours, we spent on the Hohes Venn (High Fens). Beautiful yellow-browns with some violett-purple hints of bilberry bushes, ponds reflecting the complete bright-greyness of the sky. I’ll attempt to capture that tomorrow from memory. Some watercolour techniques could come in handy.

When we leave for our next trip, this Sunday, I’m just taking dry mediums with me:

  • Polychromos
  • Pencils
  • Pens

Or will the watercolours stray into my luggage again … ?

Keep It Small and Simple (KISS)

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Just back from figure drawing class. Using A6 sketchbooks and the A5 Moleskine concertina sketchbook.

Also accompanied by:

  • Winsor&Newton Colman watercolour travelers’ set
  • My waterbrushes (Pentel and Koi)
  • The Da Vinci RedSable/BlueSable/Squirrel/Synthetic brush size no. 6
  • Lamy fountain pen with Lamy Royal Ink cartridge
  • Copic Multiliner (black, 0.3)
  • F-C. Albrecht Dürer watercolour pencils

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Moleskin concertina (approx. A5) (everyone loves this, get one for yourself) with Lamy and waterbrush. 2 x 15 minutes.

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A6 sketch book, Copic + DaVinci and Colman paints. 15 minutes.

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A6 + Lamy and waterbrush. 10 minutes.

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Moleskin A6 journal (cahier). Copic + Albecht Dürer pencils and waterbrush. 3 x 5 minutes.

“Kontenklärung” at the “Deutsche Rentenversicherung”

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Waiting room and queues.
Copic 0.3 metal nib and later at home some watercolour pencils.

The people here seemed to be nervous, nobody standing still for more than 10 seconds, no mobiles in hand … when leaving I noticed there was a sign: no mobiles. But when has that stopped anyone? Were all present just too old for mobiles? That’s why we were here, wasn’t it? Because soon, we will be drawing(!) a pension. Me, I only have to wait another 24 years.
—
Today, I had my appointment to help the fund managers clarify my pension fund account at one of Germany’s many pension fund service points (for me it is the “Deutsche Rentenversicherung” and clarifying the account is a “Kontenklärung”).

“Charging in” in Class

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Giving my Lamy Safari and the watercolours another chance tonight at my weekly, evening class.

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The “charging in” is a watercolour technique which means you continue an “activated”, washed area with a new colour.
E.g. you mix 3 washes on your palette (me, I mixed a green, a yellow/orange/ocker, and a greyish blue). You start washing an area and then switch the colours and let the new load of wash touch and mingle with the still active area.

Figure Drawing again

Stuart3 Comments

20150804_figure_class_1Wow, … no easel today, no charcoal, no newsprint, just a 4B pencil and smooth drawing paper. Inbetween a stint at watercolours, which actually doesn’t look too bad for a noob like me.

Tutor wasn’t there tonight, so I took over the role of setting the timer, I also sat all night at a desk, which was probably quite hilarious for the other students.20150804_figure_class_2

We begin with three 5 minute poses, then <coffee break>,  then two 10 minute poses, then <small chat (break)> and a 15 minute pose, then <walk around and inspect “competition” break>, 20150804_figure_class_3then 20 minutes for the watercolour (started with 3B sketching, then an obviously non-water-resitant Japan-nib 0.5mm Derwent fineliner and finally the watercolours, that’s where the fineliner ink starts to show its non-water-resistance), then <yawn, stretch and take a break>,20150804_figure_class_4 in the End a 13 minute sketch for me (3B) … and clear up and go home to a glass of Prosecco.