I was presently surprised this week to receive a autographed copy of Lindsay May's latest CD "Shimmer" in the mail. :-) The CD came with a wonderful thank you "David from one artist to another". A very nice touch.
Lindsay's new CD was just released March 8th and she has just headed off on tour. Last I heard she was in Edmonton.
Lindsay's thanks were for two ink and watercolour sketches of her singing outside on Granville Island in September and October last year. I had dropped off the two original sketches at Nimbus Studios in Vancouver where she was recording "Shimmer".
I have suggested today in her blog that when she gets back into town after her tour that I perhaps have a chance to do a few more sketches, maybe even a portrait. I think Granville Island is still a good venue as it is outside and it suits her music. Well we'll see.
For those interested, you can find photos of the sketches in this blog in the older posts.
Cheers
Dave
Saturday, March 17, 2012
iMac Hard Drive Died
This week my system hard drive died on me :-( so until I can rebuild my main iMac intel core 2 duo computer I am limited to communicating and working with my little iMac G4 700mhz machine. Kind of slow but the little workhorse does it's job. Problem is the little thing is about 4 versions of OS behind and since it is non-Intel has the occasional fight with blogger and other internet applications.
Unfortunately a lot of my files, images and fancy software applications are stuck on the busted drive. I had some backup done but not all I needed. Hopefully I will be able to pry some of these off the damages drive :-(
Unfortunately a lot of my files, images and fancy software applications are stuck on the busted drive. I had some backup done but not all I needed. Hopefully I will be able to pry some of these off the damages drive :-(
Sunday, February 26, 2012
"Pokadots"
In progress..
Watercolour 22" x 15"
Paper: Arches 300lb Rough
Watercolour 22" x 15"
Paper: Arches 300lb Rough
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"Pokadots" - Sabreen
[Click on image for larger view]
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Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Digital Printing
On Sunday February 12th 2012, I took 6 of my recent watercolour portraits I had painted in for digitizing. I decided I should start documenting my art before it went off to it's new owners, never to be seen again. I also wanted some reasonable photos done that I was not capable of taking with my little point-and-click camera. So I made an appointment with the Andrea Walker Collins (Photographer) and went over for the photo shoot.
A few days later Andrea sent a web-ready .JPG and a high-resolution .TIF file for each of my paintings. The files were sent via DROP-BOX. These files were very much cleaner and colour-correct than anything my camera could product.
On Monday February 20th 2012, I took 5 of the images mentioned above to the Digital Printing section of Opus Art's Downtown to get prints made. This was a new experience to me. I decided I wanted the images printed onto watercolour Cold Press paper original size and mounted on Aluminum panel. The panels are actually two thin sheets of aluminum that sandwich a foam-core. This makes the panel light but rigid. The digital printed image on the watercolour paper is mounted to the aluminum panel and a thin laminate is applied over the printed image. This laminate protects the image for dirt and UV. After sorting out the sizes and options, we checked for colour correctness against the originals. Apparently the printing and mounting service takes a week therefore I have to wait until Monday February 27th before I can pick up.
I was however, a little disappointed. After seeing the Opus video on their digital print service, I expected to see some printing in action. When I was at the store there was no sign of an digital printing taking place. The digital printer at the store did not appear to have seen much use and the work table in front of the printer was covered in various other items for pickup. Apparently the work is sent to Opus' sister company in the warehouse district near Granville Island where the printing and mounting is done. I had hoped to see some printing in action :-(
I'll let everyone know how things turn out.
A few days later Andrea sent a web-ready .JPG and a high-resolution .TIF file for each of my paintings. The files were sent via DROP-BOX. These files were very much cleaner and colour-correct than anything my camera could product.
On Monday February 20th 2012, I took 5 of the images mentioned above to the Digital Printing section of Opus Art's Downtown to get prints made. This was a new experience to me. I decided I wanted the images printed onto watercolour Cold Press paper original size and mounted on Aluminum panel. The panels are actually two thin sheets of aluminum that sandwich a foam-core. This makes the panel light but rigid. The digital printed image on the watercolour paper is mounted to the aluminum panel and a thin laminate is applied over the printed image. This laminate protects the image for dirt and UV. After sorting out the sizes and options, we checked for colour correctness against the originals. Apparently the printing and mounting service takes a week therefore I have to wait until Monday February 27th before I can pick up.
I was however, a little disappointed. After seeing the Opus video on their digital print service, I expected to see some printing in action. When I was at the store there was no sign of an digital printing taking place. The digital printer at the store did not appear to have seen much use and the work table in front of the printer was covered in various other items for pickup. Apparently the work is sent to Opus' sister company in the warehouse district near Granville Island where the printing and mounting is done. I had hoped to see some printing in action :-(
I'll let everyone know how things turn out.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Portrait "Sabreen"
Portrait of "Sabreen" daughter of my friend Pabhjeet.
Portrait is 30" x 22" Watercolour
Paper: Arches 300lb Rough
Paper: Arches 300lb Rough
Started: Tuesday January 24, 2012
Completed: Saturday January 28, 2012
Client lives in: Karnal, Haryana, India
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"Sabreen"
[Click on image for larger view]
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Monday, January 23, 2012
Sketchcrawl # 34 - Sketches #3 & #4
Sketchcrawl # 34 - Sketch/painting #3
I really did not have my heart in doing this sketch/painting, it just was not going where I wanted it to go. I tried to fix it, but IMHO it really became a splotchy mess. Hopefully the colours helps redeem what really turned into a mini-painting. This was my decoy while doing the portrait sketches (Sketch #2). Much of the sketching and colour was already done at the Bloedel on Saturday, but fixes and completion done Sunday at home.
11" x 15" Watercolour
Paper: Arches 300lb Rough
Sketchcrawl # 34 - Sketch #4
My 4th and final for Sketchcrawl #34 is a quick sepia sketch worked as negative space. The sketch was done using Sakura Pigma Sepia pens. As I did this at the very end of the day, I was rushed. After scribbling in the darks with the Pigma Brush pen, I realized it would have been better and easier on the pens to use lines and cross-hatching. Oh well! something for another day to try. These pens do work really well on Arches Rough paper.
4" x 6" Sepia Pen Sketch
Paper: Arches 300lb Rough
I really did not have my heart in doing this sketch/painting, it just was not going where I wanted it to go. I tried to fix it, but IMHO it really became a splotchy mess. Hopefully the colours helps redeem what really turned into a mini-painting. This was my decoy while doing the portrait sketches (Sketch #2). Much of the sketching and colour was already done at the Bloedel on Saturday, but fixes and completion done Sunday at home.
11" x 15" Watercolour
Paper: Arches 300lb Rough
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"Blue and Gold Macaw"
[Click on image for larger view]
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Sketchcrawl # 34 - Sketch #4
My 4th and final for Sketchcrawl #34 is a quick sepia sketch worked as negative space. The sketch was done using Sakura Pigma Sepia pens. As I did this at the very end of the day, I was rushed. After scribbling in the darks with the Pigma Brush pen, I realized it would have been better and easier on the pens to use lines and cross-hatching. Oh well! something for another day to try. These pens do work really well on Arches Rough paper.
4" x 6" Sepia Pen Sketch
Paper: Arches 300lb Rough
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"Plant Sketch in Sepia"
[Click on image for larger view]
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Sketchcrawl # 34 - Sketch #2
This sketch will be a surprise for the Vancouver Bloedel Sketch Group as I did not tell them I was doing this. Before going to the crawl site I had decided I wanted to do a series of sketches of the sketching group at work. It did not turn out so easy as we were scattered around the Bloedell Conservatory dome on the winding paths. I had taken two pre-taped foam boards with Arches 300lb Rough watercolour paper of 22" x 15" with me to the site and was determined to "sneak in" sketches of the others. While the others in the group were off sketching elsewhere I did the rough under-sketch. It was not easy as I had to sketch partly from memory and partly from various images from the viewer on the back of my tiny camera. I wish I had at least brought my iPad to view the photos bigger. I did manage to get most of the under-sketch done during the day without the others being aware. I had staked out a bench with all my stuff and this "sneaky" activity was the main reason for staying in one spot most of the day. Well maybe also because it was comfy there and I was too lazy to lug around all my sketch kit.
I also had another sketch/painting going on the second board that I had sub-divided into 3 sketch areas. This was my "decoy" sketch that came out whenever any of the others came back. I am nothing if not sneaky. LOL ... This second board sketch was of a Blue_and_Gold Macaw (Ara ararauna) sitting under an umbrella. Alternating between sketches meant that this second sketch did not show as much progress as it should. Towards the end I was getting tired of the Blue and Gold Macaw sketch/painting and started a sepia sketch in marker of some plants on another part of the board. I will post the two sketches from this second board separately.
When I returned home on Saturday afternoon, I did some clean up of the group portrait and roughed in the skin-tones and supporting dark colours. I was totally wiped out by 7:00pm. On Sunday, in between a number of other personal jobs, posting the sketchcrawl photos and moderating on the Sketchcrawl forum, I was able to do more painting-in with the watercolours. I probably need to stand back before trying to clean up the facial features but I could probably work this to death. So for now here is the group portrait as it stands.
I hope none of the group are offended from the portrait, it was meant to be a bit of fun. I could not resist using a photo of Ben when he pulled a "funny" face. I did find it tough getting the features and characters down as this was the first time I had met any of them.
I also had another sketch/painting going on the second board that I had sub-divided into 3 sketch areas. This was my "decoy" sketch that came out whenever any of the others came back. I am nothing if not sneaky. LOL ... This second board sketch was of a Blue_and_Gold Macaw (Ara ararauna) sitting under an umbrella. Alternating between sketches meant that this second sketch did not show as much progress as it should. Towards the end I was getting tired of the Blue and Gold Macaw sketch/painting and started a sepia sketch in marker of some plants on another part of the board. I will post the two sketches from this second board separately.
When I returned home on Saturday afternoon, I did some clean up of the group portrait and roughed in the skin-tones and supporting dark colours. I was totally wiped out by 7:00pm. On Sunday, in between a number of other personal jobs, posting the sketchcrawl photos and moderating on the Sketchcrawl forum, I was able to do more painting-in with the watercolours. I probably need to stand back before trying to clean up the facial features but I could probably work this to death. So for now here is the group portrait as it stands.
I hope none of the group are offended from the portrait, it was meant to be a bit of fun. I could not resist using a photo of Ben when he pulled a "funny" face. I did find it tough getting the features and characters down as this was the first time I had met any of them.
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"Sketchcrawl#34 - Vancouver"
The Bloedel Sketch Group
22" x 15" watercolour on Arches 300lb Rough
[Click on image for larger view]
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Sunday, January 22, 2012
Sketchcrawl # 34 - Sketch #1
Sketches done while at the Bloedel Conservatory on Saturday Jan 21, 2012
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"Maria.. a macaw"
First of a few sketches done at the Bloedel
Conservatory. This first one was a warm up
exercise when I first arrived. 10 minutes.
Done entirely with watercolour pencil
[Click on image for larger view]
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Sketchcrawl_34 [Photos]
On Saturday Jan 21, 2012 - World-wide Sketchcrawl was on. Artists from around the globe did a marathon sketching/painting activity in their respective cities and countries.
For resulting sketches and photos for Sketchcrawl #34 from around the world see Sketchcrawl #34.
In Vancouver their were two groups participating. One group did a "walk-about" around Gas Town and China Town while the second group went to the Bloedel Conservatory at Queen Elizabeth Park. The group at Bloedel were inside toasty and warm with the tropical plants, exotic birds and tropical fish. You can guess which group I was with :-)
For posted sketches and photos from both the Vancouver groups see Vancouver, BC Canada [Results].
The photo's below are from the Bloedel group of sketchers (6 people). I believe others in the group took more photos but these are from my camera.
For resulting sketches and photos for Sketchcrawl #34 from around the world see Sketchcrawl #34.
In Vancouver their were two groups participating. One group did a "walk-about" around Gas Town and China Town while the second group went to the Bloedel Conservatory at Queen Elizabeth Park. The group at Bloedel were inside toasty and warm with the tropical plants, exotic birds and tropical fish. You can guess which group I was with :-)
For posted sketches and photos from both the Vancouver groups see Vancouver, BC Canada [Results].
The photo's below are from the Bloedel group of sketchers (6 people). I believe others in the group took more photos but these are from my camera.
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9:40am - Early arrival at the Bloedel Conservatory
[Click on image for larger view]
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Maria a Macaw... Carmen
[Click on image for larger view]her sister in the background |
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Alle - sketching the Maria
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Alle - The MacCaws say
[Click on image for larger view]"Hello" |
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Nina
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Nina
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Asuka and Jimmy
(Asuka visiting from Australia)
[Click on image for larger view] |
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Ben
[Click on image for larger view] |
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Nina, Ben, Asuka, Jimmy, Alle
[Click on image for larger view]
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Asuka, Ben, Jimmy, Dave, Alle
[Click on image for larger view]
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Asuka, Ben, Jimmy, Dave, Nina
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4:00pm - Everyone else gone - Outside the Bloedel
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Friday, January 20, 2012
Sketchcrawl #34
Saturday January 21, 2012 is World-Wide Sketchcrawl day where artists around the globe do a marathon sketch session. See the general sketchcrawl site and the Sketchcrawl Forum containing current and past sketches from around the world.
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