The light in Cadiz!

We’ve just finished our urban sketchers workshop in Cadiz. Such a great place in the Atlantic. It was carnival and people were out and about enjoying the streets, singing together, enjoying the fun, moving about.

Two sunsets, with that fantastic light of Cadiz, set the beginning and the end of the course, one , my first evening by the sea, in playa Caleta enjoying the colours and talking about what is to come.

The last evening, from Celia’s terrace, trying to capture the light and the towers, the torre Tavira and its neighbour merchant tower in the approaching sunset.

With them a desire to go back and paint and draw more.
What a fantastic city! Can wait to go back.

NZ people and landscape

As it happened i arrived in NZ the first day of the #oneweek100people2017. Starting in Narita airport, i did sketch a lot of people everywhere in the next few days - some of my favourites here.

Narita airport and Auckland bar dinner

Lava Glass below had a great glass blowing demonstration - with the glass blower doing a double colour glass bauble - it is interesting the repetition of movements, subtlety and slow or fast as needed but precise, very precise.

In Taupo, the place where we had dinner had a live band which was great and also great people watching all those subtle friendly gestures people have, some businesslike, some friendly, others loving, flirty...

Nothing like a queue of people to build up the numbers for the people drawing challenge, this time waiting to board the tourist boat at Taupo. And a quiet portrait of Dean on the boat, with some other passengers.

Below a great cafe in Napier, Chantal, an organic shop as well, with great atmosphere, great coffee!

I couldn't leave NZ without sketching the fern trees, a national symbol, so lush, so green and fresh, i love them!

It was a great time, resting and travelling, exploring new places, beautiful in the rain and the sun. We'll go back sometime!

Tokyo - Japan - Feb 2017

Tokyo was a revelation, huge but ordered, quiet and clean. 

A quick four days visit, for the occasion of the marathon that my mother in law was running. I managed to catch up with Kumi of the local urban sketchers and enjoyed a day drawing the Tsukiji Hongan-ji temple where there was a Sunday ceremony inside (imagine the incense smell and soft chanting) and the view down from the Tokyu Plaza Ginza shopping mall from where the cars and people appear tiny.

Tokyo Marathon - cyclists

Tsukiji Hongan-ji Ceremony

Tsukiji Hongan-ji - Drum

Tsukiji Hongan ji - Exterior

View from Tokyu Plaza Ginza

We also managed to catch up with architecture views that I remember from my student's days, the Tokyo International Forum and some more historical temples, Senso-ji.  

The views from the top of the Tokyo Sky Tree (that appears in the Senso-ji sketch) showed the enormity of the city, no end in sight.   

Tokyo Forum

Senso-ji

Roche Court sketching - Dibujando en Roche Court

A veces hay situaciones en que uno se encuentra en peligro mientras dibuja - el otro dia, dibujando en Roche Court - parque de escultura - se me acerco un perro enorme mientras dibujaba - era mas alto que yo sentada! Me puso un pelin nerviosa ver su cara tan cerca de la mia y me alegre mucho de que no abriera la boca (se me habria tragado entera).
Aqui esta el dibujillo que estaba yo haciendo de la expo nueva que tienen alli.

Mas aqui

Some times there are dangerous situations one finds oneself whilst sketching. The other day, drawing at Roche Court - sculpture park - a large dog got close to me whilst the owner simply watched by. He was much taller than me (i was sitting down). I was slightly nervous to see his face so close to mine and was very happy that he did not open his mouth (he could have swallowed me alive!)
Here is the sketch i was doing of the new exhibition they are showing right now.

More here

Segovia - dibujos Julio 2013

Después de BCN estuve unos días en SG (Segovia) practicando técnicas, mezclándolas y generalmente poniendo nerviosas a mis acompañantes sobre todo cuando las dibujaba :)
Aquí van algunos de los dibujos en el cuaderno mas ligero y pequeño. Mas adelante pondré las acuarelas (mas grandes) que ahora puedo escanear también.

After BCN I went to Segovia (SG) for a while, and practiced techniques, mixed them a bit and also managed to annoy my companions especially when I drew them:) Here go a few of the sketches I did in the lighter, smaller book. Later, I will upload some of the watercolours (larger drawings) that I can now also scan.



Plaza Mayor - Mediodía - hora del aperitivo

Vera Cruz

Protegidas del chaparrón

Gafas sobre gafas



Catedral desde Alcázar I

Catedral desde Alcázar II





Los dos últimos dibujos los hice desde la terraza del bar nuevo del Alcázar, y "ayudada" con el spray del ventilador/humidificador para mojarme el dibujo y difuminarlo.

 

The last two drawings from the terrace of the new bar in the Alcazar  were helped by the spray of the humidifier fan to wet the drawing and blur it

Viaje a Toscana - 10 dias, 13 localidades, 33 acuarelas, 14 dibujos -- Trip to Tuscany, 10 days, 13 places, 33 watercolours, 14 drawings

Este viaje a Toscana ha sido interesante porque he visto sitios nuevos para mi, con mezcla de pueblos, ciudades, paisajes (tipicamente toscanos) - el tiempo ha sido estupendo y hemos podido approvechar para pintar y dibujar al maximo. Aqui van unas cuantas imagenes.

This trip to Tuscany has been interesting because i have seen new places, a good mix of villages, towns, cities and landscapes (typically tuscan) - the weather was excellent and we have been able to make the most of painting and drawing.
Here go a few images:

Para verlas todos los dibujos pincha en los enlaces abajo - To see all the drawings click in the link:

  Tuscany1, Tuscany2, Tuscany3

Las localidades en las imagenes en las tiras de los enlaces incluyen (en orden): Castelo St Angelo, Moltacino, St Quirico de Orcia, Pienza, Pitigliano, Sorano, campos del Castelo Banfi, Grosseto, Argentario, Giglio, Monte Antico (cerca de Paganico), Pari y muy brevemente Lucca.

The places in the linked picture strips include (in order): Castelo St Angelo, Moltacino, St Quirico de Orcia, Pienza, Pitigliano, Sorano, campos del Castelo Banfi, Grosseto, Argentario, Giglio, Monte Antico (cerca de Paganico), Pari and very briefly Lucca.

Newbury - Insectes - Night Parade

Last night there was this amazing parade by the Spanish group Sarruga in Newbury to mark the Newbury Comedy Festival - it was free and packed with people - swarming the streets - perhaps 2000.
I tried to  do a few sketches on the move, difficult but good fun.
The machines were massive and heavy pedal cars human powered by the Sarruga people and a few local helpers with some steering from the back. The insects towered over everybody splattering around and interacting with the public both at street level and on the upper storeys of buildings - specially the praying mantis.
Very impressive all around.