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.

Summer into Autumn

I've had a great summer teaching two urban sketching courses in Oxford and Segovia. It is exhilarating seeing people's confidence come alive and enjoying playing with watercolour and mark making.
He tenido un verano fructífero ensenando dos talleres de dibujo urbano en Oxford y Segovia. Recompensa ver como los participantes ganan confianza y aprenden a relajarse usando acuarelas y dibujando. 

Oxford 2015

Segovia 2015

Segovia 2015

On the trip going and coming back from Spain, I started and continued sketching non stop and recorded most of our stopovers from Angouleme to Sos del Rey Catolico, Zaragoza to Colliure, Carcassone to Millau and more. Here I show only a few from the begining and i will upload some more soon.
En el viaje de ida y vuelta de España, empece y seguí dibujando y recopile casi todos los lugares en los que paramos, de Angouleme a Sos del Rey Católico, de Zaragoza a Colluire, Carcassone a Millau y mas.  Aquí muestro solo algunos de los dibujos del principio pero ya ire subiendo mas.

Angouleme cathedral rear

Angouleme cathedral front

Sos del Rey Catolico

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

North Spain August/September

Finally we visited the North of Spain, after many years thinking about it - we decided to draw a triangle - from Segovia to Coruna and Santiago - Galicia has plenty of windmills and some lovely lonely beaches , then Asturias (Aviles, Gijon, Picos de Europa - where we did a 15km walk), Santillana del Mar in Cantabria - visited the reproduction of Altamira caves - and then Bilbao (the Guggenheim has transformed it) and La Rioja - with a very interesting little church in La Guardia - painted stone portico (as Santiago would have been) but in good condition as it is protected from rain and wind. Santo Domingo de La Calzada - a non stop stream of pilgrims to Santiago - and Burgos with a very modern Evolution Museum that exhibits rest of the local Homo Antecesor species a mere 1million years old.And back to Segovia.
I am a little glad to resume the routine and not sleep in a different town each day. Despite the rain and autumn feeling spreading over Newbury.

Below some sketches done along the way:
Galicia - Windmills

Beaches in Galicia.

Gijon - San Pedro and Palacio Revillajijedo

Cangas de Onis and Picos de Europa

Santillana del Mar

Bilbao - Guggenheim - inside (pencil) - it is a very complex building and difficult to sketch - people give and idea of scale - especially liked the Richard Serra sculptures which are simple and playful and explore spacial relationships.
outside - two watercolours - interesting to capture the light that changes the building (reflections and shades) all the time.

La Guardia and Santo Domingo de la Calzada