Pirogh Hesse

I took part in a three-day workshop organized by Stéphane Pau at l'Étoile-de-Voiron, near Grenoble. Intense, very professional and very relaxed at the same time, with live poses ranging from 30 seconds to 30 minutes. I was able to deepen several techniques, in particular combining fineliner-pen and watercolour.

I also developed charcoal drawings:

Several models intervened during these three days at l'Étoile-de-Voiron: Camille, Clarinha, Manina, Patrick, Selma, Tiyi. Charcoal, fineliner-pen and watercolor from 30x40cm to 50x65cm. Life figure sketch, from 5mn to 30mn.

Tiyi at la Guitoune. Watercolor and fineliner-pen, about 21x30cm. Life figure sketch, 5mn.

Geneviève at la Guitoune. Watercolor and fineliner-pen, about 30x42cm.

This is the last figure drawing session before the holidays: today I use a fineliner-pen and watercolor.

Clarinha at l'ESAD. Watercolor and fineliner-pen, about 42x30cm. Life figure sketch, 10mn.

In April, I did a travel a week long in Corsica. I first visited Bonifacio in the south of the island. I painted a view of its famous houses above the sea with watercolor in a small A4 sketch book that I've done myself, as described in my previous blog post Travel by bike.

Next, I went to the north of the Corsica island in L'Île Rousse. These watercolors are about 21x30cm and took about 1 hour each. I also prepared some postal cards, about 10x15cm, that I sanded to family and friends:

When walking in the maquis shrubland, I also draw quick sketches with a fineliner-pen, about 15x21cm and about 10' each of them. I visited a small portion of the GR 20 footpath that started in Conca crosses the island. I also walked in the Agriate, with scenic views over the sea and smell of flowering maquis in spring.

During a travel, I took some time off in the Jura, in Bellefontaine.

Fineliner-pen, about 15x21cm. Landscape sketch, about 10mn.

During a travel, I took some time off in Bonneval, in Alps, in the Vanoise natural park. Bonneval is a well preserved traditional mountain style village, with lauze roofs.

Fineliner-pen, about 15x21cm. Landscape sketches, about 10mn.

I travel by bike along the Léman lake, using the Via Rhona, between France and Swissland. I stop sometimes for a quick sketch: this one is performed near Genève.

Fineliner-pen, about 15x21cm. Landscape sketch, about 10mn.

I discovered Chris Glib by its presentation by Kenzo Fry from the excellent Love-Life-Drawing web site. Chris Glib uses a fineliner-pen and hatching. Then I studied his style and try to reproduce some of its drawings by using instead chinese ink with a pen and then a brush with water.

Chinese ink with pen and brush, about 42x30cm.

During a bike trip with saddlebags and camping tent, I painted on the spot some watercolors of the scencic landscapes of the south of France. I left Grenoble, joined the via Rhôna and I then, reached Saint-Agrève and later, Rodez:

I drew fitst a quit sketch using a fineliner-pen and then introduced the watercolors. I used a small A4 sketch book that I've done myself with some watercolor paper, a cardboard sheet for the back, a transparent slide for the top and a a string for the binding. As for sketches in less than 10mn, I fixed here to finish each watercolor in about one hour.

Going back, I stopped few days in Die:

This is a charming small town circled by Gallo-Roman city walls:

Watercolors, about 21x30cm.