Pirogh Hesse

During a bike travel in Bavaria with saddlebags and camping tent, I did some sketches with a fineliner-pen and also painted on the spot in a small A4 watercolor sketch book that I've done myself, as described in my previous blog post Travel by bike. I started from Mulhouse, progressed along the Rhein and joined the lake Constance.

Then, I reached Füssen where is the famous Neuschwanstein castel by by Ludwig II of Bavaria.

I then turned north on the Romantische Straße during about 400 kilometers. I was impressed by the old cities, some of them with buildings from medieval times: Augsburg, Nördlingen and Rothenburg.

I finally turned west, reached Heidelberg and next Strasbourg.

Sketches, about 15x21cm. Watercolors, about 21x30cm.

Grenoble is surrounded by breathtaking scenery. One of them is la dent de Crolles: After a little travel, I put my easel by the river.

Acrylic, 50x65cm.

Back from a family meal on mother’s day, I stop my travel at the Bourget lake to swim and make a quick watercolor, just before the storm begins.

At the end of April, Clematis opened on my balcony: I was so happy that I did a painting of one flower. Next, I did a travel to Lovagny, close to Annecy in Savoy, and visited the family. I also painted a chalet.

Watercolor, about 21x30cm.

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.

In september, I did a travel a week long in Athens. I first visited the Acropolis and painted on the spot both the Parthenon and the Caryatid porch of the Erechtheion 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 archaeological museum and discovered Mycenaean fresco of Tiryns. I was so impressed that I reproduce some of them. The previous woman portrait is my watercolor reproduction of the original, done between 1400 and 1200 BC, which is now in this museum. A photography of it is available here.

I also reproduced some fresco from Akrotiri. The following spring fresco dates from 1600-1500 BC.

I was very impressed by the style and freedom of these artists of the ancient Greece. Similaryly, the young boxers, from the same period:

Watercolor, about 21x30cm. About 2 hours each of them.

Back from a travel in Brittany with lots of photos and beautiful scenery deep in the eyes, I started oil painting, more precisely a water-soluble oil.

This landscape is near Paimpol, on the hiking trail, the famous GR34, the former customs path. I was more confident with acrylic and I was surprised that I took long time to dry. So, I continue alla prima, with a with a thick layer of paint: I took about one month to be dry.

Water-soluble oil, 50x65cm.