Solo Sketchcrawl, Old Montreal
May 9, 2013
Just completed a big freelance project – drawing on the computer for seven straight weeks. As a reward to myself, (and as a field test for my Sketching-in-Barcelona hot weather gear) I took the entire day off to enjoy Tuesday’s 26 degrees. I can report – Sun Sleeves by Pearl Izumi really work. And I’m remembering how to paint in direct sunlight.
Its amazing how we went from watercolor-will-not-dry to watercolor-dries-instantly in only a week. I’m not in any way complaining. It’s awesome that plein air season is here! These are all in and around the Old Port of Montreal. (Place d’Youville, Place des Armes, Place Jacques-Cartier). All places we might visit in our August workshop.
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Citizen Sketcher 
It’s great to see you painting again!
Marc … very atmospheric … I like the inclusion of the horse and the man with great pose (did they appear at the end of painting or they were there all the time?). Personally the open window in the last sketch is very special – it just adds another dimension to your sketch… And I love you palette – would you be able to tell me what paint colours are in your palette?
Great paintings. I love the way you show detail.
How big is the pad you are using?
This is one of the Stillman and Birn hardcover watercolor books – so they’re approximately 9×11″ closed, and of course, these are sketched over the fold – 2 page spread.
How is that you can see all these colors there? I see only gray :))) Great series!
Marc I thought I sent you my comment so sorry for repetition. Very atmospheric painting … which I believe achieved by including the horse and the man (great pose) and the open window. How did managed to paint the horse and the man – have they stayed there all the time or you painted them at the end or at the beginning? Love your colours – would you mind telling me what set of paint colours is in your palette? Kind regards
Hey Bakuma! Lets see – the horse and driver – they do tours around the old town in carriages – so there were two fellows, at any given time one or both of them were there, feeding and watering the animals, up waiting for customer. So I just knew I’d grab the fellow whenever he took a good pose. His white shirt and straw hat looked more like a tour guide in Havana. The horse, like most animal sketches, is a combination of both horses – you just work on the drawing a bit at a time, whenever the raise their head to the right spot. Paint palette – that would be Cerulean and Ultramarine Blue for sky – maybe some Prussian Blue. Sap Green and Yellow Ocher in foliage, and Aliziran, Burnt Umber, Cad Red and Vandyke Brown for the bricks and such. I also have this super strong dark green – Windsor Green Dark Shade – that is in the blacks. And a Violet that’s in some of the cool shadows. So a pretty full color palette! I Should probably try limiting myself a bit more :)
Thank you Marc. As usual looking forward to your new work
So nice, Marc. Looks warmer that that day last October when you, Shari and I sat on the steps sketching. These are lovely. Enjoy Barcelona, I wish I could attend.
Great to see you painting plein air again, Marc. I look forward to seeing more. Cheers!
I love the loose, sketchy, painterly feel on these, even as they capture the architectural accuracy at the same time. And I hear you on needing a traditional break after too much digital; I’m a production artist for medical and scientific material, so I use my lunchtime sketching for daily artistic therapy.