Faerye Tales

I have a wonderful friend who is a sculptor (she specializes in animals), and we have been friends for almost 30 years. Her world is a world of animals, friends and picnics... She came to visit me 2 weeks ago, and we had a fabulous time together, catching up since last time we met, because we hadn't seen each other in quite some time... Then she mentioned that, having her own gallery, she had her more time to actually work, and she told me her art was definitely one step ahead from what I knew. Of course I asked her for pictures, and when she went back home (she lives in Brittany not far from Saint-Malo) she sent me photos, and I just fell in love. Yes, definitely, her art had gone a step further. So I called her and decided to visit her in Brittany last week end. The weather was windy, it rained a bit (but it's never for long in windy Brittany) and I loved every minute of this visit! First she took me to "foire de la Saint Simon" in Saint Briac where her cerami...

When things go wrong, there are two possibilities: Either just scribble your drawing and start a new one (which is what I usually do) Or try something new to rescue it! Today I felt I would try the latter, because I had done this on a nice background that I had prepared in advance, and I didn't want to ruin said background. I wanted to try a Sktchy portrait that was challenging, so I chose that close-up on a face that was blurred in lights. I picked my brushpen, and began with the left eyebrow (for some reason I often begin with eyebrows) and yikes, it was too big, the eyes got unaligned, and so on. I felt discouraged, hesitant to just abandon it, because of the background, and vaguely stubborn. So I picked my Posca Markers and decided to try and do the portrait with those, painting values, and see how it goes. My first nice surprise is that I could cover some of my mistakes with the Posca marker (oh Gosh, did I mention I LOVE those??) Then I just picked different c...

Hi all! It's been a while since I published here, because, you know, life happens... A while ago, I took the excellent online course from the excellent Sketchbook Skool, that was called "Illustration Nation". I wasn't sure what I would do with that, but I liked the idea, to be able to learn how to complete a project from the idea to the final product. So I did the Kourse, not really sure what project to bring to life. I chose the Sketchbook Project at first, because I had a deadline on it (which I am totally going to ignore, by the way). But then I had a really hard time keeping drawing or painting, because my project was kinda complicated (rebinding a sketchbook, not using the original paper that wasn't suited to my medium) and so I sort of let it down for now. But I still wanted to achieve something, and have a product, something final that anyone could buy. So allow me a remark, here.  I am really really GRATEFUL to Sketchbook Skool for the zillion a...

Happy New Year!  With each New Year, we take resolutions, and one of mine this year was to join the  2018 sketchbook project. Yes, I know, I'm often not really fully aware of what I am getting myself into... I have to choose a theme among those proposed, and draw inside the sketchbook, then return it before march 31st, 2018. So I have received that sketchbook and, first feeling :  The paper won't like what I want to do! But I took several deep breaths and decided to take the paper off, and replace it with my own paper.  (yes, it is allowed) So I will use the paper I wish, and hopefully it will give the impression I want. As for the binding, heck, I will learn. I chose my theme, and began to draw, after making tests on the paper, to see how it behaves. and here are my first drawings... It's going to tell a story, sort of. The title is "Underwater dreams".  I didn't want to add the text directly on the drawing, because it felt it woul...

Yup, I do that too: marathon watching series is great! And of course I have to draw some of the characters as I do, because at some point, because I have watched the series for quite a moment, it's almost as if I knew them: I know how they look, but also how they move, the kind of emotions they convey. So at some point i can freeze the screen and draw, and I find it so much easier to do so, than from a photo, because : 1. I choose the image I freeze, so it becomes "mine", somehow 2. I don't have to be accurate, I got them by the series, so I know my portrait will be "right" nevertheless. I liked "Wanted" a lot, because : It's set in Australia and in Thailand and also in New Zealand. The characters are "quite ordinary" people to whom extraordinary things happen, by chance. It's a wonderful friendship tale. The music is great, and the filming is lovely. I didn't draw all characters, just a few who I had to draw, playing ...

Adieu Monsieur Rochefort I have had the joy and privilege to know this wonderful man in real life, and when I had him on the phone, each time, his voice was a pure delight to me "Bonjour, jeune femme" he always greeted me. He had a wonderful sense of humor and I am still smiling, years after, remembering his voice and his jokes. He was always so classy, and such a gentleman. I will miss him much, and miss his wonderful deep and warm voice. Of course I had to draw him as Don Quixote, in that cursed Terry Gilliam movie, that was never released. I think he was perfect for that role. Adieu, Monsieur Rochefort. I will miss you.

Yes, I have to confess, I saw Roz Stendahl's post about drawing in front of TV, and I thought "whaaa?" But she's right. drawing in front of TV, or a computer, is a great exercise! you can freeze the image, and draw! Of course freezing the image for long is frustrating because we all want to know what is happening next, so I tend not to freeze for too long, and that makes me choose to draw much less lines, which I believe to be good for my art! (I tend to draw too much details and overwork it!) So here comes a character from Miss Fischer, drawn with mu new Pentel Brush Pen "FP6L" I have to say I am in LOVE with that tool, it takes a bit of practice but it is so pliant, and offers so many line possibilities!! Plus, last but not least, the ink dries quickly and is waterproof! I might decide to add color at some point, but, so far, i like it all in black and white! The grey shadows were added with Pitt Artist Pens.