Tekapo landscape

This is my 2nd landscape for Kate’s watercolour pencil class. At one time I worked at Mt Cook, and every week I caught the service bus down to Timaru to see my parents (130 miles) and we’d pass first Lake Pukaki which is whitish because of the glacial flour, and after that come to Tekapo with its vivid blue green water.

I got the image from wetcanvas as I don’t have one of my own. www.wetcanvas.com/RefLib/showphoto.php?photo=39222

I chose this image with some trepidation, because I am not a landscape painter, so I don’t remember ever having done clouds before. That being the case, I think they turned out pretty well. On Fabriano Hot Press – I really love this paper.

First drawing in Kate’s Watercolour pencil class

I am one of the lucky students doing Kate Johnston’s Watercolour Pencil Class this year. I’ve been kicking myself for a year for not doing it last year. The first lesson is all about materials and I’d done most of that already from Kate’s CD. Just the same I’ve tried a few blendy things, and done a colour wheel from my Albrecht Durer pencils. Although I have a 36, I  set and a 48 set, l have made a little shopping list of some of Kate’s favourite colours, so come Wednesday when I go into the city, I’ll have more toys.

This drawing is done without putting pencil to paper. It’s done by touching a brush to the pigment in the pencils. An interesting experiment, but easier to use paint, I think.

One of my postcards arrived.

I can now let you look at this exchange postcard because it has arrived with Jen in Victoria. Strangely she knows the building. She used to live in a nearby suburb, and the building is right on the railway line. It is an old flour mill. Last time I visited, it was artists studios. It has a new modern apartment building showing behind it on the right, so I am not sure how long it will last without being developed.

Kind Hearts and Coronets

Mellanie gave me this Kind Heart Award. I must say it was very kind of her. Now I need to pass it on to up-to-five people.

Kelsey must be top of my list for her generous sharing of tutorials on her blog. I learnt the credit card papers from her, and right this afternoon that has solved a problem for me of how to visually portray something in my artist’s book about Bologna that I’m in the middle of making. Kelsey was also very generous with her knowledge of inkjet transfers.

Carol is next, for her help with marbling, choosing a printer and a myriad other questions I ask.

Rah for his helpful information about the Tombow pens.

Lorraine for pointing me in the direction of a great bargain in Albrecht Durer pencils on Ebay Australia. Which in turn made me aware of watercolour pencils on ebay & I got another massive set at a bargain price.

OK – there are six! Kate for being so generous with her time, effort, and attention to detail in the new Watercolour Pencil CD. Also for being generous in answering question on the Everyday matters sketching list.

Luckily I saved this post. Save now! I wrote it in the course of the afternoon, because I had to look up links etc. At 8pm – boom – the power went off – totally unexpected after a sunny day. It was nearly dark, but not too dark for me to get down my long hall & get the candles on. The lights were out for over an hour, but I was happy. I recently upgraded my phone to one with an MP3 player. Then even more recently I got a pair of tiny speakers on ebay, so there I was, by candlelight, with Putumayo Presents: Nuevo Latino and a glass of Sunshine’s vodka.