squwetchy Sometimes I run my paintings thru an AI filter to see if the algorithm and smoothing of some of the details improves it. Oddly enough there is something to be learned from this that helps me see colours and tonal elements more clearly. It’s like putting your writing thru a grammar checker so you can see where the run-on sentences are. The flaws stand out and you can see what you did wrong for next time. #flower #filter

squwetchy Take two: This is the second attempt, my “homework” attempt at the same #flower image as my last post from my #watercolour course night one.

squwetchy It has been almost a year since I took a #watercolour class at the local recreation centre. Last spring I took a course from a local teacher on painting Canadian landscapes in watercolours which taught me a whole bunch of new techniques and ideas for improving my personal sketching and painting. This spring, I signed up for a second course by the same teacher, but this time our focus is #flower painting in watercolour. we are encouraged to document the process each class by taking photos of the various stages of the artwork as we paint it as a group, but our instructor insisted obviously that none of those pictures that would hint or give away course materials be posted anywhere so while you will see a number of finished Paintings as a progress through the course over the next few weeks the closest I can give you to show some of the background is a picture like this of me documenting the colour I used to mix for one particular stage, which I don’t think gives much away.

squwetchy Starting next week I’m back in the classroom with my favourite watercolour instructor Frank. I signed up for another round of #watercolour painting classes at the local rec center. This time will be focussing on flowers so be prepared for lots of pictures of little pretty things and the high chance of me complaining about almost certainly being the only guy under 60 in my class. I was trying to get back into it as I haven’t done as much painting as I should have over the last month or two and I painted a couple spring scenes including these two.

squwetchy Another #autumn #watercolour landscape

squwetchy An #autumn #watercolour expedition into some local nature and I improvised a mask for the tree trunks using some bits of grass.

squwetchy It’s been a quarter of a century since my last visit here, and it’s always a wonderful reminder of the scope of the world and our long history when we travel. Tho once again the best plein air #sketching places are where the crowds are, and I with my pen and #sketchbook were plonk in the middle of people looking over my shoulder and even photographing my #urbansketching in the midst of ancient Roman ruins. This is the Palatino, an archeological site in the middle of Rome where the giants of history like Caesar once strolled … but today just little old me sketched.

squwetchy I sat on a wet bench in the King’s Jardin et did a little sketch in a quiet corner. I could have stayed all day, but alas I was with others setting the pace. #europe2023

squwetchy Some sketches from around the hotel in #paris #europe2023

squwetchy Talk about getting out of your comfort zone! About a thousand people walked by me as I sat on the ground in Piccadilly Circus on London this afternoon and did the sketch for this piece. People stop to take pictures of you while your sketching, look over your shoulder, and generally treat you as just as much part of the chaos of the scene when you’re doing that. Nervous as heck but that’s half the fun, right? #europe2023

squwetchy A little sketchy sketch in the park and then some additional #watercolour touch ups back at the hotel and my first day of #travel painting is done

squwetchy As much as I like sketching with ink and lines, the rawness of pure #watercolour (when I can take my brush) is starting to grow on me.