Nicole horizontal

Some people are bad at staying still and Nicole is one of them. Hence the missing leg.

when tomorrow comes

Gordes - in progress

I'm currently working on a large drawing of the complicated medieval hill town of Gordes, in Provence, France. I visited a few years back and was fascinated by the heap of interconnected buildings that rise almost organically from the yellow stone.

This is a slice of the drawing, showing the pencil lines and also the beginning of the inks.

Since the drawing isn't finished, I haven't scanned it yet - this is a snap from my tablet camera. I cleaned it up a bit, but there's still a lot of noise in the image.

some hands

I like to start drawing sessions by concentrating on the hands. They combine all the difficulties of the body into a single, conveniently small, unit. Once you feel comfortable with hands, the rest is easy.

Rob

Drawn from life with a Copic brush pen and a Pigma micron.

Castle Mane, in Provence

On a warm day in May I cycled from the village of Gordes to the small town of Forcalquier, across the Luberon, and enjoying along the way some of Provence's more rugged terrain. Just before Forcalquier I passed through the small community of Mane.

From the point of view of someone interested in Medieval architecture, Mane has two things: the beautifully atmospheric Priory of Salagon, and the much less distinctive castle. I made sketches of both.

Forcalquier was effectively the capital of an independent state for much of the middle ages, and the castle at Mane guarded the approach to the city. It was seemingly built in the 12th century, and expanded many times thereafter.

work in progress

Resting on a shelf in Tarragon's studio.

George

Drawn from life with the Collective art group in Toronto, Ontario.

Kristin

I drew Kristin from life with a china marker in the kitchen of a grimy residence in Siena, Italy.

well I know your kind

Annihilation of Time and Space

Tarragon painted a series of the landscapes visible from the window of a high-speed train. Travelling from London to Paris, he was struck by how the broad spaces of northern France were reduced to an impressionist smear by the speed of the train.

The pale form in the left hand sky is a reflection on the train window.

the double

Plate and a Haiku

When shadows are long/ Dim is the day/ In the valley of dawn

My haiku are always in translation so they rarely meet the traditional syllable requirements.

anytime now

Drawn from life with a Copic brush marker.