More postcards

I go on with my postcards/rabbits/hares series (I bought a box of 30 postcards, so be patient)))
I was very easy with painting them. 10 minutes, no planning, voila! So please not only be patient, but also indulgent.
First one says by its own.

The second one, lonely Santa was presented to my single-mother friend, I wished this Santa to find her soon in real life).

The third one, hare-artist, will stay at home, it very much resembles me (my interest in carrots and brushes) and my painting efforts.

Happy New Year, friends!

Kotor Doors

A5, Ink and waterbrush

Strange, but I like these black and whites. Why strange? I am color addict, color radiates energy, attitude, passion.
The ink is more structured and exact, disciplined.

Bags

And my new fountain pen has great clever nib, comfort matters here too)).

These are doors in Kotor, Montenegro. Every door worth a story.
And more of quick sketches while waiting for people or events (very relaxing activity).
The corner of two buildings in Kotor.
And my bags (yes, it is a bag, this strange "thing" in the bottom of the sketch), unfinished.

I keep posting London.
That day I had "Irina, be a normal tourist!" agenda. So here are St.Paul's, Tower, Westminster. So energy-consuming agenda. I could walk for hours non-stop in the woods, and was dead tired after short period of "big sites touring" in the city)))

St.Paul's from Millennium Bridge

Tower's inhibitants

Banal photo, I know.

Swadhisthana

A3, Oil pastel

I was trying to be free and relaxed here, had the idea to draw the Swadhisthana chakra (wiki writes about it here) in some abstract manner, which turned into this flower.
I used oil pastels, then brush with solvent (it thinned the pastels and mixed the colors, then oil pastel again when the solvent dried). Breathed a lot of chemical, felt funny...


Now few London photos, they help to keep the fragile memories alive.
That day I went to Oxford by train.

Christ Church Meadow.

The town of young inhabitants, everyone rolling a suitcase. It was my first impression. Only young people. Leaving the town rolling the suitcase behind (it was Saturday morning, they were going home for week-end)).

River Cherwell

Trees, older then old.
After oxigen-free Moscow I could not stop doing deep breaths there, trying to breath fresh air as a reserve.

You can not be loser-student when you live in such decorations. You just can not.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

My warmest greetings to my friends and their families, to my readers and to so many talented in different fields, kind, deep, wise and funny people I know due to blogging, you inspire and encourage me every day, thank you so much!

Why hares?
I live in interesting country, you know.
We celebrate 24th December Catholic Christmas (as we call it),
then New Year on 1st January,
on 7th January we celebrate Orthodox Christmas,
14th January is the celebration of New Year (old style dates calculation, that calendar was used in Russia before 1917 revolution)
and middle February (I am afraid I do not know the exact date) the Chinese New Year.
And here comes the hares.. This Chinese year is year of hare, we have a lot of symbols all over the city, so I was very much inspired))))

Chin-chin!

Postcards

This year I was drawing postcards like my artists-friends. New experience. Very joyful. I will post them here after handing to my friends.
And this is the first example. Yesterday I gave it to my friend Katia, she is waiting for her first child (she is talented photographer (find a minute to look at her new blog (link here) and received in response the beautiful hand-made Christmas tree.

London, p.3. Fountain pen

A5, Ink, Sketchbook

A5, Ink in sketchbook

I like when the artists of Urban Sketchers (link) use ink when drawing the city, so I wanted to try this method. Of course I miss color here, but it is great tool to learn the tones. I used Rotring fountain pen (link), bought in London. 

Chelsea

London. It is hard to walk around the new city without purpose. I do not mean the tourist's routes, they are another story. I mean the pleasure of walking the streets slowly, watching people and everyday life.
My plan was to mark the art supplies shops on the center's map (I am obsessed, I told you), then walk as long as possible to the marked location looking around and sightseeing.

Tate Britain

That day I happened to walk in Chelsea, along the Thames and into Tate Britain.

Tate Britain surprised me with the desks, where you could sit and copy the works of Turner in calm and quiet museum decoration.  They provide paper and pencils, you can take the result with you or keep it for visitors' observation.

New Tradition

Once in a week I will post the stuff that amazed and delights me. Will do it on Sundays.

Today we have the story from London. When leaving the carriage underground I saw at the platform the huge showcase with sketched human faces. I was sticked to it. And here what I found out.
The London underground sponsors the "Art on the Underground" program, presenting "best contemporary art for the World class tube". Site link, please press.

Later, at home, I found the art of that station, which impressed me so much. Artist Dryden Goodwin is sketching the personnel of the tube, while people talking about their life on the tube (The link to the short subtitled videos is here).



Such an experience to see the artist at work, such an experience to hear human stories.

The site of Dryden Goodwin (link here).

London, p.2

It was my first time at Ronnie Scott's. Actually, first time in jazz club in London ever. So when they wrote in the terms that doors would be opened at 6 p.m., I was at my place at 6.03. But the show started only hour and a half later. What would you do? Sketch? Right answer!
I was sketching the dark scene with many microphones and drums and piano. Added color at home.
I am crazy about the art supplies shops, London was the right place to feed my passion. The sketch is toned with newly bought wax crayons, two Neocolor sticks, burnt sienna and cobalt. Too bright and heavy - if you prefer transparent watercolors, as I do.
And some London photos.

View from Kensington High Street

St. Mary Abbots

Frosted

London, p.1

A5, PITT ink, watercolor and Neocolor II wax crayons 

This cozy house was my home during my week in London. First floor. First class hospitality in welcoming city. I am so full with images I need to paint of beautiful London. I am so full with warmth I received from London. Nice weather. Gorgeous historical decorations. Smiling people. Delicious food.


I made photos of menu sheets in restaurants, I even thought about stealing the menu pages for reference when back at home. I was buying cook books. What was that? I do not know. Maybe the "stuff" word in the blog's name will get wide meaning soon. Or I am trying to keep the aftertaste of the city this way.

Why do I write about this impression of London? Well, I need to start somewhere. And to keep the fullness of London days in my heart as long as I can.

I missed you posts very much, I will read them all for sure.

The Rose

Oil pastel on craft paper, 30x40cm

My tribute to "Paint and Draw Together" Challenge. It looked too dramatic on black background, so I tried to make it look softer.
I was listening to Tord Gustavsen in the beginning and the music influenced the process so much. I started with cool reds and deep shadows in the flowers, which were changed to warm and soft colors and lines when I finished the CD and turned on "I am Kloot".

Do you listen to the music when doing your art? How does it work for you?