Windows

Hi my dearest readers!
My internet is limited this week, so I can not visit your blogs, hopefully I'll do next week, I miss them so much.

Meanwhile  my "Spring in Moscow" sketchbook pages (soon, only one page later, I will start new sketchbook!) and small winter watercolor I am afraid I forgot to post before.

And thank you so much, Angela, the very interesting and  special sketcher, for following my blog!

In the Mood for Botanics

I gathered together 5 quick sketches from last week, all are about nature, the strongest source of inspiration for me, all are done observing the real object, not photo. Viva the spring!

 The first drawing was executed with Neocolor watercolor sticks and strong watercolor washes above them. At some point I realized that the sketch was ruined and this idea gave me further freedom which I liked very much!

The second sketch is about Bergenia at parent's place. Ha, Blogger does not recognize this word, "bergenia", me neither, so maybe it is not bergenia at all.

The 3rd, 4th and 5th sketches are done with water-friendly ink. Usually I try to be very careful and not to touch ink lines with brush. And it never works. So sketches of this sort are usually too dark and "values confused"...

Montenegro Sketches. Cats' Bonus

Herceg Novi

 Another great advantage of outdoor sketching besides drawing practice is keep a dairy effect: when I look at the painting above, the sunny May 2nd, 2012 returns back. And I see myself on stone bench located above the amazing beauty of Savina monastery in Herceg Novi, Montenegro, I hear the birds songs and the strong scents of spring-the winner.

Budva

I have recently found new Russian sites with cats' photos. Are you in love with cats as I do? Then look here and here. And maybe you will decide to subscribe in your Google reader or whatever you use for daily blogging. Aaahhh, cats!

Pastel and Photos of Montenegro

Do you know what we use as fixative for our pastel works? Hair spray! When in Soviet Union it was the only material possible for the fixation of pastel dust on the paper.

These days we still use it for economy reasons. Sometimes it makes the appearance of the drawing darker, sometimes not. And the smell is nice, too))..
With no connection to pastel fixation situation I also post my photos of Montenegro, it is so beautiful. I hope you will enjoy, too. More to follow.

The Bay of Kotor

Herceg-Novi

St.Stephan Island

Beatriz (Beti) Abel

Watercolor by Beatriz Abel

Beatriz Abel. First I noticed sketches of Beatriz Abel at Monday Artday , challenges' blog of Mike Baker. Blog has more then 600 members and Mike is very wise and talented host. He gives the idea, we have to paint it, no copying of the photography.
Beti's participation in Monday Artday is always so kind and funny and sweet and so special and human.
And when Mike fell seriously ill and his blog was losing its activity, Beti was always there, supporting and helping Mike and his blog to survive with her warmest entries.

Look at this-Tiny Things. And this - Taro cards . And this - Butterfly Girl .

Some time ago I received this portrait from Beti. In March she posted women's portaits, I liked them so much and told wrote her about it. And see what I had in my mail! Beti painted my portait with a bird. It is so sweet and it is the most I like about blogging. The warmth we exchange, the warmth I received from Argentina. Wow.

Thank you, Beti!

City Sketching

My crazy March and April days full of intensive work are almost behind and now I hope to be here more often.

How are you, friends? I see from your blogs that your creative process and talent bring us so many amazing results.

Meanwhile I post my April sketches which helped me stay sane and to remember how wonderful it was to draw and paint.

The upper sketch is the ex-pencils making factory in Moscow. The sketch below is my attempt to copy some watercolorist from the past, I saved to my computer about 2 years ago and now have no clue who was the inspiring painter(.