The Adventures of Sketching INSIDE Versailles

While I am still working on my Gabriel Prize images and sketches from Vaux, yesterday I went to Versailles to sketch.  I had been granted permission to sketch the interiors, a very rare opportunity that took weeks to get approved.  So official letter in hand, I battled the thousands of people (literally) in the château and headed straight for what Wikipedia says is one of the most famous rooms in the world , the Galerie des Glaces, or Versaille's famous Hall of Mirrors.

I knew this would be challenging.  I showed my letter to the guard, who read it 5 times and called 2 other people to review it (this is very France), then at last her chief showed up to give the final approval.  Then they were extremely nice.  So in a corner at the very end of the huge space, I plopped down my 3-legged REI stool, INSIDE the cordoned off area to the public, and slowly began to tackle this space.

I must say, it truly exhausted my brain.  The detail is overwhelming, the space is huge, and the hordes of tourists coming by were not only a distraction, but blocked much of my view. And, they took pictures of me!

Still, I knew this was an utterly amazing opportunity, and I HAD to do it...

Below are the three sketches I made of the interiors.  I was not permitted to pull out paints (understandable, as I can't get cobalt blue watercolor onto a rug from the 1600's), so I drew in pencil to be watercolored later.  And I'm nervous about applying the watercolor, so I'm posting the pencil images until I muster up the courage to pull out my paints today.

All in all, this was a great day.  A rare opportunity, a true challenge, and it was very, very fun. I loved it.  I think even Louis XIV would have been happy.

Galerie de Glaces, Château de Versailles, July 30, 2013
click on the image to see it larger.

Corner of the Grand Cabinet de Madame Victoire, Versailles

By brain was mush by this point...

The crowds had thinned out by this point and a very nice DJ from Canada kindly snapped this photo.

Put down the brush!

I'm off to Versailles today for what is likely the last time of this trip.  I have been granted permission to sketch inside (!) and I'll also be meeting one of the staff architects for lunchtime sketching (thank you so much, Ruaidhri!)

But while slurping down my morning muesli, I thought I'd post an older sketch.  My challenges in painting are 1--values, figuring out how to translate a pencil value study into color and 2--which colors to use for shade and shadow in different situations.  Watercolor is SOOOOO hard!

Here you see my dilemma in practice--the photo from the site, then how I overworked the sketch trying to get a value I liked on the Seine wall below the cathedral.  I hope to try this view again and get it right before leaving.  It's only about a 5 minute walk from here...

Hard to know when to stop, especially when trying to figure out values.  I hope to redo this sketch next week~~

Weekend at Vaux le Vicomte, looking for Vanishing Points

Once again, I was able to spend the weekend at the Château Vaux le Vicomte as part of my Gabriel Prize study.  A warm thanks to M. Alexandre De Vogüé for his support in allowing me to stay in an apartment on site--it was incredibly valuable to have that extra time in the late evening (and to enjoy the candle lit château and gardens, and fireworks!) and the early morning in the quiet gardens.

Saturday was roasting hot--I hope I lost a good 5 pounds in pure perspiration!  Sunday was thankfully much cooler, at least in the morning, and I was able to make the long walk to the opposite side of the canal to get this view looking back toward the château.  It is a study for the final view of the three I need to complete for the Gabriel Prize project.  I found a shady spot and did this sketch, but had to color it later due to time.

I like this view--even though it is asymmetrical (and these gardens are based on symmetry), it shows the relationship of the gardens to the chateau, including the hidden canal and grotto fountain you see in the foreground of this sketch. And, I think I'm finally, finally, finding a balance of pencil to paint that I like.

Vaux is an amazing place--calm, elegant, and full of Landscape Architect Le Nôtre's perspective and optical tricks, which predate Versailles.

Château Vaux le Vicomte, looking back toward the château
from across the hidden canal.  The fountains were running the previous
day, and the movement and sound of water really transform
these gardens. July 28.

I pass this building all the time...

The Cité des Arts where I'm staying is almost right behind the City Hall of Paris-- I pass it all the time, so I had to try and capture it before leaving.  The Hôtel de Ville has been in this location since 1357, according to Wikipedia.  The building is covered with niches occupied by statues of famous frenchmen,
including architect Boulé from one of my first sketches of this trip.

Was a little overwhelming to sketch, sitting on the curb.  Cars and motorcycles would pull up right in front of me, some pretending I wasn't there and others, making funny faces and hoping I'd draw them into the sketch.  Next time I'll take my stool to sit on!

Today I'm off to Vaux le Vicomte this weekend for my Gabriel Prize project--hope to do lots of painting, if the violent thunderstorms we've been having (due to heat) don't pose a problem. Tonight is the amazing Saturday night candle lighting of the château and gardens--it is really beautiful. I'll post a photo here when I'm back on Sunday night.

Paris, I pass the Hôtel de Ville all the time...July25

Same building, my second sketch
of the trip in the rain, from the top
of the BHV department store.

Back to Rue Montorgueil

Posting a sketch I did while waiting for my husband and son to arrive in Paris last month. Now that it's roasting hot here, it's hard to remember that it was rainy and very cold while I sat on some stairs and did this sketch as well as for my first 6 weeks in France.

Rue Montorgueil is just north of Les Halles and is famous for its food shops--it is an amazing pedestrian street.

Rue Montorgueil in the cold and rain, about a month ago...

Last Sketch in Holland

Before leaving Den Haag on Tuesday morning, I decided to try another sketch of my aunt and uncle's view north, this time in my sketchbook (the Pentallic sketchbook has better paper than the canson from the previous sketch.  It's pentallic and Arches in the future for me...)

This is more detail painting than I usually do, and it's also a different approach to painting trees.  A bit like cotton balls, but I like them, and they are so prominent in this view.  

I also switched from using aureolin to new gamboge to mix with sap green for the trees, which I like better.  The trees have 4 layers of color to give a sense of light--a light wash of new gamboge mixed with sap green, 2 slightly heavier layer of the same colors on the left side of trees adding cobalt the second time, to finally mixing with some ultramarine blue, which I'm starting to use more and more on this trip.

I think I'm going to paint the boat on the left side bright red!

A good memory of a wonderful trip. The painting seems to feel as hot and sunny as it was in Den Haag!  xoxoxo

Den Haag from my aunt and uncle's window. Click on the image to see it larger.

Back in Paris, Back in the Studio

Today I spent all day glued to my drawing table, finally getting the opportunity to finish 
up numerous sketches from the past few weeks.  I prefer to do an entire sketch in 
the field, but it's often problematic to draw and paint at one sitting on site.  So today, 
I added color, scanned, etc. to a whole collection of images, clearing the way 
for me to dig into the final weeks of working on my Gabriel Prize project.

Going back in time, here are a few more sketches from Civita di Bagnoregio~~

thanks so much again to NIAUSI for providing the opportunity to work in this
amazing place.  I look forward to next year's workshop!

Interior of the really lovely Chiesa San Donato.
I really like this sketch, click on the image to see it larger.  I used cerulean blue under the
arches, then at the end glazed with cobalt blue--I love the cool color.

Stairs to the wonderful NIAUSI
apartments.

Dramatic entry to Civita through the Porta Santa Maria, looking
to the hills and tuffa beyond. Slowly learning to capture the colors.
The secret was raw umber...I'm really happy with the watercolor
on the gate.

Gate to Tony's Garden.

Quick sketch as a storm brews in the valley on the last day, looking toward Lubriano.

Weekend in Holland with family

This past weekend, I went to Holland to visit family where we celebrated my Aunt Ingrid's birthday and also the birthday of my cousin Paula's daughter, who turned 3.  It was so wonderful to see them all!!  Spent a lovely afternoon on the beach at Scheveningen with my cousin Cecilia and her family too.  All in all, much too little time with loved ones.

Below are two sketches I did while in Holland--

this sketch is the view from my aunt and uncle's apartment in central Den Haag.  It's a beautiful view looking north to rooftops, church steeples, and a canal below.  And yes, occasionally cars trying to park along the canal fall in!  

I left this sketch for my aunt and uncle.  It took forever to do, and I think I have to stop using the canson paper, as it is too mushy...can't manipulate the paint as I'd like.

This sketch was done near my cousin Paula's home north of Amsterdam, a beautiful wetland area.  Where I sat to sketch is literally a field of grass and roots floating on water!  It's mushy to walk on, and if you jump up and down, the ground bounces underneath...very strange sensation...

Cecilia and Sjoerd (who is a wonderful professional photographer, by the way),
your sketch comes later!

In the forest at Sagrada Familia, Barcelona

Before leaving Barcelona, Nicholas and I met fellow Seattle-ite and amazing Urban Sketcher Gail Wong and her husband John at Gaudí's Sagrada Familia.  I found Gail mid-sketch in the Basilica!

Construction of the building began in 1882.  It is truly other-worldly...so organic in feel, especially on the outside, but inside it's actually smaller, brighter (lots of light inside) and less textured than I expected.  Nicholas went up the tower elevator, which even he said was "sketchy"-- not for anyone with vertigo or for younger kids, as there is not much in the way of railings and long views down the center of the circular stairs to the floor way way below.  I'm glad I sketched on the ground instead!

This basilica sketch is one of the most challenging sketches I've ever done, as there is so much going on.  The columns are actually different heights and canted in Gaudí's famous hyperboloid curves, and we learned from John, different colors because they are built from different stones based on their ability to carry different building loads.  The effect of looking up and feeling as if you are in a forest peering into the tree canopy is really interesting.

Outside, it was SUNNY, HOT, and humid.

Basilica interior at Gaudí's Sagrada Familia in Barcelona

2 minute detail of Sagrada Familia exterior

Sketched sitting on the ground across the street from the Sagrada Familia
with tourists constantly stopping right in front of me to snap a photo.
This is the Passion Facade, construction began in 1954. It is much more
austere than the other side, the Nativity facade which was built
much earlier.  It looks like Gaudí built drip sand castles on the
beaches of Barcelona when he was a child.

Out of my Comfort Zone in Barcelona

The past 4 days, I've been attending the 4th annual Urban Sketchers Symposium--sketchers from literally around the world descended on Barcelona, España for workshops, demos, and other opportunities to learn from some of the best sketchers from around the world. And Barcelona is an AMAZING city!!!!!  The event was extremely well-organized, and we are leaving with piles of new sketchbooks, paints, pens, USk buttons--all donated by the symposium sponsors. I practically need a second suitcase.

I attended 5 workshops.  It's very hard to actually produce good work in a workshop, as in learning what other people do and how they do it, you typically are working well out of your own comfort zone--using different materials, colors, techniques, etc. from what you typically use. 

The workshops were great and I learned a lot, mostly about using tone, a new way to use ink, a new color palette, and how effective it is to create strong foreground elements.  All really helpful, but my sketches, as expected, weren't that great.  Here are some...

In Roma

It's proving to be difficult to post while on the road.  I will have to post more sketches from this trip once back in Paris.  We are now in Barcelona--I am at the Urban Sketchers Symposium (which is amazing--so well organized too!) and Nicholas is on his own in a hostal doing what 19 year olds do (drinking, beach, more drinking...)

However, we did spend almost 24 hours in Rome.  What a beautiful city!  The colors seem to just glow in the Italian light--rusts, ochres, warm yellows...just amazing.  We did a lot of walking around to see the sights--the colosseum (where it started to rain), to the pantheon, to a tartufo in the Piazza Navona, and then the Spanish Steps...we came back here the next morning so I could do a sketch.  Tons and tons of tourists here and blazing heat, but this is it...my one Roman sketch in this beautiful city.

Masses of tourists and scorching sun in the morning at the Spanish Steps.
A sketch before we head on to Barcelona. July 10.

Civita in quick Pencil

I need to do more tone studies!

Left, main street Civita.  Right,  NIAUSI apartment doorways

Civita's Colors

Going through every color I brought in order to find the right colors to use here in Civita.  Lots of ochres and grays, lots of texture.  Only moderately successful so far...

Civita Street. July5 

Civita Cliffs. July 6

Civita di Bagnoregio Piazza

Civita di Bagnoregio is warm, sunny, breezy, and spectacularly beautiful.  You walk through Bagnoregio, over and up the long bridge to Civita, walk through the gate, and you are thrown back several centuries into a world of beautiful ochre colored stone, small winding streets with huge pots of flowers, and buildings that are scaled to the pedestrian and burro.

The NIAUSI apartments are equally beautiful!  Beautiful designed, amazing views out to the landscape, and so elegant.  It is really wonderful to be here.

The workshop is very casual this year...the one particpant (we advertised a little late for people to get reasonable airfares, but next year, I'm sure we'll have a full class) is doing wonderful sketches.  We spend the days scoping out beautiful places to draw and paint together, trying to figure out how to capture the colors of the stone--which is not easy!

Civita Piazza. July6
Working on getting the colors.
Photo is taken in the sunny windowsill in NIAUSI's Il Nuovo apartment.

Taxi-plane-bus-train-bus-WALK to Civita di Bagnoregio, Italy!

And it was worth it!  Amazing to be in this spectacular place.  Will start to post sketches tomorrow... Happy 4th of July to all!

Nicholas on the bridge up to the town. July 1

Street in Civita, utterly amazing place.

Watercolor Study for Gabriel Prize Final

Part of what I will draw and paint is a sequence of serial images that lead you through the garden at Vaux, revealing Le Nôtre's design in perpsective.  This is a photo of the watercolor study for view 5 of the sequence...

Vaux Sequence View 5 .  June 22, 2013 .  SBower
click on the image to get a better view

Sunny Morning at Vaux

I'm in Italy now, with empty sketchbooks to fill, but before moving on, here are two more studies from Vaux le Vicomte.  It was a bright, sunny morning, and because I had the opportunity to stay in a small apartment in the château complex Saturday night, I was literally the FIRST one in the gardens that Sunday morning!