Virtual Paintout - Detroit - August 2013

 I guess I was initially struck by the similarity of this building to the one I had just been drawing in Brussels (my Brussels sketch). Industrial architecture from the past is so painterly -- so many different colors on the faded red brick facades. In Brussels they've converted the 1810 "Moulins de Ruysbroeck" into impressive lofts. When I researched my Detroit building, I was surprised to find lots of articles on the Internet.  Known as the "Globe Trading Company building", it is charged with history as it was formerly part of the huge Detroit Dry Dock Complex where Henry Ford once worked as an apprentice before getting involved in cars. Sadly, I also found photos of its recent demolition. I guess it was too late and too expensive to renovate.

"Globe Trading Company"
5x7 inch, oil on canvas panel
(private collection, USA)

I was inspired to paint another industrial landscape in Detroit when I stumbled on Alfred Street -- with its bright skies, clouds and vivid colors -- located in the Eastern Market district.

"Eastern Market District"
6x8 inch, oil on canvas panel

(private collection, USA)

PS:  This is the first time I have submitted three paintings (the maximum allowed on VPO) since my first Virtual Paintout in May 2010! I've posted the other painting ("Heading downtown") on my Flickr account: 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/catherinehale/9576257511/in/set-72157626256462632

Link to the Business Insider article that featured the Detroit Virtual Paintout:  link

Virtual Paintout - Charleston SC - July 2013 (first stages)

Bill Guffey selected Charleston, South Carolina, for this month's Virtual Paintout. I've never been there but it looks like a beautiful city. I thought it would be fun to start by painting one of these horse-drawn carriages in the historic district (Link). Meanwhile, I've had my television on all day because it's the Belgian National Holiday (21 July) and the country also has a new King Philippe today, following the abdication of his father, Albert II. So when I checked the name of the Charleston Street I was painting, I was surprised to find out I was on King Street!

"King Street"

10x15 cm, oil on canvas

Vive la France!

Today is Bastille Day (14th of July) and I've just returned from visiting the French city of Metz, so I thought it fitting to post my sketches from the trip! (Further details on my Flickr account.)

My exhibit at the Bookshop will continue until the 22nd of June 2013

Here's the poster from the 

Open Studios weekend in May:

Parc de Wolvendael - 1 mai 2013 (first stages)

May 1st was a pleasant surprise: sunny and warm enough to sit in the park and paint!  

Later finalized in the studio:

 

"Le 1er mai au Parc de Wolvendael"
20x25cm, oil on canvas
(private collection, Brussels)

KOH-I-NOOR colored pencils

Today, I sketched a scene from Google's Street View for the Virtual Paintout in Lithuania. This is "Lukiškės aikštė", the largest square in Vilnius:

"Lukiškės aikštė"

Koh-i-Noor Hardmuth Polycolors on 9"x12" Dawler-Rowney Lyndhurst paper

I've enjoyed using these pencils so much that I recently decided to purchase the ones I was missing.  My chart below shows all 72 colors (except no. 37 which was not available).  Numbers 1 through 36 came with my original box of 36. I'm not sure it's really worth having the entire set because a few of the colors seem very similar but I'm glad I got the silver and gold (39 and 40) as I use them everywhere. There's also an "0" that you can use for blending.

The pdf chart you can download from the Koh-i-Noor site (Downloads, Polycolor) may be more practical as it's organised by color rather than number (with lightfastness levels, etc) but you can't see the colors very well so it's probably worth making your own chart. 

Virtual Paintout - Chile - February 2013

Hola amigos! Estoy en la Región de Valparaíso en Chile! Actually, I'm visiting the area in Google Street View for the Virtual Paintout. Above is a scene I found in Viña del Mar -- looking towards the valley from the Avenida Angamos.

Here's the link: "Caballos en la calle"

My second submission is on my Flickr account:Vuelve!

In fact, I’m really getting involved in the destination this month. For the first time in my life, I went to a Chilean restaurant: Araucana. We had Pisco sours, Empanadas, Anticuchos, and Torta chilena. Delicious! 

To see the rest of the Virtual Paintout contributions, please visit VPO

"Caballos en la calle"

27 x 36 cm, Koh-I-Noor Polycolor pencils on Steinbach paper

Virtual Paintout - Isle of Man (II) - January 2013

I've always wanted to paint haystacks but the ones you see in the fields nowadays are usually wrapped in ugly white or blue plastic. So when I ran across these attractive triangular ones in Street View, I decided it was now or never. This is a small 5" x 7" panel -- I would love to start over on a larger canvas but it's already Sunday evening!

"Haystacks at Balladoole"
5x7 inch, oil on canvas panel

Virtual Paintout - Isle of Man - January 2013

I have been searching for the name of these yellow flowers which line the roads on the Isle of Man. I had already painted them when the Virtual Paintout was in Ireland. They might be "yellow gorse". The link to the location is on my  Flickr Photostream.

"Yellow Gorse near Cranstal"
5x7inch, oil on canvas panel

Virtual Paintout - Slovakia II - December 2012 - more time

I kept working on this until I was happy with the result. I was in too much of a rush to submit a first version to the VPO on the last day of December. This has also got me thinking I'd like to plan a trip to the country this spring!

"Slovak Spring"
34.5x26.5cm, oil on canvas
(private collection, Brussels)