CN Rail Snowplow

I discovered the Alberta Railway Museum this summer while on a bike ride, and was intrigued by the rail cars that announce the museum's entry off the rural roadway, across the now-closed entry gate. But it's served as a great destination for some rides over the course of the last few months, and I've managed to sketch the lead car -- a CN snow plow -- on some sunny evening drives. 

constrction site

 A construction site over the course of the last few weeks... this is the first series of urban sketches I have done in a while. The first one was completed by some rain drops... it adequately documents my experience that day.

Every Day in May: part 3

I participated again in the  "Every Day in May" Facebook challenge to post a sketch throughout the month of May based on a daily prompt. Here are some highlights! (Part3)

Day 20: shoes or some clothes

Day 22: a book, newspaper, or magazine

Day 25: "Towel Day"

Day 30: a home plant

Every Day in May: part 2

I participated again in the  "Every Day in May" Facebook challenge to post a sketch throughout the month of May based on a daily prompt. Here are some highlights! (Part 2)

Day 10: a pet (my daughter's stuffed seal)

Day 11:illustrate a recipe

Day 13: toilet paper rolls

Day 15: a view from your window

Day 16: a wire whisk

Every Day in May: part 1

I participated again in the  "Every Day in May" Facebook challenge to post a sketch throughout the month of May based on a daily prompt. Here are some highlights! (Part 1)

Day 2: a bicycle light

Day 6: a self-portrait

Day 7: a teapot (plus Day 1: a mug)

Day 8: favourite drawing tools

Day 9: a wall clock

woodblock attempts... #3

I happened to come across an online image of a woodcut by a favourite print artist, depicting a view that has particular meaning for my family's history. I decided I would work on a series of smaller woodblock prints depicting some scenes around the neighbourhood in question.

This was my first image. It was also my first try at multi-coloured prints, and although I enjoyed the process of planning for colour and carving four plates, I like the simplicity of the black and white version (and maybe the addition of grey), and will stick to that in the next one. I have a lot to learn...

woodblock attempts... day ?

1 The original idea sketch...

2 Sketched onto a piece of trace...

What started out as a project during a week off at the end of March got put on hold  but I have finally found the time (and materials) to further work on the woodblock print attempt during this week off. The first 6 images are from March, the last two from yesterday.

I was not happy with the paper (too small and too smooth) and the inconsistency of the ink in my previous printing, but some experimenting (and googling) using a block I carved on similar wood 15 years ago revealed quite dramatically that dampening the paper works quite nicely, and I feel like a whole new world has opened up. The resulting prints from yesterday are still not perfect but a great improvement to the previous version.

3 Working out black and white. and texture...

I have now washed the block to clear off some caked ink, as I am still not happy with the amount of detail that has been lost. I will probably carve some modifications and run a few more prints soon...

4 Carving...

5 and test printing along the way...

6 An early version at the end of March... too blotchy!

7 A test print using an old block and dampened paper (left).

8 Printing on proper Stonehenge paper... still not perfect but much better.

woodblock attempts... day 1

It's spring break for the kids and I have taken the week off.

I promised the kids that I would teach them woodblock printing, and I had a go at it myself for the first time in perhaps more than 10 years. Unfortunately I had a set of dull carving tools and wood panels for painting on (not carving), but it was a blast nonetheless.

 A couple of process photos in case I mess it all up: the source sketches and the drawings on the panels, ready to carve...

room refresh

My daughter takes the opportunity to refresh her room, getting rid of much clutter.
I hang out with her for a moment while she draws at her desk with her headphones tuned into some of her Youtuber heroes.
The few minutes here brings me much solace in a world that seems like an opening chapter of a dystopian SciFi novel.

a hospital visit

 My son gets sick... and we spend a day at the hospital getting him checked out. Fortunately, it is nothing like what happened to my daughter several years ago, and the tests prove to be negative.