Beautiful Yvoire

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Today we went to Yvoire, again all of us. And again everyone was happy. The village is just beautiful, with its small medieval houses, the flowers everywhere, the lake, the mountains behind. While everyone was playing in the rocks, I took a wonderful spot for a sketch. Even tourists found funny to take pictures of someone sketching in the picturesque old village.

Yvoire, I've told you this before, and now I'm telling you again: I will be back!!

And a picture of the scene, by my sister in law

Back to the mountains

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There couldn't be a best place for us to live than right where we are. In a small village, right in the mountains, with amazing views and beautiful playgrounds for all, children, parents and dog. 

This long weekend my sister-in-law is visiting us, and since it was such a beautiful sunny day we did a short family excursion to the Chapelle de Riantmont, in Vesancy. It was new for all of us, and it worked beautifully. I could even do two sketches! 

This one is the Chapelle:

And just turning myself around, a view that is much appreciated by everyone around here, the Panorama of the Montblanc:

What a wonderful afternoon! Coming back home, everyone was happy.


To finish, a picture of me and my daughter sketching, taken by my sister in law:

Drawing in London VI: People!

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Traveling with other people who's not sketching, the best moment to draw is usually while commuting. And that's what I did. Sketch people in the train, in the tube, from the airport, to the airport, from the house, to the house... 

Usually sketching people from that close is challenging, because you never know how they will take it if they notice, but I should say that in the train they were mostly all so deeply taken by their screens that they didn't notice a thing. Only one, the second day, he was reading, and with his smile invited me to continue drawing.

So here a small sample of the people in London :)

People in the train, going back home the first day, and to the Harry Potter studios the day after: 

Women in the train to London Bridge, the last day.

PEOPLE IN THE TRAIN,

They look at their phones...

while I draw them

WHO IS HAVING MORE FUN?

A couple of men going to work, in the same train, after I had changed seats looking for some more models...

People in the tube, Piccadilly line to Heathrow, also the last day. We headed towards the airport at around 16:30h, and the tube was full ;)

And, to finish, a little riddle for these two last sketches which are actually in the same double page of my sketchbook:

More people in the tube
All of them looking
   at their phones....
EXCEPT ONE!

Can YOU guess WHO??

And this ends my London series... until next time!

Drawing in London V

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Last Wednesday April 19th was our last day in London. It was sunny and a bit cool when the wind blew, but otherwise even staying in the shadow felt quite good. We walked across the Thames in London Bridge, and went to see St. Paul's Cathedral. There, my daughter and I took a moment for a sketch under the sun of its stairs.

Corner between Dean's Court and St. Paul's Church Rd from St. Paul's Cathedral entry stairs

After that we went to Camden Market where the girls were happy to look around the shops... and me I was happy to have a fish and chips right before heading to the airport! 

And this is basically our three day trip to London. I couldn't draw other places I'd wanted to sketch, like the Tower Bridge and others. But I am sure I will be back to London sooner or later. During all the commutings we made I drew people, because that is the other thing, London is FULL of people! I don't find that many people, different people, in these mountains around my house. But this will be for another entry. 

Drawing in London IV

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Day 2, 18 April 2017 was THE day for our girls: we were visiting the Harry Potter Studios! With the trip and everything else, we had little time in the city, just for a quick but nice beer in a pub close to the theatre where, already in the evening, we enjoyed The Lion King Musical.

So, not many drawings that day, but a great day nevertheless :)

Drawing in London III: hidden gardens

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I like English houses very much. Well, I guess there are quite a few different kind of English houses... but I like a lot English "city" houses, tall and narrow and attached one to another, with big and sometimes stained-glass decorated windows. They seem small but are usually quite big inside. These houses hide other surprises too, like beautiful backyards with wonderful gardens full with trees, plants and colorful flowers.

Becs and Angus home, where we stayed for our two nights in London, was exactly like this. A beautiful home, with beautiful people. Thanks Becs and Angus for the nice fajitas when we arrived, the beer, the nice conversation and the great musical the day after. And thank you very much for letting me draw your so pretty and somehow whimsical house, I love love LOVE it.

Drawing in London II

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Continuing with previous entry, day 1 of my girls trip to London early this week. I had to think this last sentence because yes, it was early this week but it already feels like I was there eons ago! How quickly do we reintegrate into our lives, it is just amazing.

So I had left it all inside the tube, from Heathrow to London, on day 1.
When we arrived in the city, first we had to put our little luggage somewhere safe and somewhere where we would not have to carry it around. After, we walked towards the city. Just by chance, we arrived in the Buckingham Palace and there were lots of people around for the Guards change. In all the times I'd been in London before I'd never been there to see that! (Maybe, next time, I'll get to draw it as well... ;) )

After the show, we continued walking through St James Park, had lunch, and arrived to The Big Ben and then YES!, I told my trip friends to go ahead without me for a quick glance to the Thames, and I stayed there. Finally, my first sketch in London!

They were back just as I was finishing, and we took a double-decker bus to Trafalgar Square. The bus was real quick, but our girls were so happy to be sitting in the top front of the mythical red bus. Just as we arrived, Maitane and Anouk climbed into the lions in Nelson's column, and I took a moment to sketch while Rebecca took pictures.

You can see the day was actually quite fresh and very cloudy. After lunch in the park we were still cold so we headed to Covent Garden for a hot drink. Drawing there was not possible, but, dear London, I will be back!

The day came to its end and it was time to go home. Our friend's brother and sister in law (and uncle and auntie) were so nice to take us in, and as always, we profited of a trip on a double-decker bus, with our two girls in the front. You won't believe it, but they managed to be in the front line in all of the buses we took!

Drawing in London I

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These three last days I left the mountains and villages that typically surround me for a quick and intense trip to London. I wasn't alone, but I did what I could and sketched any moment possible. Because it is not always that I can sketch in a big city with lots of people!!

I tried to sketch quickly to not make others wait for me, but my trip partners (my daughter, a friend of hers and her mother) were also very understanding and willing to let me draw. Thank you, girls!!

I documented this trip with a total 18 sketches, that I will be sharing in various days, as all of them would probably make too many for a single entry. 

First day: Monday 17/04/17

Before Getting to London

The trip started early on Easter Monday morning. And nothing to start better a trip, than to sketch its first moments!

Arriving at the airport before dusk, we got to see how the sun started raising behind the planes before starting our trip. Security was full with a huge line, but then people dispersed around and there was quite a good silence at the airport gate. I guess that 7 am is too early to talk much...

After a few moments we were embarking already. Plane was not full, so I could take a corridor seat to sketch. How lucky is that?

In the plane to Heathrow :

The flight Geneva - London takes about an 1h 45min, it is not that long... but I am not such a good waiting person. I get impatient after a few moments when I cannot move around. So when I finished the sketch I was really eager to arrive! 

And finally, we were almost there, we landed, we passed the passport control, and took the tube to London!

Here, in the tube, which at that moment I felt it moved like crazy. Then I think I got used to it. The two people in first plane are my daughter's friend and her mother. Then, a man was standing up behind, looking at his phone. And yes, people do look a lot at their phones while commuting, and most do not realise at all I am sketching them ;)

More drawings from London... tomorrow!! 

Happy Easter !

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Welcome back, Spring!

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After a long winter break, she's back together with the Spring. I didn't do it on purpose, I guess I just had a great and busy winter :) And I guess that I am also happy to welcome back Spring!

A very quick one from yesterday

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Yesterday evening, again back in Gex, as always following my daughter around. But at least now days get longer and, when work allows it (because yes, I also take work with me...) I get to scratch some extra time for sketching! 
This one was made very quickly, because I had 30 minutes, and then the shortcut to the road I wanted to reach was closed, so I had to take the longer way. I had to put the alarm in my cell phone because time was really short. And I wait for my daughter, but I don't like to make her wait for me!
The public library in Gex. Old buildings in Gex are special, aren't they?

Back in Gex

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For various reasons, it's been a while since I been drawing in Gex on a Wednesday afternoon. Today, happily for me, I was back!! And because I was so eager and drawing fast, I was done well before having to pick my daughter up, and could sketch some of the other people who were also waiting for their significant ones. Two in one, I couldn't ask for more!

First, I dropped my daughter and went to the Promenade des Bergers Journans, a path that goes parallel to a little river (yes, Le Journans, you guessed it!). It is full of nature around, but just going down the steps to access the area I was captivated by the view of the chaotic old houses in Gex, and I stop right there to draw them...

When I was done I still had more than half an hour left. I decided to take it easy and wait for my daughter in the hall of the MJC, where she is taking her theatre classes. Over there, I found some others that were also early as I was. Some looked around, others at their phone, a young girl was reading a book... and me myself, I had a very productive afternoon! ;)

Sketching with my students

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Today half of my class was away on a school trip, so I took the other half to do some sketching to a place of their choice. They chose the Café du Cercle, so off we were!

I can't share their sketches because some of them are a surprise for their parents and I have strict prohibition to even take pictures of them, but I share mine, that I did as a demonstration, while they were drawing. Because they also need, from time to time, a reminder to let themselves go free!

The little sketchers in action:

And my sketch: