New World Series III

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I did this one specially for my friend Katie birthday. She also got snow for her birthday which is a lot this winter!!

Third of the of the New World Series. Black finemarkers and color pencils in white smooth A3 illustration paper.

New World Series II

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In between other work projects, family, my dogs (the new puppy) and everything else, I have now little time to draw for pleasure. I have time, but one moment there, then another moment there, an hour the day after. So this one took me a bit to finish, many interruptions, but as well the amount of detail, it was delicate and slow to do. But I take pleasure doing these intricate drawings, because they take so many different turns until they are finished.

Also this time since the beginning I had clear in my mind that there would be colorful animals somewhere. It is something new, but I like mixing these two worlds. I think I will keep exploring this way for a bit. 

Second of the New World Series. Black finemarkers and color pencils in white smooth A3 illustration paper.

New World

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Mixing two worlds. For this one I wanted since the beginning to color the animals and leave the rest black and white. Then I colored them and I thought I had made I mistake: the black and white version was better and I needed to keep coloring to solve the problem. Then I left the drawing sit for few hours, went for a swim, and now, looking back at it, I feel I am happy with it as it is :)

Two lessons re-learnt:

- In drawing, as in life, it is good not to take decisions in the heat of the moment

- In drawing, as in life, your first idea is usually the good one

Into a New World. Finemarkers and color pencils on smooth A4 illustration paper.

Geometrical Landscape

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I've gone full color to black and white in a couple of days. I guess it is the never ending rain, or the end of holidays or both? 
Just kidding. To me, black and white or color, it doesn't have that straight meaning.
Have a nice week!

Animal Party

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This one started as a couch scribble on a rainy afternoon... But one crazy eye led to a crazy animal who led to another crazy animal and I was having so much fun drawing it that later I had to color it to keep the fun going. Like if I was invited!

Have fun!

Playing Games

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This one is a game. Just for the fun. A game that I used to play with my students the first day of class. Rules are simple: you pick a set of words from a jar, I have five types: nouns (objects, animals, people), adjectives, verbs, adverbs, and nouns designing places. We decide beforehand if we pick one of each, or which word combination we pick (can be two nouns, one verb, one adjective, or two verbs, one noun, one place, etc), and then, just imagine and draw!

For the students it was meant to help them let it go, to lose fear and just draw. For myself it is fun, and sometimes it can be a good way to keep drawing in between projects when I need some mental rest.

So I played. Word combination: two nouns, one verb, one adjective and one adverb. Words coming out were: camel, frog, cleaning, happily, fun. 

And now, after this fun... back to more serious projects!

Next Year

I hope this year you get lots of time to do what you love to do!:) 
Me, when I am not drawing, I like to go out with my dog. 
I wish for myself lots of drawing and lots of runs. 
What do you wish for yourself and yours? 

Wolves

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A colorful one because I guess I am feeling colorful too? 
Have a nice weekend!

Oso

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Finally I got the time and the spirit to finish this one. However the scan does it no justice. All this red in the front has messed up the color scheme, and reds are too bright. In fact there is no red at all, but garnet red. I will try with a picture with day light tomorrow. 
Have a nice weekend!

Ciervos - Deer

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Feels good to draw with finemarkers. It brings me back to so many years ago. 
I'm loving going back to the feeling of drawing with them.
Have a nice weekend!

Birds, finished

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... and changed! 

This one has evolved a lot during the creation process! And being entirely done with fine markers, there's really no break point between drawing and colouring, so it is, in some ways, trickier to control where the drawing goes, because you play with colour and textures balances all at once.

With this illustration I've gone a bit back to my origins. When I was a teenager and only painted with eyeball pens and fine markers. But back then, I used less colours too!

Little Nouga

http://www.carolinadeluca.com/2018onedayonedrawing

This weekend my friend Colette is away and we are taking care of Nouga, her little puppy who's now close to 3 months old. Needless to say everyone is happy, the kids, Ludo the dog, and adults as well :)

Day 24: Crozet

http://www.carolinadeluca.com/urban-sketching
http://www.carolinadeluca.com/2018onedayonedrawing

I love Crozet, all of it. And how couldn't I having horses next to home.

Day 7: Los pollos

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Two of our hens, lovingly know as "los pollos". Staying with birds today, but real ones! :)

Animals, animals, everywhere

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It's been a bit since I posted the last time. And I must say I've drawn more than I've posted, because yes, I am feeling quite lazy on the internet lately... also today!
So I won't write much, just... enjoy the illustration :)

Ovejitas 

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After being the whole summer up in the mountains, sheep are back to the fields! It is now a week that they are around in Crozet, and we've seeing them every day in our way in and back from school. Today, finally, I had a quiet moment to sketch them. With the sound of their bells, the sun and the fields around, that was a perfect peace moment too.

Running pal

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I think it was in my latest "little girl" post that I said that my dog had brought me closer to nature. This has happened in many ways but the most evident one is the passion we have developed, together, to run and climb mountains. 

More than a year ago, I started doing this just to give us a different walk. Because, really, every day, three times per day, doing the same three walks, for I don't know how many years... Oh, boy, I understand why people stops getting their dogs regular walks! We are lucky to live in the mountains, close to fields, forests and places full with trails with no cars around. So the option was obvious. We started with "special" walks, that then became more regular and longer, that with time became faster, with us running part of the time and which later became a real sport that we practise together. I even ended up having all the special gear, a GPS watch and one of these applications where you can compete with other people who passed by the same trail. 

Now, several days a week, we run and climb together the mountains and forests close by. And how much fun this is. I like the effort up, the speed running down, and the sound of my dog's sleigh bell around. These days, my dog is happy because cooler days are here, I am happy because he cares to wait for me (in Summer he's behind all times), and we both enjoy the mud when it rains :)

Our wild chicken coop

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Last Saturday it was 21 days since one of our hens has been incubating... so you can well imagine that these days there's a bit of excitement going around our chicken coop. We expect, if we are lucky, some little chicks to come out soon! I must say I don't take care of the chickens unless my husband is not around, but these last weeks I've been going over twice a day at least to check on the hen, and now, to see if there's some activity around. So far we haven't been lucky, as we only found an egg with a dead little chick... but there are still 4 to be born, and we keep our fingers crossed!

Today, as I went to check, I stayed a bit longer to draw again the chicken coop... which is, yes, in a quite wild state... 

I do not learn. Sketching with my dog

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Yes, I do not learn. Because despite all my plans and hopes, my dog is not a great companion for when I go sketching. He can be, but only if he's extra super tired and if it is real real hot. Otherwise, any interruption in what in his regard is HIS walk, is totally unfair. And yes, I know this, since a long time.

But today I thought, well, we've been in the mountains, so maybe he will welcome some rest. The day is beautiful, and I have just finished the first complete draft of the project I am working on right now, so I took today off. Part of the plan was, after the mountains in the morning, go out to draw in the afternoon. I wasn't initially planning on taking him, but all my wisdom vanished when he looked at me with this hope that he always has when I am going out. So I thought, well, why not, let's try, maybe after the mountain...

Well, the minute I stopped, I must say in a nice shade for both of us, and started unfolding my stool... the poor dog was so so disappointed, he has started moaning and moaning, finally half accepting the situation - oh yes she's really stopping here. Then after two minutes a moaning session again, then acceptation, then moaning. So even if I had almost 2 hours before having to be at school to pick up my children, I did my sketch in 10 minutes that seemed like an hour, and then walked in the fields for an hour more with my dog. Now it may read frustrating, but not really, as it is always good practice to sketch real fast, and I also enjoyed a lot the walk in the fields :)

My sketch at the top, and a picture of the poor victim, looking away with frustration here below:

If he doesn't mind, neither do I

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Having a dog has changed my life in so many great ways. I would say one of the most important changes has been in my relationship with nature. Not only my dog has brought me to have a much more active life, but also to really enjoy Nature as it comes. Because, if he doesn't mind, neither do I.