Illustrator
These last ones are the last watercolour paintings I’ve done, and it’s mighty ambitious if I do say so myself. The reference for this is a photo of two pieces of ice in Iceland (har har) taken by my mother a few years ago. The challenge was making the ice look translucent but also incorporating all the interesting colours in the ice. I’m not aiming for high realism and like everything I do, it has a graphic element to it. I am quite happy with the result. 
Joel and I are also fortunate to have been able to join a lifedrawing session here in Westport. After teaching lifedrawing for 5 semesters at Cambrian College in Sudbury, it’s nice to be able to concentrate on doing your own thing rather than teaching others how to do it (although I did enjoy that, Students, don’t worry!). Teaching lifedrawing definitely helped me with my own lifedrawing skills; I guess if you drill it enough in others you listen to your own advice!
Lifedrawing, approx. 2 hrs.
Lifedrawing, 25 minutes.
Stewart Park in Perth, ON, one of the most beautiful parks I’ve ever seen with mature willow trees and a creek running through it.
Joel and I like to get out once in a while to do some plein air drawing (translation: drawing outdoors). This summer has been good for that so far because we’re finding lots of things we want to draw in the Westport area. Below are a few of my (Chantal) drawings.
Westport is a hotspot for boats in the summer. This is a funny little “gas station” at the Westport marina.
Here is another scene from Ireland. This turned out more graphic than I had expected; I was going for painterly with lots of texture, but I’m happy with how it turned out.
Watercolour & ink. 8×10.
In June, Joel and I roadtripped down to Providence, RI for the ICON conference. While Joel spent the afternoon attending panels, I decided to go plein air sketching. Below is the result. I was smart and brought my folding stool, sketched in the park across the street and finished the watercolour in a cafe nearby.
Joel and I at the ICON closing night party