Memories of Germany - Travel Art

 

Blog 5.1

 

Due to the large number of artworks since my last blog post, I decided to publish an additional blog this week with the drawings and paintings from my time in Germany. 

 

 

I returned from Germany in early May. During my visits with relatives and many friends, I received so much generosity and hospitality. I witnessed the frailty of my older relatives and realized even more how precious our time together is. Therefore, I concentrated on connecting with the people I only see once a year. I still created daily drawings, often late at night after my parents went to bed, but only started one watercolour and one needle-felted painting.

 

 

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Many spring flowers were already blooming during my visit. My drawings reflect the blossoming nature. I was extremely fortunate with the weather and experienced only three rainy days during my entire stay, with temperatures rising up to 27 degrees in the last week of my stay.

 

 

 

 

Except for trips with my parents and friends, I only relied on public transportation. Therefore, I have some sketches of fellow passengers. For the first time, someone talked to me about drawing people on the train, asking me if I had asked the person’s permission, which is not necessary as long as you don’t create a drawing that clearly identifies the person. I am more interested in the posture and how it affects the body's perspective and proportions. I struggle immensely with glasses. The person concluded the conversation with a dismissive comment about my drawing abilities. I consider it all a good way to practice, whether it turns out the way I envisioned it or not, but someone who hasn’t tried creating art might not understand my motives.

Unfortunately, my pencil sketches are usually very light. When I took the pictures, I couldn't increase the darkness of the images without also increasing the darkness of the writing on the backsides.

 

To strengthen my connections with art collectors and students, I invite you to my free Art Café on June 14, 2026, from 2 PM to 4 PM. I still have three more spaces available. If you plan to join us, please register soon.

This event offers an opportunity to connect through conversation, shared food, and a fun art project. We will create beautiful paper flowers from old magazines and books. I will provide all the materials and some light refreshments. You are welcome to bring a treat, especially if you have any dietary restrictions.


I will publish my regular May blog on May 29 with the rest of my May daily art projects. Until then, enjoy the  abundance nature offers.

There Is Always Time for Art

 

Blog 4

 

I already wrote this blog before I left for Germany on April 11, 2026. Therefore, this blog is shorter than usual. 

First, I share the last four March images, which I created after publishing my March blog.

 

 

The first image was influenced by my final Cartooning and Comics class of the winter semester at François Dupuis Recreation Centre in Orleans. I created an image of Patrick from SpongeBob. I don't recall my kids watching the show. However, they often talked about the characters. Therefore, it is a bit like a trip to the past.

If your child loves to draw, the spring semester runs from May 23 to June 13, 2026. This four-week session is a great opportunity to explore drawing and storytelling while creating their own unique comic.

For the last three days of March, I picked a tea cup from a recent café outing with my daughter. The cup and saucer were challenging to draw due to the perspective and ornate decorations. I almost wanted to switch subjects after the second day, but I persevered.
 

Here are the images from April 1 to 10. I am proud that I continued drawing daily, despite the visit of a friend from Germany and our week-long stay at the cottage, which included our Easter celebration with my family. Luckily, my friend Bob, who has been creating daily art for years, advised me to create my art either before everyone else got up or after everyone else was in bed. I chose the second option because I prefer to work until late at night, when everything is quiet around me.


After a delicious waffle breakfast on April 1, I drew the dish that evening. It was a complicated composition with many fruits.

 

  

Inspired by the Easter holidays, I chose a bunny sculpture for my practice. During the five days, I drew the bunny from different views. I created the first two images in 45 minutes, but needed an additional 30 minutes for the last three drawings. The easiest was the back view. The bunny looking to the left side felt the most challenging, maybe because I am right-handed. 

When I researched my theory, however, I found that many right-handed artists feel that drawing subjects looking to the left is easier. 

Here are some reasons I found online: 

• Right-handed people move their hand more comfortably towards the left across the page, away from their body, allowing for smoother, more controlled strokes. 
• Drawing a face looking left means the dominant hand doesn’t cover what has already been drawn, making proportions and details more clearly visible.
• Many right-handers find that drawing curves feels more fluid towards the left. 

Do you have a preference? 

 

On April 7, we went to the Wilno Tavern in Wilno, Ontario. Not only was the food delicious, but I loved the fresh carnations on each table. While we waited for our food, I sketched one in the sketchbook I always carry in my purse.

After we returned to the cottage, I created a coloured carnation with my watercolour pencils and a water brush. It's much darker than the ones on our table, but I got my shadows too dark, so I had to adjust the light pink of the flower to keep the balance.

Thinking about the last three days before my trip to Germany, I wondered what I could draw, considering that I would not have much time. We travelled home from the cottage on Friday and left for Germany on Saturday. I decided to reverse the order of my previous three-day projects, starting with a one-hour drawing. As the subject, I picked a landscape from our week at the cottage.

 

 

I will post the drawings from my trip and the additional May ones in my blog on May 29, 2026. 

Have a wonderful May and enjoy nature's blooming miracles!

Obstacles and Perserverance: My Personal 2026 Creativity Challenge

 Blog 3

 

At the end of the third month of my personal Creativity Challenge, I am still persevering, although I already stumbled on March 1. We had almost reached the capacity of our online storage, and I was so busy going through photos and deleting many that I completely forgot about my daily art project. I could have given up, but instead, I drew two images on March 2. 

 

  

The next blunder happened only a few days later. On March 6, I used watercolour pencils for my 45-minute art. However, in the middle of the process, I was interrupted. I stopped the timer, planning to resume drawing after the break. 

 

Unfortunately, I opened the wrong page of my sketchbook. Instead of continuing the March 6 drawing, I returned to the drawing of the previous day. I only noticed my mistake when I used a water brush and couldn't blend the colours. At first, I was annoyed at the pencils and their quality. However, after I added another layer of colour with my watercolour pencil, I could blend the top layer. At that point, I finally discovered my mistake. I went back to the March 6 drawing and finished it, blending the colours with a water brush without problems.   
 

 

 

 

On March 7, my drawing was again inspired by my Cartooning and Comic class. The participants wanted to draw the Pokémon character Mewtwo. I had fun changing the colours of this character. The original has a light grey body and a purple tail.

 

 

 
 
At this time of the year, I yearn for spring. As soon as I can find tulips in stores, I bring a bit of spring into my home. Therefore, my drawings were heavily inspired by the tulips that brightened our living area. The pink tulip I drew from March 8 to 10 is the same one I drew before. I had bought a bouquet of orange and pink tulips for my daughter's birthday.  She chose a mix of orange and pink for herself, leaving me with a delightful blend. I even took them to the cottage and created my daily art, even after painting en plein air with my friend Janis.

 

Next, a small teddy bear sculpture on my desk caught my eye. Instead of the flower, the figurine holds a photo wire in the form of a bloom. I replaced it with a red flower.

 

 
  

Preparing the first panel of the comic that the participants of my Cartooning and Comic course will create after March Break, I created an image of Shadow from Sonic and Patrick from SpongeBob, two characters we had previously drawn. All participants will start with the same first panel and can then choose to add other characters while omitting one of the characters. I am excited to see how imaginative their stories will be.

Many of us worry about what age will do to our appearance. However, this tulip had passed its prime, but it was still stunning. It had a couple more lines and lost some petals, but that made it only more interesting. We should look to nature's examples when we fret about the extra wrinkle or age spot. We are all perfect in our uniqueness, and our bodies are mirrors of our lives. This tulip is a symbol of ageless beauty.

 

 

On March 18, some of my Painting Buddies came to my house for a surprise party for one of our members. To disguise the party, I invited everyone to create an image of a still life in my studio space. I chose some shells and stones and created a still life that was much too busy as a whole. However, it allowed for interesting sections from various perspectives. I created a watercolour painting and the first sketch for my daily art. The shells proved to be a challenge. I erased the first steps several times for the first two drawings. I experience that the shapes get easier with every attempt.

 

In my Saturday class, the children started the comic. After drawing the first panel together, they showed a lot of imagination in continuing their stories. After class, I created a mixture of Shadow and Sonic from the Sonic the Hedgehog series. 

 

  

I enjoyed drawing the teddy bear girl so much that I picked the teddy bear boy next. Both figurines are photo holders. For the boy, I left the wire for holding photos out. I also changed the top of his pants. The figurine has a tissue sticking out at the top of the pants.

 

 

I bought the magenta calla lily because I loved the colour, even though I have not been successful at keeping this type of plant alive. I researched keeping it healthy online, so this one should fare better. To complete the final image of this blog in time for publication while entertaining my friend from Germany, I created the last drawing right after midnight. For a night owl like me, that was no problem at all. I love the quietness of the night when most people are asleep.

 

My next blog will only contain the images for the four days of March and the first ten days of April because of my upcoming trip to Germany. I will still schedule it for publication on April 24, 2026 (the last Friday of April).


Which one is your favourite of my drawings? 

 

Choosing to Create Art: My 2025 Personal Creativity Challenge

 

Blog 2

Before I write about my February trials and triumphs, here are the two images from the last two days of January.



When I started the snow-covered fence post, I assumed it would be an easy painting. I was mistaken. It took me a long time to capture the movement in the snow.
 

The comic drawing was inspired by my Cartooning and Comics class at François Dupuis Recreation Centre on Saturday. I presented Calvin and Hobbes to the students. None of the 8- to 12-year-olds had ever heard of the two characters, but had fun drawing them. With my image, I wanted to demonstrate how you can easily transform a character by changing the hair and clothes. I named my characters Alvina and Hupps.

 

I am proud of myself for sticking to my personal challenge of painting or drawing in my sketchbook every day. My plan for February was to create only one or two subjects each week, starting with a 10-minute sketch, and then adding ten minutes every day.


However, I adjusted my plan slightly. When I started my first drawing of the month, I drew walnuts for 15 minutes. For the next two days, I added 15 minutes each day. I kept the time constant for the first two days. However, depending on the subject, I spent up to 90 minutes on the third image. As February 1 fell on a Sunday, I created artworks of two subjects each week, followed by a drawing of the characters of the Saturday Cartooning and Comics class I taught. 



Here are the collages of my February sketchbook paintings and drawings.


February 1 - 3: Walnuts 
 

I experimented with different drawing materials. I started with an HB pencil drawing on the first day. On the second day, I used coloured pencils, and on the third day, I used watercolour pencils and a water brush.

February 4 – 6: Avocados 

I chose coloured drawings for my avocados. For the first drawing, I used watercolour pencils, but didn’t add water, which makes them look like regular coloured pencils. On the second day, I used coloured pencils. but had more time for added layers and shadows. For the final image, I used watercolour pencils again and water with a water brush to achieve the look of a watercolour painting. 




February7: Stevie and Mimi, inspired by Minecraft characters, markers

Drawing Minecraft-inspired characters is a challenge each time because I struggle with the perspective of the block-shaped characters. I adapted the characters to demonstrate to my students how some simple changes can create different, more unique characters. 




February 8 - 10: Red pepper 

I used watercolour pencils for all three drawings. However, you can still see that I started with an HB pencil line drawing for the first pepper. Each day, I added more layers and details to the drawing. On the third day, I also used a water brush for watercolour effects. 




February 11 - 13: First tulip 

I used the same approach for drawing the tulip from the first tulip bouquet I brought home this year. I doubled the time from day 2 to day 3. I had time to add additional blooms.




February 14: Valentine’s Day cats 

I outlined my Valentine’s cats in my sketchbook while the children in my class drew cards for their parents. I usually don’t get far with my drawings during class because I observe my students’ progress, admiring the children’s art and encouraging them to tell a story with their drawing by adding additional characters and scenery. Usually, I finish my drawing at home.




February 15 - 17: Open tulip bloom 

Drawing the open tulip from the bouquet at its prime proved challenging because I wanted to fill the page, even though the flower would have looked better on a square piece of paper. On the first day, I only had time for a line drawing with an HB pencil because I attempted to capture the many details of the bloom.

On the second day, I used watercolour pencils but ran out of time before I could add more details to the middle of the bloom and any leaves.

Therefore, I tripled the time on the third day and added water with a water brush after I finished drawing the tulip. I even added a wash of watercolour to some of the leaves because I was unsatisfied with the greens I had achieved with the pencils.




February 18 - 20: Shell, with added rocks on Days 19 and 20 

The most challenging subject was the shell with its spiky edges. It was also the only time I didn’t use a reference photo. Instead, I had put the shell and rocks next to me on the desk. On the first day, the drawing hardly filled half the page. Therefore, I added two small rocks on the following days, which still left me with a lot of white space.


On the third day, I couldn’t use the still life setup because I wanted to draw earlier in the day, and there were hardly any shadows. Therefore, I used a photo I had taken of the setup. As a result, it was easier to create a bigger shell, but the perspective of the objects in the photo varied from the original setup. Again, I struggled to position the shell and the rocks on my paper. Ultimately, I didn’t have enough space for the stones.


Working from a still-life setup challenges your senses more because you look at a three-dimensional object that you have to capture in a two-dimensional form on your paper, creating the illusion of a three-dimensional object. However, working from reference photos has the advantage that you can refer to the image without variations in light or position of the objects.





February 21: Pete and Sally, inspired by Patrick from SpongeBob, coloured pencils and permanent marker 

Creating a female counterpart to Patrick from SpongeBob was delightful. I demonstrated to the children how adding dark outlines can make the characters pop on the paper.




February 22 - 24: Red-pink tulips 
 

When a friend brought me a new bouquet of tulips, I knew right away that they would be my next subject. At the end of winter, tulips help me bring a bit of spring inside. On the first two days, I used coloured pencils. I added a lot of detail to the first fulip, even though I only had 15 minutes for the drawing. However, I only covered half of the page. 

Therefore, I added two additional tulips to my drawing on the following days. Despite doubling the time, they lack the brilliance of colour because I didn’t have enough time to add more layers. I usually start my drawings and watercolour paintings very light and intensify the colours by adding more layers. Therefore, on the third day, I allowed myself additional time after the first 45 minutes had passed. It took me 90 minutes to finish the third drawing. I added water to most areas of the drawing with a water brush.




February 25 - 27: Female Cardinal 

 

After a female cardinal looked at me when I entered the kitchen on the morning of February 25, I felt like a sign to draw this Monday Motivation photo as the last three-day project of the month.

Tomorrow, I will create a drawing of Shadow the Hedgehog, a request from the participants of the Cartooning and Comics course at François Dupuis Recreation Centre in Orleans, ON. I will post the image at the beginning of my March blog on March 27, 2026. 


I will continue with the same format for March. However, at the end of the month, I have to overcome the first hurdle when one of my friends comes for a two-week visit. Hopefully, my practice will have become a habit by then, to help me persevere. 



Do you want to learn something new in March? I invite you to my new German Language & Culture workshops.

These one-hour online workshops are open to all levels. You don’t need to speak any German to participate. Curiosity is enough! Each session combines cultural conversation with a playfully creative element: we draw new vocabulary to help remember words in a visual, fun way.

 
In March, we will discuss spring traditions in your country and Germany, including Easter (Ostern), Walpurgis Night (Walpurgisnacht), and Dance into May (Tanz in den Mai).

 

German Language & Culture: Spring Traditions

March 14, 2026

noon (ET)

CAN $5

Please go here for more information and registration.