A Christmas Pear

 

A Christmas Pear - Watercolour by Benoit Philippe

I painted this small watercolour in one of my travel notebooks while in Paris for Christmas/

Cygnets - Watercolour

Cygnets - Watercolour (18 cm x 24 cm) by Benoit Philippe

I painted this watercolour from a photograph I took with my phone on a recent run in a local park.

The paper is Watercolour Studio by Fabiano (Cold pressed - 140lb). Paints are Sennelier and Windsor & Newton watercolour.

Florence - Giardino dell Universita

Florence - Giardino dell Universita - Watercolour by Benoit Philippe

Sketching in Florence's Boboli Gardens

The Boboli Gardens, originally designed for the Medicis, was opened to the public in 1766.

Boboli Gerdens (Florence) - Watercolour by Benoit Philippe

Florence Duomo viewed from the Boboli Gardens  - Watercolour by Benoit Philippe

The Boboli Gardens
Piazza de' Pitti, 1,
50125 Firenze FI, Italy

Sketch of the Duomo in Florence

The Duomo in Florence - Watercolour by Benoit Philippe

I drew and painted this sketch while standing in a queue to get in Florence's cathedral (we probably queued for 20 minutes).

Café Bretelles

Café Bretelles - Ink pen and watercolour by Benoit Philippe

Café Bretelles is a charming independent coffee place located 36 Rue du Bain-aux-Plantes — 67000, Strasbourg, France. It is in the area of the city called Petite France, with old houses, waterways and a fair number of tourists (including me).

I went there for breakfast and I would definitely recommend the place: excellent coffee, great baguette and the melon and vanilla jam was homemade…

In Vino Veristas

In Vino Veritas - Black Ink pen and watercolour by Benoit Philippe

In Vino Veritas is a Restaurant & Wine Bar located 25 Place de la Cathédrale, 67000 Strasbourg, France.

The two reasons I picked this subject were the bright orange fabric of the umbrellas and the fact that I could seat in the shade on the other side of the street (the side wall of the Cathedral of Strasbourg has a convenient stone bench).

Two views of the Cathedral of Strasbourg

The Cathedral of Strasbourg (in Alsace, France) is an imposing building at the heart of the old city.

For these drawings, I did not draw with a black ink pen as I often do. I drew the structure with a mechanical pencil and then painted with my Sennelier watercolour paints.

The Cathedral of Strasbourg viewed from  the Quai des Bateliers

The Cathedral of Strasbourg viewed from the top floor of the Museum of Modern Art.

Espiguette beach at Le Grau-du-Roi (France)

Espiguette beach – Ink pen and watercolour

Espiguette beach is a sandy beach a few kilometers away from Montpellier, in the South of France. 

Castelnau-le-Lez sketches

These sketches are from a recent trip to Castelnau-le-Lez, near Montpellier, in the South of France.

Rue des Muriers - Castelnau-le-Lez - Watercolour and ink pens

Cat nap - Watercolour by Benoit Philippe

Cockerel - ink pen and watercolour

Cockerel - In pen and watercolour (6" x 8") by Benoit Philippe

Along the Thames

Along the Thames - Watercolour (30cm x 37cm) by Benoit Philippe

Full bloom - Watercolour

Full bloom - Watercolour (16.5 cm x 11.5 cm) by Benoit Philippe

Two roses - Watercolour

Two roses - Watercolour (16.5 cm x 11.5 cm) by Benoit Philippe

Coate Water Vista - Watercolour

Coate Water Vista - Watercolour (30cm x 37cm) by Benoit Philippe

This is one of the works I painted during the recent Swindon Open Studios.

The sail - Coate Water

The sail - Coate Water – Watercolour (30cm x 37cm) by Benoit Philippe

I am getting ready for the next Swindon Open Studios that will take place at the beginning of September. I will be at the Richard Jefferies Museum, which is on the edge of Coate Water Park.

Details for the Swindon Open Studios 2015

Benoit Philippe at the Swindon Open Studios 2015

Where:

Richard Jefferies Museum
Marlborough Road, Coate,
Swindon SN3 6AA

Parking by kind permission at the Sun Inn.

Opening Time:

Saturday 5^th & 12^th September, from  11.00am to 4.00pm
Sundays 6^th and 13th, from 1.30pm to 5.00pm

Some paintings will be on show during the opening time of the museum until 26^th September.

Richard Jefferies Museum website 

Make sure you also visit the blog and the website of the Swindon Open Studios and plan to visit as many artists as you can.

Abbey House Gardens - Malmesbury

Abbey Garden - Malmesbury - Watercolour (37 cm x 30 cm) by Benoit Philippe

Last summer, we were lucky to be invited by friends to their wedding. The ceremony and reception took place at the Abbey House Gardens (Wiltshire, UK). I took many photographs and will paint more scenes from this garden.

It is possible to visit the garden.

Abbey House Gardens

The Abbey House,
Malmesbury, Wiltshire, SN16 9AS

Website of Abbey House Gardens

St John Baptist & St Helen graveyard - watercolour

I am not usually painting in graveyards and I only did it for a commission. That said, there is nothing sinister about the graveyard of St John Baptist & St Helen church in Wroughton (The village of Wroughton is located 3 miles south of Swindon, England).

St John Baptist & St Helen church graveyard - Watercolour (38 x 30 cm) by Benoit Philippe

The churchyard covers around five acres grass, trees (including some old yew trees with wide branches) and wild areas.

The historic church building contains a few features from the 12th century, was extended in the 14th and 15th centuries, and altered in the 19th century. Around the church are centuries old headstones.

The lower and newest part of the graveyard is located down a planted bank and looks towards a beautiful valley. This is the view I was asked to paint on location.

North Parade Bridge

This is a watercolour sketch of the North Parade Bridge in Bath (Somerset, England).

North Parade Bridge - Watercolour by Benoit Philippe (Click to enlarge)

I started to draw on the left page of the notebook and soon found out that I should expand to the double page.

I thought I would start with the watercolour and then draw on top with the ink pen. However, after some time,  I saw that the watercolour could stand by itself.

Bath Travel Sketches

I spent a day in Bath (Somerset, England) last Saturday. I took the train and used the time to sketch. I tried different techniques to get some variety.

Here is the material I used:

• All these sketches were made in my Moleskine Pocket Watercolour Notebook. It opens in a landscape format and the paper is thick enough to take ink and watercolour washes.

• Pentel Colour Brush - Sepia 141

• Micron Pigma ink pens by the Japanese company Sakura (Sakura 30062 6-Piece Pigma Micron Ink Pen Set, Black)

• Sennelier Watercolor Travel 14 Half Pan Set

• Pentel Arts Aquash Fine Point Water Brush, Medium

• ProMarker Pens: Grey Green, Khaki and Shale

At Swindon Station (Sepia Pentel Color Brush – Micron Pigma ink pens – watercolour wash) 

In the train to Bath (Micron Pigma ink pens – watercolour wash) 

Back to Swindon (Micron Pigma ink pens – ProMarker Pens) 

Micron Pigma ink pens – ProMarker Pens