Tuesday

Drawing at the Royal Winter Fair 2012

Ice Pigeon sketch at the Royal Fair by Shannon Reynolds 2012
Ice Pigeon: just one of the gorgeous impractical creatures in the poultry show--a pigeon with feathered feet. I saw this one being judged and having #1 marked on her tag.
Last week I packed up a lean sketching kit: sketchbook, watercolour and graphite pencils, and a brush pen, and spent the day sketching at the Royal.  I planned my visit for one of the two days featuring the poultry show which is my favourite event at the fair.  All those lovely birds, captive and at eye level, make perfect drawing subjects!  Of course, the rest of the fair is great too and one day isn't nearly enough time to see and draw it all. Once again there were many fellow sketchers (even the high school kids are now taking advantage of this opportunity). 

Dairy Cow sketch Royal Winter Fair Shannon Reynolds 2012
Brown Swiss dairy cow
This sweet-faced calf was bellowing for her stable mates who were off being groomed somewhere.
Her complacent expression belies her agitation. I drew anyway.

Piglets, sketchbook at the Royal Fair 2012 by Shannon Reynolds
Piglets!

Turkey sketch Royal Winter Fair by Shannon Reynolds 2012
Beltsville Small White male turkey
This grotesque, but magnificent turkey was strutting constantly and "gobble, gobbling" to the screaming delight of the taunting hoardes of school children.


Pigeons sketchbook Royal Winter Fair 2012 by Shannon Reynolds
Nestling pigeons

"African Brown Goose" Royal Winter Fair 2012 by Shannon Reynolds
African Brown Goose "old male" category

Call Ducks

The call ducks are unflappable despite the cacophony all around them.

Toulouse Grey geese
The bonus: this year there were many Ontario cheese makers at the fair selling their goods at less than retail price.  I came home with an armful of cheeses from Monforte, the Upper Canada Cheese Company, and Woolwich dairy--partly offsetting the price of my admission.


Monday

Drawn from life

life drawing by Shannon Reynolds charcoal on gessoed paper
Zak, seated pose, vine charcoal on gessoed paper
I've made a return to life drawing in recent weeks.  We have a chatty group, which is great for refining my ability to concentrate, and we've had a number of excellent models (including some horses!, but more on that in a future post). 


life drawing gesture, charcoal on paper, Shannon Reynolds 2012
Rachel, vine charcoal on paper

Life drawing, charcoal on paper, by Shannon Reynolds, 2012
Rachel, vine charcoal on paper
Life drawing, charcoal on paper, Shannon Reynolds, 2012
Rachel reclining, vine charcoal on paper

Rachel reclining, take 2, charcoal on gessoed paper

Giancarlo, gestures, vine charcoal on paper

Giancarlo, reclining, vine charcoal on paper

life drawing, chalk and charcoal on BFK Rives, Shannon Reynolds, 2012
Giancarlo, vine charcoal and chalk on paper

life drawing standing gesture, charcoal on paper, Shannon Reynolds
Robyn, standing gesture, vine charcoal

Robyn, standing gesture, vine charcoal

Zak, quick head studies, vine charcoal on paper
life drawing, charcoal on paper, Shannon Reynolds, 2012
Zak, slouch, vine charcoal on paper
 
Horse, quick study, vine charcoal on paper

Some quick head studies, vine charcoal