Welcome to Erin Hill Sketching

Le Somail on Canal du Midi. I’ve always loved taking people here. We go for that table virtually in the water - almost and look towards the ‘hump’ bridge which is great to sketch.

There are several huge ducks - ducks are really big here - in more ways than one - you’d think they were geese - and they are hilarious the way they try to be the boss of everything on the canal.
They are pretty noisy if they don’t want people getting too close, but everyone loves them and the leader often goes up the gangplank to the man who owns it, and they have a cuddle. Brings a tear to your eye.

Mostly we’re here in our village of Trausse Minervois a little later than this, so seeing Spring bursting forth is a real bonus.
Mornings and evenings are still chilly but the blue sky days are glorious without the high heat of Summer - coming in June and July.
Our walks are full of surprises for us as we see big varieties of roadside flowers and herbs, walk on Thyme underfoot - and the air is filled with the aroma.

The Winter has passed in the South of France and Spring is springing. Some of the big trees in the square are just getting tiny first leaves. They look like sculptures rather than trees.
The vineyards are full of newly pruned grape varieties they too have the first tufts of green.

The poppies are out everywhere. The beautiful Flanders poppy. Coming up in fields and ploughed spaces. Sharp red alongside yellow Mustard flowers and purple Wood Violet all blooming together. So beautiful among the grass road edges and fields.

Off to the beach today to do some serious observation of the pathway leading down to the sand, and how the banks on each side come in to join it. We begin with the horizon line and decide how much sea and beach we can get in below that. Trees on either side create a frame.

Back to the studio for our French baguette lunch with a glass of Rose, and to cool down.
By now we’ve moved inside to avoid the hottest temperatures of the day.

Our final week was about journaling.
This is where you can carry your sketching skills out into the big world and record your impressions in this simple and effective way, wherever you are.
Travel Sketching at it’s finest.

A small challenge this week.
Not only are you going to learn how perspective works, you’re also going to stand on the street and sketch it right there - straight in with the black pen.

Turns out they’re doing big alterations on the little Blue Church which was our subject.
Concrete mixers, work trucks, ladders, scaffolding. Mmmm.
Not to be concerned - life does throw curlies at us sometimes - we just get on.

Sketching people can truly be fun. No faces required. Just shape and form.

The little mannequin was met with much delight along with a sheet of ‘sausage people’ to help see proportion.
It was also a gorgeous sunshiney day and everything in the garden was lovely.
We only had one wood mannequin today. But, wait till later this week!

February ‘Taste of Sketching’ Workshop on a hot steamy Sunday.
That’s February for you in this part of the world. Very humid as well, but we survived the day very well.

Let’s take the big plunge and sketch plain air/ on location this week.
A great plan starting with a sea-shell still life to warm up our sketching hand, and coffee.
Then a real life beach scene as seen through your very own eyes!

Two very special Private Tours are coming up.
TURKEY in June followed by SCOTLAND in July.
Only 4 people will be coming on each of these tours planned and organised by Milton and Erin.

Check the Blog and the Website for the full story.