"I have been to the Mountain top"

We had the wonderful experience of traveling up Mt. Pilatus.  This is
the beginning of the cog train ride.

It was cloudy at first, and we traveled up thru them

As we got higher, the distant mountains peaked through the clouds!

This is the hotel and cafe on the top...very cool.  They told us
the workers work 7 on and then 7 off.  Once they get up
here, they have to stay!

We came up on the train..this is the way down!

And this is the way down, back into the clouds, and
then safely on the ground.

Wow, what a view and an experience.  Just to see all of God's
amazing creation from such a perspective.  I feel very
blessed to get to see this part of the world.
Bring on some more!

A Few Sketchbook Pages

Around Mannheim Germany town square

A meal in Mannheim, and a day in
Heidelberg

A few sketches along the way

Downtown Heidelberg...my favorite so far

A few scenes along the way...

Just a few pages from my travel journal..more to come!

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Good Day! from Germany

We made it!  We flew into Frankfurt this morning, and got underway to
the town of Mannheim

This is the old water tower in the center of
the town.  A lot of the city was destroyed during the WWII
bombing, so alot of the buildings are more modern

This is our hotel...named after one of my
favorite artists!

Here we are at the welcome dinner...woohoo! we made it!

We ate at Koch's...a little Bavarian restaurant, serving local food.
This is a pig knuckle? a potato dumpling, and some red cabbage.
It was quite tasty!

This old mill stone is down around the city square also.
I am now working on my book, doing a little painting
before I hit the bed...like a rock hopefully!
More tomorrow...stay tuned for "adventures in Germany!"

sheltongail@hotmail.com

This and That

A new "work in progress", some clouds and an egret. It's colored pencil, and I
just got started.  Lots more to go.

And this is my little watercolor palette that I take during
my trips.  I have added a few colors, and I will clean it up
a little more before I go to Europe.  I have just a few more days
before we leave.  Will be lots of fun, and I will try to post during the trip.
Hopefully...! Stay tuned!

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Had a Hoot in Lindale

Eating lunch in Mineola...a cute town near the workshop

Alan Woollett demonstrated how to do each part of the owl drawing.
This is the twine that goes across the bottom of the piece.  

This is my finished piece next to his example that we used to go by.
The colors are a bit different, just because the copy was a different
shade.  He told us what colors to use for each part, so the
colors are accurate in the real drawing.

I am happy with the finished product.  I did learn a few things.  Most of all,
that I don't take the drawing far enough...detail wise, etc.  And we used
different paper and pencils that I have never used before, so the results are a little
different as well.

This is the nice group of ladies and Alan that I spent the week with.
They were a "hoot"!

Alan Woollett and I...his prize pupil!

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Whoooo Can Draw an Owl

Making a little progress on this... almost done with
the owl

This is Alan's drawing...he is demonstrating for us

Student Once More

I am in Lindale, Texas! and this is Maureen Killaby's wonderful
studio.  I am here for a colored pencil workshop taught by an artist
from London, England, Mr. Alan Woollett.

Here is Alan demonstrating for us.  We are all drawing a barn owl
that he has already done.  We began with a light pencil sketch, and then
started with the dark background. This is not how I would regularly work, so
I am glad to try something new!

Her studio is in an old building, kinda  like mine.

This is my start....my dark background, leaving some white
whispy strokes for the feathers.

"The touch of the master's hand...."

This is where we stopped today.  This is my drawing.  I really liked
doing the straw, and making it look like it was receding in the
dark.  I can't wait to start the bird!

Stay tuned!
sheltongail@hotmail.com

Feeling the Blues No More

Finally finished this colored pencil drawing of these blue crabs.
It was a challenge...especially trying to figure out what part went
with who?! But the colors were fun..I like the contrast between the
blues and the oranges. It's an interesting viewpoint.

I am leaving today for a colored pencil workshop in Texas with the
English artist, Alan Woollett.  He does a lot of birds, and I really
admire his work.  It will be fun to meet some other colored pencil
artists, and "talk shop".  I will try to post while I am there.

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Best Black-eyes

I have been driving by these black eyed susans
for a couple of weeks now.
I have been wanting to stop and photograph
them, and today, I finally took the time.  It rained again today,
but the sun came out late this afternoon.  It lit up the petals, and gave the
contrast I wanted.  These would be fun to draw or paint.

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Germany, Here I Come

My upcoming trip overseas is fast approaching!  I always do a
sketchbook journal during the trip, so I thought I would
go ahead and do the intro page.  I have a couple of travel
guides, so I used the photos in them to do this montage.  It will
be alot of fun to see what I will want to draw and paint in the book...
landscapes filled with mountains and vistas; cityscapes of
ancient buildings and alpine gingerbread; interesting food like
sausages, apple strudel, and beer!;
and fascinating people along the way.  I am so looking forward to it,
especially since some of my own family is going with me this time.
We have never all traveled together...so it will be a hoot.

Hopefully I will be able to post while there.  I am planning to...hope connections will
be available.  So, check the blog out during the month of June, and
you should see some European scenes.

www.goaheadtours.com
sheltongail@hotmail.com