Monday, May 3, 2010

Breaux Bridge

I've wanted to sketch the town I live in since the beginning of this year, and it's already May o_O! Time really flies, and finally I did it, and it's my first sketch of a town with buildings and cars, with a bit of WIP and I don't think I nailed any EDM challenge, boo hoo!
Breaux Bridge is the closest town to where I live, and I love going there to shop for groceries as people are just so friendly to you. There are a few antique shops, and some really classy eating restaurants, my favorite being Cafe Des Amis where they serve really nice breakfast and awesome Cajun cuisines throughout the day. The town itself is artistic and it shows. Murals, sculptures, paintings, potteries... all of these can be seen and appreciated if you look close enough.
Thank you all so much for your comments on the ice sculptures. A lot of you asked how it's done, basically it'd done from sketching on paper, and then transfer onto computer, and let a machine with computerized drills to do the lines. A lot has to be taken into consideration while doing so, drill bit size, depth, speed, and all. And most of the time final detailing is done with a good old fashioned chainsaw. ^^
Click to Enlarge (5x8" Moleskine Sketchbook)

45 comments:

  1. This one has to be one of my favorites of yours! I like the simplicity, the colors, the ambience of it all.

    Really really great job, Love <3

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  2. Wowww... That's a great job, Alex ! I love all the details you put in and the bright colours. You rendered the atmosphere so well !

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  3. his is great Alex, I really like the graphic feel and the way you have used colour. Did you sketch on location? If so you nailed 'Sketch in Public'.

    Are the telegraph poles really that drunken or is that a touch of artistic licence - if so I like it, it gives it a sort of comic like feel (which is definitely a compliment coming from me :-)) and is very expressive.

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  4. What a terrific drawing! You really should try to see if the town might buy your original to frame and hang in the town hall AND to make postcards for people to buy. Wonderful!

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  5. Alex, my dear! It´s amazing! Having the oportunity to see your process is one of the greatest things of this post. To see how you go from few lines to a coloured final piece is just fantastic. Loved the composition, the colors and your point of view.

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  6. Fantastic sketch:)
    I love the colours and all details!
    Perfect:)

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  7. Great great sketch of this little town, that could be in Quebec!
    It is always interesting to see your different stages, and you are a natural at drawing to do this perspective view with no art training!
    I am looking forward to a full moleskine about Louisiana.

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  8. Wow! I am very impressed! You captured the light and atmophere so well. Wow. (I always like to see the steps artists take...love that.) Great piece, Alex!

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  9. Beautiful!! The colors, the perspective, everything!

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  10. This is fantastic work! Very cool style. All the details are wonderfully done and I love how you worked the color, it's awesome!
    Great seeing the 3 steps of your drawing! (and Café des Amis sound like a nice place : ) - great name!)

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  11. Beautiful! A really great sketch. It makes me want to go there....

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  12. What a charming picture and what a charming town! It looks like a really nice place to live. I love the colors too!

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  13. Wonderful, Alex! I love the lost lines in the bell towers, and I'm amazed at how well the watercolors worked on the sketchbook! You must tell me your secret! So glad you finally did some urban sketching!

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  14. Outstanding! In both the inked versions and the final colors. I love the askew telephone poles.

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  15. Alex--You did a great job on this! The sketch communicates the character of the town, and gives it such a lively feel. I agree with Drawn2Life--this is post card material.

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  16. Great sketch Alex, love the colours....great to see where you live, love the ice sculptures too. Thanks for your comments- will try and draw some dim sum just for you

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  17. Great job, Alex! I always admire people who can do street scenes, with all the tiny details added. Very complex scene, but you did a wonderful sketch!
    -Krista
    www.kristameister.com

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  18. Alex - I love the colored version. This must really be a beautiful town. The bright colors and the details are fantastic.

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  19. It looks like an interesting place to visit thanks to your fine work!

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  20. Wow Alex- I finally got a chance to see what you've been up to- and it's a LOT!!! Your town sketch is wonderful- something I hope you'll do more of because you are very good at it!! I've enjoyed looking at all of your latest work- you are so creative and talented too.
    BTW- I still don't have my blog up- but I'll post to EDM when I do.

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  21. Wow! The perspective, the lines, the colors, how you handled the sky, the cars - everything to scale perfectly... need I say more? It's just wonderful! nancy

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  22. Wow Alex this is phenomenal! I am blown away! This is one of my favorites by you for sure! What an amazing drawing - it is really interesting, because it is so different from what I have seen from you, but you are still there! (does that make sense?)

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  23. This is just glorious!! Wonderful color!!

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  24. So charming - wonderful painting!!

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  25. Wow thank you all for your feedback. ^^ Okay, here are to the questions:-
    1. No I didn't sketch this right there and then. I took a picture and drew it from my 10" laptop. I did do some detailing and inking in a library though, so that's public drawing yay =)
    2. The poles are really crooked in real life too, I did add a bit of exaggeration...just a wee bit.
    3. Postcard sounds like an awesome idea. I'll check and see if I could get hold of someone. Thanks for the idea Jennifer.
    4. Full Moleskine about Louisiana would be too much for me. As you all know I don't stay on a same subject for too long. ;)
    5.Watercolor on Moleskine sketchbook is not recommended, the colors don't spread evenly unless you want that effect. I used the cheapest Reeve's water color set.
    6. Actually the sky and the trees are the only ones that was done from imagination. I am glad they turned out okay.

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  26. This is sooo good, and you get a real a real feel for the place too. I like to see the different stages too, it's interesting to see how you work.

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  27. Oh I do love this! So colourful and fresh. Can tell from you sketch that this town suits you well.

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  28. Wow, Alex, this is fantastic! I love it, love the colours, the buildings, the atmosphere, all of it! Makes me want to try water colors too so much!

    PS:
    Ok, ok. I admit it, Alex. You got me. I AM Indiana Jone's dad. Just don't tell anybody, please.

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  29. Wow - this is outstanding on every level !!!!! A Definite Favorite!

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  30. Great sketch Alex! I enjoy looking at the variety of your work, from ice to street scenes, keep it up!

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  31. I just love this Alex! You are one awesome artist! I'd scan this at high resolution, say 2400 (sine it's probably small) then increase the size of the image in Photoshop to say 8 x 10 and lower the dpi to 300, print out some prints, and sell them to the businesses downtown. Especially that place you love for breakfast! You've got yourself a winner here. Or make some greeting cards that say "What happens in St. Martinville, stays in St. Martinville"! I love the tilting telephone poles whether they were like that for real or not!
    Revelle

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  32. Great use of color and the ambiance of the location is captured beautifully...or is it your feeling about the place?!
    Nice work.

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  33. This is a really beautiful drawing, such a nice atmosphere! And thanks for sharing so much about how you work - it´s really interesting to see... I, for instance, usually do the colours first and then I ink it.... maybe I should try the other way arond for a change!?

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  34. What a charming town! I love your drawing and I agree, prints would be awesome. Fantastic drawing!

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  35. So beautiful! You should come and do Virtual Paintout with us, too! ;)

    Oh, and about watercolor on Moleskine sketchbook being not recommended - I actually loved the way it worked in the watercolor moleskine book. My current sketchbook is a LamaLi watercolor book and it's much harder to work with.

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  36. This is just lovely, so vibrant! I love the colours and the angles - everything. It's real easy to see you are happy with your life :o)

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  37. This is really great! I think it's one of my favourites so far of your work that I've seen, I like the style, the colors, the atmosphere.

    And thanks for sharing your WIP, it's always interesting to see how others work.

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  38. Alex, another great job, - I think this would qualify for EDM #29 draw a building, or #36 - out in public or #41 a landmark where you live - think would work best. A fun drawing.

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  39. Oh Alex, this is an amazing drawing-painting, love the colours and well, the whole picture. Well done!!!

    Mari

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  40. Oh. My. Goodness! This is simply amazing! Wonderful painting!!

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  41. I love this! Are the poles really that wonky? I bet they are but I am glad you didn't straighten them. Such character in this pic. Frame it!

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  42. This is absolutely amazing! My favorite so far! Amazing, did I say that! I can hardly believe your talent and skill! Keep up this great work! WOW!!!!!!!!!! Amazing, did I say that already?

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