Written by Hello Doodlewash readers, my name is Agnès McLaughlin, and I am French. I am also British by marriage to a wonderful Scotsman. I also sell original art at the English Book Centre in Valbonne village.
I am based in the South of France near Cannes on the French Riviera where I enjoy the climate and the beauty of the landscape with infinite inspirational subjects to paint. I love cycling with my electric bike and find interesting views to sketch as well.
Prior to moving to the South of France, I lived in the UK for a long time and still travel in between France and England on a regular basis feeling at home in both countries. Hampshire, the Jane Austen county, is my land of adoption and very much a great source of inspiration too.
I have been on the artistic path for a long time as a self-taught artist, starting with mixed media painting and collages. In 2011, I joined a watercolour class with Marina Kulik at the Hangar Art Centre in my area and found a real joy in this new and challenging art form. Since then, I have been completely hooked!
As a New Year’s resolution for 2016, I decided to start my own blog and gave it the title of “Hobby Sketcher“. Its purpose is to give me great motivation and practice in drawing and painting as often as possible, plus to connect with other like-minded people.
To be an artist can sometimes be a lonely situation with procrastination lurking around. Nothing better than getting some feedback and encouragement from other artists to give you the energy boost to go on creating and having fun! I was also very much inspired by online great teachers like Shari Blaukopf and Marc Taro Holmes in their blogging commitment.
My watercolour techniques can vary according to the subject matter and I use lots of different types of watercolour papers as long as they are of good quality and at least 300g/m2 -140lbs strong: cold pressed, hot pressed, rough … you name it. The same for brushes…anything goes.
I like to use also Moleskine sketchbooks when on the move. For sketching I use pencil, and ink the drawing before painting. I try to paint on location as often as possible, but I use my own photos to paint at home if necessary. For portraits and still lives, I use photos.
I try to do my sketches not too tight and achieve a loose effect with watercolour. Someone said “I strive for imperfection” and for me, that sums it all up!
Agnès McLaughlin
Blog
Website
Society6
Wonderful. I enjoyed the visit. Thank you.
Thank you for your kind comment. and glad you enjoyed my paintings.
wow ! thats the only word that came to mind looking at that pic
Wonderful, that is great, thank you so much!
the top car that is
yes I love these old vintage cars too!
Really, really lovely work! I’ll be sure to look up your blog. What kind of pen do you use?
Thanks Lisa for checking my blog. I use at the moment black uni pen water and fade proof 0.2 and 0.5 , the Pentel brush pen, Platinum carbon ink pen.
Agnes, your paintings are vibrant and a pleasure to view.
So glad you like my paintings, that means a lot to me…..
Lovely paintings, and the little bird is my favorite!
Hi Carol, thanks for your kind comment. I did the robin as a present for my uncle who loves gardening and see these little cute birds all the time…
Beautiful…
Thanks a lot for your kind comment…
wow! The “traction avant” is great! Love your way to sketch, they give a sense of relaxing moments 🙂
robert
Looking back on the messages after I appeared in doodlewash, I realized I had not seen your kind comment…I feel very much encouraged to do more old cars when I read your message ! thank you Robert and sorry for the delayed feedback…
Agnès I love the sense of light you have in all of your works.
Lovely use of color.