Author Archives for Ellen

My first watercolour in the garden

I had to think about it. I was a bit hesitant. But i did it. I took my new watercolour paints to the garden and made a watercolour painting. I had thought about it before. I knew i was going to use only two colours. Prussian blue and yellow ochre. I like limitations. I need to get to know the different paints.

The result is a sketch. A learning tool. But also a report of this hour sitting at the table and watching the area i had chosen to paint. The end result is nowhere near what i saw. Of course.

After i stopped painting i did do some work in the garden. I joined the others. A good day.

Published on January 31, 2018 at 6:00 by
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International Film Festival Rotterdam

The past few years i decided not to go to the International Film Festival Rotterdam. Not anymore. It is expensive. I love films, sure. From the late 80s going to the IFFR was a staple in January. For around ten times i volunteered. More times even. I never counted them.

But it has changed. Streamlined. Commercialized. That is not a bad thing. But i do miss the old IFFR. Dancing n the Hilton.

So yeah, time doesn’t stop. Things keep changing.

It has vanished from my awareness.

But today i went with Henja to the IFFR. The Doelen, KINO, Lantaren Venster. Coffee in the Doelen, lunch in Lantaren Venster. Walking through this city with Henja who is still relatively new in Rotterdam. Made me realize how this city is soaked in my memories.

Happy to see small pink flowers in a garden along the way. And snowdrops!

A very enjoyable day.

Salute!

Published on January 30, 2018 at 6:00 by
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Watercolour

Today i bought watercolour paints, two watercolour paper books, a watercolour pan holder and empty pans.

I decided to buy Daniel Smith watercolour paint. I don’t remember seeing this brand in the early days in the 80s when i used to watercolour. I have seen many youtube clips about watercolour paints, sets and tips and how-to’s. Daniel Smith does come recommended by many different sources. Good professional watercolours.

I bought the essential kit with six colours. Most of these i wanted to buy anyway. From three primary colours a warm and a cool colour. I also bought four other colours, in fifteen ml. Prussian Blue, Phthalo Green, Yellow Ochre and Perylene Maroon. Simply because with four colours i would get a Daniel Smith dot card for free. Ten colours to start with. No neutrals. With the extra green and ochre and maroon i can make darker colours. I did want to get Burnt Sienna, but that was out of stock. I will get more colours, but for now these are enough.

Only the New Gamboge is a two pigment colour. All the other colours are single pigments.

The best site i found is handprint.com. There is a huge section about watercolour paints, pigments, brushes and paper. I will need to read all the writings on this website again, there is so much to take in. There are also other parts of this website. Even a Wittgenstein part.

Recommended colours for a basic palette are the following:

  • benzimida yellow (either PY151 or PY154)
  • nickel dioxine yellow (PY153)
  • cadmium scarlet (or cadmium red light) (PR108)
  • -> perylene maroon (PR179)
  • quinacridone magenta (PR122)
  • -> ultramarine blue (PB29)
  • -> phthalo blue GS (PB15:3)
  • cerulean blue (PB35)
  • phthalo green BS (PG7) or
  • -> phthalo green YS (PG36)
  • gold ochre (PY42) or
  • -> yellow ochre (PY43) or
  • transparent yellow oxide (PY42)
  • burnt sienna (PBr7) or
  • transparent red oxide (PR101)

Prussian blue is my favourite of the old days. It is also a good dark colour. There are several ways to make black with this palette, a green – red one and a blue – yellow one. Warm colours with the yellow ochre and perylene maroon works good too.

I bought a Schmincke watercolour tin. I might blend some colours eventually and put them in a separate pan. For now i don’t do that, i need time to get used to painting again.

I bought one sketchbook to take out with me. Another small block for other paintings.

For the mixing i did today i used an old watercolour block i still had. I made one with glazes. Another paper with several mixes. I will make more of these. A colour wheel. Larger mixes of all the different colours. Neutral mixes.

And of course sketches and drawings in the garden. The main reason i bought this. Yay!

Published on January 26, 2018 at 6:00 by
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Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX80

So, today, in the afternoon, i got the money from selling my house. I thought about it for a couple of minutes. I paid some bills. And i put on my shoes and my coat and went out. To buy myself a new camera. I walked to Foka and talked with the person who helped me yesterday and said i was there to buy. To spend money. A Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX80. A mirrorless interchangable lens camera. I had read the Buying Guide: Best cameras for video and this camera was the budget recommendation. Cost me quite a bit of money, but it is still below 1500 euros.

So good! A big sigh, sure. So many things to learn. I only got around to charging up the camera. I made a few photos of Mouse asleep in front of the heating. But i didn’t get how to connect the camera to my computer. In the instructions they talk about the smartphone connection. Hmm.

I also bought a bag and a tripod for shooting video. Not terribly expansive, but still ok. And i did get an insurance for three years. Since i take the camera out a lot, i think it needs it.

I have bought two lenses. One a 14-140, the equivalent of a 28-280 for a full frame DSLR camera. The other a 60 mm macro lens for portraits and close ups. That one i get in a few days, it wasn’t in the shop.

The next days i will be reading the instructions, use the camera out and about. Use all the different buttons. Get to know it. Thoroughly.

Yay!

PS. I was lying in bed and it suddenly dawned on me. The cable i used to charge up the battery had an USB side. So that was the way to connect it to my computer. I got out and presto! So at the end is a photo i made. Large. Not raw, but a jpg. It is fine for now.

PPS. The names of this camera are different in different parts of the world. It is the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX80, GX85 or GX7II in Europe, US and Japan respectively.

Published on January 24, 2018 at 6:00 by
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Selling my house

Today i will sell my house. At 11.15 i have an appointment at the solicitor.

This is a mixed bag of emotions. One part of me is sad. I will loose ownership of the house i have lived in for the past twenty two years with pleasure. I can remain living here for the next two years, but after that i do need to move out and find another place to live. Two years is nice, but it’s not that long really.

Another part of me is happy. Over the years i have accumulated a decent amount of overvalue. I will get this money at my disposal. I can use this money to live of for the next four to five years.

I will treat myself a bit over the next weeks. My computers are getting old. The newest one is my laptop from 2011. I will upgrade my iPad, my iMac, my iPhone. I will also buy myself a decent camera. I will show you once i get them, together with my thoughts on why these specific items. It will bring new content to ellenpronk.com.

I am fully trusting myself in this. Yes, there is hurt. But also freedom. To make my life my own. To make this place work. To make myself work. More.

Salute!

Published on January 22, 2018 at 6:00 by
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