Cycling art, tour de france, maxine dodd

Tour de France 2019 – Excited!

Bonjour! It’s July, it’s Tour time! Three weeks of absorbing racing through some of the finest scenery you’ll ever see. There will be crowds and flags and great spectacle along the way. The race begins in Brussels to mark the 50th Anniversary of the first win of Eddie Merckx, one of cycling’s greatest racers. It also marks one hundred years since the first award of arguably the most famous sporting trophies, the Yellow Jersey. It was first won by Eugene Christophe in 1919, who will wear it and eventually win it this year? It will be a great adventure finding…

Wisteria magic

09/09/201427/05/2015 Categories: flowers · gardens · wildlifeTags: art · colour · gardens · illustration · painting · watercolour · wisteria12 Comments

Hello! Spring is almost over and the season on the brink of changing to summer. One plant that marks this transition is the wisteria, which pours colour and fragrance like fountains in many gardens, including ours. It’s a lovely subject, offering curling lines, twisting branches and of course the colour. I’ve drawn it in pastel, pen and ink with watercolour and now digitally for the first time. Here are my drawings…

Tour de France 2014: Stage 15 – Tallard to Nîmes

22/07/201406/11/2018 Categories: cycling · TDF 2014 · Tour de FranceTags: arts · Astana · cycling · cycling · drawing · drawing fast · drawings gallery · French countryside · garmin · illustration · ink · Jack Bauer · life · light · majka · Martin Elmiger · Nîmes · nibali · outdoors · reportage · Risoul · sagan · sky · south of France · sport · Tallard · travel · vacation · Vincenzo Nibali · yellow jersey2 Comments

Bonjour! Stage15 was a long stage leaving the Alps and heading through the south of France towards the Pyrenees. The course passed through classic French countryside, but with crosswinds and storms at times, it was still a challenge for the riders. Two made an impressive breakaway lead by Martin Elmiger and Jack Bauer. At the end of the stage they were caught and passed by the head of the peloton – all sprinters – and there was nothing either man could do to assuage the onslaught! Amazing stuff – can’t wait for Stage 16! Here are my drawings:

Cycling art, Tour de France, watercolour pen and ink painting, Wind in his coat tails, Rafal Majka by Maxine Dodd

Tour de France 2014: Stage 14 – Grenoble to Risoul

20/07/201406/11/2018 Categories: cycling · TDF 2014 · Tour de FranceTags: art · arts · Astana · cycling · cycling · drawing · drawing fast · drawings gallery · garmin · Grenoble · illustration · ink · light · majka · nibali · outdoors · Rafal Majka · reportage · Risoul · sagan · sky · sport · travel · vacation · Vincenzo Nibali · yellow jersey4 Comments

Bonjour! Stage14 continued in the Alps in a hard day’s climbing and an engrossing day’s racing. The skies promised rain but didn’t deliver – instead riders worked hard in the sun. The race saw great performances from the AG2R team, Vincenzo Nibali, but the stage was won by up and coming climber, Rafal Majka, who crossed the line, jacket unzipped and flapping! Here are my drawings:

Cycling art, Tour de France, watercolour pen and ink painting, Nibali by Maxine Dodd

Tour de France 2014: Stage 13 – Saint-Étienne to Chamrousse

18/07/201406/11/2018 Categories: cycling · TDF 2014 · Tour de FranceTags: art · arts · Astana · Chamrousse · cycling · cycling · drawing · drawing fast · drawings gallery · gallopin · garmin · illustration · ink · light · nibali · outdoors · reportage · sagan · Saint-Étienne · sky · sport · travel · vacation · yellow jersey4 Comments

Bonjour! Stage13 arrived in the Alps and passed through the city of Grenoble. Spectacular scenery, including the still snowy and very white, Mont Blanc. This was another hard stage with more riders abandoning or falling back. Steering a very confident course through much of the race was Alessandro De Marchio who forged ahead. Until that is, the brilliant Vincenzo Nibali burst past everyone in the final kilometres to take the win alone and in style. Vincenzo has worn the Yellow Jersey for many days and must be the favourite for Paris. Who can catch him? Here are my drawings:

Cycling art, Tour de France, watercolour pen and ink painting, Across the line by Maxine Dodd

Tour de France 2014: Stage 12 – Bourg-en-Bresse to Saint-Étienne

18/07/201406/11/2018 Categories: cycling · TDF 2014 · Tour de FranceTags: Alexander Kristoff · art · arts · Astana · Bourg-en-Bresse · cycling · cycling · drawing · drawing fast · drawings gallery · gallopin · garmin · illustration · ink · Katusha · kittel · light · martin · nibali · outdoors · Perrig Quemeneur · reportage · Roche · sagan · Saint-Étienne · Simon Clarke · sky · sport · team Katusha · team leaders · travel · vacation · yellow jersey7 Comments

Bonjour! Stage12 continued the theme begun on Stage 11, hot sunshine, rolling countryside and beautiful chateaux. The announcement came that Andrew Talansky joined 4 other team leaders in retirement, but the race pressed on. French fans enjoying the progress of riders Cyril Gaultier and Perrig Quemeneur who brokeaway with Simon Clarke to lead for a great section of the stage. The sprint to the line saw Peter Sagan miss out on the win yet again – just beaten by Alexander Kristoff for the Russian team Katusha. And this was a ‘quiet’ stage! Here are my drawings:

Cycling art, Tour de France, watercolour pen and ink painting, Dappled sun by Maxine Dodd

Tour de France 2014: Stage 10 – Mulhouse to La Planche des Belles Filles

14/07/201406/11/2018 Categories: cycling · TDF 2014 · Tour de FranceTags: art · arts · Astana · boom · contador · cycling · cycling · drawing · drawing fast · drawings gallery · gallopin · greipel · illustration · ink · kadri · kittel · La Planche des Belles Filles · light · martin · mulhouse · nibali · outdoors · reportage · sagan · sky · sport · travel · vacation · yellow jersey2 Comments

Bonjour! Stage10, was absolutely amazing. Riders toiling into the mountains through sunshine, rain and fog for over 4 hours – only to be rewarded with the near vertical climb at La Planche des Belles Filles, the killer hill! Contador sadly retired after an appalling fall. A brilliant ride by Rodriguez was outshone by Vincenzo Nibali who was first over the hill. A memorable Bastille Day! Thank goodness it’s a rest day tomorrow – we can all calm down a bit! See you on Wednesday – Here are my drawings:

Racing lines

Art by Maxine Dodd

Tag: illustration