Lisa
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Viewing 13 posts - 1 through 13 (of 13 total)
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I don't have a single favorite author, but one of my go-to books is Home, by Beth Powning. Her writing and photography resonate with me. Here a few quotes: "I'm five years old and I know the sacredness of bluets, and the primacy of trees, the world that came first." "Spring wildflowers cannot be picked; they're as ephemeral as the season itself. I've arrived home with limp trout lilies int he palm of my hand. They cannot bear separation from the soil." So I picked a couple of sitspots, down in my horses' pasture where I sketched and painted the pasture hues of spring: white flowers, blue flowers, and yellow flowers. I practiced with my watercolors, handling the amount of water in the brush, mixing colors, and observing the tiny details. I experimented with watercolor pencils, and the Sakura pen which we didn't cover in the class, unfortunately.
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Well the the new effort was a bit disappointing. I think I rushed things a bit. I have to remember to be sure it's DRY! The wash didn't come out well because the paper was not wet enough at the top, but came out better at the bottom--lesson learned. I practiced using a dryer brush, still an effort to get that right. With the exception of the rust feathers, the colors came out ok. I find working under yellowy incandescent lights to be difficult on a dreary grey day. Loved this class and really want to get out in the field and practice, practice, practice!
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I painted from a photo this prairie warbler. I practiced using negative space, mixing colors, and attempting to keep my brush dry enough for some of the detail. I came out much better than my first attempt at a bird in watercolors! But I still need lots of practice.
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I bring my binoculars along with my art materials. Spring is such an amazing time to see returning songbirds and the woods are full of warblers. Even if they don't sit still enough to draw or paint, I will try and commit them to memory for later. Bug repellent is a must have! I also bring water for myself in addition to refilling pens if need be. I try to note anything interesting, or things I want to look up when I get home. Lugging too many guide books can be a hassle. This was my best attempt at a landscape; a view off an escarpment atop Browns Hill.
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So lovely! I might have seen one this spring, although they are quite rare in Maine. You are so lucky to have this bird in your neck of the woods. Beautiful painting!
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This was very informative. Still having a hard time with dry on dry, but it gave me a better idea of how to handle the medium and what technique works best in different scenarios.
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I really enjoyed this exercise. I learned how to mix colors and handle the moisture issue I always have with too much water. I still can't seem to get the detail I want, but it will take a lot of practice. My columbine came out ok, but the leaves were a bit wonky--too heavy an outline rather that a thin edging of maroon.
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I have wanted to sketch this tree ever since I started this course. It was a perfect candidate for the exercise and the "pencil" trick worked beautifully. I should have used a whole sheet of paper so I could have put more of the tree (charred pieces laying about) onto the page as well. I also sketched a ladyslipper from a photo as well.
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Lovely feathers! I've done a few in the past, but I should try this exercise using some I found recently.
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This was a great exercise. I sketched a mayapple and liverwort plant. Each has very different leaf and flower structure, texture, and color. Except for the black flies harassing me, and the bird that pooped on my hand, this was lots of fun. I used my watercolor pencils for a little color.
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Much easier to notice the details when working from a photo. If drawing in the field, would not have spent as much time noticing the lichens on the branches. Working with watercolors is a challenge for me, and I've never used this type of brush! Hoping to master it a bit better by the end!
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I've been dabbling for a couple of years...just with pencil and then colored pencils. I think doing a monthly page or 2 is where I will start. Last spring, during the pandemic, I hiked every morning before heading back to my "desk at home" and found I saw so much! I wanted to get it down on paper, both in words and images.
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I have wanted to sketch this tree ever since I started this course. It was a perfect candidate for the exercise and the "pencil" trick worked beautifully. I should have used a whole sheet of paper so I could have put more of the tree (charred pieces laying about) onto the page as well. I also sketched a ladyslipper from a photo as well. 
Viewing 13 posts - 1 through 13 (of 13 total)