Category: Blitherings

A Lesson

Watercolor Painting BookThe other day I went to the library with the express purpose of getting some “how to” books on watercolor.  I haven’t painted in a long, long time, and like anything neglected, a bit of work is necessary.  Well, really, a lot of work is necessary!

The urge to paint came about when I finished my Lopi-style sweater a few weeks ago.  This meant looking for supplies, cleaning up the studio, and sorting things out.  The focus on photography these last few years has helped me to see contrast as I have never seen it before, but it doesn’t mean I can paint any better than before.  However, the fact that I needed to learn photography, not just take snapshots, has pushed into my tiny brain the fact that luck does not replace forethought.  Hence, the trip to the library.

As anyone who looks at art books – at “how to” books in any subject – there are far too many to choose from.  Most cover the same basics.  Watercoloring books are no exception.  The key is to find books that appeal to you.  I found a lot to look at, took home six, and have skimmed through all of them.  The one I settled on is called The Watercolor Painting Book, by Wendon Blake, with paintings by Claude Croney.

A “how to” book needs to be a “show how” book.  Detailed descriptions and pictures are really important.  This one does it quite well.  There are studies – demonstrations – in both black and white and color.  For someone wanting to begin at the beginning, but with a bit of knowledge, this really is a good book.  So, I plunged in this afternoon – my reward for totally cleaning up the studio, throwing out old things, and re-arranging the book shelves to accommodate my painting supplies.  (I have to be organized whenever I embark on something new – or newish.)

Watercolor Painting Book

This, then, is the study for the flat wash. Here, dry layers are built up, one on another, as can be seen in this picture of the study. Below are all mine, which are absolutely hideous, but did teach me a bit about contrast and painting. Or remind me of it. Or something.

I have 3 flat brushes that I used here. None feel comfortable, but they were worth using. One is an inch wide, and then they each decrease by half. Awkward! The point, though, is to just do it. That is how we learn. I know I will work more on the flat wash this week, and use the flat brushes. It won’t be pretty – but it will be a good experience!

One Thing Leads to Another . . .

Watercolors

After finishing the sweater a few weeks ago, something shifted. Doing things with my hands, and completing a project, flipped a switch. I’ve been putzing with knitting, playing with photography, spending time doing post-processing, but it really is not the same as starting and finishing a project. My creative world has become increasingly more narrow as I have focused on photography.

Photography is more comfortable now. I think I “get it” at times. That is satisfying – but it is never as satisfying as creative projects seen from beginning to end. The fact is, I am not a photographer at heart, but the most satisfaction comes from a photo when it reflects something of how I see the world. What that is in photography seems to be snippets of things, the casual portrait, or a good landscape. I am curious as to how understanding photography will affect other creative parts of my life.

Paint brushes are like knitting needles – they are held in the hand, moved and manipulated. Color knitting is something I love – magpie eyes! – and color has been in my head for weeks. Suddenly, greens must be more intense, and red has allure like it has not in some time. Sumi-e and brushes are wonderful, but color is winning now – paint brush to hand, colors on the palette.

 

In Which I Have a Cold and Knit a Sweater

Sweater Sleeve

This past week has seen me seriously down with a cold – out of a 5 day work week, only 2 days had me visible at all!  I started getting it a week ago today, and knowing how awful the cold could be – the other half came down with it the week before – I decided I had better figure out something to do with myself.  I decided to make myself a sweater.  And I am glad I did make that decision early on in the game because, had I not, I would have just watched TV all day long and felt horribly unproductive.  Even sick, I just don’t like blobbing around.  So, in between aspirin and decongestants, sleeping and sneezing and shivering, I knit up a sweater and watched Engregages, but with English subtitles.  Interestingly, I could understand a lot of the French by the time I watched all the episodes available on Netflix.

Sweater

One of the things that has been haunting me in the world of knitting is my abundance of half-finished projects, meaning things that need a bit of thought.  Being sick, thinking is one of the last things I wanted to do.  The project needed to be interesting, fast, and simple.  The solution was an Icelandic-style sweater.  I dug out my Lopi pattern books, and looked at  Ravelry, and finally decided on a pattern – which I modified to a degree – and colors.  White, light grey, dark grey, black.  Contrast.

Sweater Neckline

The yarn is a fuzzy acrylic because I had it on hand.  Using US 8 and 10.5 needles, the sweater had a gauge of 3.5 sts / inch.  Once that was established, the rest was easy.  And, in exactly 7 days, my sweater is completed, finished, ends woven in, washed, and ready to wear.  It fits pretty nicely, too, but my grafting skills are not what they used to be . . . so I won’t show you the underarm seams.

Sweater with Pattern Book

If you have the book shown, Volume 17, the pattern is based upon sweaters 19 and 20, with some modifications to the last 2 pattern rounds.

To say the least, I’m feeling pretty smug!

That Crusty RUGBRØD!

Oh, I was exceedingly frustrated by the crusty, crunchy rye bread I made last week.

Rye Bread
Rye Bread

I knew I shouldn’t cut it while warm because, delicious as any bread is fresh out of the oven – which is why rolls are so much better at times! – it ruins the final product if you don’t eat it all up at once.  However, I did not give up, and read more on other sites, and in the end to follow the directions at another site – spray the crust and let the bread dry a bit in the oven, and then, wrap it in plastic overnight.

And there you go – perfectly behaved bread slice with a deliciious flavor, a nice crust, and the ability to support a nice bit of butter and whatever else you wish.