Back to work with a messed up wrist . . . wasn’t bad. After work, the sun was still out. In our yard, we have a beautiful vase-shaped crepe myrtle tree. It is sending out the first leaves of the season. I sketched this at sunset, trying to catch the complex interweaving of the branches and the delicate greens of the baby leaves at the tips of the smallest branches.
Besides doing the orchid yesterday, I sat down and did what is being called”direct watercolor.” As in sumi-e, the artist thinks about things before committing brush to paper. No lines. No value studies. Look, see, think, paint. It is a bit of a challenge and rather daunting, but I think this is such an enlightening way to learn the art of brushwork, value, contrast, and so on. I did some glazes here and there, to create contrast as well as to carry various colors throughout the painting. I also worked with vignetting, considering the shapes of the four corners of the vignette as well.
Today I took off my splints – it’s like getting out of jail, I swear – to enjoy the freedom of using some pen and ink. Now the splints are back on, but there is a sense of satisfaction in doing some artwork, no matter how simple. Pen and color, with a focus on simple color.
Even though I am trying to be a good patient and wear my splints all the time, it just isn’t possible. I am still limping around, too, so I am not doing much hiking as my knee still hurts from the fall. Rather, I am on the patio in the warm afternoon sun, away from those dangerous dogs! I had a few pictures, a bit of imagination, and some watercolor pencils. I decided to try them out in some rather different ways to learn how to better use them.
Above is a Black Phoebe. They live in the trees around here. Their feathers are darker om the head, and their faces are not quite so fat. I tried to get in line detail and then used a fine brush. Darkest blacks were from an ink brush.
Next, just a simple Japanese maple leaf, no lines, only pencil and water. I laid it on pretty thick, but it is still paler than what I would like to see.
Finally, Queen Anne’s Lace. Here I wanted to draw into negative space, so what better subject than white flowers? I used ink, and for the paler flowers in the background, I dipped my brush in water and took color off the pencil tips before painting onto the paper.
Two days ago I was cleaning the kitchen up, even to the point of cleaning the oven and stove top – huge job for a Sunday morning. The other half was on call all day, so it seemed like the perfect time. We weren’t able to join family that day, so do something useful. All was going well until one of the dogs lay down behind me, and when I turned around, over I went. I took a standing lamp with me, fell over the arm of the couch, smacked my arm and hand on the treadle sewing machine, and ended up on my back. I knew my hand was messed up – it hurt! Off to the urgent care to have 3 questionable fractures, one in the wrist and 2 in the middle finger. Monday confirmed fractures, but only 2, both chips. Not too bad. But, now I am all bound up with a splint on my finger and one on my wrist. My right wrist. I am right-handed. Oh, woe is me!
Happily, my dog was more surprised and less damaged than I.
Spring break and the plans are to do all sorts of fun things. Like paint. And that is what I have been attempting to do today. It is not easy to draw a straight line or hold a brush, much less type, with normal dexterity. In a way that is really good as nothing can be considered “serious” when nothing is feeling coördinated. There is a real disconnect, like when your face is all numb from anaesthesia at the dentist. Believe me when I say drawing in splints make straight lines somewhat improbable.
And here are the results, pictures taken step by step as I waited for things to dry. I was on the patio whilst painting – someplace relatively safe as the dogs aren’t allowed in this part of the yard. The focus is on imagined shadows, not great art. Click to see larger.
Ink, Yarn & Beer 