Hollyhocks! I have a few coming up, but not like these. There is a garden in our neighborhood which is one of my faves to visit when out on a walk. I spoke with the lady of the house about it one day, and she said, “I just throw extra seeds over the fence.” Well, she might, but whatever she does, it works!
Taken with a Trip 35 and Fuji Superia 200. And finally developed.
I decided to use a study by the watercolorist Vernon Nye. He caught the back country of California perfectly – the hills and trees in particular. It was a fun study and I liked it because it pointed out to me how deceptively simple the hills can seem, but they really are not. The road, too, was another eye-catcher. I have driven along a number of back-road highways throughout the state, and you feel like you are the only person in the world. The perspective was a great challenge, too. Altogether, a good study of something in my own back yard, and I can take what I learned into future paintings.
Hard to believe it has been nearly a month since my last post. Lots has been going on, and not going on. For one thing, the quarantine has been going on and on and on. Life continues despite it, and with a few rule bending days and outings. Fortunately, all is well in our neck of the woods, and because we are such boring people, not much in our lives has changed. We have been very fortunate. However, in the next day or two, a Major Change is a-comin’!
This is no longer a car. It is in bits and pieces, sawzalled into oblivion, dissected, sold, and scavenged. The WRX is now parts and pieces. Something is coming soon to replace it.
More water and reflections!
Ormond Beach is located on the coastal side of the county in a flat, rural area near two navy bases. The sky is often dank and cloudy and it can seem like another world compared to my hot, dry corner. Here, I wanted to catch the dreary grey sky along with the rows of palm trees on the horizon. I think this one is one of my better ones of late.
Yesterday was a watercolor day! I warmed up with a copy of Wesson’s painting, and then moved on to more water. I am not intimidated by water in the form of lakes or streams, but do need to learn how to do oceans and waves and white caps. I am trying to get a grip on reflections and how water and reflections interact. I think reflections appear longer when the sun is behind you rather than in front of you, like shadows.
Here, a mountain and a lake, with some very deep shadows. The distant mountain is quite bland to my eyes and would like to liven it up with deeper greens and richer browns. I didn’t. I tried to keep it more simple than the actual photo. I did to a point.
I think most painters will always find faults as they know, as they paint, what challenged them while they painted and what their vision was, versus what they put down. My life.
Ink, Yarn & Beer 