Tag: rocks

Flower Children, Rocks, Sky, and Mush

I had a bit of running around to do today, but made sure I had time to play. I am seriously trying to paint or draw every day, not just in between chores and appointments!

Today I was interested in playing with flowers. The first was a plein air painting of one of the lilies currently in bloom on my patio. There are a lot of them in bloom, but I decided one would be enough, to get acquainted with them, even though I see them every day, on a more intimate level. Not a great painting, but it was sort of a warm-up exercise to play with some new colors and palette layout.

I am also using, again, some not-so-great paper, but I am getting used to it. I’ve spent some time getting it sopping wet – not really successful, but I am learning how to handle it. This is important as the next painting – the gladiolas below – was to see if I could manipulate washes on this paper. For skies, this is important especially, or large areas of color. Below, sky, rocks, and mushy trees and a color blob.

And finally, the one that I spent time and energy on. The idea was to make a painting of gladiolas (which are in a ridiculously short vase given how tall the flowers are!), making large areas of washes, and working in new and different colors as I moved along the flowers. Patience was needed, and a hair dryer helped things along, but thinking and plotting my painting moves with the air of a strategist was also part of the equation.

So, overall, today was a bit of a success. Nothing great, but I am rather pleased with the gladiolas – not the vase, background, or surface, but the point of the whole endeavor. I also am getting more comfortable with the paper and how it responds to lots of water. It is fairly heavy, and described as “rough” so it has a nice bit of tooth, and now that we are getting used to each other, it will definitely be a playground rather than work.

At the Edge of the Garden

The Edge of the Garden

The botanical garden is just gorgeous right now! It’s had its spring cleaning done, and all the undergrowth has been cleared away. Between the trees is simply leaves, new plantings, and trees budding out and in bloom. I went there yesterday in search of the bulbs, primarily the narcissus, but they were past their season. Ah, well! There was still plenty more to see.

The rocks you see above for a long time were overgrown and not tended. Now they have been cleaned up and I think later on the Matilija poppies will show up. I noticed a lot of new growth where I know they grow, so that will be a sight to see. These rocks are on the edge of the garden, with a fence separating them from the nearby condos and the hill beyond, which I really should climb one day!

I brought the X100V along with me, and no dogs as the last time I did I went flying down a hill, camera in hand. We all survived, but as there are other dogs here and squirrels to chase, it seemed prudent to come alone – this way I could look and wander a bit.

On the Rocks

My old, creaky bones don’t give me the pleasure of playing on rocks any more, much less climbing over fences to get to them. I rather envied these kids! There is something so enticing about perching above a clear bit of ocean – here, the Monterey Bay – and peering into the water below. Fish, anemones, kelp, rocks. Tide pools have the same fascination. As this neck of the bay is protected, the waters are clear and pristine. Wildlife, above and below the water, is readily seen.

Lomo Metropois, Nikon FM2n, Series E 100mm.