These grapes from the market begged to be painted. Their delicate blush and golden plumpness hinted at juicy sweetness inside and they did not disappoint! I am practicing my technique and wanted some additional fruit to put in my sketchbook for the course I am taking with the SBA. As I worked on this piece […]
Stippling Again, SBA Sketchbook
March 23, 2012 by · 6 Comments
Stippling is a time consuming technique for shading but strangely enough, I find that there is something soothing about making all of those tiny dots! I’ve been practicing some of the techniques I have learned while taking the Society of Botanical Artists course so that is why I am stippling once again, which was part […]
Polypodium and Oxalis, SBA Assignment 8
March 17, 2012 by · 14 Comments
Licorice Fern, Polypodium glycyrrhiza, forms a soft muff on the branches of trees in winter here in the Pacific Northwest. The wiry roots cause the rhizomes to cling to rocks and tree branches, usually under a soft coating of moss. In the winter when the trees are bare and colors are bleak, the green fluffy […]
Cornus capitata Fruit, SBA Assignment 7
February 1, 2012 by · 10 Comments
This strange fruit brightened up the dreary winter day as I walked through my neighborhood and spied it on a small tree. Who can resist the cheery red fruit with the bright evergreen leaves? In photos I have seen, the Cornus capitata fruits seem to vary a lot as far as the bumpiness of the […]
The Road Map, SBA Assignment 7
January 20, 2012 by · 18 Comments
I find it helpful, even essential, to make a road map of where I am going with a botanical painting. This is where I try out my composition ideas and do a tonal study. Here I can freely erase and rearrange without the fear of damaging the delicate surface of my watercolor paper. Once I […]
This blog is about my journey as a botanical artist--what I am learning, what inspires me and what I am currently drawing or painting. My desire is to continually hone my skills to better express my wonder and gratitude for the beauty of the creation around me in the Pacific Northwest (USA).