In my last post, Simple Steps to Choosing a Palette, I talked about a method I use to determine the pigments for my paintings. In this post, I’ll give you an example of how I go about finding the right mix to match the mid-tone of the leaf color using the primary colors in the […]
Oregon Silverspot Butterfly
October 3, 2015 by · 4 Comments
Insects…the good, the bad and the ugly…they are all around us. Few of us stop to think that without them we would all perish because if we had no pollinators we would eventually have no food, not to mention all of the other myriad things that they contribute to the ecosystem. Now I must admit […]
Painting on Vellum
July 23, 2015 by · 9 Comments
After preparing my piece of Kelmscott vellum, the next step is to transfer my completed drawing to the vellum. When I was starting out on vellum, I learned much from other artists who shared their techniques. Here are some articles and posts that I’ve found particularly helpful:Kate Nessler’s article from the ASBA journal, The Botanical […]
Getting Started on Vellum
July 9, 2015 by · 2 Comments
“What is vellum anyway?” is a question I hear frequently when showing my paintings, since most of them are on Kelmscott vellum. I thought I would briefly answer that question, and then give some basics on preparing it for painting as a way of introducing you to this material. So what is vellum? Vellum, also […]
The Awkward Stage
April 24, 2015 by · 4 Comments
My paintings always seem to go through an awkward stage…sort of like adolescence. At this stage, things are not in balance yet, the painting’s full character has not yet been revealed. Will it fulfill the dreams I had for it or does the path I’ve set it on lead to disaster…? Only time will tell. […]
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).