Mushroom Art

Out on hikes of late, I haven't had time to paint on the spot. Instead, I take photos and create when I get back to my studio.

This little mushroom caught my eye as I hiked by its rotting stump high up on a wooded hilltop.  I used gouache paint to make a nature journal entry from the reference photo.

Gouache paint is opaque when thick, and will cover right over your initial pencil drawing as mine did here.

Gouache's opacity allows you to paint light colors over darker backgrounds.  I find this ability lets me create lots of exciting details. So much so, that I get carried away as I did in the version above, and the background distracts the eye from the focal point.

Too many details!

It's easy to fix this problem.  I painted a thin wash over the background to tone down the highlights, and pop the mushroom forward. 

If you try out gouache, you'll find the trickiest bit is getting the paint thickness just right for your application -- thin washes apply like watercolor, and will cover a larger area, but will be more transparent.  You'll need a thicker consistency of paint to cover dark tones with lighter spots.  

With gouache, you start with the background, laying in general shapes, colors and tones, and then you add the foreground parts and more detailed areas. 

Start with a limited palette of colors -- here, I used ultramarine blue, burnt umber, burnt sienna, yellow ochre, lemon yellow and zinc white. Put a small blob of each color of paint on your palette, and make sure to keep the paint moist by spritzing it with a small spray bottle of water.

You can experiment freely, knowing that you can paint over any mistake.

Happy Creating!

Sketch of a Midden

Sometimes on a hike, I don't have time to sketch as I go.  We were outrunning a windstorm when I spotted this log with remnants of a squirrel's dinner. So, I snapped a quick photo with my phone.

Back in the studio, I sketched the scene with my fountain pen, and added washes of watercolor.

Naturalists call this pile of nut shells a midden.  I've always loved that name and the knowledge that some small creature was eating a meal right on top of this log.  It makes me feel closer to my wild relations when I get insights into their everyday lives like this.

What in nature appeals to you?  What do you love to find out on a hike?  I hope you jot a note and make a sketch in your nature journal.

Happy Creating!

Finding an Old Stone Ruin

 On a recent hike, we found the remains of an old stone building.  It's tiny by modern standards, and we guess it was used by early settlers as a warming shelter when they took breaks from cutting stone from the nearby hillside.

The beauty of this natural building material, and the mystery behind the ruin entranced me, and I enjoyed sketching this corner of the building using the reference photo above.

Don't you love when a sketch in a nature journal makes you curious to learn more?  I ended up reading about the Civilian Conservation Corps in our local state park, an incredible story in this area's history.

Happy Creating!

Bluebird Art

I have dreamed for years of driving an electric vehicle and using the car's recharging time to make art. 

Here's a page from my nature journal with a sketch of the scene out my front windshield during a charge-up.  The afternoon was cold, and we'd just come back from a hike.  My car kept us warm as it charged, and I spent the time blissfully sketching.

Happy Creating!

Weekly Planner Page: B & W Collage

A weekly planner is a wonderful place to experiment with new ideas and designs.  There's no pressure to make something impressive.  You're just playing.

And creating with collage is a great way to play.  I recommend collecting a pile of paper scraps and images that you like.  They can have a theme, like these did, or just the theme that you like them.  I selected black and white images on old paper.

Pick out a collage bit that interests you, and try it out in several places.  If you get a tingle of "That's interesting..." glue it down!  Don't wait for "That's perfect!" because perfect never happens (in my experience).

I started with some collage bits, then added a few more, and penned in the days and dates.

Sometimes, your collage choices will tell you something about your inner thoughts.  I was drawn to the  photo of the train in the mountains as I've been reminiscing about our trip to Alaska, especially about our journey on the White Pass Scenic Railroad.

A bit of collage can add adventure to your week!  I hope you give it a try.

Happy Creating!

Gray Day Hike & Sketch

A hike down to Raccoon Lake seemed routine until a flock of Canada Geese soared overhead, bugling.  I snapped a photo to use as a reference, and then sketched the scene with a waterproof black pen.

I touched in a few washes with watercolor, glad that the temperature was in the 40's and the paint didn't freeze on the paper.

Here's the reference photo.  I zoomed in on the birds to see the details in the birds' flying postures.

It's amazing to me how wild animals can make a dull scene instantly alive and beautiful.

I hope you get a chance to sketch in nature.  It's a beautiful way to connect with our wild relations.

Happy Creating!

Blind Contour Self-Portrait: Wonky is Beautiful!

If you're looking for a quick way to make art, warm up, and awaken your eye-hand connection, try a blind contour self portrait!

Sit down with a small mirror, and allow yourself to fully focus on your own visage.  Slow down.  With pencil or pen on your paper, look at your face -- not at your paper!  Now, let your hand follow your eyes as they slowly travel down any contour of your face -- jawline, hairline, eyes, etc. Gradually work your way around to all of your features without picking up your pen or pencil from the paper.

The trick here is to never look at your paper, and to keep your eyes on your face, allowing your hand to blindly follow your eyes as they slowly discover the lines and shapes of your face.

It takes trust and a willingness to let go of the outcome.  You are not going to make a "pretty picture."  You are going to discover beautiful lines, curves, shapes.

And you'll be surprised at how alive some of your lines are.

Now your eyes and hand are awake and ready to make more art.  What will you create next?

Happy Creating!