A Hike in the Autumn Woods

A gorgeous autumn afternoon beckoned today, so I loaded up my backpack and set out on a 5-mile hike.  Everywhere I looked was brilliance and beauty.  I stopped along the way to eat the lunch I'd packed, sitting right down on the trail under the most magnificent maples.  Sunlight illuminated the golden leaves so they looked like lanterns.  How relieving to the soul to dwell under trees like this:

On the hike back, the setting sun poured in from the west to fill the woods with long, low rays and blaze through the brilliant leaves.

 

Happy Autumn to all! May you get a chance to witness nature's great show!

Race to Capture Autumn

The last few evenings, late autumn light has poured from a clear sky over a richly colored landscape.  These are the days I wish I could stop time and just paint.  But my schedule is full, so I steal time to create when I can.  Tonight, I raced the setting sun with my watercolor brush, then finished the painting indoors, adding touches with my Prismacolor colored pencils.

Happy Autumn!

Flaming Sassafras and Maple leaves glow like lanterns in the late evening sun, while a bare limbed apple tree and raspberry bushes gather deep shadows.

A Rainy Autumn Afternoon

Why is it that a rainy day seems to bring out all the fall colors ? The wet sky today had such a palette of colors -- indigo, magenta, violet -- as the sun sank in the west.  The cottonwoods seem to find the slightest breeze to wave their golden leaves, and they stand in stark contrast to the stalwart spruce trees.  How privileged I feel to have spent the last of the day's light with a paintbrush in my hand.

Master Copy

I'm taking a Figure Drawing class at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts & Media, and one of the assignments we were given was to copy a master artist's work.  Copying in art -- so long as you don't try to pass the work off as an original of your own creating -- is not cheating.  It's a traditional way to learn from the great artists.  I love the high contrast in the original drawing, and in trying to approximate the original, I discovered how dark shadows are often accompanied by bright highlights. 

A Trip to Moraine State Park

I got the opportunity to visit Moraine State Park on a gorgeously sunny day this week. The autumn colors reflected in still water, the brilliantly blue sky, the cool air inspired me to rush to capture every bit of the fall beauty I could.

Autumn's Flame

The Staghorn Sumac trees outside my home have been dropping their scarlet leaves -- plenty of fodder for a quick watercolor sketch at the breakfast table.

A Hike to Raccoon Lake

The other day, I hoisted my pack of art supplies on my back and set off down the trail to the beach at the local state park.  Along the way, I found an amazing snag decked with a plethora of mushrooms.

When I reached the lake, I could see the autumn colors reflected on the water, and I had just enough time before sunset to paint the scene.

The Changing Landscape

Autumn has truly arrived, and with it the celebration of colors hidden all summer long under the green canopy.  This Cottonwood tree attracted my eye with its leaves waving, flickering, catching sunlight with every breeze.  Virginia Creeper vines weave their colors along the trunk of the tree, offering a contrast against woodland foliage and meadow grasses.

More Inktober Sketches

October has finally turned fall-ish with cerulean skies decked with feathery mare's tail clouds.  Crisp air, chilly nights and brilliant sunlight makes the colors seem that much brighter.

Inktober All Over

Inktober has been seeping into my daily planner.  Here are some glimpses.  Amazing how much life a few simple sketches add to a boring list of tasks.  Even a grocery list can be livened up!