Nature Journaling: White Tailed Deer

One autumn morning, I looked out the window to see this White Tailed Deer down the hill from my home.  Her gray winter pelt attracted my eye, and I grabbed my cell phone, and captured this photo of her.

The gorgeous morning light and autumn colors inspired me to make a quick sketch in pencil in my new nature journal, then splash in watercolors.

I focused on the bright colors and contrasting values that caught my eye, and didn't get everything in exact proportion.  I am happy with that decision, as it expresses the morning and the scene.  I always tell my students: You're not a camera! Don't feel like you must get everything "perfect."

I hope you find something in nature that inspires you.  If you'd like to create using this photo as a reference, please do!

Happy Creating! 

Aurora Borealis!

I have always wanted to witness the aurora borealis with my own eyes, and chance brought this phenomenon right over my home.  

My husband and I went outside and watched right after sunset, as the sky dimmed and the stars began to pop out.  We noticed a pink "cloud" to the northeast.  It looked vague and unlike any photo I've ever seen of the Northern Lights, yet, the sky was pink where it normally would be midnight blue, and we could see the stars right through it.

David took a photo with his Nikon D5, and the photo looked just like the photos

 I had seen by other Aurora watchers, with streamers of bright color and more diffuse areas.

This particular shade of green reminded me of the color that alien beings from other galaxies are painted in cartoons.  I wondered if the aurora borealis, such an otherworldly experience is why.

The magical streaks of color -- though not as bold to our eyes as the camera saw them -- inspired me to draw the experience and write about it in my nature journal.

That way, I can return to the experience to remind myself of how lucky I was to witness it.

Happy Creating! 

Stormy Barn Scene

On a late afternoon walk, I snapped this barn and stormy sky photo with my cell phone.

The long drought has made me grateful for every storm cloud and every drop of rain.

I began with a pencil sketch that I added pen and ink to with my Lamy Safari fountain pen. The indelible ink allowed me to paint right over top of the ink once it was dry.

Using French Ultramarine Blue and a touch of Burnt Umber, I made the blue gray tints for the barn, the sky and the shadows.  French Ultramarine Blue and Winsor Yellow created the green grass wash, and I added New Gamboge Yellow with touches of Cadmium Red to create the yellow and orange foliage.  Phthalo Blue and Burnt Sienna mixed to make the darker piney greens, and the dead grasses were made with a touch of Yellow Ochre or Burnt Sienna here and there.

It felt good to celebrate the stormy weather.

What would you like to celebrate with a drawing or painting?  What brings you joy?  I hope you paint or draw it this week!

Happy Creating!

Nature Journaling in the Garden

The last blooms in the garden add their splash of color to the larger autumnal celebration.  The Foxgloves, who have raised their bright flowery faces all summer long, go on blooming even through light frosts.

Apparently spared from the frost because it grows so close to the house, Blue Salvia blooms vibrantly, too.

I sat on my porch stoop one recent afternoon and soaked up the sunshine while sketching with my Lamy fountain pen and a travel set of watercolor paints.

It's amazing to me how calming a few sketches can be, as I tune into the twists and turns down each branching stem.  Following the shapes of flowers and leaves with my pen, and spilling in color, the rest of the world recedes, troubles recede, and I am mindful of just the present moment.

Focusing on drawing a scene just for the sake of the experience takes away any pressure to make a "pretty" drawing, and lets you experiment with different marks, fainter or bolder lines, and new color combinations.  

I love to draw and paint flowers, and find the process relaxing.  You will find your own magic in your  favorite thing to draw, your favorite materials to use. Of course, it takes practice. The trick is to experiment with subjects you think you'd like to draw, trying different techniques, and filling up sketchbook pages. With each page, you make connections and discoveries and build your skills.  

The more often you sketch and create, the easier it comes to you. 

Happy Creating!

Fall Color Hike

A sunny autumn day found me hiking in the state park with a pack of art supplies.  Combining nature time, exercise and creativity is a favorite self care activity of mine.  I sketched this scene using a small travel watercolor kit and a water brush pen, allowing the scene to be messy and playful.

This photo of the scene shows that I left out lots of details, and wasn't accurate.

I always remind my students, 

You are not a camera; you're an artist! 

A log alongside the trail made a comfy seat.

I made a pencil sketch to get the proportions and details in the right places on this beech leaf.

Here are some photos I took along my hike.  I invite you to sketch, paint, draw or create with them in your own way.

Happy Creating!

Painting an Autumn Leaf Step-by-Step in Watercolor

The cooler weather of autumn brings brilliant foliage to inspire us artists.  These are the days I can't help but pick up a fist full of colorful leaves on my walks.

A great way to start sketching or painting a leaf is by finding the vein structure. It maps out the shape of the leaf from the inside out.

Beginning with a wash of cool yellow brightens the colors to come.  When the yellow layer is dry, you can add reds, like this Alizarin Crimson mixed with a little Burnt Sienna.

Taking each section of the leaf and working wet-in-wet allows the many hues within each leaf to merge gracefully, and prevents hard edges.

Working wet-in-wet with complimentary colors Alizarin Crimson and Sap Green can become a playful dance. Keeping the two colors from touching prevents muddy browns, and the bold contrast of red against green catches the viewer's eye.

Mixing Burnt Umber and Ultramarine Blue created rich dark brown and black to add the crumpled, bruised bits in.  The little details of bug-chewed, spotted and damaged bits is one of my favorite parts.  And those details brings the leaf to life.

Ultramarine Blue mixed with a touch of Burnt Umber created a wonderful shadow color to land the leaf on a flat surface.

If you like, you can add more details on top of your watercolor leaf with colored pencils once the watercolor is dry.

If you love details, a single fall leaf provides a limited subject to dive into, letting yourself explore every splotch of color, every bug bite and every nuance.

Happy Creating!

Pencil Drawing Class: Your Eyes are Your Most Important Tool!

We had a wonderful first session in Beginner's Pencil Drawing class, testing out our supplies and trying out techniques.

I asked everyone to bring in a small object they loved, and we tried drawing it from memory first (my demo is below), then drawing it from observation (above).

What a huge difference using our eyes made in seeing the real form and details!

This was my object - a piece of wood that looks like an award a fairy might give a child for swiftly racing down a woodland trail.

We also played with blind contour drawing to connect our eyes and hands.  We only looked at the object we were drawing, and never at our papers.  The result?  Weird drawings, yet within the chaos were real, alive lines describing part of what we drew. Below is my blind drawing of a feather.

After the blind drawing, we were all practiced up, and allowed ourselves to steal quick glances at our papers so that we could align everything in a more organized way.

Many thanks to my students for their willingness to try new things and for their enthusiasm!

Looking forward to our next class!

Happy Creating!