Cherries and shadow shapes

The last three cherries sat on the chopping block.  My hand reached for them, my mouth watering.  I noticed the three separate shadows cast by the overhead lights and I withdrew my hand and reached for my sketchbook instead.

Cherries and Shadow Shapes

Whew……. now I can eat the cherries!  Yummmmmmm.

Sketchbook drawing: drawn first with fountain pen filled with Noodler’s Black Ink, followed by watercolor washes.

 

The Secret of the Glass Lady

A perfect title for a Nancy Drew mystery.

Family Treasures No. 18

This is the second painting of The Glass Lady. I posted the first one on the Creative Color Blog.  I wanted to stay more delicate in this painting.  The Glass Lady was my mother’s.  She sat upon her dresser, hiding the small, homeless or injured objects that accumulated during the days and weeks and years of my childhood. In the first painting, the shadow became opaque and along with its opacity it acquired the visual appearance of being an object rather than a shadow.  With this in mind, I kept the shadow more ghostlike.  At the same time, I experimented with presenting the aspect “shadow as object” by allowing it to exist beyond the boundary of the yellow cell.

Painting: drawn first with vintage Sheaffer fountain pen filled with Noodler’s black ink, followed by washes of watercolor.

Color Scheme: Complementary Triad of Yellow, Violet and Blue/Green

 

A surprise collaboration

This is a bit of a duplicate post, but I can’t resist.

Shadow altered by Frank

This morning I posted the original sketchbook version (far left) on my Creative Color blog.  I indicated that I was displeased with the sharpness and poor shape of the shadow in the bottom left corner.  My friend, Frank, read the post and took the time to play with digital altering of the shadow.   What a delightful surprise to find in my email when I recently took a break from working on my taxes!  Thank you, Frank!

Sketchbook drawing: drawn with dip pen and watercolor.

Facebook Album of Trumpet Parts Series: Link to Trumpet Parts Album

 

Amazing Glasses in Sunlight

Luke’s water glasses stole the show as the peirogies cooked in the frying pan.

Water Glass Still Life No. 1

Abstract Still Life of Water Glass

Pouring Seltzer Still Life

Water Glass Still Life No. 27

When inspiration strikes there is no stopping me ……

 

Morning Shadows in Winter

The pin oak tree in my backyard creates dramatic patterns, especially in the morning light.

Pin Oak and Morning LIght

I can’t put off attempting to capture some of its majesty even if it is only selecting a few of the shapes that delight me.

Sketch: Drawn first with Noodler’s Fountain Pen filled with Noodler’s Bad Belted Kingfisher blue ink, followed by Ciao Copic Markers

 

First Experiment with Ciao Copic Markers

I think I might like these Ciao Copic Markers. I didn’t end up nearly as grumpy as I thought.

Joe Mac at the Blues Jam

Use the tapered, brush-like end of the marker.  It allows for expressive line.  Taking the caps on and off is a bit of a nuisance, interrupting the “flow”, but I can deal with that.  I’m sure that different papers will alter the experience.  I traveled light last night, bringing only my sketchbook and a handful of markers.  I knew that if I brought my ink and paints I would be tempted to switch to materials I am more familiar with.

Joe Mac is a great subject to draw.  I think the shadow cast by his hat works well.  When I become more familiar with the color value of the markers, I will be able to work more intuitively.

Sketched quickly in pencil prior to applying markers.

 

Watercolor Sketch of Oxalis Plant

Today is Betty Stroppel’s birthday.  Happy Birthday Betty!  This little sketch of my baby oxalis plant opening into the morning sun is for you!

Baby Oxalis Plant in the Morning Sun, watercolor sketch

Betty doesn’t use a computer, so she will not be able to read this post.  I will print a giclee of this little sketchbook painting and send it to her by way of snail mail, a post-birthday surprise package.  I spoke with her this morning and she had just finished a piece of Boston Lime Pie.  Hmmmmm. Never heard of that before.  A bit early in the day for pie, but it’s her birthday.  She can eat pie all day long if she wants to.  Her voice is weak, but her spirit is strong!  She continues to inspire me to paint each and every day and to become a much stronger painter.  I will not let her down.

Study of an oxalis plant: I began with a line drawing done with my Waterman Phileas fountain pen, followed by watercolor washes.   The inspiration for the color study was the shapes of the leaves and shadow.

 

Elephant Table

The house in Martinsville, NJ is filled with memories of growing up and growing old.

Wooden Elephant Table Beside An Empty Chair. Ink and Watercolor Sketch

I drew the ink drawing while sitting on the couch the morning after a late night gathering with my siblings.  This morning I added watercolor washes.  It bothers me that there is variation of light on the objects yet no shadows are being cast by the objects.  To throw shadows in at this point would alter the shapes significantly.  Reality is not the focus of this sentimental sketch.

Form without Shadows

Odd choice of color for me.  I seem to be a bit stuck on the double complementary colors yellow/purple and red/green.  I have other paintings with this color scheme on my Creative Color Blog.

I feel that time is short to capture the images from my childhood home.

 

After Midnight

Another sleepless night.  At 1:30 I gave up closing my eyes and reached for my sketchbook.

Dragon and Aloe Plant, watercolor value sketch

The pattern at the bottom is the afghan at the end of my bed.

The sketch began with a contour drawing using a fountain pen with brown ink.  Washes of burnt umber and ultramarine blue mixes were applied over the drawing.  The lines of the aloe plant were lost. I went back into the drawing with another fountain pen filled with black ink.  To maintain the feel of the shadow on the right, I left the brown ink outline, inspired by the results of yesterday’s sketch of the loose wires.  In that sketch I combined ink contour and pencil contour, using the pencil contour for the shadows on the wall.

 

Where do you hang your hat?

I am so distracted by my father’s health situation that I feel a bit like a zombie when I do my morning sketch.

Tom's hat hanging on the wash stand. Watercolor

A bit of invented color in the wallpaper added a bit of life to this sketch.  What became very apparent to me as I lay in the washes was the importance of creating a pattern of lights and darks that work to move my eyes through and around the painting.  I repainted the shadow of the dresser about six times in order to find a value that worked to tie the dresser to the hat without killing the color.  I don’t really care that the shadow of the wash stand post is not at all the same as the shadow of the dresser.  I like the way the purple/blue works with the orange in the upper right corner.  Right now, when anything works, I experience a moment of calm.  That is very important during these challenging times of finding a safe and pleasant living solution for my dad who is suffering from rapid loss of memory.

I began with a quick contour drawing using a fountain pen with brown ink.  I then moved to my studio and applied watercolor washes.