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Tag: leaves

January 29, 2012
Kathy
One Comment

Signs of Spring

Posted in Reference Photos

Every few years we get a break and have a winter without a lot of snow.  We had one big blast of snow this past October and a little bit last weekend. I'm hoping it stays mild the rest of the season.  In the meantime, we're enjoying the early signs of spring showing up around us.

Skunk cabbage SibStudio dot com

During a walk today, we found some new skunk cabbage sprouts. The water was so clear  you can see the roots and leaves as well as the reflections of the sky and trees above.  The water has an abstract look to it.

Ferns SibStudio dot com

And tucked in a sheltered, sunny corner we found some ferns already unfurled, peaking up from the leaves.  The ferns in our yard are still not visible. More photos to come this week as well as a new painting. Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

September 2, 2011
Kathy
2 Comments

Painting Dew Drops

Posted in Art Work, and Peeking Behind the Easel

Painting Dew Drops

After posting on dew drops this week, I was curious about how to paint them. It's not something I've painted before. Over the years, I've saved "how to" pages from various art magazines. I keep them in clear page holders in a  loose leaf notebook.  It comes in handy as a great reference for times like this.

Turns out that I have saved instructions from several artists on how they paint dew drops. All of them have the same basics: transparent wash of light  yellow to form the drop, darker shade of the leaf or flower for the shadow in the drop and the cast shadow, and a highlight on the dark shadow of the drop.  Highlighting over the shadow of the drop was the part that was most interesting to me. Usually the light side is highlighted, instead the shadow side is to create the appearance of translucency.  Here's my first try:

1st try at painting dew drops

I used a scrap of watercolor paper leftover from trimming a painting. The middle leaf is based too dark to give a good effect but I was pleased with the left and right leaves for my first attempt. I am inspired by fooling around with painting dew drops. I'll be working on a painting this week including dew drops. Stay tuned.