Drawing Orchids - continuation.

After my initial attempt to draw orchids I tried to understand them several more times. Some of these are stages of the same page in my sketchbook - I rarely go back to "fix" things but these flowers were asking for it! 

Sketching a hill, looking at waves of grass.

I went back to the fruit tree orchard where I had a painting adventure/disaster before only to find that the trees are no longer white. They still look quite bare though! But before I painted that view (see below) I tried to tackle a grassy hill that had an Andrew Wyeth vibe. Below are two of my attempts to catch waves that the wind created. 

I had a wonderful company with me for this outing - here is a link to what @umapaints created with gouache. As we painted and talked about life, work, and the future, a mowing team waited to start clearing this beauty. I am glad we got to see it! Below are two versions: the color version done in gouache and the black and white version made with ink. And the look at the orchard is done in gouache too. 

Solar Eclipse 2024

An astounding number of people witnessed a total solar eclipse on April 8th! Many went to be "in the path of totality" and I hear it was spectacular! 

Here is Northern California I got to see about 30% of the sun covered my moon - well, I saw a shadow of the sun, 30% of which was covered by the moon. This time I did not draw people or progression - but I did draw my attempt at catching those sickles with a custom-made slotted spoon. And I watched shadows under the trees - that is the simplest and the most joyful way to see an eclipse for me!

See my other solar eclipse sketching outings: 2012, 2017, 2023

And more eclipse-related posts here. 

Blooming Orchard Painting Disaster.

Imagine a friend taking you to paint a blooming orchard. It is a gorgeous day and the view is spectacular - filled with white blooming fruit trees. And you sit down with your lunch and sketching gear and realize that... you forgot to pack white with you. Even your backup white (and backup to backup - which I usually also carry but that is a story for another post). 

I ended up making two sketches: one with the flowers colored pink :) And another with the naked trees - and I added white from my memory and photos when I got to my white :) I did not post these for two weeks. True story. With some continuation, I think.

I went to see the ocean and paint it too.

I went to see the Ocean on a perfect day - it was cool, sunny and the company was great. I tried to capture the same part of the beach with a watercolor+gouache combo and then with stencils. And had time for a little gouache after that. Scroll below for the process photos from the beach - wind tried to take some of my supplies and I got a little sand everywhere including my palette - but what fun!