View from Snoqualmie Ridge Community Park looking east toward Mt. Si. — charcoal, conti crayon, and color pencil.
latest updates: trees
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2011Aug 300
tags: mountain | mt si | snoqualmie | snoqualmie ridge | trees | washington -
2011Aug 24
tags: trees
Is is that time already? – Watercolour
Amazed to see many leaves beginning to change colour – and its still August. Experts are saying that the dry spring has stressed the trees thus causing this. You might have thought that the wet summer might have made up for this. No worries though. Gives me a chance to play with complimentary greens and reds as well as practising for later next month.
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2011Jul 19
tags: trees | Wet summer
From this morning’s bike run – Watercolour
Stopping, for a wee breather, during today’s cycling, I looked back and was intrigued to see that I had just come through a tunnel of trees. The trees seem to join together, near the tops, so the canopy forms a sort of roof. The section, nearest the road, gets cut back regularly to allow traffic to pass. I have seen this sort of thing before, especially in the south west of Ireland where the high rainfall and warm climate encourages the trees to grow more quickly and form more dense foliage. A sure sign of summer albeit a very wet one so far.
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2011Apr 21
tags: acrylic | trees | watercolour
Spring Trees – Watercolour with some acrylic
I finally got my bike out a couple of days ago. I cycled around the local roads and ended up on the path next to the headquarters of the Royal Bank of Scotland at Gogarburn. It is possible to see these magnificent trees from the busy A8 road which is just out of shot to the right of this scene. Normally, when driving, stopping is not an option as this is one of the main arterial routes into Edinburgh connecting the west and airport to the city. Cycling, however, gives an opportunity to stop and sketch which I did. This is the result from my preliminary sketch. The painting took some time which is just as well since the “cycling legs” will need time to recover before the next excursion.
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2011Apr 18
tags: Holly | Notan | trees
Tree Study _ Holly – Ink and Watercolour
This started as a response to articles sent by John Stremikis. They gave details of ways in which light and dark tones can be used without the mid tones confusing the issue. There were two articles and these are links to them
http://gurneyjourney.blogspot.com/2011/04/cure-for-middle-value-mumbling.html
Please note the second link describes the Japanese art of “Notan”
These got the imagination going and I attempted a drawing of a complicated bunch of holly leaves (where is a good botanical illustrator, such as RoseIndigo, when needed?) The stages, showing my meagre efforts can be found at these links.
Finally – an amusing tale. Years ago, I was teaching a group of 11-12 year olds. We were discussing the different qualities of type of timber. I said to one young lady, Holly Thomson, “You know, there is a tree named after you?”. A few months later, she presented me with a Christmas card which said, “Happy Christmas – from Ilex Aquifolium”
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2011Apr 17
tags: Hard Pastels | trees
Woodland – Pastel
Just another attempt to see if pastel works – this time in the sketchbook rather than the Moleskine Watercolour book.
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2011Apr 15
tags: Back-lit | pastel | trees
Summer Sunset – Pastel and ink on Yellow Card
I remember this scene from somewhere but cannot recall where. Perhaps it was on a record sleeve (sorry CD Cover for you younger folks). This is, therefore, drawn from memory and is an attempt to use pastel to create a vivid (I hope) evening sky with very dark backlit trees and plants. Only the tips of the branches were added with a fine Micron Pen. Surely, after the severe weather which has passed this year, we will be entitled to some of this sort of stuff?
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2011Apr 12
tags: trees
I went to the park and drew trees.
Fountain pen and brush. -
2011Apr 12
tags: charcoal | graphite | trees
Tree Scene – Graphite and Charcoal Powder
The is the first time I’ve used these powders to block in large areas. Its interesting – but very messy. Will probably now need to re-decorate the house.
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2011Apr 10
tags: Inktense Blocks | Sycamore | trees
Tree study, Sycamore – Inktense
Back to simplicity. This is my view of one of our most common trees. The sycamores (plane trees etc) are really prevalent in my area and its an uphill task to root out the seedlings each year as they spin downwards, with their “helicopter motions” late in the year. If neglected young trees can quickly take over barren areas and cause much choking of ground. The adult trees are spectacular with a large spread offering much shade.
This was done using three colours form Inktense vlocks
