Orange Orange Orange

Ink and Colored Pencil on Strathmore Drawing Paper in my 
Hand Bound Sketchbook

I'm done.  Colored pencil is just too labor intensive for me.  Every time I use acrylics or colored pencil, I remember what it is about watercolor that I love so much  - you swoop through with a brush load of color and there, you've got it. It's the swooping.

I happen to be a pretty big fan of orange, and I have never come across orange geraniums or petunias until this year.  The Calendula is actually my favorite shade of orange, but I'm pretty crazy about the others too.

Starting on the left, I worked my way across the page doing a contour (continuous line) drawing.  I really don't know the techniques of working with colored pencils, but since this is my journal sketchbook - no masterpieces allowed - I'm not worried about technique.  

There's a long weekend coming up.  I hope you find time to have some fun with your sketchbook. 

Oregano

A Pot of Oregano and Some Planning

I wanted to do a quick little sketch of this bright pot before I planted it.  I know it's better off in the garden, but it sure was cute in its bright red container.

This past weekend we did a lot of yard work and the weather was great. It's in the 40s today.  We built some raised garden beds for my cutting garden and a small herb garden.  I did a ton of weeding, "staked out" my birdhouses (shown in the previous post), planted my perennial herbs, bought a truck load of garden soil .  .  .

I'm  getting things crossed off my summer to-do list.This morning I went over to the Terrace Inn and we planned the second annual "Afternoon Tea" with watercolor journaling.  The place is beautiful, the food is delicious (and pretty!), the service is wonderful, and we all take just a few art supplies and paint up a storm.  I will be posting the details very soon.

Now I think I'll go paint my ORANGE petunias.  I know, a purist would say petunias shouldn't be orange, but I say Wow! - fun! - orange petunias!  Just don't be altering my food!

Birdhouses

Colorful Little Birdhouses

What fun  -  I got to paint them twice.  Once to really, you know, paint them, and then illustrate them in my sketchbook.  They were a dollar apiece.  That's pretty cheap entertainment. And see, they gave me something to blog about to make up for the previous post's glass of water.
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I may put them on the fence  -  maybe the side of the garage  -  or maybe plant them in the garden on a stake.  Maybe that's a little tacky, but .  .  .

It's raining again and in the 40s.  I am craving sunshine and color!!!  I keep plugging away at my to-do list, getting ready for summer, and those birdhouses were actually on my to-do list.  I have a fun list, don't I?

Jesperson's

 Lunch at Jesperson's

I know.  You'd think I would have more than a glass of water to show for all this time of non-blogging.

In class this week we worked on small still life compositions.  Everyone was feeling a little "off".  I'm blaming it on the barometric pressure or the thunder storm.  We were all talking about how much we enjoy a good ol' Michigan thunderstorm  - however, it struck a house down the street and started a small fire, and across the Bay it actually hit our granddaughter's classroom!!! No one was hurt, but it knocked a small hole right through the cinder block wall!

Next week we will get back to the small still life compositions. The whole idea is to zoom in, zoom out, zoom left, zoom right . . . keep them simple with strong shapes and values.  Maybe I will set a time limit  -  if we can't fuss with it, we do a better job.  If there isn't a raging storm, we can concentrate on the composition.  But we are a bunch of artists  -  we really do enjoy a good distraction.

Giorgio's

Giorgio's Salt and Red Pepper Shakers

Giorgio's in San Jose is a California tradition with us.  We make it a point to walk down there with the family for dinner once during our visit.  We went on a Tuesday night, and it was very crowded and very noisy, and the food was wonderful.  I had risotto with baked salmon.  Risotto was another first for me.  I am not a picky eater, so how could I have missed risotto, salade Nicoise, and tiramisu  -  all firsts on this trip.

It is in the thirties here in northern Michigan today.  I am getting things ready for a new class to start tomorrow,  and we are going to be working with various ways of mixing color.  I HAD to have some colorful flowers, so I made a trip to the greenhouse  -  the first of the season  -  if you can call this a season.  It is way too early to buy annuals, but I bought some pansies and primrose  -  they'll do okay in the cold.

Getting ready for a new class gets me grounded after a vacation.  I have so much trouble with re-entry.  I always blame it on jet lag and use it to my advantage for awhile, but I think my time is up.