Feeling Fallish At The Lake

It started feeling a little like fall this last weekend at the lake.  Saturday was super hot with temperatures in the 90’s but Sunday, we finally got some rain!  Hoorah!!  We have been without rain for almost 45 days and it has been so hot and dry.  We need more precipitation but at least this helped clear away some smoke from wild fires our area.

There was a big drop in air temperature – almost 25 degrees.  We went swimming and I think the water was warmer than the 65 degree Fahrenheit air. 😉

When I think of fall, I think of golden yellow like this Common Tansy that seemed to be in bloom everywhere:

And the color, brown like some of these leaves on this apple tree.   The deer will be eating their fill on them soon.  This single daisy in this photo on the right, seemed to be waving goodbye to summer!

Pearly Everlasting flowers were in bloom – these make excellent dried bouquets!

And other leaves were starting to change to their golden yellow foliage:

I discovered a rare patch of wild raspberries – oh, so sweet!  The end of summer fruit.  I hope to paint them in my nature journal soon.  🙂

I don’t know the name of these white berries… possibly they are snowberries?  I know they aren’t edible:

Snowberries are members of the honeysuckle family and start appearing in late summer.

How do you notice the change of seasons in fall?  What is your favorite season?  I hope you share it with me!  🍂

Cheers! 🙂

Common Wildflowers

I like to pick a few wildflowers when I’m at the lake so that I can study and paint them in watercolor.

I found Common Tansy and Common Yarrow wildflowers yesterday at the lake.  They may be common in name but not common for me to paint!

I tried to paint them loosely and then added a few details with a BROWN micron pen to change things up a little.

I struggled with painting the Birch bark so I realize it looks a bit strange.  😉

Here is a photo of what I was trying to paint:

I like the burst of red from the cherry, how about you?  I thought it was a good way to end #World Watercolor Month as today is the last day to celebrate  – thanks Charlie at doodlewash.com  for making it such a fun month!

Cheers!  🙂

A Pine Cone Study

A friend at the lake brought me this wonderful dish of pine cones recently:

She thought I might enjoy painting them… And I did!

It amazes me how such a simple subject can bring me so much JOY to paint!

I noticed how one of the greener pine cones reminded me of a pineapple.

May you find beauty in what you treasure today!

Cheers! 🙂

Yellow Daylilies

I love these dwarf variety of yellow Daylilies that I have growing in my yard:

I decided to sketch them with a brown Micron pen before I painted them in watercolors as you see in the photo below on the left.  I then cut simple shapes from paper that I previously painted with watercolors to create a more freeform design on the right:

I had fun experimenting in my art journal on a cool Sunday afternoon.

Happy Painting!  🙂

Loose Landscapes

Letter “L” is for loose landscapes at the lake!

As a warm-up exercise for my online class, Y is for Yellow with Carla Sonheim; I did some quick sketches on leftover watercolor paper scraps with a gray and black Neocolor crayon:

I painted several pieces of  watercolor paper with house paint samples that I had leftover from Lynn Whipple’s Big Bold Flower Painting class.  Once dry, I used Dick Blick’s Economy “Blickrylic” acrylic paints to paint landscapes based loosely on my sketches:

It was lots of fun!  🙂  This assignment inspired me to paint landscapes in colors I would not normally use such as these colors:

As you can see, I have them ready to put in my old “ledger” that I showed you in my post yesterday.

Now, I want to try large and loose landscapes on canvas!

I encourage you try painting loosely and boldly today!  It may give you a new perspective on life!

Happy Painting!  🙂

Dye And Salt Nature Prints

A few years ago, I purchased this book by L.K. Ludwig on Nature Journals:

I fell in love with making nature prints with Procion fabric dyes and Kosher salt:

It was a really fun activity to do at the lake!  I had lots of natural materials and could work outside.

I had so much fun making the prints that I never got to making the journal!  Lol!

Then I found this old ledger at a thrift store so I started creating pages for it:

However, I didn’t get very far on the project.  With my renewed interest in creating a nature journal with my sketches, I decided it was time to “dig” this one out again.

Yesterday, I added some collage papers to some of my prints:

I had fun playing with color and different images… and will continue to add to these pages.

Have you ever created a “Mixed Media” Nature Journal?  I’d love to hear about it!

Happy Creating!  🙂

Painting Peace

Scattered rain showers at the lake on Saturday so I sketched a wild rose in pencil.  I forgot to bring my watercolors so I had to wait until I got home to complete it:

I identified this rose as a Baldhip or Wood rose.  You can see rain droplets in the above photo against a “temporary” blue sky.  Rain is good for many things – a long walk, a good night’s sleep and time to sketch.

After my pencil sketch, I decided to try a looser format in my art journal.  I started this sketch on Saturday evening and finished it the following night with a black Micron pen:

I was upset and saddened by the recent, senseless shooting violence in Orlando, Florida.  So I decided to paint my roses yesterday in the colors of a Peace Rose.

I don’t know if it is possible to paint peace but I gave it my best try.  🙂

Peace Friends!

An American Robin

I found a dead Robin on the sidewalk in front of my home today.  I’m not sure how it died but I decided to include it in my nature journal today:

I see them everywhere here in the Pacific Northwest so I often take them for granted.  I enjoyed remembering my feathered friend today as I did a sketch in my journal with pencil first and then pen.  Finishing it with a loose watercolor painting and including a feather or two.  🙂

I did a collage of a Robin last Spring that you can find here.

Happy Friday!  🙂

An Edible Flower

I understand why ART is called a “practice” because some days it takes more “practice” to create a little art…

I was trying to draw and paint a pine cone today but decided I need much MORE practice before I can show you!  😉

I decided on a Nasturtium which I planted as an annual this Spring in a large pot next to a tomato plant.  Did you know the flower is edible and has a peppery flavor?  It is often added to salads.  Here is my sketch next to a photo of the plant:

I wasn’t totally happy with my colors in my sketch.  I used watercolor pencils with a limited palette.  I hope to paint them again in watercolors – hopefully in a looser style.

I wasn’t going to post my art today but I decided that it is PRACTICE not perfection that is my goal!

Happy Sketching!!  🙂

A Nature Journal

I have always wanted to keep a nature journal so when Charlie at Doodlewash invited us all on a Nature hike for the month of June, I decided this would be the perfect time to start that journal in watercolor sketches!

I purchased this book last year and it has TONS of ideas!  Always great to see how others keep their journals too –  I’d highly recommend this book:

I started sketching these flowers in my journal last week with a black pen and watercolor pencils.  They were identified as Himalayan Fleece flowers or Knotweed.  I decided to go back to my yard in search of a second flower for my art journal yesterday.

The Yarrow is spreading its sunny blossoms in my front yard right now and seemed to be saying, “Pick me, pick me!”

So I picked a small bouquet.  It helps me to really study them before I draw them:

Did you see the spider in the photo on the left?  An added bonus!  🙂

Here is my journal page:

I enjoyed creating this second sketch in my “Nature” journal and I hope you join me on the many new discoveries I find in June!

Happy Creating!  🙂