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Summer
It's nearly here....
apparently
In the mean time, here is a lovely memory of a picnic by the brook last summer. Just to remind me that I will soon be complaining that it is way too hot to think straight
The Weather Channel promises me that there will only be a 30% chance of scattered showers this Saturday. That's better than the 100% chance of rain forecast for the next 3 days. So if you have raging cabin fever by Saturday, then pull on your wellies and come out for a squelch through the woods to see what has sprung up - I'd hazard a guess at some wicked mushrooms.
I am going to try sacrificing a tomato again, as it worked so well last weekend, but I would grab an umbrella just in case!
Saturday May 21st Art Fair 10 - 4 pm
Guided Hikes Hike to Washington Rock 10am Stroll to Hemlock Falls 1pm Wildflower and Forest Preserve 3 pm
Live Music Millburn’s Dean Russo, acoustic guitar, 1 - 1:30 pm West Orange’s Dean Shot, blues combo, 1:30 - 2:30pm Headliner: Livingston Leo, 2:30 - 4pm
Location:
Essex County South Mountain Reservation
Summit Field (across from the dog park)
Crest Drive
South Orange, NJ
I wish it had been this warm this afternoon. Right now my front yard is a solid sheet of ice - glistening and perfectly smooth, like the icing on a Christmas Cake
And just as treacherous
Well the new shelves are really paying off - I have 4 new oil paintings drying, as well as the promised second Chinese Take Out drawing And whilst they were drying, I found time to finish the second embellished giclee print. This one is in Red Oxide, Violet, Oxide Green Tint and a few smudges of White
I think I shall treat myself to another charcoal forest drawing soon, just because they are so much fun to draw And now I just need to organize some more drying space
Hmmmm - more shelves?
Hoorah! I am very pleased with my first embellished giclee print
Back in May, I was pondering whether to add color to the charcoal drawing of a forest. I was yearning to add magical color, but reluctant to give up the elegant black and white drawing... when it occurred to me that I could have both.
After scanning the original drawing at a high resolution (600dpi), I ordered large prints from Imagekind. Two types of paper looked like they might have enough texture to take the Pan Pastels I wanted to use. This one is my favorite, Somerset Velvet, with enough tooth to hold the pastel, with the luxurious feeling of working with a quality watercolor paper - yummy
(I am still working on the second print: too much texture for my taste, and less fun to work with)
Both the paper and ink are archival quality, and these guys could get really big! Up to 58 x 44 inches, although I'm not sure my easel would manage that, I'd have to work on the floor. That's it, Lulu is banished from the studio - doggie paws were not the kind of embellished prints I had in mind
I have a notion to do a set of 4 prints to represent the seasons at some point, but I am also taking requests. So please help me out and leave a comment with your favorite color scheme to inspire a creation - one dark color, one mid range and one highlight should be all I need
Description: Burgundy red and seafoam green pastel ripple through the woodland, adding enchanting mystery to forest shadows.
21 x 16 inches , pastel embellished archival giclee print, © Jo Bradney 2010 All Rights Reserved
Black and White Charcoal forest art print from Imagekind
Burgundy and Seafoam Pastel Forest art print from Imagekind
having shown you the distractions inside the studio, I thought you might like to see what wanders past the window every Spring to charm, delight and generally put me off my stroke
psst - look VERY closely - good camouflage
now if I could just train them to eat the weeds...
oh - fun fun fun!
I was pondering about incorporating color with the charcoal, but there was something nicely ironic about drawing a forest landscape with a burnt stick. So I will live with it for a while, before I make any decisions.
Maybe I will make a few large giclee prints and try experimenting with adding color over the ink
hmmmm... I think I have found my summer project
how did that happen? I could have sworn I had a brand new pack of chunky charcoal just waiting in the wings. But no, nothing but scratty end pieces and dust. Uh-oh, I see a trip to the art store in my future. QUICK! Hide the credit cards.
In the mean time, here's another scrumptious pastel landscape to enjoy. These Pan Pastels are still such fun to play with. I wonder what other colors they have at the store....
Something new and fun this weekend. Scrumptious Purple Pastel. I combined the purple with powdered sanguine red chalk and charcoal to create this woodland landscape.
I have always been a bit wary of using pastel chalks because of the dust involved, but I found something new at the art store this week - Pan Pastels. I initially went looking for them because the applicator was recommended for using with charcoal, but I was seduced by their delicious array of colors. There is something very satisfying (and irresistible) about seeing a rainbow of colors arranged in order.
If oil pastels are like drawing with lipstick, then Pan Pastels are like using eye shadow. The palette knife shaped tool has a little sponge hat (hand washable) that you can swirl around in the the solid color and then smear on the paper.
Just too much fun to be considered "work"
Nestled in the weeds at the side of my driveway, sheltering from the drizzling rain, the spindliest wobbliest little bambi.
Now I know it'll grow up to strip my garden faster than an all-you-can-eat buffet in a college town, but I'll gladly trade my hosta for such a joyful surprise on such a grey morning.
I'm so glad that I have reclassified my weeds as "volunteers" and left them to flourish and bloom in the autumn.
