Returning to Unfinished Projects

 

                                    

Pumpkin - colored pencil on Fabriano Artistico h/p watercolor paper

Two years ago during an Autumn trip to the local apple orchard I found this very interesting pumpkin. I loved the bluish-green and pinky-orange skin with its craggy stem. Throw in a few bumps and scratches and you have one pumpkin overflowing with character.  

I did, with good intentions, start drawing, making color notes and taking photos. But, as 'life happened', I had to put this one aside for awhile.

A couple of weeks ago as I was cleaning out the studio, I found him again and thought it was a good time to finish. There are others as well in my files that I will be working on before summer gardens, fields and woods put forth a bounty of inspiration for future works. 

Cotton branch drawing inspired by a childhood memory

A memory I have as a young girl is of a cotton boll Dad brought home one evening. I don't remember where he got it or of anything ever being said about it but I remember it being kept in a drawer below our hall closet. It was in a plastic bag and I would get it out from time to time to touch it and be totally amazed at how it much it resembled the cotton balls from the drug store. Living in the north never seeing cotton branches before it was such an unusual, fascinating wonder to this little girl. 

Fast forward to 2 years ago while I was shopping with a friend. We were in the home decor section and there before me was a display with container after container of imitation cotton branches, literally cotton balls on sticks. ;) Well, I thought I must make this my next project. 

So, I went to Etsy and, of course, I found a vendor called SouthernNature who sold cotton branches--the real thing! Not surprising because you can find everything on the internet these days, you know. 

In the photo above you can see the model, graphite studies in my sketchbook and detail of the colored pencil drawing. Such beautiful fluffiness and the structure of the opened seed case made a lovely contrast. 

When we think of cotton we think "white". But a closer look at the boll in its natural form shows many colors. I used a variety of pinks, purples and yellows as well. 

It was a very enjoyable project. And here is the final work with cotton branches I used for reference~