Nature Journaling Revisited

At the beginning of 2017 I had started a nature journal project. I started out with gusto for the first few months. It was winter, a slow time for a gardener and botanical artist. But as the months went by, my entries began to slow down too --until it came to an abrupt stop when summer rolled around. 

Rather than be discouraged, I reminded myself that there was no deadline. The only pressure that came would be coming from me. So, rather than keeping to a rigorous schedule I would just work on it when I felt like it and, yes, enjoy the process. 

So here is April, the newest page, terribly behind but finished at last!

that awkward stage....

It seems with every piece, I come to the place where I feel like what I see before me is a mess. The detail is lost, the darks aren't dark enough, the lights not light enough. Over the years I've learned that the best thing to do at this point is to stop working in that area and move on. Sometimes it's to another place on the drawing, sometimes I have to put the piece away and work on something else. 

I have reached that point with "iris". I like some things about it, and other things I know need work. So for now, I will move on to the buds and maybe the leaves and stem before I go back to the flower. She's almost finished. Just need to press on through this "awkward stage". This too shall pass....

 

Hydrangea ~ "Nikko Blue"

We have a hydrangea bush residing in the flower bed beside our front door. I wanted to do a colored pencil drawing of a flower head in the opening stages of bloom -- my favorite stage. I love the pastel blue, yellow, green and cream the petals begin with before the darker blue comes on as the season progresses.


As always, I draw first from a live specimen. I've found that this flower survives very well in a vase of water in the refrigerator. It lasted for weeks which was a blessing since I hadn't finished before we had taken a 7-day vacation. The flower was almost as I had left it though the leaves had changed position and started to wilt. That is why it is so important for me to take many photos and color sketches at the start.

Tulipa - "Apricot Parrot"

 

Part of the enjoyment I receive from botanical art is getting to know the flowers and plants from my garden on a different, more intimate level. I have always loved the frilly, multicolored shades of the Parrot tulip. This bulb was most interesting with the "sash" curving around the middle as the skin of the bulb cracked wanting to grow. So before it went into the ground, I made a drawing. Since this was a Mixture I waited  spring for the right colored flower. This one was my favorite. Hope you enjoy this bit of my garden.