The Old into the New.

So...

I've been browsing my old sketchbooks. They date back years. As I flipped through them, I realized there were quite a few sketches that caught my eye. So, why not try to paint some of them up!

I love to draw, doodle, sketch, whatever. It's easy and you can literally spend all day at it or five minutes. My sketchbooks aren't pretty. They're not perfect or colorful masterpieces. They're things that get recorded from spontaneity or inspiration. I've filled them with small sketches, mostly 2.5"x3.5", so there are quite a few on a single page. Plus, notes and dribbles of my mind at wander. It's a great thing, to be able to unload scenes and images that flash through my brain during the day. If I don't sketch them, my ADHD will move on and a potentially great image will be forever lost!

Why this particular drawing? It has a good composition and nice tones. But it really speaks of a warm summer day. Where is it? I dunno, but it makes me want to be there. Maybe it's a garden along my walking route or found on a drive. It doesn't matter, it's a peaceful place. A place that makes me want to stay and sit for a while and listen to the birds...

Let's get started.

Now, these drawings are just that, drawings. No color and no guidance beyond that. I like a good challenge and, who knows, maybe one or two could work... maybe...

Since they were basically already value studies - mostly, I didn't need to make them. What I did need to do was choose my colors. Argh, color choices. So many to choose from. I am *trying* to streamline my watercolor palette. I bought colors that other artists recommended, but after some real thought, I like mixing my own.

Colors used: Ultramarine Blue, Cerulean, Alizarin Crimson, Azo Yellow, Burnt Sienna, and Sap Green.

Paper: Saunder's Waterford 140lb.

Brushes: size 12 da Vinci Casaneo (for background wash), 10 Round Silver Black Velvet, size 6 round Silver Black Velvet.

Other supplies: Pencil, kneaded eraser, palette knife, razor, pastel pencils (buff, yellow, yellow green, and red).

Now to paint! My first attempt was on a small 7"x10" piece of 140lb. paper, using my colors and just my size 10 Silver Black Velvet round. This was just a quick 25 minute watercolor sketch. It was to test my colors, techniques and value.

The first step was to draw out where I wanted my fence and bird post. Turning my paper upside down, I started with a watery wash of Ultra Blue and Cerulean from the tops of my fence that got deeper in color towards the top. With a tissue, I blotted out some color for clouds and dropped in some watery Alizarin Crimson.

Since this was just a quick sketch, I didn't bother with letting things dry. After the sky, I started the bushes and worked down to the bottom with mixes of greens, blues, burnt sienna and yellow. While it was still a bit wet, I flicked some Alizarin Crimson into the grassy areas and adding darker grass tones towards the bottom. While that was still wet, I used a palette knife to scrap out some grass textures.

Time for the bird post/house. With a mix of Burnt Sienna and Ultra Blue, I painted in the shadows. Burnt Sienna was used for the board (with a little touch of Ultra Blue). Using the dry brush technique, I quickly added some burnt sienna, ultra blue and a mix of both to create a wood-like texture.

After that all dried (using a hair dryer), I used a bit of pastel pencil to mark in some flowers and highlight the bush branches. With a razor, I gently flicked out small parts in my grass to reveal the white paper underneath (for added flowers).

The birds were painted last. The one on top of the birdhouse was a thick mix of Ultra Blue with a touch of Burnt Sienna. The ones in the distance were a mix of those two colors.

Using my phone, I took a picture and converted it to monochrome to check my values. They looked pretty good! Time for the real deal using all the above techniques and colors. I'm pretty happy with the final outcome (11"x14") and will continue to look through my old sketchbooks and see what other things I can paint!