I grabbed hold of these for a whole different purpose... a natural dyes project. The berries give beautiful blues, purples and greens. The leaves give wonderful browns and greens in very subtle tones. I didn't try to use the stalks... I was told they can be toxic and cause skin irritation. The bark and wood … Continue reading Revisiting Some Unpublished Photos of 2020 – Natural Contrasts
Revisiting Some Unpublished Photos of 2020 – Life Cycles
Dandelions and other similar flowers in their family have a special magic to them, at least for me. On the same plant, we can witness the entire life cycle at the same time. From the burgeoning nib on the stalks to the flower bud, onto the blossom and past to the seeding and decay of … Continue reading Revisiting Some Unpublished Photos of 2020 – Life Cycles
Warped Two – Taking a Step Back to Consider…
I really needed to dive into this one this morning and the only thing I knew was that I needed to start blending lighter colour onto the backgrounds to add volume to the composition. Oddly, I started with some light colours (yellow) on the face vase and then added green to the flower stocks, followed … Continue reading Warped Two – Taking a Step Back to Consider…
Revisiting Some Unpublished Photos of 2020 – Just Before I Go…
Hydrangeas are another flower that kickstarts my imagination. It always amazes me how they shift through so many colours in a single season and then, as they are dying in the Fall, develop impossible amounts of character on their papery petals. When the blue has gone, we start to see faded lavenders, pinks, and greens … Continue reading Revisiting Some Unpublished Photos of 2020 – Just Before I Go…
Revisiting Some Unpublished Photos of 2020 – It’s All Green To Me
One could argue that there is no actual yellow, nor orange in these strange pumpkins (so-called by the farmer at this particular market) and if you were in the middle of colour explorations in say a painting course, your argument would be quite on the ball. However, I still see the additional colours. Perhaps it's … Continue reading Revisiting Some Unpublished Photos of 2020 – It’s All Green To Me
Revisiting Some Unpublished Photos of 2020 – Inside Burgundy
I find myself attracted to Lily-like flowers. It's not so much the shape of the petals, but the wald range of deep colours, the luxurious texture of the petals, and the dramatic structure of the inside of these remarkable plants. All this becomes interesting to me only because I get really close to them and … Continue reading Revisiting Some Unpublished Photos of 2020 – Inside Burgundy
Warped Two – Introducing The Shadow
In a nutshell, I used Payne's Grey to paint in the shadows and then the painting bug bit. So, I did a nice red wash with a matte and opaque red over the crimson background. I did the same with the green surface in the lower half of the painting. I used a few different … Continue reading Warped Two – Introducing The Shadow
Warped One – The first application of paint
Here I go... time to take a leap... To be honest I've been procrastinating a little on the start of this one. I've still got a little trepidation regarding watercolour paint. I've got all sorts of preconceived notions about the techniques needed to make it work well and I'm not sure I can do it. … Continue reading Warped One – The first application of paint
Revisiting Some Unpublished Photos of 2020 – Laurentian Vistas
On a long hike near form waterfalls in Rawdon, Qc... We walked by various ponds, bogs, and streams. My amazing daughter spotted this vista and grabbed me to come and shoot it... this is entirely her framing. She didn't express what she was seeing and even after showing her what she caught, she claimed it … Continue reading Revisiting Some Unpublished Photos of 2020 – Laurentian Vistas
Revisiting Some Unpublished Photos of 2020 – Rooted In Beauty
I seem to always get stopped in my tracks by exposed roots. These very old cedar roots are a perfect example. I see the inspiration for many fantasy landscapes and cityscapes, hiding places for monsters and inconspicuous doorways into the Faerie realms. Blur the focus, change the contrast, remove the colour and the whole scene … Continue reading Revisiting Some Unpublished Photos of 2020 – Rooted In Beauty
The New Renaissance Mindset 