So, I'm still messing about with Schminckes, of course. The other day's pears and pomegranate were very saturated and high key. In the two sketches below, we've gone very subtle, indeed. The first is of magnolia pods. Here I've added two paints to the 24 color Schmincke set : Daniel Smith's cobalt teal and Schmincke Deep Cobalt, both of which are from my old palette.
And, oh, by the way, IT RAINED!! It has not rained over my house since June 3rd, except for a few sullen, tepid, watery spits. It apparently rained on September 14th, too, but I was in France, so I couldn't swear to it. Two rains, then, in almost five months. And 22 (!!)broken heat records in August and September, to boot. Trees are dying, shrubs keeling over, my garden looking more desolate by the minute, animals suffering, the farms of the region losing crops and income like mad, the reservoirs running out of water. It has been a nightmare. But, last week, the spell was broken and we got five inches of rain in three days. We need a lot more, of course, but it was glorious. I stood outside in it and wondered what was happening to my cell phone and my book. And then I remembered. It was called Getting Wet. No doubt you've heard of it.
I watched the way raindrops behave and I tried to make some sketches afterward. I mean to pursue this theme in hopes that I'll get better at it. I know this one is a clunker, but, I'll swear, I love it anyway, just for its subject!
Finally, a rough sketch on toned paper of my daughter C, looking every inch the late-rising, half-asleep, tousled-hair young woman that she was yesterday afternoon (yes--- afternoon. I told you.)
The rain sketch is no way a clunker! I think it's one of the best things I've seen you do. Maybe it's the impressionistic quality, which I favor, but boy-o-boy you captured the moment.
Posted by: Chuck | November 06, 2007 at 12:42 PM
I thought you had left already, but then I never have the time right(just ask my family)!
I love this Schmincke colours of yours very much...and your "messing" around with it. (I'm so envious of the way you mess..) It suits your style perfectly. The pods are wonderful and your raindrops are spectacular, you've captured both the motion and the emotion there! And I recognize the I-just-woke-up-look...great rendering!
Ronell
Posted by: myfrenchkitchen | November 03, 2007 at 03:39 AM
Thanks so much, everyone! I'm glad my color forays interest you! I'm having a harder time with these Schminckes getting the colors of the images right on my monitors. The blue one I posted today is too bright and I don't have time to fix it right now. I compose on a laptop Mac and then I check the colors on my desktop PC. I'll deal with this tonight. I used Masquepen in the raindrop sketch and added some white lines with a Sharpie poster paint white pen. I'll have more to say about the paints in this set in the next day or two.
Posted by: Laura | November 02, 2007 at 03:00 PM
Ooh Laura - what a great post! The way you've done the rain is incredible - nobody paints water as well as you, and I love the magnolia pods too. These new colors are really working out for you - the colors seem very clear and pure from my monitor. And that's a beautiful drawing of C - my kids often wake up in the afternoon too, so no judgment here.
Posted by: Casey | November 01, 2007 at 11:05 AM
Very interesting to read about your color explorations. Lovely waterwork! Did you do the happily splashing drops of water last with gouache?
Posted by: Anna | November 01, 2007 at 10:29 AM
the rain was glorious wasn't it?!!
your magnolia pods, these and others I've seen, are my favorites.
gorgeous portrait too!
Posted by: Cindy | October 31, 2007 at 09:45 AM