Late Bloomer

4/14/21 cherry tree, Maple Leaf neighborhood

I had been watching this cherry on my morning walks for weeks. A late bloomer, it was still tightly in buds when other cherries around town were in full swing. A week ago Friday the buds were just beginning to open, so I thought I’d have at least a week to enjoy the blossoms. By Wednesday, though, I was afraid that the strong breezes we’ve been having might take them down prematurely, so I decided it was time to sketch.

It was 55 degrees in the sunshine, not a cloud in the sky. It was the kind of day sketchers long for all winter, and when it finally comes, it almost makes all those months of cold and dreary gray worthwhile. 

Technical note: This sketch was made on a sheet of Legion Stonehenge 140-pound Aqua Cold Press paper. After she saw my post on the Legion sample pack that I was reviewing, Kate offered me a couple of small sheets that she had cut down from a full-size watercolor sheet. She’s been using Stonehenge cold press for years. I stitched them into a signature along with the lighter-weight Stonehenge White that I’m also trying. The cold press tooth is a bit heavier than Stillman & Birn Beta’s, but my colored pencils and the ArtGraf carbon pencil took to it immediately. The 100-percent cotton, 140-pound weight and the sizing are fantastic, of course, with my spritzing technique. It’s excellent paper for any kind of wet media, I’m sure. No wonder Kate and other watercolor painters love it.