![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiynyhBOePBxeAYllPMoo7IyW1GDCwhVd_RXTeH7ikwo3BBBHhDYSmW5kp9u24ke5-n62Ki9YQ79XS7ob8I4f2i3pGznhKeBNn_0awpOtzU7OtQex9Jrsd5w0qEQZstkIzyvAOCJpxuvGyUQqi3uLaNYJgBjQt3rjFyIzABoSjabqcN0fCPrQQOfw=w640-h450) |
12/29/21 - 1/11/22 ink and colored pencils in Stillman & Birn Zeta sketchbook |
I have never been big on house plants, mainly because they
usually drop dead as soon as I walk into the room. However, the amaryllis that a friend gave me has brought me much pleasure in more ways than one.
First, it has been growing and changing so quickly that it’s simply fun to
watch; it’s almost a pet more than a plant. Now that it has bloomed, it is
giving our kitchen a much-needed splash of color during these dismally dark
winter days. Most of all, I have so enjoyed documenting its changes in my
sketchbook. I filled a spread in my 7 ½-inch square Stillman & Birn Zeta
sketchbook with two weeks of its growth.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiPHUQN_GQqTJThLcNPH7oBpMTmDY5Aw25m7N6vpqGXrRb_y6UP9GxANXfmvtxTed6odXQgcObHDkqih_WsK8s3ReW7Oct78hwLM6DTuL0KkITGqMhBNOqwWp04kRcNPNUkF7BiZPlt1-OSi01kjXbJtkn7TJ_G7i6kAxkx5N5Ay_JE85D0K67Usw=w400-h306) |
From a coloring perspective, these two sketches were my favorite to make. It was so much fun to make the subtle transition from green to red on the buds. |
Now that all five blossoms are fully opened, I think I have only one more sketch I want to do: a portrait of a single blossom.
Speaking of five blossoms, I was curious about why one bud
was so far behind her sisters (noted as No. 3 in the sketch). I realized it had
been tucked behind another, so I gently pushed the showy sister’s petals away.
Exposed to the window directly now, the fifth blossom perked up! See below for
a few photos I took whenever I sketched.
Technical note: This line-first-filled-in-with-color style
(which I call the “coloring book” method) is the way I started when I first
began urban sketching. It’s an efficient, straightforward technique that many
sketchers use. I gave it up gradually as I made the transition away from
watercolors and toward water-soluble colored pencils; it has been years since
I’ve used it on location. Using it again here gave me a lot to think about
related to drawing with lines. Stay tuned as I try to clarify
those thoughts by mumbling aloud.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhp_2N4p-aN2idQl97knGbGBgfF9Fq-fanvjrQ83rUBD77cZbg9q0ehotx2YM0hsGuTMwBDscGKpXLTAD9hkxXmHYVA11PaptztOLzCtvOlBiFvyo2UQT8JcPBYHC28q0j6OHduPpIyV9w_vYolEtnDKPmN3ORIYqNehfb-GI_a_CbDueQMSU7_Q=w290-h400) |
1/5/22 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJQF8a07LtHYhAHBKf73ohB_ijgjZIbdAwjQ31Vp7Y6rkoKE5S5emu2h4o5mwOXNHEga2Va-0UmyC9ueh_8sSgK2ZxwbV9M9XoohPhARDH4ZTMS1weg_A2KsMQHne6nOi0pQUEnGTOrMa-OiuKoG3Os-qw2k_ZqX5fA31FNcgH22ZnpTljdGGwOw=w300-h400) |
1/7/22 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjId0OYijddqDto2gwKQ8r4s4YM9GOIL1YLpTUgU0ZdvCU9wKW5XBnv6_idphuFzhD2CUiLfSR3Zh2iegguPbF-OM720wq-4QrDkaXyA1R0Ua_UFg_6w66zpwjRIQNb6lDWMTadjaHrhFvpx-Pd-X1BfRKh8CvQXmvjN02M-qWyn2VHjd3rkAIrAA=w300-h400) |
1/9/22 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh78p3zR-NXcqmk9yruRcMaiU5dHCLRvi3mSfSbt0i4Lz-iCcx3YZZM-Ie4SJWi0a7LrUZ7Wn-Zh4CTWWmts61C4RpOYwCyjoeJ7yxxVd2_vi3aRVwhnKTEh60sUhzgnGTH37xrL-cqDKld8c6JN-p1acRe8B84YoDlOmjduumffNJmHeSZpPzB-w=w400-h300) |
1/11/22 Four blooming blossoms, but the fifth is still tight. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjugo51-k03SlEXXKf1F9SJPfnXTaQMyYrT8hLp6OcINs4gI41q15mCUKB0hGa5PvqzZJ-0fHRZaTpwbCiaBlNLEGshNiYJa4aDi7VVnueOUwxBS960BRQkP5r9xIPFQPX5WTB4RyJXvcCfDcj3tDpPg8C8Mn8pdohi33r7UaOpfH77A0uEYGQiRw=w300-h400) |
1/12/22 I curled a neighboring petal away from the fifth bud to expose it to the window. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgL-g-XdtV141MA0OmoDMTbG9x0JToJQRmczJoGgTiukQzr4nV_r6FhMuqX1oekFaZZ_L6vR5LBs87lUNida4DYHWDP4k59UaHqEv-Ho5EyBMLJNkdsGyMhYGdHvtbEdYsmBxRaC-Djtzu1JpARS2eTVk9ivodFWWGC-jLXVwbhaAcOO7LRMRgTUA=w400-h300) |
1/13/22 The one on the right is the late bloomer -- open by the next day! |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgM_cVL8nzVFQpLjJNbxtvBkjB2AKgDfgLihXGCxLke2zqWiDhxgcrbUCHTKFuNE3U2abKLxQj24iqxzenkLcNzvgvE9pt012jDW5sguE2XxtTO-99CbCEKR_Chw-4YsN1ZWi0wH-iSycubuEd9JM5guzXOesNHGx88yogUZYAh6O5MactTiYgvjg=w480-h640) |
Materials used: Mostly Polychromos and few Pablo and Prismacolor pencils. Line drawings done with Sailor Naginata fude de Mannen fountain pen. Notes made with Uni Pin pen. |
The sketches look like you really enjoyed documenting the changes! This is fun to see!!
ReplyDeleteI had so much fun that I'm thinking of getting another one next year so I can do it again!
DeleteI am interested in the Colouring Book vs the WC Pencil method. Will youdo a blog post on this topic soon?
ReplyDeleteStay tuned tomorrow. ;-)
DeleteActually, tomorrow's post is not specifically about wc pencils, but the approach is the same for all colored pencils.
Delete