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Sunday, April 13, 2008

Lilac Time


The lilacs are blooming - already?!! They bloom for such a short time, and we're expecting a real cold spell tonight, which may do them in for the year. So I cut a big fistful of them off of my sister's bush and have them on the table in the breakfast nook. The smell is so sweet, and they are so pretty -- so much more delicate than I did them here.

What I love about this Maruman accordion style book is that I am sticking with the "series" bit -- since it all runs together it makes it easier to keep on track. What bothers me about this Maruman accordion style book is that I sometimes feel stuck in a series and in a rut... which is just the other side of the same coin. But really -- with lilacs I would normally have painted them completely differently, yet felt I had to keep within the same style I'd started in the book. Still, I tried to adapt and use less ink and more splash without looking out of character. I've been a bit uptight in this book, too -- just a matter of getting to know something new. I KNOW I'll be ordering a few more of these to play with! (And I got a bit heavy handed and thick with the color on the flowers, too. THAT'S just me getting to know how to paint with gouache rather than watercolor.)

This makes me want to listen to this song -- Lilac Wine by Jeff Buckley -- and I wonder what Lilac Wine would taste like, other than "sweet and heady"...

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9 comments:

annie said...

I can't address your "stuck in a rut" feelings, but I have enjoyed the steady progression and variety of these drawings.

Laura Frankstone said...

I know what you mean. I started out in pencil and wash in my Paris fountains big accordion sketchbook and felt I had to continue in that medium. Then, I got back to Paris and had no pencil with me (!), so I used pen and voila. I survived. It's actually fun to mix things up a bit. Hey, these Marumans are cheap---don't be intimidated!

Lin said...

LOVELY LOVELY LOVELY!!!!

Teri said...

OMG, lilacs aleady?! There is still a foot of snow at our home in Wisconsin!

Lovely painting. And it's like reading a botanical story serialized.

Lynn said...

This is beautiful! I love the touches of pen in the flowers. Doesn't look uptight at all.

littlemithi said...

Back in the fold and catching up on your wonderful drawings .... LOVE the one of the two ladies...

Jennifer Lawson said...

Beautiful. I love all your recent flower series. You have a wonderful style.

Don't you just love how that lilac smell fills all the air. Our lilacs in Maine won't bloom until the first week in June...pitiful.

Unknown said...

Completely wonderful. As a matter of fact, I was driving through a neighborhood on Monday and saw a lilac bush and it reminded me of you drawing and I just LOVED it!!

Nancy Van Blaricom said...

Your books make me want to try this. The work shown here is so fresh and clean ... the pen is just the right amoungt. Super.