Pages

Sunday, September 02, 2007

Birch Color Study


Finally -- tonight some time to work on painting and sketching! It's so frustrating now to try and re-create the sense of our trip to Canada. After some stalling and hemming and humming and self-distracting and working on other "non-Canada" art, I finally did this quick color study with pastel pencils* -- smeared them around with some water -- then added more pastel and fixative -- then some white acrylic -- and am beginning to get the feeling back! Up north in these woods is one place where the shadows really and truly are BLACK -- once I remembered that I felt more on a roll. And that amazing little streak of turquoise peeking through the clouds on the right? It's true. Yep, the sky there is truly turquoise along the horizon. Even my very literal and non-poetic hubby said, "it feels like you're on top of the world or something..."

(*Carb-Othello pastel pencil in Raffine sketchbook -- not the best surface for pastel, but very nice for a quick study!)

Posted by Picasa

12 comments:

Margie said...

It's wonderful to come back from a trip with a different sense of colors! And space, or spaciousness. What I like, is knowing I can expand in big places (like your Canada trip) and still fit back into regular life. And you can expand again next time. Or you may bring the feeling home and keep it.

Lin said...

SUPER SUPER, LINDA! I know the difficulties of re-capturing that excitment found on trips ... but you've done it here! Love it!

Unknown said...

Hopefully now that you are on a roll we'll see some more Canada sketching.
Canada has some wonderful sights and the air is so different there.

Teri said...

I can get the feeling of being on top of the world and enjoying nature from looking at this. Those wonderful memories.

Unknown said...

Maravilloso, mi amiga! More, more!!

I got your message about Friday night - I think it's time to start planning...

Bonny said...

Linda, these 2 sketches are fabulous! I like the idea of using pastel pencil in a sketchbook - haven't tried that yet.
The next time you come to Canada, you'll have to come out west. It's totally different from Ontario. We'll make plans to get togther! Glad you had such a nice vacation.

Africantapestry and Myfrenchkitchen said...

I love your last two pieces of work...wonderful capture of your trip!
Ronell

Cati said...

Hi Linda, your work is beautiful. I was in Canada earlier this year (Vancouver). What an amazing place. You made me day dream about being back there.

Unknown said...

Lovely painting!

Jan Allsopp said...

Lovely and free painting, Linda. It is hard when you get home from somewhere, and this looks like you've been SOMEWHERE!

Anonymous said...

i really like this...very sweet sketch.

pedalpower said...

This is so beautiful...must have been a wonderful trip. Isn't it great how completely you experience and how well you remember when you create a piece of art?!