At last! The final two days of my 75 Day Sketch challenge!
I thought it would be a good idea to draw some of the summer flowers on our patio before the first frost nips them. These “Wave” petunias are my favorite. They’ve flourished throughout the summer, and are still thriving, despite the cooler fall temperatures we’ve had lately.
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| 5-1/2″ x 8-1/2″ Watercolor with Lexington Gray ink |
That mass of foliage and blooms was a lot to tackle with pen and ink. If I had been painting directly in watercolor, I would have simplified things a lot, but since this was a drawing exercise, I included a substantial amount of detail.
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| Detail, 2-1/2″ x 2-1/4″ |
Dabbing on touches of masking fluid helped to preserve the tiny blossoms of the white lantana while I painted the green background leaves.
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| Detail, 2-1/2″ x 3″ |
And now for the final sketch!
Sketch #75 shows a view that I enjoy every day. It’s the arbor that my daughter was married under and the flagstone path leading from the stone patio just off the kitchen to the backyard and garden. It’s particularly pretty in early summer, when masses of daisies, roses, clematis, and hydrangea compete for attention. But this fall the stars have been the hedge roses and the “Sunshine Blue” golden bluebeard. My garden path looks like something out of a fairy tale.
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| 5-1/2″ x 8-1/2″ Watercolor with Lexington Gray ink |
For years I longed to have a cottage garden filled with roses, an arbor, and a bubbling fountain. After several seasons of planting, mulching, weeding, pruning, and watering, I finally have it. All the effort was worthwhile.
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| Detail, 1-3/4″ x 3″ |
I feel the same way about the completed sketch challenge. Tomorrow I’ll share a few thoughts about why I think the time invested was worthwhile.
To see all of the seventy-five sketches that I completed for the 75 Day Sketch Challenge, visit my online art gallery, here.
4 Comments
What beautiful work.Such detail you have managed to put into such small sketchs.I have only been a follower of your blog for a short time, so haven't seen all the others.I can't wait to find the time to have a look at all your others & find the reason you gave your self this challenge, I'm sure it will be written there somewhere.
Both paintings are simply gorgeous!
CONGRATULATIONS on completing the challenge! The sketches of your garden are lovely!
Such lively sketches! Beautiful :0)