On The Forest Floor
6 x 6 inches
colored pencil and Neocolor on pastel board
copyright 2007 by Ann Thompson Nemcosky
I've had this on my drawing table for quite some time now. I finally managed to finish it the other evening, before this cold really hit me. It was done as a sort of companion piece, or part of a series I don't know which, to my previous piece, At The Water's Edge.
I did enjoy working on this, even though it is much more detailed and tightly rendered than what I am used to doing with images. The process of using the Neocolors as underpainting before coming back with colored pencils feels more like a painting process to me, so perhaps that's it. I am eager to do a few more "macro-landscapes" this way.
But mostly for right now I'd like to get over this monster cold and hopefully not pass it on to the rest of the household. Keep your fingers crossed on that one for me. And your hands washed. This weekend is my daughter's big dance performance and I so don't want her to get sick and miss it. She would be devastated.
Leaves in the autumn came tumbling down,Scarlet and yellow, russet and brown,Leaves in the garden were swept in a heap,Trees were undressing ready for sleep.
-Author Unknown
Here's my EDM challenge #145, "A Tree in Autumn". It's with watercolor and colored pencil in my Aquabee sketchbook done from memory of a view I see almost daily when driving back home from town. Unfortunately my paper became a little too wet and of course my 9 x 12 inch sketchbook barely fits on my scanner, so I apologize for the poor quality scan.
"A Tree in Autumn" was not an easy task for me here this week. At the start of the week Autumn packed its bags and left our part of the mountains and Winter wasted no time moving right in. After a few days of cold drizzle we had snow flurries on Thursday and into Friday, temps in the 20s and winds gusting over 50 miles an hour. Ah, November. But on Wednesday all was calm in the late afternoon while driving home. With heavy blue-gray clouds overhead the sun was low and casting a warm light on the surrounding hillsides and all the remaining russet leaves were glowing in the November light. That is what I tried to capture here from memory.
I love the colors of November probably more than any other month. You can see at the bottom of my sketch my color swatches in watercolor. Gray-blue skies, sap green hills waving ochre grasses, bare purple branches dancing beside fully clothed pines and russet leaves shining like a new penny in the low November light. As I was driving home on Wednesday with kiddo in the backseat, I was reminded of a poem we had read for her school work that described "russet" colored leaves. At the time I had given her an explanation of what "russet" was, but now we could experience the russet leaves in a marvelous glowing light.
At The Water's Edge
colored pencil and Neocolors on pastel board
6 x 6 inches
copyright 2007 by Ann Thompson Nemcosky
I believe this one is now finished. Although I reserve the right to make some minor adjustments, I'm going to let this rest a while. I think this is the most complex image I have yet attempted and I did enjoy working on this one. Now to get started on something else!
I have been fiddling around with the look of this blog. Like I don't have a million other things I could be doing! And no, I am not trying to confuse anyone, I just have trouble making up my mind when it comes to choosing a template and colors. Plus I thought I'd try adding an image to the header. I'm not sure how well it works this way, but I'm leaving it as is for now. What do you all think?
I know, I know, I have been slack about posting here lately. But not without good reason. After our little beach break we were with house guests for a few days.
Just to show that I have been working, however slowly, I thought I'd post what I am working on now, as is, in progress. This drawing is 6 x 6 inches on pastel board. I began with an underpainting using Neocolor II watersoluble crayons and have now begun working my way from the top left corner outward using colored pencils. I am finding that I really like the strong intensity of color the Neocolors provide for an underpainting. And that when coming back over with the colored pencils, which are somewhat translucent, the colors seem to sing. I am having fun with this little piece. I intend to do a small series of these, what I am calling 'macro-landscapes'.
At The Water's Edge, WIP copyright 2007 by Ann Thompson Nemcosky
Autumn Begins
original photograph
copyright 2007 by Ann Thompson Nemcosky
I love this time of year. In fact, autumn is my favorite season. The turning of the seasons inspires me toward starting something new, refreshing my routines. Where spring expands, autumn brings things inward for reflection.
I had intended to post earlier this week, really, but general life busy-ness plus a little graphic design work has completely consumed me this week. We did enjoy a lovely hike last Sunday, where glimpses of autumn were found at every turn. I am missing making art this week and hoping things settle down soon so I can get back to drawing!
