Friday 14 August 2015

The Yellow Loosestrife is almost complete

It's time for a break. I have been hard at it this fortnight trying to catch up on the two weeks I had to take off with the flu whilst also trying to clear the deck ready for more work to come in. I have been sitting down at the drawing board at 9am and leaving it alone at 9pm, although last night I got a second wind thanks to taking a longer break with my neighbour Terri, which meant I was able to carry on until midnight before the mosquitoes kicked me out. It's not a twelve hour day as I take breaks, but it sometimes feels like it when I go to sleep and all I can see is green... 

Yellow Loosestrife - Inky Leaves
Yellow Loosestrife (Lysimachia vulgaris) 2015
So here is Lucy... she's certainly come on a bit. It has been slow going this piece. I put it down to the heat (which is remarkably hot and humid still - Granada managed to knock through another record high yesterday) and my lack of confidence. I knew right from the start that this piece would challenge me and took it on for that reason. Feeling so hesitant with my brushes has meant that I have not only used a completely different painting technique (using teeny brushes and wet washes), but also has made it so that I've very slow in getting the colour onto the paper. There are lots and lots of very thin washes in this piece. I am not slapping on the paint like a mad woman. It is a delicate hairy plant that needs a delicate touch. It also a bold plant though, and quite a showy thing in any boarder. I knew I needed to capture both characteristics and have tried to portray the bright and bold side of this species by using dramatic shadows, intense colours and by arranging them to make an 'exploding' composition.

Yellow Loosestrife (Lysimachia vulgaris)
Yellow Loosestrife (Lysimachia vulgaris) 2015

Lucy still isn't finished and I will probably go back to her after I publish this post for a few hours. I will then tweak it when I am in England. I need a longer break for tweaks so I can see all the mistakes afresh.

Sunday 9 August 2015

Lucy the Yellow Loosestrife

This is definitely the hardest thing I have ever painted and it's all in tiny brush, which is why its taking longer to do. What's difficult are the colours foremost, and then the shading as I have a lot in shadow for this piece. Then there's the texture of the leaves, which is still proving to be difficult to capture, but I am enjoying the challenge - really I am. If I wasn't, I wouldn't be in the studio first thing (that's usually a sign).  

Yellow Loosestrife (Lysimachia vulgaris) - work in progress
I have five days to complete Lucy before I take her to England, can I do it? Hopefully!

Tuesday 4 August 2015

What a fortnight

Posting appears to have slowed down again... There's been a lot going on behind the scenes. First of all I went on 'shut down' as I tried to locate a theme for the RHS show and then it got hot (42 degrees again) here, which rendered me useless. My computer Sandy also hates the heat, so I have been trying to avoid switching her on and typing. Then a load of work came in, and well, I have basically been busy in the studio trying to juggle too many balls. I have been working on commissions and the RHS at the same time, which to be honest, is really stupid, so I have put the RHS, my leaves and everything else to one side as I give the other work priority. Hence the recent plant hunt for a gooseberry, which many of you helped me with - thank you.

Yellow Loosestrife (Lysimachia vulgaris) - work in progress
First up has been the Yellow Loosestrife, which needless to say, is causing me some 'strife'. It's yellow for starters... not sure if any of you have noticed that I tend to stay away from that part of the spectrum..? Plus it has very difficult leaves - they aren't glossy and are also rather hairy which is very difficult to do as the leaves have a habit of looking rather 'flat'. Needless to say I am enjoying the challenge.

Yellow Loosestrife (Lysimachia vulgaris) - work in progress
Other news is that I will be in the UK for an extended trip while I paint a gooseberry and another two species.  I will also be amassing a large collection of sketches to take back to Spain for other projects, so I will be super, super busy. With all this work piling up I have just done my annual online watercolour and brush order which was eye wateringly 'spenny', but had to be done. So, posts might be weekly or fortnightly for the next couple of months while I work in top gear. Have a great summer everyone and if you are in the big smoke and want to meet up, just email Inky Leaves, I am always up for a cuppa and some cake (or a beer).