SBA Assignment #5 Composition - Flower Study

Alstroemeria 

I always have a vase of Alstroemeria in my kitchen.  One of the reasons why I love this flower is because it is so long lasting.  Sometimes the same bunch lasts three weeks and the variety of colors is wonderful.

As I was deciding on the composition, I was struggling with too many flowers and not enough steams.  One of the notes in the directions for this assignment was to remember the value of odd numbers and triangular shapes.  I then scaled down the number of flowers and finalized on this composition,

It was a bit too simple for my tutor, she wrote:  

Composition is the area where you could have gained more marks had you added a few extra stems.  Three is the bare minimum for this assignment so adding a few buds, half open flowers and one facing away would have been lovely.  However, as I said, what you have done has been drawn beautifully.

That being said, it's time to step it up on the next assignment.    

I received my highest marks for Technique, my tutor noted:

Your pencil technique is always very good with lovely blending and smooth gradations of colour from shade to light.  The veins have also been done really well so if you used an embossing tool then it doesn't show  -- which is great!

The instructions for this assignment were:

You are required to produce a composition comprising a group of one single variety of flower with leaves.  This does not mean a spray such as a single stem of spray, but an arrangement of individual stems.  Take inspiration from any painting of an individual flower variety im the textbooks.  

Carefully choose your flowers and use your sketchbook to plan the layout.  Remember the value of odd numbers and triangular shapes.  Both make good composition relatively straight-forward whereas even numbers result in square or rectangular shapes which are for less pleasing to the eye.  Do not show all the flowers facing the front.  If you place some in profile, semi-profile or show a back view this will add to the sense of a three-dimensional composition. 

I am very happy with my mark of 9.22

Now it's on to my Fruit assignment

(my essay is already completed, just need to tweak it a bit and post it to the UK)

Ann Swan Workshop

Ann Swan Colored Pencil Workshop

Los Angeles Arboretum

September 2013

14 students were lucky enough to spend 4 days coloring with the amazing 

Ann Swan at the Los Angeles Arboretum.  

It was wonderful having Ann demonstrate all her special techniques of 

Botanical Illustration in Coloured Pencil

Then it was back to the drawing board to try out our new skills

The critique at the end of the workshop was so helpful. 

 Ann is so generous with her knowledge and made us all feel good about our works of art.

Every day we were visited by the Peacocks of the Arboretum.  

They would peek into our classroom windows and wait for us to come out and play.  

Ann had a fun time with them :)

 Last night of class much fun was had at the restaurant "168" on Colorado Blvd in Pasadena.

Great Food, Great Friends!

Looking forward to hosting another workshop with Ann in 2014.  

Send me a message if you would like to get on the mailing list for her next class in California

SBA Assignment #4

Flower Heads

This assignment called for seven flower heads, life size, each showing a maximum of 6cm of stem but no leaves.  We had to show different shapes, colors and sizes with each flower to its best advantage.

The flowers I picked from top left to bottom right are:

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis

Fuchsia 'Royal Velvet'

Cymbidium

Eschschotzia californica, 'California Poppy'

Nigella damascene, 'Love-in-a-mist'

Calceolaria integrifolia, 'Pocketbook plant'

Cosmos bipinnatus 'Sonata Pink'

Each one of these flower heads were quite the challenge.  

First I had to find flowers in all different colors, shapes and sizes.

I had about 15 picked and then started narrowing them down to the final 7

Then took photographs of each one, printed them out, cut them out and started playing with the composition.

The comment from my tutor in regards to composition was to be aware that there is a tendency, when placing subjects on an Assignment requiring seven items. to place one in each corner and three in the center.  Be aware of this and take care.  Your Hibiscus is so strong the viewer would find it difficult to move the eye over the remainder of the page.  

Wouldn't that always be the case though, no matter where I put the Hybiscus?  It's always going to stand out the most.  Not sure what I would do different.  Only received a 9.0 on Composition.

Next it started with the Orchid since I had a hard time finding a green one and I didn't want it to die on me.  So this was one of my hardest flowers to draw.  The column was so hard to differentiate from the rest of the flower behind it, because there was so much bright white on the middle of the flower.  Got marked down for that one. Tutor commented got lost trying to follow the detail in the centre of the Cymbidium.

Then I worked my way around the page picking the flowers that were blooming at the time.

My Hybiscus got the highest praise from the tutor. My tutor commented Your Hibiscus is stunning and shows such a wonderful deep throat.

Received a lot of constructive notes from my tutor, but all in all, I am OK with my mark of 9.1

Step by Step coloring of my California Poppy

Coloring in the Shadows
Note: The blue on the stem is masking fluid

Adding in a bit more shading

Adding a bit of coloring

Bit more color

Skipped a few steps
Added a few shades of orange
Colored in the stem

Tutors comment Be careful when drawing stamens that you do not make them all look exactly the same and not too fat

My tutor had received my package damaged in the post and had to be taped up by the postal people.  Fortunately, I received it back with only a few creases in the corner.

Final Mark 9.17

Glad to have it back and move on to my next assignment.

Colored Pencil by Yaquina Bay

3 wonderful days spent in Newport, Oregon with artist

Kristy Kutch

Newport, Oregon is a really nice beach city with a beautiful bay.  The weather was a bit chilly for a Southern California girl, but it was really pleasant.  

The harbor and wharf area are loaded with tourists during the summer months. But walking in the early mornings  there were just a few walkers and runners.

 \

The wharf is filled with fishing boats all bringing in the local catch to sell in the markets and restaurants.  

We ate at a great restaurant/fish house called Local Ocean.  Excellent Food!

From the time I checked in at the Holiday Inn Express and found a row of kisses on the bed, I knew it would be a great three days.

A couple of local artists hard at work!.

All the students/artists were a really friendly bunch of women.  On the first day of class, we all went out to lunch and got to know each other.  Artists always have the best life stories to tell, we all hit it off immediately.

Mom and daughter team hard at work!

Kaye was full of surprises.  She shared some of her art with us from Beaded Hat Pins to Denim Sequined Jackets.  Thank you Kaye for the Hat Pins, I will think of you each time I look at the pretty glass beads.

Lila, besides being an artist is also and author.  She wrote a book of her move from California to Oregon in 1963 with 3 children and their 35 foot trailer entitled Dust In My Bathtub.  I am halfway thru the book and have to laugh at all their escapades.  

What a fun lady she is!

Kristy had so many techniques and tools to share with the class.

Kristy wasn't kidding when she said to bring an extra bag to take home all the art supplies she gives away to her students.  This is only some of the goodies she gave away and raffled off.  

Me and Kristy Kutch on the last day of class.

Thanks Kristy for a great three days in Yaquina Bay, Oregon

Botany Workshop at the Huntington Gardens

Huntington Gardens

Botany with Jim Folsom, the director of the botanical gardens.

What a great day we had at The Huntington.  Jim Folsom is a wonderful instructor and incredibly knowledgeable of Botany.

It was so exciting entering the lab at The Huntington.  There were racks overflowing with  fruits and vegetables.  

Beautiful flowers were brought in for us to dissect and view under the microscopes.

All the microscopes waiting for the students to open up and start playing!  Each student had two different types of scopes to use throughout the day.

Jars of specimens filled the tables.  By the end of the day, plants littered all the tables and Jim's worktable was so filled with specimens, he just kept pushing everything into organized piles.

Beautiful Poppies!  It was such a shame to dissect them.

Alyse and I enjoying learning about the Botany of the plants we draw for our assignments.

What a great day, can't wait to take more Botany classes at the Huntington!

Fun, Fun, Day!

SBA Assignment #3 Leaves

So for this assignment, we were to make a green color chart.  Now remember, I am completing this course solely in colored pencil so my color charts look much different than the water color students.  Much easier to mix my colors and each time I get the same results.  Don't know how the watercolor students duplicate their colors each time.

Composition pages

Composition is one of the hardest thing for me to get right.  I took all my leaves and starting laying them out on the paper, taking pictures of the different compositions.  

Too many leaves all lined up like soldiers

Mixed them up a bit.  That big leaf is too big.  The eye keeps going back to it.

This one is better, but forgot my Monocot leaf.

I did like this composition,, but when I tried to draw the Monocot, I realized I couldn't get it perfect.

Final Composition!

My instructions called for all different varieties of leaves.

Sketchbook pages

One of my sketchbook pages, not complete yet.  I get them started but haven't finished them up.  This assignment required one for each leaf, plus the green color chart and the composition pages.  I will have to go back at a later date and finish them up.  

Final assignment

Tutors Notes - Here is an abbreviated version of my tutors comments: 

You have chosen some very interesting leaves for this Assignment.  My only criticism is that your green leaves are all a similar shade.  A really bright, yellow/green leaf wold have added even more interest.
Some of your leaves are 'touchable', especially the Bougainvillea, but sadly one or two look a little flat.  Just a tiny bit more evidence of a light source would eradicate this.

A selection of leaves offers a wonderful challenge ass far as composition goes, as there are so man;y smaller shapes to fit comfortable together.  This is really well done, with some upright, some hanging down and the ones with the curves placed cleverly so the viewer is led gently through the work.

This has got to be the best example of near perfect labeling I have ever seen!  Please do it every time - you will make me so happy!!

Labeling on back of artwork

I could not be happier with my final mark of 9.49..... not sure how I am going to top this mark:) 

Now to keep working on Assignment #4 Flower Heads

Jenean's Garden

Went to visit my girlfriends garden.  It's like going to a Botanical Garden, complete with Orchard, Koi Pond, and a view of the caboose next door.   I had so much fun taking pictures of all the treasures she has hidden around every corner.  The flowers are all amazing, definitely a Botanists dream :)

Pots overflowing with flowers on the patio

Huge Hibiscus bush with dozens if not hundreds of blooms.

One of Jenean's garden treasures, a glass sphere.

Secret garden leading to the fruit orchard

Bird Feeder in the middle of the flowers.  A birds paradise!

Even a cactus garden, Jenean has everything back here!

Huge Koi pond with dozens of large Koi.  Wooden decking around the front to visit the Koi and waterfalls that delights the ears. 

A baby mouse hidden away on a table.  So many fun things to discover.

Besides visiting Jenean, the reason I went to visit was to find some out of the ordinary flowers to paint for my SBA Flower Assignment.  

The assignment must comprise seven flower heads, life size, each showing a maximum of 6cm of stem but No leaves.  Show examples of different shapes, colours, and sizes.  Try to show each flower to its best advantage with the salient parts of its construction on display. 

I need a blue colored flower, so this Columbine will work perfect. Does anyone know what variety it is?

These are great, love the color, the petals and the stamens.  Though the stamens are not my favorite thing to draw, but I need the practice.  Anyone know the name?

Loved this rose 'Double Delight'.  Great coloring with a pale yellow center deep inside.

My favorite was this thingy.  Never seen it before.  It starts out with a red flower, grows green seeds/fruit(?) and then they turn dark purple.  This one I am definitely going to draw for my assignment.

Anyone know the name of this one?

Fun afternoon at Jenean's.

I've got  

Now I just have to start sketching.

Check back for my progress on this assignment!