Orchids II

For my second batch of orchid photographs (see the first here), I have chosen two pinks – hot pink, and a more purple, muted pink. I love the way this first one looks like a blossom explosion. It’s as if, a second ago, these all could have been tiny buds, then you blink, and POW! they’ve blossomed. They look like they have only just stopped moving. They also look they like are whistling.

At the orchid show I experimented with taking photographs at more unusual angles, as in this next one:

I like how this angle highlights the little spiraling tendrils on each flower.  The leaves in the background provide a contrast to highlight the delicate, precise shape of each flower. In addition to these photographs of orchids, I’ve been taking shots of new spring flowers, which I’ll be sharing on my Facebook page.

Salted Crimson

The following is a painting that I created especially for one of my brothers. I was trying to think of a painting that he would really want to put on his wall, whether his sister had painted it for him or not. And now that he’s received it, I can post my artwork without ruining the surprise:

This is, admittedly, a bit of a poor photograph. I quickly snapped it before I wrapped it up to send, and did not check the photo before wrapping it. The top third of the photo should appear much less grey.

Paintings and drawings like these have always been a big challenge for me. Architectural shapes, as opposed organic shapes, cause so much more brow furrowing, frowning, and erasing. However, it was a great exercise and a reminder that I should practice drawing highly geometric forms more often. The background, however, greatly contrasts the tightly drawn ship. I used several layers of paint mixed with lots of water to create the nebulous shapes. In the first layer or two I sprinkled salt, which highlights watercolor’s unpredictability wonderfully. The texture in and around the light crimson nebula on the right side was largely created by adding salt just after painting. I brushed away the loose salt after drying and let the remaining salt adorn the paper.

I loved adding all the details to the ship. After I was done painting, I outlined choice areas in black ink, then moved on to colored pencil. By adding colored pencil over the top of watercolor, I can achieve detail, contrast, and effects that I cannot with watercolor alone.

Flowing amoebic forms, sharp geometric details, deep texture, and bright colors made this work of art fun and interesting to create, even though it was not one of my normal subjects. What have you created recently that was out of the ordinary?