Activity

This is homework drawing for a class I am taking at the North Carolina Botanical Garden. It was done after the Orchid drawing on-line workshop with Sam and Pam. What I learned from the orchid workshop really helped me. I had to do this in watercolor. I like the color saturation that the watercolor allows but I had problems with making the dark…[Read more]

Beautiful Machi! The drawing is wonderful as are the colors and details. I agree with you about the darks. I feel like the leave’s definitions in particular would benefit from the addition of more dark toning. But still beautiful nonetheless!

Superb Isabel! The colors and textures are wonderful! My one comment would be about the gourd on the right. It appears to me that the stem looks applied rather than being integrated with the gourd. The stem on the left gourd relates to the gourd so well. I think adding toning to both upper sides of the gourd would help integrate the stem and give…[Read more]

The composition is superb! Love all the twists of the husk and you really captured its dry, papery quality. The ear of corn is equally as wonderful! So crisp and extremely realistic. Enjoying seeing your work again Isabel!

Thanks Doug — yes, I’ve had some issues lately but I am finally getting back into drawing!

Wow Isabel! Gorgeous! It is beautifully drawn and the details are amazing! You have done a fantastic job with the flowers. They are so fresh and crisp and even though they have a lot of white they really stand out on the white paper. It is hard to look away from that center, front facing flower! Bravo!

I wanted a little holiday project but I am slow. Here I have added a dried orange slice. My next goal is to combine them.

Nice Erin! The orange (fruit) colors are very good and it has a fresh, juicy quality as you would expect.

I wanted to add an anchor to the previous drawing of Laminaria algae. So I added streaks and tiny rocks to represent the sand on which the algae laid. It is tough to get this right! Any suggestions?

Hi Helene! Happy New Year! This is a wonderful drawing of a great subject!. I think what you need to do to anchor these objects is to add shadows. I see a couple of hints of shadowing, but you need to commit to it and that will convey that they are lying on a sandy shore.

I’d welcome any feedback or suggestions. Thanks!

Hi Rachel! Your fruits are well rendered and the colors are very good! I would say that judging from the highlights and the cast shadows that your light was directly over the fruits. The botanical standard for lighting is that if you are right handed, the light comes over your left shoulder at a 45 degree angle. If you are left handed the light…[Read more]

Many thanks Doug – I appreciate all of these suggestions!