Before, during and after the block

There has been a hold up in the stream of sketchbooks. It was all my fault. At this point I have here 4 sketchbooks. But, no worries, they are all finished now and will be posted a.s.a.p.. The reason why I was so slow is because I was *hit* by a painter's block. It was not only the sketchbooks that suffered but the rest of my projects too. To start with I got Dianne's sketchbook. A bit late but that was fine. I got started on it and the painting went really well and relaxed.

The subjects were mostly special Fritillarias. I knew Dianne really loves Fritillaria so the period I got her sketchbook was perfectly timed. I had to paint some Fritillaria for an other project. The other plant I painted was a twig of a Spiketail shrub I have in my garden. Stachyurus praecox is the Latin name. 

So when that was done the next one had already arrived. It was Lorraine's. At the same time I had bought a Helleborus ericsmithii. Really nice and perfect for the sketchbook. I thought it would be wiser to finish it and then post the two books together since the costs are pretty high. So I started with the first flowers and all went well. But after a few days (I did about one flower a day) I got sick. Spring started and so did the flu season. When I got better I started a new flower and it went terrible. I really couldn't paint what I wanted and I felt so miserable.  Not only because it didn't go well but mostly because it felt like messing up a nice page in someone else's sketchbook. Next day I tried again and again I failed to paint something good. Like my paints and brushes had totally different ideas for this sketchbook. I guess that I also wasn't recovered totally from that flu and I felt so, so bad. So I put it aside and in the next weeks I had a big mental struggle to start painting again. I tried a couple of times on scrap pieces and in my own sketchbooks but it felt so wrong and unpleasant.

Finally one day I felt a bit better and made the decision to stop for now with the watercolours and do only graphite sketches. I first did a test on separate piece of Bristol board and it went well. So I took the next sketchbook that had arrived (Terri's). I still couldn't look again at Lorraine's screwed up pages. I picked several flowers from my garden and started to draw. 

Wow... it really went well!!! And finally after so many weeks I felt better about the project. It's one thing to suffer on your own from such a bad period but if it effects a project with 15 people it really is a high mountain to climb. It's all mental, I know, but once you get in that deep well it is a big struggle to get out of again. Anyway, Terri's got really pretty and I managed to paint in some bugs too to add some colour.

Dianne had asked me if she should keep Jarnie's sketchbook a little while longer but since it now felt better I thought I should hurry up now and get that one done as well. So, here's Jarnie's:

The Horntail was a nice surprise in the laundry room. My son Bertus picked a Cornflower to draw, so that's in it too. I just get so happy from the festive cornflower shapes.

So, that was that and almost ready to post FOUR sketchbook... Can you believe it???? FOUR!... Oh dear, dear... All that was left was the pages in Lorraine's book.... grrrrrrrrr.... but, I was determined to finish it well and not just send it off like it was. So today I picked a leaf of the Helleborus and made a graphite sketch of it. 

There, done! Hope all four ladies will like my entries. In the end I enjoyed all four of them... apart from that huge hiccup (forgive me for that)  ;)

The sketchbook effect

It’s three months into our sketchbook exchange now and I’m feeling more relaxed about my contributions. As an Art teacher used to say to me, “There’s no need to get so anxious about a painting, nobody’s going to die!” Yes, she had a way with words...

East Auquhadlie Pines, Winsor and Newton inks

I painted East Auquhadlie Pines as a contrast to my last painting of snowdrops. I limited the colours to two Winsor and Newton inks, Black and Peat, so I didn’t have to concern myself with colour mixing and could concentrate on tonal values. I also wanted to try a different medium from watercolours.

I was surprised to see how many different hues the inks separated into as they reacted to the paper and when diluted with different amounts of water. This wasn’t my intention, but one of those unexpected accidents that I was happy to go along with.

Snowdrops, the end of darkness...

I find the long, dark winters where I live a struggle, but when I see the first snowdrops peeping above the black soil my heart lifts. To me the first snowdrops mean spring is on its way and the days will be getting longer.

Snowdrops, Galanthus nivalis, graphite and watercolour

“According to legend, the snowdrop became a symbol of hope when Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden. When Eve was about to give up hope that the cold winter would never end, an angel appeared, transformed some of the snowflakes into snowdrop flowers, proving that winter eventually gives way to spring.”

thefloraltherapist.com/snowdrop-flower-is-the-symbol-of-hope/

Perhaps because the snowdrop is so important to me, I felt I couldn’t do justice to its beauty and so was disappointed with my painting. White flowers are notoriously difficult to paint, though!

Taking a long journey has its risks

Taking a long journey has its risks

Ghost Trees is my first contribution to Nature Trail 2014-2015: a Natural Sketchbook Exchange,
a collaboration of 15 artists from the UK, Ireland, Holland, Italy and the USA. Once a month each artist will complete a double-page spread, or maybe more, in their sketchbooks before posting to the next artist who will do the same until, fingers-crossed, our own sketchbooks will arrive back home 15 months from now.

Ghost Trees. Birches on
Pitmedden Estate woodland walk. Watercolour.

Giovanni Cera has illustrated the route each sketchbook will take in his delightful map.

From Giovanni Cera's sketchbook

I have come to know my fellow artists through FlickR, Facebook, and the Society of Botanical Artists (SBA) diploma course which I completed in 2013. They are a talented, enthusiastic, and supportive group of people whose beautiful work constantly reminds me to keep trying... and trying!

 

We are using Stillman and Birn sketchbooks, size A5, handy for posting. The paper is thick, smooth, and should take a bit of punishment from water and brush!  Mine was lovingly dressed in a smart green coat with colourful lining before being packed off from Ellon post office.

 
A long journey has its risks and no doubt some books will suffer creasing, tearing, or denting. Some may not make it at all... But I hope all will return like well thumbed passports, pages stamped with the distinctive marks of 15 artists.