Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Tree #81

A tree across the street from our house. Some branches
have leaves, and other don't yet. I sketched this while
sitting up in bed this morning just before the sun came up.
What a way to start the day! Ah, the good life! 3-27-12

Monday, March 26, 2012

Trees #77–80

Our Redbud in the front yard. It has lost several
big limbs and this is what is left. 3-24-12

A tree across the street from the VAAM Gallery. It was my
turn to work in the gallery that day, so I tried to "get"
this through the window glass. 3-24-12

The seed pods we call "helicopters" are just abought to drop from
the branches of our Silver Maples in the backyard. 3-25-12

A different view of the same knarled and twisted Crabapple
tree in the backyard. Now, it's in bloom with lovely fuscia
flowers. I should go back and add color. A few of its branches
are dead and its bark is peeling. Poor tree. 3-26-12

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Trees #75–76

This is a bush of some kind in our backyard. If it blooms,
which I think it will, it will give me a clue to its name.
All these years, I haven't paid much attention to the flora in
the backyard—I was always too busy and/or away at work.
The combination of semi-retirement and this tree "project"
has really opened my eyes. 3-21-12

Just scribbling with a box of 40+ year-old Sakura Cray-Pas
that I used in college. I used a few from another one that my
mother used, even before that. These are trees in bloom in
Wall Park several blocks away. 3-20-12

Trees #72–74

 I took a walk around my neighborhood and found this beautiful tree on Kansas Ave. The flowers were bright white in the sunlight. A beautiful shape. 3-16-12

 This isn't really a tree, is it... I bought this new box of Prismacolor
watercolor pencils, so I had to try them out, and the colors were just
brilliant. Somehow, things came up, and I never really got back to doing
a tree. I guess it doesn't "count," does it? 3-17-12

This is a branch of one of our silver maples outside an upstairs window.
The branches change day by day. I am so enjoying the opportunity
this spring to notice and "catch" the changes! 3-18-12

I had to experiment with those wonderful new colored pencils.
Here, I only used pencils that were blues, reds, and yellows.
They blend so beautifully! So much fun! 3-19-12


Thursday, March 15, 2012

Tree #71

I see this tree everyday on Elizabeth St. when
I'm going back and forth to work. It's beginning
to get little leaf buds. I messed around
some more with color... 3-15-12

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Trees #68–70

A tall tree in our backyard with sprouts near the base.
3-12-12

In the high 70s today, so I went bicycling, but without my camera or
sketching stuff, so this is a little bit memory and a bit imagination.
But many trees are flowering and there's more to come.
I've messed with this sketch a lot and still not happy with it.
But I guess I should just forget it and move on to the next one. 3-13-12

It was in the 80s today. This is portion of a tree I
passed while out walking. Just experimenting to "get" the
new tiny leaves coming out... I'll keep trying. 3-14-12

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Tree #67(?)

It's the same spot at Wall Park Lake, but this time I did it from memory
and from the sketch done the previous day. 3-10-12 I'm wondering if my numbering is off and if this actually #68 or #69. Oh well.

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Trees #63–66

 I sat on my patio, looking up at a branch of one of the silver
maples above me, and this is what I saw, looking up.
So many trees are budding! Spring is here! 3-6-12

Took a walk to Wall Park Lake in the late afternoon.
This is a scene on the walk home. 3-7-12

 
Playing with a watercolor pencil and a bit of water... 3-8-12

I sat at on a picnic bench at Wall Park Lake and
scribbled away until I got too cold. It was almost 5:30 pm.
Nice that the days are getting longer. 3-9-12
I might add a bit of watercolor wash...

Trees #59–62


 Quickie. I forgot which tree. 3-2-12

 That same twisted, knarled crabapple tree
as seen from our sunroom window. 3-3-12

One little branch from one of our silver maples as seen from an
upstairs window. So nice to see the buds coming out! 3-4-12

Just playing with paint brush and watercolors. 3-5-12

Friday, March 2, 2012

Tree #58

I wanted to understand how the branches and twigs go together.
So I did just a branch detail. Posting the date, I guess March 1
took me by surprise. Where did February go? 3-1-12