Orchids aka EDM # 257

I have an orchid in fabulous blossom, which of course inspired me to draw. So here comes EDM # 257, draw a house plant.



First a couple of flowers. They are in reality pink with darker pink/purple dots - but I got bored with the dots far to quickly (in the left flower). Should I press on, to see the effect?



I had planned for this to be a full value drawing, but then I liked it so mych as a contour drawing, so I couldn't bring myself to continue. Should I?



A very quick sketch.



An attempt at cross hatching - and the result is just terrible. How do you do it?



A blind contour drawing. I love the result, the way the line is so confident, I really want to work on incorporating this effect in my regular drawings.

Belated Valentine

To all of you friends and fellow artists out there - hope you had a great Valentines day. Here's my greeting to all of you! Thank you all for your kind words and comments on my drawings. I deeply touched and greatful for all of your compliments, and even more thankful for your hints and advice on how to improve my drawing and painting skills.

Sunflower and landscape

I'm experimenting a bit with ink and watercolors, learning to use these mediums to create the look I want. Not as easy as it looks when I see other peoples work, for example I can't seem to get an even wash using watercolors, without the "coliflower effect", and when I wanted some life in the background it just turned out messy. I guess I need more practise. This is from a photograph I took back in september.

This little miniature landscape (about 10 by 10 centimetres) turned out a little more like I wanted it to, but still the blue wash for the sky is a bit messy, I wanted a smooth blue wash - how do I do that? Any tips are greately appreciated! Ink and water color, from a phograph in a book I found at home (it seems I'm always looking for motives to draw or paint these days).

Tenerife

Sorry I haven't posted anything for a while. This is partially due to vacation in Tenerife (wonderful wonderful wonderful to get some sun after all the snow and cold we have in Sweden now), but mostly I must admit I have been lazy. I promise to better my ways and post more frequently from now on (I have been drawing more or less every day, it's just I haven't been bothered to photograph and post my sketches to the blog).

Anyway, this is the view from our hotel room in Tenerife, and a part of the parapet and decoration on our balcony. I'm not very happy with how the palm tree turned out. I think it's mostly because I finished it when I didn't have a view of the actual tree, so it feels kind of... flat.

I had imagined drawing and painting on the balcony every evening of our vacation after the kids had fallen asleep, but then I started reading this book instead, and then I was caught. So not a lot of drawing, but I enjoyed the book, so never mind.

Sketch book - first spread

This is the first spread of my moleskin sketch book. The text translates:

Pens, colors, eraser
A brand new book, full of blank pages
Creativity, lust for creation, hesitation, expectation
All possibilities lay open
Now
THE GREAT MOMENT

Sketched with pencil, filled in with ink.

(I just wish I could use watercolors in my moleskin, but I guess I better get a moleskin watercolor book as well).

Poinsettia

Inspired by Nina Johannson I wanted to to my own version of the Pointsettia. In Sweden this is by far the most popular flower at Christmas, we even call it "christmas flower".

EDM # 252

EDM # 252, draw a pine or fir

HB pencil in moleskin sketch book.

A small branch from a pine tree in our back yard (we have four or five huge pine trees). It's way too cold and snowy here for me to draw outdoors, so I let the tree come inside instead.

I must admit I simplified the branch a bit, all the needles made it quite difficult to draw. But nontheless I am happy with the result, I wasn't sure I would be able to pull it off.

Edit - put in a better photograph on jan 9.