JANUARY 2022 Monthly Challenge

[Joy]

Kay, I just love the fresh,watery look and the complementary colors!

 

[Joy]

Well, here is mine, overworked a "quick" sketch, as usual. Ignorance is bliss, and I had no idea that pine cones were considered difficult to draw. So I actually drew this in about ten minutes, albeit a little wonky. This is on Canson XL 7 x 10 140 sketchbook paper, in watercolors.

 

[ams]

Joy, beautiful job.

It's good that you didn't know they were hard, you did a great job drawing it. It reminds me of a story of a guitarist, Buddy Fite, who heard a guitar recording that he liked so he worked from the recording, duplicating what the artist did until he got it right. The catch was that the original recording had two guitarists and he didn't know it. Amazing what you can do if you don't tell yourself it's too hard.

Wow, it's all about the pine cones at the start of this month! Nice sketch, ams, pine cones are seriously difficult to draw freehand (I did try, but I gave up and ended up tracing!) I can see what you mean about the shadows, but couldn't you just darken the deepest bits of those shadows more to fix it? More graphite might not be dark enough, but a bit of black pencil/charcoal, or even ink? I reckon one more layer of super-darks would totally fix that, but it depends if you want to spend more time on it, or move on.

Hawkmoth, I thought I would give your suggestion to use ink in the deepest shadows a try. Thanks for the comment. I was also able to lighten the shadows slightly at the edge. Here's the modified version. I think it looks better than the original.

 

[Joy]

Anne, thank you! The improvements to yours look very good.

I forgot to add that I had a 3 color palette - Cadmium Yellow, Cobalt Blue, and Burnt Sienna. I'm frugal and am trying to use up old tubes!

 

[wru]

a go at the frog... watercolor on arches 140lb cold press (old stock)

 

[ams]

Thanks Joy. You did an excellent job using the limited palette. When I am working in color, I like using limited palettes too.

wru, very nice work on the frog.

 

[Joy]

wru, I just just feel that left front leg moving forward, like it is going down a wall.

 

[wru]

I love that this frog and that leg actually make a classical composition, but with a strong diagonal as well. Neat photo!

 

[Hawkmoth]

Joy - that's a first class drawing of a pine cone (having tried and failed myself, I am full of admiration!), and nicely painted too. I really like the colours. I need to start using a limited palette. I end up using too many colours on nearly every painting because I find my favourite colours irresistible once I'm painting and they are winking at me from the palette box. I need to actually remove them from my sight!

wru - I really like this frog, it's bold and simple and the lines are very pleasing. Lovely fresh yellows too.

ams - I'm really glad my comment was helpful, the alteration looks great. If it were me I'd still add a bit more black, but my irresistible urge to darken my darks usually results in me going too dark and regretting it, so I think you are probably best not to listen to me this time!!

 

[Joy]

Anne, I was also thinking that you could go darker in deeper crevices. Value contrast is very important for overall impact.

 

[ams]

Claudia and Joy, thanks for the comments. Perhaps I could go even darker in some of the spots on the pinecone but I think I'll leave this one as is. I'll keep in mind using the ink when I need a really deep dark. There is a limit to how dark the graphite will go, even when it is activated.

 

[Hawkmoth]

I decided to change the colours of this landscape but I've really struggled with it (this is the third attempt). Not one of my best, but it's all good experience.

 

[wru]

I decided to change the colours of this landscape but I've really struggled with it (this is the third attempt). Not one of my best, but it's all good experience.

View attachment 17184

well done! the interior and ground shadows really make the gazebo pop!

 

[Jo Castillo]

Joy great job on the pine cone.

Anne, nice change and looks lovely.

wru, wow on the frog. Well done!

Claudia, the gazebo is beautiful. Great detail.

 

[Joy]

Claudia, What a creative and wonderful change! That is an improvement on the original source material, very pleasing. I would be thrilled with this. Lovely delicate foreground.

 

[wru]

the fly... watercolor on arches 140lb old stock

 

[ams]

Claudia, beautiful job on the gazebo. It may have been a challenge but you met it well.

wru, good job on the bee on the flower.

 

[KreativeK]

Wru, your frog is delightful as is the insect and flower.
Claudia, your building in landscape is fresh and cheerful.

 

[Queen Bee]

Kay, love your frog. Fabulous colors.

 

[Queen Bee]

Joy, great job on the pinecone.
Anne, I like the improvements to your pinecone.
wru, your frog looks great. The bee on the flower is lovely.
Claudia, love the colors you used for the gazebo.