Sugarcandy Mountain

Sugarcandy Mountain - watercolour pencil on paper

I completed this drawing/painting today. I'm not sure what to classify it really, as watercolour pencils confuse me. Your work is essentially a drawing, but you've enhanced it with a brush and water. See what I mean?

I often dream of landscapes like this. Vivid colours and poignant geographic features. Surreal nature, and yet not Dali-esque visions. I couldn't think of anything better to call this than "Sugarcandy Mountain", although looking at it, it's quite the opposite to the crow's alluded heaven in Animal Farm. It's rather apocalyptic, in a children's story book kind of way I suppose. Well, that's what I see at least.

I'm getting to like colour better, but I dread actual paints. I find it easier to work with watercolour pencils if I want that effect - easier to tone, easier to handle. It's been months since I last used acrylic and I find myself shuddering at the thought of "real" paint. The drying time is pain-staking for someone as "now-oriented" as me. There's always a greater level of cleaning involved - palettes, palette knives, paintbrushes, and wiping over any surfaces defaced in the art-making process.

Then there's the worse of it: the stench of acrylics. My face goes numb, with just the memory of it. I've never used oil paints and I've heard they smell worse. So overall, watercolour or watercolour pencils seem to be a better choice. I can't handle the liquid, tubed watercolour varieties though. They have a particular scent to them as well.

Anyway, the holidays are proving to be therapeutic and productive for me.

Earth Mama

Watercolour pencil in VAPD, A4 size

Inspired by the IMT prompt: "Green". There's a little bit of glare from the scanner.

I know, strange interpretation.

And a strange prompt, actually. All these events in regards to the environment have been popping up in my life lately, and all within a period of less than five days:

Cleaning my room (well, that was a conscious decision) and consequently filling garbage bag after garbage bag with paper for recycling; a random entry for the Waste As Art competition through the mail, and then IMT has a prompt that in honour of Earth Day that will be occuring this week (April 22). I honestly never knew it was going to be Earth Day this coming Wednesday, which is why I am quite freaked out.

I wonder what the world has in store for me with all these hints.

Jammed-In Breakfast

"Jammed-In Breakfast" - watercolour pencils on paper

This is the first prompt that I've responded to by Inspire Me Thursday, and right at the end of the week, mind you. This is one of the first works I've done without a concept in, well, ages. Any still life work I've done before (ie: my Vase Series) has had alot of symbolism involved. This is also one of the first pieces I've done in watercolour pencils. Much less fiddly than the tubes of paint, that's for sure.

I'm rather disappointed about the way this scan has turned out. The purple stripes on the tablecloth aren't meant to be purple at all, but a lovely Prussian blue. Damn it. The rest of it is pretty much right though.