January 21, 2005

Illustration Friday topic: The Seasons (Winter sky)?


Illustration Friday

I know, it doesn't exactly fit the topic. I am sure everyone else did a take on the four seasons or something...I haven't checked any out yet. But, didn't have time to do another illustration. And it does sort of fit because it is a sky in the Winter Season...right. Did I rationalize it enough to convince you?

As I drove to work this morning I couldn't help taking notice of the beautiful colors in the sky. It was a pale turquoise blue with shades of peach and pink streaked across it. The colors made me think of the 80's color schemes that we all try to stay away from now. As I passed a local factory, smoke billowing up into the sky produced a sillhouette in the most brilliant shades of purple. It was like something you'd see in a painting. One of those rare moments of beauty that only last for a short time, until they fade away. So, I made a mental note of the colors and how they impressed me, and later when I had some spare time, painted this watercolor in my moleskine. We are expecting a big snow storm tonight...I wonder if the colors in the sky this morning have anything to do with that.

A side note...I figured out a way to do acceptable watercolors in my journal. I brush a wash of water over the page, enough to get rid of the sizing that is on the pages. Once it is dry enough to paint on, it pretty much takes watercolor as well as drawing paper might. I think it turned out pretty well. I was loving everything about my moleskines except that, but now I feel better about it. Oh, I was checking out Moleskinerie. com and found out the correct pronunciation of Moleskine is mol-a-skeen-a...but a lot of people call them "moleskins" and some people call them skines (skeen-a) or moles (mol-ees). Interesting...according to Moleskine owners, if you ask for them in a bookstore using the correct pronunciation, they have no idea what you are referring to. Hmm. Interesting.

7 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

You've convinced me. I do like the silhouette effect, and it does convey the season. Well done.

Detlef
http://www.detlefjumpertz.com

PS. I also like the bathroom makeover.

5:10 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think this is lovely... the whole 4 season thing was too hard for me...

violetismycolor
http://valentinois.typepad.com

8:23 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is quite lovely. I think that change in color is very significant to portraying the change of seasons. In that sense, yes, this illo does reflect this week's topic.

--Kim
http://www.livejournal.com/users/trinity3kim/62935.html

9:33 PM  
Blogger mati rose said...

luminous & lovely!

9:50 PM  
Blogger ste-pha-nie said...

Wow. Your from-memory paintings impress me. And I am inspired to practice more from-memory painting myself, spend a little meditative time just absorbing what I see, becoming more consciously aware of the details.

Also, as far as I'm concerned, a person, -an artist- can interpret a theme anyway he or she wants to and not feel like they have to rationalize their choice to anyone. People, viewers, can likewise interpret as they feel free to as well.
I did enjoy the background story, your drive to work, and the way you remembered the colors from the 80's, and how you washed your sketchbook off before you painted, and how you finally painted the scene from memory :)

10:37 AM  
Blogger Cin said...

whether 1 season or 4, I'm glad you posted this, it's just simply beautiful.

7:14 PM  
Anonymous The Illustrator's Wife said...

Hi, I LOVE this watercolor you've done! So much so, that I actually linked to it from my own blog - http://theillustratorswife.blogspot.com/2011/01/winter-sunrise.html

Very beautiful work! It inspired me to near poetry. ;)

11:53 AM  

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