M6 Ch4 Taking a Closer Look

A6.4.1. Taking a Closer Look.  I can't help feeling that with this chapter I got a bit sidetracked and excited by the spring which was bursting out all over so I kept taking photos of the flowers as they appeared. 

I did start with some ivy pictures. 

Then a series of dandelions, leaf (not much enthusiasm there but it completed the series)a seed head, a flower and a seed head in the rain.  I was pleased with how the seed head turned out as it took me some time to work out how to tackle it.

 A bit more wall...

 ...followed by lichen on a gravestone.  I found it very difficult to do this and felt I could do a better job with stitch.

 An early morning walk and a photo taken by sticking the camera down among the grass and taking a photo pot luck revealed these little creatures when I put the photo on the computer.  Couldn't have done it if I'd tried.

 This bluebell was also a lucky photo.  The bee seemed so pleased the bluebells were coming out at last it didn't fly away as soon as I took my camera out.

A6.4.2.  Adding Colour.  Somehow this activity just didn't seem to come out well.  I think tone (or lack of) is the biggest problem.  First, my watercolour wall looks like a scene from the Arctic.

 The dandelion flower, water colour background and acrylic flower, I was quite pleased with but the seed heads not so good.  One trouble was that I couldn't make the watercolour background any darker or my pencil marks wouldn't show.  Another time I just have to do it straight off without pencil.

 I tried both ink and acrylic for this and it is impossible to tell which is which so for the next one I just used acrylic.  It is very pale but I quite like it.  Again a watercolour background.

 I used pastels for the petal and newly acquired Inktense pencils for the insects and stamen.

 Tried oil pastels for the lichen and a colour wash over.  Better than just the pencil but still not right.

 I used colour pencils for the bluebell and water colour for the leaves.  It's my favourite coloured in picture, the one I think works best.

 I just used Inktense crayons for this.  I liked the crayons as I had control over the colour.  Need more practise though.