Daily Doodle # 30: Hydrangea

Hydrangea

Hydrangea

I think this doodling technique works well when repeating lots of small shapes, like petals.

Purples and Greens

I am seeing a lot of purple-green color combinations in nature right now.    I think it is a particularly pleasing juxtaposition.

Purple calla lilies in a neighbor's yard

Purple calla lilies

Edged in green, Barberry bush

Hydrangea

Foliage at the Volunteer Park Conservatory

Ornamental cabbage, Sky Nursery

Purple and green is also a favorite color scheme in quilts.  Here is one I made several years ago:

Kansas City Star Quilt

Art Retreat at Home – Day 7

My mini-retreat is over.  I’m proud of myself for taking time — each of the past seven days — to paint a small watercolor or two.  I feel that giving myself an art “retreat,” a short-term project, helped to make my unpaid furlough special and meaningful.

I saw the actor and writer John Cleese give an interesting talk about creativity on one of the blogs I follow.  He’s learned that creativity requires no interruptions, which means that you have to set boundaries of space and time to do your creative work.  You can watch his 10-1/2 minute talk at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGt3-fxOvug&feature=player_embedded.

It certainly was much easier to find the time for art this week than during my regular work week.  Tomorrow the libraries are again open for business, and I’ll be returning to work.  I hope I can maintain the momentum to paint and draw as I transition into a more normal work schedule.

Here are my paintings from Day 7:

Yet another attempt at painting hydrangeas

Watercolor sketch of hydrangea

Watercolor sketch from a photo