CATCHING UP!!

I know, I know. How slack of me to not write. But I was feeling a little down - something I usually blame on the weather. But if you have been in Saskatoon over the last few weeks, you will know it wasnt the weather. It has been gorgeous. So sunny and warm and the colours!! Officially my favourite time of the year - one of the reasons we named our daughter Autumn. With the colours in the leaves and the smells in the air - such a sensory delight. I love the sound of walking in the crunchy dry leaves and cooler mornings with warm afternoons. At home in Melbourne, we also get fog but that is something I dont see here too often. Too dry I guess!! There is something ethereal in being in something you cant quite see through. Very magical.

I just love the contrast of the gold and the blue in this picture.

And of course, this one is pure magic with the red berries.

Looking up through the ceiling of leaves.

so beautiful, unless of course it is your lawn full of them!

I wish I could have seen the wind blown all of the dandelion seeds everywhere.

Some pics from around the neighbourhood. I wish I could have captured some of the red leaved trees as contrast - perhaps I need to get out with my camera some more.

The problem with this amazing scenery, however, is that it just doesnt last long. Literally a week and most of the leaves have gone from the trees. I have been laughing at people trying to rake them all up - an exercise in futility, surely. But with the leaves on the ground, it sure does make stomping in them a lot easier to do.



Anyway, as you can see, it has been very inspirational. Hence, my next watercolour piece - an autumn leaf.



After I was nearly finished, I came to the same question I found with my sunflower. A background!!??!!??

And since this had been a quick sketch that I wasnt overly attached too, I decided to experiement. I'd heard of a watercolour technique where you submerge the entire piece in water. So, into the bath it went!!


(yes, that is a pink bath. Don't laugh - it is a rental afterall)



I quite like the way it turned out - though I do miss the crisp lines from the original. The background could use a little more depth - so it is the next thing to tinker with... but I've been distracted with another piece....and for that I'll have to keep you updated.


Now, if only the uploading of photos would go a bit quicker, then I could be done here and back to the painting.

Hope you are enjoying the weather - whatever side of the planet you are on.