FROM SEEDS TO BOTANICALS

One thing leads to another...this illustration was started from seeds!

Nasturtium seeds were planted in early spring. The best way to paint a botanical is from one's garden!

POP UP CARDS

As much as I enjoy experimenting on what I can do on Photoshop, nothing beats working with real paints & fresh blooms from the garden.

sample card & original artwork

INSPIRATIONS

Got rid of tons of books over the years, but there's always a new book to add to my library. It's worth the money if the book can inspire me to get out the paints.

SUMMER FLORALS

Florals & more florals, this time of year! I have bouquets of cut flowers all over the house…BLISS

SUMMER FAVORITES

FLOWERS OF CHINESE NEW YEAR

TREE PEONY

Certain fruits & flowers convey a rich & symbolic message for CHINESE NEW YEAR. Peony is called the flower of riches & honor by the chinese. A symbol of beauty as well as of love & affection.                                                                               Cherry blossoms symbolize growth, prosperity, long life & romance.

SYMPATHY DESIGN

carnation sketch

I can never predict what will set off a design idea. This sympathy card started with the word solace, something I heard over the radio. The word stayed with me for a day. I didn't have to flip thru too many sketchbooks. This sketch of a dying carnation from last week seems to be perfect for a sympathy card.

SOLACE, my new sympathy greeting

I border this drawing with something blue, that came from an exercise with watercolor.

ROSES

Some late roses from the garden…warming up with a loose watercolor in my sketchbook. 

I'm now working up a tighter rendering of these roses.

APPLE BLOSSOM EVERYWHERE

 Love these Spring mornings, pretty inspirations everywhere! Saw these yellow daffodils under the apple tree at a friend's lovely garden…new color combo!

Etsuko's Garden, 9AM

WORK IN PROGRESS-FAIRY

Kind of stuck with my current flower fairy. Sometimes I can only carry the painting so far. The focus is just not there. This is when photoshop can really help me get creative. I scan in the fairy watercolor & started to play with what I have. Just trying out different combinations for this sunflower fairy…I have a lot of floral patterns & butterflies in my archive to play with!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY... after working on this LOVE series, I packed a picnic & soak up some lovely sunshine on the beach... will post some beach sketches this weekend.