Sept30Art

I usually like animated movies. these days they are about the only movies Hollywood produces that is worth the price of admission.  I didn't get to see the Lorax movie, last year, but the kids in my afternoon art classes loved it.  So for my final trees I drew the Lorax's Truffula trees.  I must admit I'm looking forward to October and drawing whatever tickles my fancy for a while.

Sept29Art

Only one more tree and I'll have met me goal of a tree a day in September. Cedar trees don't do well in our hot climate, but that doesn't stop developers from planting some here and there.  They look pretty sad compared to the ones you see in cooler climates.
Pork ribs on the grill for dinner tonight... so good.  Watching Duck Dynasty, I understand now why it is so popular... very funny show.

Sept28Art

Mushroom shaped tree with lots of sunny yellow green leaves, not many trees look like this these days.  Cool weather and a very wet Summer I think may bring a very colorful Fall display here.  Ron had to work today, so a puttered around the house doing laundry, dishes, started two paintings and being the door man for the dogs.

Sept27Art

I was looking for inspiration for my tree sketch today and came across a Ricky Holman sketch and thought I'd give it a try.  I always admired Ricky, I'm so glad his family left his art work here on Flickr so that we could all continue to enjoy it. He passed away from cancer in January 2009, I still miss him and think of him often. I hope Ricky doesn't mind my poor attempt at copying his tree, but knowing Ricky I think he'd be pleased that I'm still trying.

Sept26Art

Had to try another Palmetto tree, this one with sketchy ink and lots of watercolor. Added thalo blue sky... it didn't really work as I'd hoped probably not a good choice for a sky color.  Lots of rain early this morning, and lots of sprinkles all day today.  Went to O'Charlie's for dinner tonight, love their yeast rolls... so bad for me, but I have to have one every once in a while.

Sept25Art

Just splashed some New Gamboge, and Translucent Orange and voila, two little Fall trees.
Our WiFi router has been having issues lately, which drives me crazy since I'm at home trying to work over a VPN. We got a new one at Staples last night, can't install it until the weekend, in case it takes us a while to get it going.

Sept24Art

Tried another negative space set of trees, the trunks are pretty easy, but once the branches get smaller, I have trouble seeing where I am or what it's going to look like when I'm done.

Sept23Art

Couldn't do a month worth of trees without doing a naked winter tree... I always get lost doing these and end up with something to looks very odd.  I envy artists that do these so well, either drawing them or painting them.
Long day today... time to feed the dogs and get into the bed.

Sept22Art

Tried a palm tree today, couldn't quite get it to work as I'd visualized in my minds eye.  That happens to me a lot.
Gray day here in Charleston today, rain moved thru last night, clouds hung around all day as the cold front moved in an dropped the temps.  Did a short ride on our bikes today, when you fall off a horse you gotta get back on you know.

Sept21Art

My favorite Fall trees are the ones that turn yellow, then orange, then red.  Way too early in the season for any changing leaves around here, but I can dream one up and make it happen in my sketchbook.
Fell off my scooter today pulling into the driveway, seems to be my favorite place to fall down.  Lucky for us, our neighbor just got home and he and he buddy rushed over to help Ron get me out of the ditch and my scooter upright, and then Ron's Harley, which he'd laid down in the street when he saw me fall...  think I'll take a hot shower and call it a day.  Nothing hurt but my pride and a good bit of dirt on my pants, as I realized I was losing it and was able to land on my generous backside instead of my face like I did the last time I fell.  Even though it is NOT required by law in SC I always wear a helmet, and I'm very glad I had my helmet on both times I fell.

Saw this on Facebook today, unknown artist... but had to share it here.

Sept20Art

Last day of Summer, Fall starts tomorrow so an imaginary lollypop tree.  We've had some very cool mornings this week, so Fall is in the air for sure.

Sept19Art

Another attempt at a Spruce tree, this one turned out much better than the ones I did earlier in the month.  I don't see many actual spruce trees, so I rely on photos for these sketches.  It's always better to see the real thing, it does make it easier to draw something.

Sept18Art

Went to Mt.Pleasant tonight for a meeting, got there a little early, and decided to draw one of the young live oak trees there.  I think it turned out better than I thought it was going to... could it be that this month of drawing trees is actually working?  OMG practice and persistence actually works!

Sept17Art

I've drawn/painted these trees many times.  They are quite unique looking when young, and yet look like a normal pine tree as they get older.
I am not a writer never have been, never will be.  I'm an avid reader, and think I might have enjoyed being an editor (you know correcting the grammar of writers). As a part of my job today, I was asked to proof read a technical document, it was so full of grammatical errors and misspelled words, and made up words, that I ended up in M/SWord making corrections on almost every page.  The person whose job it was to produce the document will not be pleased I'm sure of it.  Sometimes I'm glad I'm NOT an editor for a living.

Sept16Art

Trees on the edge of the swamp... cypress I think they are.. The ones in the swamp are really tall with a base much larger than the trunk.  I'm running out of trees to draw.

Sept15Art

Old famous live oak trees in Charleston like the Angel Oak are huge, with large limbs that reach the ground in tangled masses.  These giants start out smaller, but their tangle of branches and twisted trunks show signs even in the young trees.
Quiet Sunday today, we stayed out quite late at the Lt. Dan concert it was so much fun.  Late supper at the iHop and slept in this morning, ran a few errands today but not much else.

Sept14Art

Today some Italian Cypress trees, I say they are Italian because most of the pictures I have seen of Tuscany for example always have trees like this.  I don't believe I've ever seen a tree quite like this here in the Southern USA.
Had a pop up thunderstorm this afternoon, we're supposed to go to a Lt. Dan Band concert tonight... open air...  the sky has cleared, so we're off.

Sept13Art

Today I tried negative painting some trees.  Negative painting is not something I can do 'free hand'  so I did draw my trees with light pencil lines.

Sept12Art

Went to O'Charlie's for dinner, these little trees with black and white striped trunks, sort of like an aspen were outside the window.  I don't think aspen will grow in Charleston, too hot here, but I could be wrong about that.   We had the new chicken pot pie... boy was it good.  

Sept11Art

So today a Weeping Willow... spent a good part of today in tears... twelve years and it could have happened today as far as my emotions about it are concerned.

Sept10Art

When I was a little girl we had a Pecan tree in our front yard, it was a great shade tree and we had all the pecans we could eat, make into pies or give away.  I wish I had a tree like that in my yard now.   Below is a picture of the World Trade Center from across the river, with the statue of Liberty in the foreground.  I don't know when this picture was made, but the last time anyone saw the towers like this was the night of September 10th 2001.  NEVER FORGET!  I won't.

Sept09Art

Studied over 100 miles of pine trees like this in the median strip between Charleston and Columbia today... drew this one when I got home today.  With our country headed toward yet another war, this quote from Will Rogers seemed like an idea whose time has come.

Sept08Art

Another pine tree, this time I used a brush I bought from the British TV artist Frank Clarke.  It's made of very soft goat hair, he can do amazing things with it, I think it did a pretty good job on the pine needles.  I often use it for grass and weedy areas.  I'm a sucker for anyone selling unique brushes or palettes.

Sept06Art

Another El Aine Oak, this time sporting it's Fall leaves, my favorite colors coming to trees very soon.  Worked on three Christmas cards this morning for my Women's club (and for my Jane Fazio class on Card making).  My number one fan, my husband Ron, thinks they look good.  I used some of my pages from last December as inspiration for the cards.

Sept06Art

Today's tree is a big fat wet-n-wet Summer tree of unknown lineage as I made it up. It looks a bit like a huge oak in the middle of the street down from my house, except that tree is loaded with Spanish Moss and surrounded by flowers  ... drove by that tree today and said to myself, "Self, you need to paint this tree this month".

Sept05Art

This little Spring tree loaded with paint spatter blossoms was fun to do.  Used Scarlett Lake and Quinacridone Magenta on the blossoms, I'm pretty pleased with the effect and how easy this was to do.

Sept04Art

Sometimes Ron makes me crazy, today was one of those times...   I cannot relate what he did that made me so angry, because on paper I sound stupid and petty for getting so angry over nothing.... so I think I'll invoke Horace and claim a short bout of madness.  

Sept03Art

Well these tree should improve my success rate, did not turn out as planned in my head...painted first, ink after... in an attempt to cover up or hide some of the paint.. didn't work on many levels... but as it is actually two trees, I doubled my failure rate... onward to success with trees.

Sept02Art

Ron and I did as little labor today as possible, except for grocery shopping, we pretty much totally took the day off.  I drew a Palmetto tree today for my second tree of the month.  We have so many of these all over Charleston... it is on the state flag as well.  The Americans in Charleston held off the British assault during the Revolutionary War, in a fort built with these trees and sand.  The trees are spongy and absorbed the shock of the cannon balls much to the surprise of the British war ships, and the delight of the locals behind them.

Sept01Art

Wet Canvas, had a challenge back in 2008 to spend the entire month of September drawing/painting trees.  I didn't make it the full month back then, and I certainly needed tree practice... still do as you'll see as I challenge myself this September with a tree a day.  Today a pine tree, used a bit of sponge for the pine needles, not too pleased with the effect, probably better technique for a regular tree.  I'll have to see what else might suggest pine tree.