Isolation or not, life goes on, art gets created

How to paint apple blossoms in watercolor

Creativity drives life in isolation

I think I’ve seen thousands of articles by now where somebody says how bad they feel about isolation and how they have lost the sparkle of creativity and inspiration. Well, maybe they didn’t have any creative ideas already before the pandemic because as I see it, creativity keeps flowing and life goes on no matter what. Especially during isolation, we are more creative with everything, aren’t we? There is also so much advice what to do. Sometimes, I feel like everybody wants to give me some advice. The truth is our situations are so different that what works for that particular person, is often meaningless for me. We are all smart now, and we should be aware what works best for us. I personally prefer reading more about experiences.

Switching tasks

Generally speaking, I’ll do what I have intended anyway, or I won’t engage in what I believe is a pointless action. I don’t really need encouragement or push: when the time is right, everything will happen. I’ve been painting here and there, just as I always do. The weather has turned very spring-like, therefore, I’ve been busy with garden works: digging soil, removing waste. I didn’t have the right mood to publish anything, – heavy physical work can be very tiring. My idea was to continue with the series I just started and share drawings, but I ended up working on a few watercolors which were started probably 4 or 5 years ago. I had reference drawings, but none of them seemed to be exactly of these paintings, therefore, I just worked from imagination.

Isolation art, apple blossoms
Watercolor painting of apple blossoms, I am trying to show the size in my studio corner.

Painting progress with steps

I found this painting with light washes on the background and just one watercolor paint layer on apple blossoms and buds. Normally, the first step means to transfer the drawing onto watercolor painting, adjust it and make sure there are no strong pencil lines. After that, we start adding watercolor paint as we see fit. I usually add the first layer of paint on areas with the potentially strongest values.

Supply shortages

The first months of spring season always feel like a new beginning, a fresh breath. Except this year, we are again in a complete lockdown in Ontario, just like the year before. That doesn’t affect what I do too much, but there is a shortage of supplies. When I was at the art store last time, shelves were very empty. My favorite brands were pretty much absent, that included colors which are used more frequently for acrylic painting: artist grade Titanium white, Burnt Sienna, Burnt Umber, Golden Ochre, Carmine Red, different shades of yellow were not available. I use preferably Lamp black, that wasn’t available either. I ordered paints online once and the waiting was 6 weeks, therefore, I’m not doing that again.

Apple blossoms, watercolor painting
This is the ready watercolor painting of apple blossoms. Its size is 15.5 x 20.5 in or 39 x 51 cm I hope your device shows correct colors and contrast because they differ from device to device.

Accepted into spring art show “Roots of art”

I just received an email notification that my paintings have been accepted into a virtual annual art show. Before pandemic, this was a live, real, very busy and well-attended art show. The show is local and that fits me well. Since I hope more traffic will come toward my website, I’ll need to spend more hours updating everything. It’s a time-consuming task and requires attention, therefore, that is my priority for a while. Including portfolio would be difficult because of all media options I use and various subjects. There is so much art in each category! I have currently 3 pages which display my available art. Acrylic paintings need the quickest update, however.

Inese’s original watercolor paintings

Inese’s original acrylic paintings

Special featured art, originals

You are very welcome to check out and see the progress of these pages.

As always, have a look at greeting cards, puzzles, coffee mugs, notebooks and  art prints with numerous  framing options:

Thanks for reading, stopping by and leaving a comment if you have time! Have great springtime!

Enjoy art projects in pink

Pen and watercolor illustration

Illusions and visions

There is no “undo” command in our life. This makes everything we pursue, experience or achieve absolutely irreversible. Everything is a small moment, frozen in time. As I’m typing these words or you’re reading them, the past washes this moment away and puts it in the big folder of our lifetime’s history. The cold sun rays of the disappearing day are pouring over the nearby rooftops and the highest tree branches. This creates an illusion of warmth in the air. Yet, it is an illusion. As the quiet stream of twilight starts flowing across the sky, we will find ourselves in even colder conditions, minus thirty or so. That’s why we create art projects in sunny colors.

Apple blossoms and rose watercolor

Uplifting colors for grey mood

How does this relate to pink projects? Very simple: when the environment is unfriendly, we should try doing something pleasant. For me, that is drawing and painting something which takes me far away from this cold winter day and places in surroundings where I’d love to be. This is an easy mental transformation into a feeling-better state. We actually did similar project in the classroom. The first project was all about yellow and orange, and the next one was painting flowers in pink. These projects can be done by absolutely everybody whether they have any experience or not. They are as basic as one, two, three.

Step 1

Choose the reference image and draw the main lines with pencil or do a drawing from memory.

Drawing for pen and watercolor blossoms

Step 2

Draw over the most suitable lines with a black pen. Black ink can be used, as well, if somebody has it.

Drawing for pen and watercolor blossoms

Step 3

Follow the reference image or your imagination and apply colors which seem to be most fitting the drawing. We apply color on one leaf or on one petal at a time. We start with light washes and go over some areas with more intense color. Wash out connection lines with pure water.

Pen and watercolor illustration

The result

Drawings which do not look perfect at all become extremely beautiful with this approach. We were applying washes and glazes of yellow, red, crimson red and dark red with blue. Any color was applied using various intensity. These projects took us about 3 hours in total. The rose was painted in a similar way. Since it is pure watercolor, I used only watercolor paint without black pen.

Pen and watercolor illustration

Start seeing

Just one more thing:  everybody can draw and paint and, therefore, create for themselves a beautiful rescue place where to avoid troubles and hardships. However, we have to learn seeing things in an artistic way first. This feels almost like developing a much better perception of the surrounding world. We are used to see everything just walking by and running over. Now, it is time to start noticing lines, shapes, shadows, colors, contrast and features that make this particular subject attractive. That is the moment when we can put it on paper or canvas.

Pen and watercolor illustration

Drawing and painting with watercolor is fun. Such illustrations and paintings are beautiful and look fantastic in your art portfolio, on your wall and when published.

Get inspired; Ideas

Learn how to paint: Art classes