Cardinals - Sketches 1

© Ellen Blonder

I'm just now getting to sketching the delightful Brazilian cardinals that like to visit our lanai in Kauai, or hop about the beach and pathways near our place. I used my photographs for reference, while they posed obligingly and pecked at our breakfast breadcrumbs. I don't know what will work its way into a painting.

Lupine - 3 Final

It's starting to feel overworked, so I'm going to stop now.

Lupine - 2

© Ellen Blonder

I spent a little time laying in base colors, and now I'll keep shading them. The tricky part is keeping the petals delicate. 

Lupine - 1

© Ellen Blonder

At Sea Ranch, California, last week, I managed to sketch some lupine, but not add watercolors to it yet.

Campanula Watercolor

© Ellen Blonder

This is among my favorite flowers in the garden now, delicate bell-shaped campanula on slender stems. Time to get back to painting, too. This is from a great Moleskine watercolor sketchbook I'm trying out.