Eggplant at the Sunshine Market

© Ellen Blonder

Here's a quick watercolor of an eggplant I found at the Sunshine Market in Kauai, before I put it into a curry. It was impossible to do it justice, with its intricate stripes.

Persimmon Loose Sketch

© Ellen Blonder

Happy New Year! I resolve to post more this year--to draw more this year. This is a recent colored pencil sketch of winter's persimmon crop, now long gone. 

Happy Halloween!

© Ellen Blonder

I had to reach way back in the archives for this one, a card I did for Carolyn Bean years ago. It's pen and ink, airbrush and watercolor. Happy Halloween, everyone!

Red Leaf

© Ellen Blonder

Something in colored pencil from the sketchbook. I can't get enough of fall leaves this year.

Cosmos

© Ellen Blonder

My friend Roney brought me a beautiful bouquet of cosmos last week, and I thought they were worth a colored pencil sketch. Thanks, dear Roney!

Sycamore Leaf

© Ellen Blonder

More fall: I'm trying to look down more when I walk around this season. I saw this the other day, with a beautiful range of color all in the same sycamore leaf. I drew it in colored pencil in my sketchbook today.

Fall Leaf - Final

© Ellen Blonder

This used nine different colors of pencils, even though it looks monochromatic. Happy Fall!

Fall Leaf 2

© Ellen Blonder

I do like this paper's sturdiness as I layer the colored pencils with more and more pressure.

Fall Leaf 1

© Ellen Blonder

I'm trying to pay more attention to what's right in front of me, and yesterday it was fall leaves. Summer flew by, and I didn't get a chance to try this new paper, sold by Canson for drawing comics. I'm checking out the paper to see how it takes colored pencil.

Abutilon Water Color-Final

© Ellen Blonder

Finally done. 

Abutilon Watercolor-Days 4 and 5

© Ellen Blonder

I forget what a difference a new brush makes; working out details of the flowers is so much easier when I can lay down a clean line. It has been so long since I last worked on this that the old flowers have shriveled and a new crop is newly budding.

Abutilon Watercolor-Day 3

© Ellen Blonder

Not a lot of time to paint lately, so I'm glad I snapped some photo reference shots. The actual flowers are long gone.

Abutilon Watercolor 2

© Ellen Blonder

Starting to layer color on color.

Abutilon Watercolor 1

© Ellen Blonder

I'm working from a photo I took when this abutilon plant was full of flowers. Here's the first day's outlines, barely filled in with watercolor underpainting.

Abutilon 1

© Ellen Blonder

Some dear friends brought a gift of an abutilon plant when they visited earlier this month. I sketched the flowers in my sketchbook, trying to capture the tangerine shades and rich green leaves with colored pencil, and with more than a little frustration. I'll try watercolors next, before I find the perfect place to plant it in the garden.

Silly Break

Love potatoes? This one is the first I've seen that loves you back. I know, silly, but I've never seen one like this before.