windows and canal of venice

Yesterday blogger was done when I attempted to post, so here's my drawing for 1-9-07...want to stay on track!

Windows and canal of Venice...4" x 6", using Derwent colored pencils and enhanced color with Adobe photoshop.

Each day that I play around with Adobe photoshop in the layers mode I learn something new. I figure if I continue to do this, all the mystery of layers will disappear for me.

Next week I will begin a 10 week course at Gage Academy of Arts, in Seattle. The class I'll be taking Botanical Painting in Watercolor. I've was all set last year to take this class, but I got ill so I had to post-pone. I'm rather excited about taking the class with Louise Smith because she is well known in the Botanical world for her beautiful watercolors of botanical flowers.

And here is a course description of what I'll be learning!

Learn to identify and depict important plant features that make your work convincing as Smith guides you through a methodical introduction to botanical painting. You begin with basic skill-building exercises in watercolor wash and dry-brush techniques. You then progress to color-mixing exercises and an introduction to concepts of light on form. Once you master basic painting skills, you begin to focus on building your observational skills as you learn to identify the botanical features intrinsic to different plant species. The winter class focuses on seasonal themes: vegetables, winter branches, the winter pansy and evergreen leaf. Homework required. This course is part of a continuing botanical painting series, with each quarter featuring seasonal plant subjects as well as new projects for continuing students.