We’ve been enjoying the autumnal foliage. One gorgeous day, we took particular notice of the shapes and colors of the trees against a perfect blue sky. I snapped some pictures to use for inspiration during our Art Friday.
I thought this would be a good time to introduce watercolor. With pencil drawings, we often begin with the foreground and draw in the background later.
But with watercolors, we decided it would be a better idea to paint the background sky first, then some thinner, distant trees, then thicker-trunked tree in our foreground.
I spent entirely too much time doing my own watercolor, while dishes sat dirty in the sink, while children finished their art and wondered off to other play, and supper time came with no supper on the stove and . . . . . . . . . . . there I sat, adding more leaves, more color.
Yep, I spent a ridiculous amount of time on THAT simple painting that should have taken 5 minutes.
Lincoln started out making tiny leaves too. Then he decided that was taking entirely too long and began making broader strokes.
In a few months, I hope to have the children paint the bare trees against a winter sky. And in April, the light green leaves budding against a spring sky and later still, the fuller, darker green foliage of summer.
I have visions of framed watercolors on the wall by my little artists, one for each season.
Prairie Sings 
Love it!!!!!
quote: “I spent entirely too much time doing my own watercolor”
You say you spent too much time, but I wouldn’t be able to draw that good, even if you gave me a WEEK!
Thank you for the compliment Adam.
In my opinion, art/drawing is similar to handwriting. It takes a lot practice, and anybody can learn. I’ve had lots of practice drawing in when I was younger, not so much in recent years, so my drawing skills are rusty.
I’ve had very little exposure to sculpting and painting though and feel completely inept when it comes to those things.
Tina