A continuation of the Jellyfish and Ocean theme with another view of the Crown Jellyfish. The sketch is direct to watercolor without ink. Holbein and Daniel Smith watercolors in a Stillman and Birn sketchbook.
Month: March 2016
Jellyfish III
A continuation of the Jellyfish and Ocean theme.
Crown Jellyfish are distinguished from other jellyfish by the presence of a deep groove running around the umbrella, giving them the crown shape from which they take their name. Many of the species in the order inhabit deep sea environments. Crown jellyfish are able to make light through bioluminescence. When they are touched, their bells will light up. Otherwise, the bell of a crown jellyfish will look transparent when undisturbed. When they are attacked, crown jellyfish are able to startle, mislead, and distract their predators with the light that they produce.The sketch is direct to watercolor without ink. Holbein and Daniel Smith watercolors in a Stillman and Birn sketchbook.
Jellyfish II
A continuation of the Jellyfish and Ocean theme. The sketch is direct to watercolor without ink. Holbein and Daniel Smith watercolors in a Stillman and Birn sketchbook.
Jellyfish I
First of a week series of Jellyfish to get back to the ocean theme. They are typified as free-swimming marine animals consisting of a gelatinous umbrella-shaped bell and trailing tentacles. The bell can pulsate for locomotion, while stinging tentacles can be used to capture prey. Jellyfish are found in every ocean, from the surface to the deep sea. Large, often colorful, jellyfish are common in coastal zones worldwide. Jellyfish have roamed the seas for at least 500 million years, and possibly 700 million years or more, making them the oldest multi-organ animal. The sketch is direct to watercolor without ink. Holbein and Daniel Smith watercolors in a Stillman and Birn sketchbook.
Current Palette
This is the first page of my new 9″ x 12″ Stillman and Birn Beta sketchbook. The palette is by Mijello and has my current paint selections. I need to change a few out because a few of the colors I rarely use and some a similar to others. The paints are by Daniel Smith and Holbein.
Swiss Chard
A continuation of fruit and vegetables series completed with a quick proportion pencil sketch and then watercolor with no ink. Swiss Chard is a leafy green vegetable often used in Mediterranean cooking. In the Flavescens-Group-cultivars, the leaf stalks are large and are often prepared separately from the leaf blade. The leaf blade can be green or reddish in color; the leaf stalks also vary in color, usually white, yellow, or red. Chard has highly nutritious leaves making it a popular addition to healthful diets. Chard has been used bt cooks for centuries. Daniel Smith and Holbein watercolors in a Stillman and Birn sketchbook.
Green Papaya
A continuation of fruit and vegetables series completed with a quick proportion pencil sketch and then watercolor with no ink. The papaya, papaw or pawpaw is the fruit of the plant Carica Papaya, and is one of the 22 accepted species in the family. It is native to the tropics of the Americas from southern Mexico and neighboring Central America. It was first cultivated in Mexico several centuries before the emergence of the Mesoamerican classical civilizations. The papaya is a large, tree-like plant, with a single stem growing from 5 to 10 m (16 to 33 ft) tall, with spirally arranged leaves confined to the top of the trunk. The lower trunk is conspicuously scarred where leaves and fruit were borne. The leaves are large, 50–70 cm (20–28 in) in diameter with seven lobes. The fruit appear on the axils of the leaves, maturing into large fruit – 15–45 cm (5.9–17.7 in) long and 10–30 cm (3.9–11.8 in) in diameter. The fruit is a type of berry. It is ripe when it feels soft (as soft as a ripe avocado or a bit softer) and its skin has attained an amber to orange hue. Daniel Smith and Holbein watercolors in a Stillman and Birn sketchbook.
Buddha Hand
A continuation of fruit and vegetables series completed with a quick proportion pencil sketch and then watercolor with no ink. Buddha’s Hand citron, AKA bushukan (Japanese) or fingered citron, produces deep lemon yellow fruits that vary in shape and size. The fruit splits at the opposite end of the tree’s stem forming segments that have a wild finger-like appearance, hence its given name. Its flesh is void of juice, pulp and seeds, rendering it inedible. The culinary virtues lie within its oily rind which is powerfully fragrant and aromatic and utilized for its zesting properties. Buddha’s Hand citron flavor is described as a unique blend of bitter and sweet, similar to kumquats and tangerines, with lavender notes and a bright lemon highlight. Daniel Smith and Holbein watercolors in a Stillman and Birn sketchbook.
Special Birthday
We had a wonderful day today celebrating my wife Lisa’s birthday. This is a watercolor birthday card of the flowers on our table. Pelikan watercolors on a Strathmore watercolor card.
Tomatillo
A continuation of fruit and vegetables series completed with a quick proportion pencil sketch and then watercolor with no ink. Tomatillos are a relative of the tomato and member of the nightshade (Solanaceae) family. Tomatillos provide that tart flavor in a host of Mexican green sauces. In Mexico the fruit is called tomates verdes, tomates de cascara as well as fresadillas. The fruits average about 1 -2″ wide and have a papery outer skin. The tomatillo is actually used when it is still green. Tomatillos have a very tart flavor, not at all like a tomato. Daniel Smith and Holbein watercolors in a Stillman and Birn sketchbook.
A SKETCHBOOK ODYSSEY 