Sunday, August 16, 2015


 watercolors on arches text wove, 5" x 6"

i decided to practice painting roses realistically before proceeding with painting them loosely.  i wonder if you can paint flowers - or anything - loosely without understanding its basic form?   i think you have to know what something really *looks* like before you can paint it realistically or loosely. 

what do you think?

 ink and watercolors in pocket moleskine sketchbook

in my 'daily book' i've done a lot of ink and watercolor paintings.

  ink and watercolors in pocket moleskine sketchbook

this is j. herbin's 'lie de thé' ink.  because it's not waterproof it bleeds into the watercolors beautifully.

  ink and watercolors in pocket moleskine sketchbook

a couple of days ago i looked back at these pages and thought about how much even a tiny bit tells about a particular day.  it's easy to think that you have to make each page complex - or at least something that takes more than a few minutes.   but no...

    ink, pencil, and watercolors in pocket moleskine sketchbook

woodpecker feather ~  pencil and watercolors in pocket moleskine sketchbook

i used paynes grey and van dyke brown for these feathers.  i love them together.

  ink and watercolors in arches text wove book

the other book that i've been painting in is one that i made with arches text wove.  it's a beautiful 100% cotton paper that's widely available in sheets.  it's quite thin, but hardy.  nothing bleeds through, but you can see dark images faintly on the back side of the page.  watercolors and ink are a dream on it. calligraphers use it a lot.

 ink and watercolors in arches text wove book

i (mostly) made the book for drawing faces with ink that's leftover in the dip pen when i'm done drawing/writing.  i draw as much of the face as i can before i run out of ink.  but!  i can see that i'm gonna be using it for other things, too.  it's sweeeet paper.
 
 pencil and watercolors in arches text wove book

this is a poor pic, but pencil is nice on it too.


to make the book i followed a link on seth's blog to jose naranja's post about bookbinding.  he takes the paper out of pocket moleskines and puts good paper back inside the cover.  i took the text block/paper out of an unfinished pocket 'handbook' that i had.  it isn't perfect, but it turned out pretty good!  i wouldn't buy a new book just for the cover, but, the 'handbook' was languishing in the closet...


when it hasn't been hot, i've been out walking.  that's the badass paint set sitting on a rock, waiting for me to finish taking pictures.


a new butterfly for me - it looks kind of like a yellow swallowtail, but it's not. 

instagram...  thanks to the help of lisa graham and kathy dorfer, i've been posting pictures there.  i haven't *totally* figured it out, but sort of.  i'm thinking about doing it instead of blogging.  or not.  i haven't decided.  i don't think i'll do both.

anyway, i'm lynne.hoppe if you're there!

* * *

“Occasionally, in times of worry, I’ve longed to be stylish, but on second thought I say no—just let me be myself—and express rough, yet true things with rough workmanship.” 

~Vincent van Gogh in a letter to Theo, March 11, 1882
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26 comments:

  1. AnonymousAugust 16, 2015 at 6:34 PM

    I liked the sketchbook bit about the pond and finding the feather, it sounds lovely. and those pages looks really nice together. that's a great van Gogh line, too.

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  2. Tammie LeeAugust 17, 2015 at 1:55 AM

    such a lovely butterfly, i don't think that i have seen it either
    love your feathers and rose - such a sweet feeling to them all
    it has been quite smoky here, hard to think of walking in that air
    sweet week to you

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    Replies
    1. Tammie LeeAugust 17, 2015 at 1:58 AM

      ps i don't spend much time on instagram,
      it seems like mostly a cell phone thing... maybe i am wrong, but i am not into cell phones

      Delete
  3. Paper rainbowAugust 17, 2015 at 4:12 AM

    Your flower is so beautiful, your delicate style of painting suits flower painting perfectly, I would love to go painting with you!

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  4. Jeannie HuntAugust 17, 2015 at 6:16 AM

    Thanks for this post. I also love Arches text wove. Paint glides beautifully. This paper is similar in weight to a 90 lb watercolor. and it folds easily in both directions, so it works well in book forms made from a single sheet (Paul Johnson style origami booklets, and map books etc).

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    Replies
    1. lynne hAugust 17, 2015 at 10:11 AM

      hi jeannie...

      yes, paint glides beautifully! and also yes that it would be good for origami booklets. it's the most versatile paper i've found so far, but i have a couple of other cotton book papers that i wanna try.

      thanks for leaving your words... : )

      xoxo

      Delete
  5. Sharon TomlinsonAugust 17, 2015 at 6:37 AM

    Just sayin, no matter how infrequent, I do enjoy your blog post. I enjoy IG too and will look for you there. Thank you for always sharing the cool stuff.

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  6. Judy---August 17, 2015 at 7:41 AM

    i am so here.

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  7. Lisa Graham August 17, 2015 at 8:19 AM

    I wrote a lengthy comment, but I guess it didn't take because I wasn't signed into Blogger. Well drat.

    What I said was that your tiny portrait has my heart today...and your beautiful feathers are so perfectly and delicately painted! I want to paint feathers now.

    This is such a great post and if you stopped posting on your blog you would be missed...but we probably all understand if you do. I have been trying to decide the same thing. Sometimes I don't want to write posts...but sometimes I have more to say and I want to hear what other's have to say too. Hard decision in this over-socialized-age we live in. There IS such a thing as over-socialization....that I am sure of. At least for us quiet types.

    I sure do love this post.

    xoxo

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  8. SusieAugust 17, 2015 at 9:23 AM

    As always Lynne, I'm inspired by your wee and beautiful sketches and paintings. That rose is lovely. I believe with all my heart that you have the ability of capturing the secret soul of what is real in all of work. I'm also swooning over the feathers and adore all the faces and wee folk scattered in your journals. I had to smile when you mentioned removing paper from a journal and replacing it. I have so done that with a moleskine, the paper was just too thin and I removed the paper and replaced it with what I wanted to use in it. I will follow you where ever you end up. I love looking through other Instagrams, I've never gotten into the habit of posting to mine. I love what I see and wish I had the patience to keep mine alive.

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  9. UnknownAugust 17, 2015 at 9:49 AM

    Love love love your paintings Lynne - absolutely drawn to your soft, delicate touch - love the feminine and mysterious quality of your work!

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    Replies
    1. lynne hAugust 17, 2015 at 10:13 AM

      thank you, leslie... i never feel like i'm painting softly or delicately, but it seems to turn out that way. : )

      xoxo

      Delete
    2. JanineAugust 17, 2015 at 2:13 PM

      I love the rose, how it came out! I tend to overwork mine...have to keep trying! You make me love watercolor! Love all the pics! I of course have to go back and go over it all again! Thanks for the inspiration!

      Delete
  10. Annie CoeAugust 17, 2015 at 12:16 PM

    Lynn, I would miss you so, I can't Instagram, I don't have the phone for it and really don't even know anything about it, so can't follow you there.
    I love all your work here and the book is lovely. I have never tried painting flowers from real life, I always know I can't improve on the real deal, so I prefer painting made up flowers, when I paint flowers at all. I do think you are right though, best to practice your craft then you can paint anything. xoxo

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  11. BevAugust 17, 2015 at 6:12 PM

    Oh you have been having fun ...I agree about the flowers it's the old ,you need to know the rules before you can break them eh....that paper sounds yummy...love how you captured the feather too...re Instagram I'm there to but don't find it easy ,I usually go there work it out to some extent then leave and forget about it and when I return I have to start all over again...I think I have you there but will check...I've left the flowers and moved to charcoal lol art is like a buffet to me and I love that I can chop and change ...big hug xxxx

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  12. UnknownAugust 17, 2015 at 7:14 PM

    Hello Lynne, as always your paintings are beautiful, and yes they do look deliacte. Marg oxox

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  13. kathydAugust 17, 2015 at 8:23 PM

    I love the drawings & paintings but the feathers sing to me !
    Instagram is a easy way for me to post photos and not have to
    Make a comment. I find it to be less invasive. Also I can keep in
    Contact with you ( :
    xxoo

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  14. DonnaAugust 17, 2015 at 8:55 PM

    Just wanted to say I love reading your posts, Lynne. Your intuitive observations about your art and tools make me want to learn to paint. It's unlikely I'll take it up (at least at this time in my life) but I savor all of your amazing works. Thanks for sharing them.

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    Replies
    1. lynne hAugust 18, 2015 at 11:43 AM

      (i sent this to your email addy, but it came back!)

      oh thank you, donna... yours is the most lovely comment. to know that
      you appreciate the posts means a lot to me. i'm usually not sure if what i
      say/show is useful or not!

      re: painting, you could always get a small watercolor set and a little
      book, and paint a tiny bit once you've put your quilting away. ; )

      xoxo

      lynne

      Delete
  15. Julie PrichardAugust 17, 2015 at 9:41 PM

    Oh hi!

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  16. ZenDotStudioAugust 18, 2015 at 9:54 PM

    I am smitten by the feathers, especially the hawk feather, something so delicate and touching about it. Always such fun to see your art meanderings. It's like your walks, you go so many places. And I love that I get to tag along. I'm like Annie, completely uninstagrammed. I have a flip phone that my daughter tells me is called a "burner" because it's used by certain people in certain transactions :). Mostly it's turned off so it doesn't bother the homeopathic remedies I carry around in my bag. I am in danger of being left behind in the dust of those more technically inclined than me :)

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  17. Sue Marrazzo Fine ArtAugust 23, 2015 at 1:34 AM

    AWESOME!

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  18. Caterina GiglioAugust 23, 2015 at 9:26 AM

    love, love love .... everything... you always make me smile.. : D xoxo

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  19. Sharmon DavidsonAugust 24, 2015 at 1:29 PM

    Lynne, I agree that you have to know what something really looks like to paint it loosely. As always, I love seeing all your paintings and sketches - you inspire me to play! Like Carole, i don't instagram. I feel like there's only so much technology knowledge my head can hold, and it's getting full! xox

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  20. safdarJune 6, 2019 at 1:39 AM

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