Field Notes: February

The Weather

February was full of white fluffy snow.

During this month a common theme kept popping up - botanical leafy forms.

Results

Measurements – 5.75”x7.5” when folded and 7.5”h x 89.5” when opened.

Step 1 I added washes of watercolor that depicted snow. So, I painted a lot of light values of blue grays throughout, which set the tone of the sketchbook.

Step 2 I glued collage pieces on top of watercolor washes (opposite of what I did in January) randomly on each page. I learned that you can collage paper towels and cheesecloth. And, you can use watercolor paint on them for unique results.

Step 3 I started the fun mark-making process. I used charcoal, graphite, china pencil, and watersoluble pencils in this stage. I limited myself to just black marks and then would reassess. I learned that this was my favorite step of placing marks and drawing shapes over the collaged areas. I was captivated by the deconstruction of the piece, covering over the other visual lines. There is something happening for me here. It’s messy and I love it.

Final Step I assessed the work again and decided to add some punch of color. So you’ll see, in the photos above, I added in pinks and red oil pastel marks for contrast. I redefined some of the blue marks, making them less subtle.

Final Step (part 2) I realized that I left out a very important part of the sketchbook — the backside. So, I decided to draw the landscape that I saw everyday. The first tile in the second row above shows a portion of the drawing. I drew the stark wintry brook that borders my property and gives me much solace through the seasons.

For such a soft grey month, this piece really began to sing for me…Next up, March!