Pelican Post

This sketch is of Eagle Beach in Aruba.  Our cruise ship stopped there one day last December.  It was an odd day, cloudy and a bit rainy to start with, and very humid for us Canadians who were used to a dry cold climate.  We are also not used to rain that is warm and pleasant. It stopped raining, and became hot and beautiful.  There were lots of lizards of many kinds on this island.  The sky remained dramatic and overcast, which was really good for taking photos.  Towards the end of the afternoon on Eagle Beach, the heat and humidity were almost enervating.  The pelicans were resting on these perches in between diving for fish.  The overcast sky showed their distinctive silhouettes with their swooping beaks and awkward wing humps.  They really are unmistakable in profile.  I wanted to capture the beautiful colours of the water and the dramatic sky behind the pelicans.
Watercolor in the Handbook sketchbook (which I really like!).  


Nature’s prime favourites were the Pelicans;
High-fed, long-lived, and sociable and free.
        Montgomery—Pelican Island. Canto V. L. 144.

Pumped up kicks

It was finally warm enough today to wear my new shoes.  And when you have pumped up kicks like these, you have to paint your toenails to match.  Cause that's the way us fashionistas roll!
I thought this was a very cute phrase so I googled it to see where it came from.  There's a catchy song by Foster the People called "Pumped up kicks".  The chorus lyrics are :
All the other kids in their pumped up kicks
Better run, better run, outrun my gun.
Hmm, not really the sentiment that new shoes ought to elicit in my mind.  Further investigation on the inter webs tells me that pumped up kicks are high-priced designer shoes that are often purchased to cause jealousy amongst one's peers.  Greed and jealousy do seem to provoke violence, don't they?  I doubt, however, that these shoes actually count as pumped up kicks according to this definition.   There's probably not a desperate sprint to safety in my near future.  More like a leisurely lounge on the deck or beside the pool at a vacation resort.  Now that nail polish, on the other hand...
Inktense pencils in Moleskine sketchbook

Cherry Blossoms

Last spring, i drew cherry blossoms, but the drawing was careful tight.  This time I wanted to loosen up a bit, and to test the paper in the new Handbook sketchbook.  I began this by wetting the paper and splattering paint from the end of the brush on to the page.  I did it 3 times as the paper dried to try and get some depth of colour.  I let the paint spread and flow as it wanted (that's one of the best things about water colours).  I lightly drew in branches and randomly added darker flowers.  I accentuated with white gel pen and black ink.  It's different from my usual, but it was fun.
Cherry blossoms are truly a sign of spring, before the leaves are even out on the trees.  It brings hope after the long, barren winter.  Surely, the universe is unfolding as it should.