trees – Page 3 – Communicating Creatively

Watercolour Sketch a Day – That’s 5 Years!

26/01/2024 by communicatingcreatively, posted in Painting

Today marks 5 years of doing a Watercolour Sketch a Day, every day, straight!

On 26 January 2019, I decided to aim to do a Watercolour Sketch a Day as I wanted to:

Create a daily Art practice
Improve my skills

I remember that after 7 days being happy that I had managed to get that far. Prior to setting my goal of a Watercolour Sketch a Day, I used to do one and then Life would get in the way, and before too long, 2 weeks had gone by. At that rate, it would take me a long time to improve.

Here is Watercolour Sketch a Day #1

It was done on cheap Monte Marte Watercolour paper with Winsor and Newton Cotman Half-Pan Watercolour paint.

About a month after I started, I was about to sign up for 10-week Watercolour course, then the first Covid lockdown hit, and so no course. Instead, I did 120 days straight of YouTube tutorials.

As time went by, gradually I improved however, I also noticed that I would ‘plateau’ and sometimes it seemed that I was going backwards…

Mostly, I endeavour to do the Watercolour Sketch a Day in the early morning before ork although due to various commitments, that is not always possible. The later in the day it gets done, of course the more tired I am so sometimes, the resulting sketch is not as good perhaps as it would have been if I had completed it earlier. Whatever I come up with I post on my Instagram page called ‘Communicating Creatively.’ All 5 years of Watercolour Sketch a Day’s are there.

The latest I have completed was 11.00pm at night.

Also, over time, I changed to using Artist quality Watercolours (Winsor & Newton; Daniel Smith and Schminke), and starting using Artist quality 300gsm/100% Cotton (Saunders Waterford; Winsor & Newton), and Art Spectrum 300gsm/35% Cotton materials.

Here is today’s Watercolour Sketch a Day.

So, where to from here?

I am looking forward to doing Watercolour Sketch a Day, 5 years 1 Day tomorrow. Yes, the journey will continue as I feel I have a long way to go to get to where I want to be as an Artist. I need to get outside my comfort zone more, too.

A few people have asked me, over time, what is the number you are heading for?

My reply is simple, all I am aiming to do is ‘a Watercolour Sketch a Day’ to practice and improve my skills. I just happened to have done that every day, for 5 years straight.

Happy painting!

Till next time!

Written by David Johnson

26 January 2024

https://www.instagram.com/communicatingcreatively/

Things That Attract My Eye Part 7

28/11/202328/11/2023 by communicatingcreatively, posted in Photography

I’ve often said that walking is a great way to clear the mind, do some exercise and I always come up with a few ideas, whether they be for our business, a poem, a painting, sketch etc.

It’s also a way to sharpen our senses and awareness. There is so much beauty around is, natural or man-made, and on my walks, I love to capture this. Here are some more examples of ‘things that attract my eye.’

Till next time! 🙂

Written by David Johnson

28 November 2023

Feeling At Ease

19/11/202319/11/2023 by communicatingcreatively, posted in Poetry

The Stories These Trees Could Tell…

29/10/2023 by communicatingcreatively, posted in Photography

One of my favourite subjects to photograph is Tree Bark. Early morning and late afternoon are my favourite times to do this. It is at those times when the beauty, texture and colour really comes to life.

I hope you enjoy these images.

Till next time! 🙂

Written by David Johnson

29 October 2023

Gentle Rays Fall

28/10/202328/10/2023 by communicatingcreatively, posted in Poetry

Raindrops Of Colour

15/10/2023 by communicatingcreatively, posted in Haiku Poetry

Contre Jour – Leaves

02/10/2023 by communicatingcreatively, posted in Photography

We are very fortunate that we live close to a really relaxing place to walk. Fortunately, we are higher up away from a river that has been known to flood over the years, and in particular, the last 2-3 years.

Normally, it is a wondrous place to walk…so relaxing and because light is what it is, you get to see different subjects lit differently even if you walk at the same time each day.

One of the things I really like to watch out for is ‘Contre jour’ or ‘against the light.’ In particular, trees, shrubs and of of course leaves really come to life with this type of lighting. Here are a few recent images I took. Hope you enjoy them.

Till next time!

Written by David Johnson

2 October 2023

Late Afternoon Walk

26/09/202324/09/2023 by communicatingcreatively, posted in Photography

Last Sunday, late in the afternoon I had just finished off an A4 Watercolour when I looked out the window and saw the beautiful Spring light. It was too much of a temptation and I knew I had to get out there and go for a walk.

I finished up walking 3.3 km (2 miles) down at the Camden Bike Track which runs along a major river in the Sydney Basin. The track is about two minutes walk from where live which is great.

Here are some images I shot on my walk with a phone camera. Such a relaxing walk to cap off my Sunday.

Written by David Johnson

26 September 2023

Things That Attract My Eye – Part 6

23/08/2023 by communicatingcreatively, posted in Photography

Welcome to the 6th post of ‘Things That Attract My Eye.

Half of the images were taken near or not far from home and the others on short drives. Once again, they all taken on a phone camera and at all different times of the day. It pays to look up, to down and most importantly you need to be ‘present’…to take in the beauty (either man-made or natural) that is all around us.