A sketch outing, a sale and a new trio
Posted: June 3, 2024 Filed under: Uncategorized 20 CommentsEvery year around the time of my birthday — which is later this week — my friend Susanne texts me when the poppies have started to open in her garden. I can’t always get there during the blooming season, but when I can, it’s my “official” start of outdoor flower painting season. Her garden is mature and lush, and she’s forever adding new plants, but the area with the poppies, the irises and peonies is my favourite.
Sometimes I paint in gouache but this year I decided on watercolour. It’s always a challenge to get the red/orange just right in full sun. This year I used some bright yellow and brilliant orange with just a touch of vermillion to get the brightest colour, and it still didn’t seem as bright as the real flowers.
I painted the quarter-sheet watercolour (above) but I couldn’t get enough of the those poppies. So before packing up my gear, I pulled out a fountain pen and did another quick drawing in my sketchbook so I could capture both the full flowers and the faintly fuzzy, pale green unopened buds.
And, since it’s my birthday week, I decided to have a 20% OFF sale on all my online courses (only individual courses, not bundles). This sale ends on June 9th at midnight ET. Check out all the courses here and use the promo code HAPPY20 at checkout.
During the same week, I’m also launching a new bundle of courses dedicated to painting flowers. Just Flowers! includes the ever-popular Wet-in-Wet Blooms: An Intro to my Favourite Watercolour Technique; Sketching Fresh Flowers: Late Summer Blooms; and Sketching Spring Flowers: My Favourite Blooms in Watercolour.
Purchased individually, the three courses included in Just Flowers! would cost $105 USD ($141 CDN), but I’m now offering this bouquet for just $79 ($109 CDN).
Happy summer sketching!
Oh, my! Happy 20th birthday, Sheri – I hope it is an awesome one. 🙂
Lynn, I can’t wait for my twenties to begin. So excited to final get here.
Happy birthday! Celebrate all week! It’s a gorgeous month to have a birthday (I do, too). I look forward to your MDI workshop in Oct.
Happy Birthday to you too Elizabeth. See you in Maine!!
happy birthday!
Thanks so much Beth!
Hello Shari…Greetings from Idaho! Love your poppies. They are blooming here too, and now you have inspired me to get out and paint them .
And Happy Birthday! I love it that you celebrate this way.
Hi Connie, Hope all is well in Idaho!! You have to get out to paint the poppies for sure. They won’t last long!
Those poppies are stunning!
Ashley, thank you!!
Happy Birthday, Shari! I think the poppies look beautiful.
Thanks Lois!
Happy Birthday, Shari! Thank you for giving us such a great gift of these lovely poppies!!!
Thanks Joan!!
I always love seeing your posts! I’m doing the same (sketching and painting) from my flowers. I lead (teach?) a small class of friends every Friday morning.
Thanks for having a look Na. I love the idea of doing something weekly like that but I travel too much to keep anything going. Isn’t it wonderful to sketch with friends?
This year, once again, I’ve tried to capture that elusive glow of my poppies but can never get it quite right. Oh well, maybe next year.
A bouquet of wishes for many happy painting hours on your birthday-enjoy!
Denise
Thanks for the birthday wishes Denise! I have no tricks for painting poppies either, except that I’ve found that they need lots of yellow in the mix.
Birthday wishes for you, Shari! My mom and I got to do some blooms in watercolor – lots of inspiration from your paintings and sketches.
Betsy, that’s so nice to hear! And thanks for the birthday wishes!!