Lino’s lilacs and a few tips to help you get started
Posted: May 26, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized 18 CommentsI don’t have a lilac bush (yet) in my garden but my neighbour does. I think this is the perfect week for lilac blooms, so I asked permission to cut a few stalks so that I could sketch them. But I hadn’t sketched in over a week, and it’s always hard to get started after a break. Here are a few tips that help me when I am feeling a bit rusty. Maybe these can help you too.
1: I clean my workspace. If the surface of my drawing table is clean then my head is clear too and I’m ready for a fresh start.
2: My palettes are freshly filled and the mixing wells are clean AND my brushes are clean and organized. I try to do that when I finish a painting session so that I’m ready for the next time.
3: I have pre-cut sheets of paper. Since I buy full sheets of watercolour paper but work on 1/2 or 1/4 sheets, it really helps to have a pile of paper that I can just grab when I am ready to paint. I spent several hours on a recent rainy weekend cutting up paper. I had full sheets of Arches Rough and CP, Fabriano, Strathmore Gemini and Saunders Waterford in a drawer but now they are all cut, stacked and labelled in my print drawers. Ready for studio or outdoor work.
4: I set time aside at the beginning of the day. If I don’t do that, other chores take over. But if I plan on one hour that is just for me, I can usually get something done. And I have to admit that if I get an hour of painting in first, the chores that I do have to do (like weeding my garden) are so much less onerous.
Anyway, I hope you get a bit of time to paint today too! I’m off to weed now!!
As always, your flowers bring a smile and happiness – process, picture, thoughts!
Naomi, thank YOU, as always.
Ditto to the above. Love how light and airy these feel. I can almost smell them.
Great tips! Just what I needed today.
Alison, I hope you got to sketch today too!!
There’s something so special about capturing the beauty of nature through art, especially with water-colours—the way they flow and blend can really bring flowers like lilacs to life. Shari, you have a keen eye for detail and colour. You are welcome to use my garden to inspire you to paint.
Lino, thank you. These are particularly beautiful lilacs. The blooms are huge and the scent is amazing. I’m so glad I asked if I could cut a few!!
This is a lovely and free representation of lilac boughs.
Thanks so much Laura Kate!
Those lilacs are beautiful of course. I find sketching in the morning with my coffee gets me in the right frame of mind. Then generally, I just try to ignore my chores! LOL!!!!
Maureen, I do a lot of that too!! Ignoring my chores, that is! But I did manage to get some weeding and planting in before the rain this afternoon. Hope you had a productive day too.
One of the things I miss about living in WI…the lilacs! Such a beautiful painting!!!
I would miss these too, if I lived somewhere else. I need to find out exactly what these are called. The blooms are huge and they are SO fragrant!
Thank you so much for your inspirational tips. Your lilac painting is beautiful.
Thanks so much Ida!
These tips are very helpful, Shari. Keeping the workspace tidy takes intention. You did a great job on the lilacs!
What a treat-this is a beautiful rendition of my favorite flower (and favorite color)!
Your helpful hints are also a treat.
Such a beautiful painting!
Lilacs have such a calming presence — what a lovely gesture to borrow a few blooms from your neighbor!