Sunday, October 25, 2009

Out of the Woods

Today I was with a sick family member at the doctor (nothing too serious, thank goodness). We ended up together in a tiny nondescript examining room. Then the nurse closed the curtain and, lo and behold, the curtain was covered floor-to-ceiling by a photograph of flowers and woods! What could I do but pull out my Moleskine?

Certain phrases come to mind:

"Close the curtain so I can see the view!" is one.

"You aren't out of the woods yet," is another.

"The curtain was drawn," is a third, and probably the most appropriate.

I had about twenty minutes to sketch, and then I colored the scene this evening. With such a heavy emphasis on the pen, this drawing has a very different feel from the airy woods of my last post, don't you think? It's so interesting how much variety can be achieved using this medium. I never know what the next day will bring.

"Tomorrow to fresh woods, and pastures new," John Milton once said.

I expect his phrase is the best.

20 comments:

  1. Beautiful, beautiful "capture," Dan, and the quote is inspiring on so many levels!!

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  2. I agree, two very different looks from this post and the last. But they're both successful in their own way, doncha think?

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  3. I love the thoughts you came up with for the curtain. Yes, they do have totally different personalities partly from the pen you used but also this one has no sky so it's just a denser picture. I like them both. You are learning a lot.

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  4. Great story to go with your lovely sketch.

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  5. Dan, you always surprise. Don't know how you managed not to become lost in the woods when you pulled it out to paint it, but my goodness, you even managed sky-holes and overlapping foliage.
    Depth, texture, color, interest, composition - wow.
    And thank you for your comment - I spent a lovely morning visiting deKooning's works...and chuckling inside.
    wishing you and yours health

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  6. Wonderful pen-ink painting and so different from your last one. Love them both.

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  7. Wonderfully inspiring and beautifully executed!

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  8. wonderful ink and wash painting!

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  9. I love the feel of these woods! Smart designers for this doctor's office.

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  10. Lovely sketch and what a place to find inspiration.

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  11. Amazing piece, Dan! You've achieved a wonderful variety in greens here, which is difficult to do in my opinion.

    I didn't personally get to draw all weekend. My six year old niece is a bundle of energy! I do appreciate you commenting on her work. I can't tell you how excited she was when she saw it! She's gone home now and I think I've convinced her parents that it would be good for her to start her own blog. She wants to be an author/illustrator when she grows up! Thanks again!

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  12. I love it Dan! There's an immediacy and energy to it that is very different from your previous watercolor. Must be the pen. ;-) Though I suppose knowing that you didn't have much time to draw this also helped!

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  13. "The curtain is drawn." !!! I Love it!

    Love the drawing too. Just delightful to see. Love the linework and the splotches of color as well!! Good for the doctor to think of brightening up his hum-drum exam room. And good for you for not just painting it, but for thinking up witty titles for it as well. No matter how grouchy I feels sometimes, your comments are always such an uplifting things to read!

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  14. Well themed! It's got this "Dan Kent" signature all over, but yet it looks very busy and exciting at the same time. :) You're definitely in a green-mix this time, and the result is tremendous!
    Thanks for the birthday wish Dan, and yes I used markers in my cake drawing. I always mix my tools around, because I only have 12 colors for my water color pencil, and I needed something else to scream vibrant...so I thought the markers would help ^^ like they always do. Glad that you like it too

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  15. Indeed, how could you not paint what is in front of you? I applaud the doctor's office for being so creative! Nice quotes to go with your entertaining story too!

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  16. Well done, Dan. You really nailed down the various greens of the canopy without making it a muddy mess (which i tend to do).

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  17. Thank you all very much for your comments - glad you liked it!

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  18. Terrific drawing! I am so inspired by the way you don't miss any opportunity to draw. The landscape below is lovely too.

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  19. Very very nice. I love all the pen details--so uniform throughout to really convey the feeling of the scene.

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