Watercolor Still Life and stuff

Above is my watercolor version of a Wetcanvas Pen and Ink Forum Feb. challenge photograph. My last update included by quick pen and ink version. I am pretty happy with this watercolor version, esp the onions on the left.

Done entirely with Winsor Newton watercolors, no pencil, no pen and ink, well except for the signature. The actual painted area isn't that large, only about 6.5 x 5.5. Painted on cold press 120lb Canson watercolor paper. This is new territory for me, and one I am not entirely comfortable with but feel it is a good move. There are going to be more watercolor paintings in my future.

Since valentines day is only a week away I thought it might be fun to make a bookmark with hearts. So far this is what I have accomplished, pen and ink with colored pencil. I used a variety of pencil manufactures and several different reds and pinks.

Background is ink circles, it is faster to do then stipple but gives me a grayed surface which I sometimes want. Over that I added some white colored pencil to add some texture. I don't feel quite done with hearts just yet, something is sitting just out of sight, so will have to play around with this theme again.

Above is another of the Feb. Wetcanvas challenge photographs done in pen and ink, just a quick sketch of this Bird of Paradise flower with a tree in the background. I see lots of errors as I didn't draw it in pencil first just went for the ink. Done with the 00 Technical pen in a sketchbook.

I love Bird of Paradise flowers, when I was in High School I had a friend whose family actually had a potted Bird of Paradise that would bloom for them in the middle of winter. For years I wanted a plant of my own, but was never able to get any of the seeds I could get my hands on to grow. I should mention that we were living in CT. no where near the the tropical environment that is the native home of these flowers/plants.

This photograph is from the other day, as I was on my way home I saw this little bird sitting in the bushes outside a neighbors house, not sure of the species, but I was surprised to see it out and about in the falling snow. It's feathers were all fluffed to help keep it warm, even though the day wasn't that cold.

That is it for today, per usual comments are welcome.