Cabbages and barns

I finally finished this watercolor of a display of mostly cabbages at a local grocery store. I had walked to the store and per usual I had taken my camera along in case I saw something I wanted to photograph. In the store I was struck by the colors of the produce in their display cases so stealthily made some photographs.

This is the first of a pair that I am thinking about doing. There is a bit more color in the second photo. but I thought the greens and simpler shapes of the cabbages would be easier to paint. For something that looks fairly simple it took me way to long to do, and there are still some aspects that probably could have used more work. To be honest I was getting tired of working on it so decided to call it a day. Still I am not dissatisfied with the results, who knew there were so many different greens.

Size is fairly small, 5.5 x 7 inches on Canson 140lb watercolor paper. Painted with a combination of my pan watercolors and ones out of a tube.  I drew the outlines of the various cabbages first, inked those lines in and then added paint. I don't usually use white in my watercolors but for this one I made an exception. I wanted the chalky look that one gets with the Chinese White color.

Above is another of the WetCanvas Pen and Ink forum's month challenge images. I should have spent a bit more time getting the perspective correct when I did the initial pencil sketch. Ah well I promise I will do that on the next building I attempt. The reference photo had a few more items that I left out of the drawing, a truck, some placards leaning against the barn, and a stack of wood. Still shading isn't bad, and I rather like the trees to the right of the barn.

I was at the Library for a bit yesterday and while there did a couple of sketches of other patrons. Done with a Micron pen in my small sketchbook. I didn't spend very long on either of them, but then didn't want my fellow patrons to realize they were being drawn.

I have been spending most of my time this week working on a couple of works I started last year and abandoned. I have been making real progress on one and hope to have it ready for my next blog update. Won't tell you what it is, want it to be a surprise.

On my walk home from the Library I photographed this sky. I love how you can see the clouds and colors through the still bare branches of the trees.

Hope everyone here in the US who went through the time change (Spring forward) last weekend is adjusting to the lost hour. I admit I find it easier to adjust since I don't have to force myself to get up early on a Monday morning.

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