Something new

I have always wanted to have a go at painting, but I simply can't draw, so I have never really got any further than wanting to have a go. Last week I spent some time with Emma, who CAN paint, I got a few pointers from her. She showed me how to sketch flowers (mainly from pictures that were hanging in the chalet, table mats etc) I found it helpful to have something in front of me to refer to. Flowers seem to be the perfect starting point, small, intricate, colourful and not too much to mess up! So I am sharing a couple of my first attempts.

The flowers above are my very first attempts, I was able to copy some flowers from a book I found at a boot sale, I also found a fantastic brand new set of Daler Rowney paints at a boot sale as well. It gave me a chance to play around with shading and brush techniques (Not that I have any proficiency in either at this stage!!)

When I was much younger I used to collect wild flowers, press them between big books and then display them in a scrapbook. I amazed myself with how much I could remember about them (One of the symptoms of getting older, can remember 35 years ago, but not yesterday!!!) From way back then I had a passion for a plant called 'White Bryony' a member of the deadly nightshade and potato family. So I made my second picture a study of a white Bryony. So I am no where near accomplished but I am pleased with my first attempts, something to build on.