Saturday 21 January 2012

Passion

I'm quite passionate about botanical art. Not only to look at but most of all to draw and paint it. Now I may have written about it before but I suffer from depressions. Botanical art is something that really helps me to stay positive. In the winter months however, it is not so easy to stay so positive anymore. Actually it gets very hard. The passion and the joy to paint is gone and I get a sort of painter's block. On the other hand, I feel even more misserable because I don't paint and draw. And if I do paint, it often turns out to be made for the dustbin. Quite vexing.
So, that is one of the reasons why I haven't painted something for months. Today I finished something though. A watercolour of Passion Fruits. A fun little painting which turned out fine. I first painted the smooth one, then the wrinkled one and finally the opened one with the snotty seeds. That was the hardest part since the colour of the seeds is so strange and it is shiny and semi-transparent, some seeds have a bit of a shape, others are more merged like pulp. It actually resembles a bit a blob of frog spawn.
I painted the fruits first and at the end I enhanced it a bit by using some coloured pencils. Just to make a few shapes pop, add a bit more shade and shape and most of all to accentuate the different textures.

Now let's hope this is the start of a better period and with a lot of pleasure in painting more stuff. Spring is coming... that's always a good time to get inspiration.

8 comments:

Robyn Sinclair said...

Such a magnificent botanical painting. I have never seen seeds painted more beautifully anywhere.
I yearn for Spring too; and to be able to paint like you!

Cathy Holtom said...

This is beautiful with amazing detail!
Stay strong, sketch and plan for the warmer sunnier months and allow yourself to paint just because you enjoy it :)

Jarnie Godwin said...

Your attention to every last detail is exquisite. Spring cannot come soon enough and already the plants in the garden think it's arrived already.

Terri Dauncey said...

Sigrid, thanks for the inspiration! I started botanical illustration classes as a awy to recover from a hiddeous breakdown and severe depression.After a few years I decided to do the SBA diploma course as a means to keep going. I'm not brilliant at the art but with a goal at the end it's kept me going and the challenge has meant a whole new outlook and new friends made on FB through the SBA group and the botanic art groups. Hope to meet up with some of you inspirers in time to say a proper thanks. I love to see your work and applaud your honesty and beautiful paintings. Kepp hanging in there and fighting back. Spring soon!! x

Sigrid Frensen said...

Awww, thanks all. I started botanical art when I was at a very bad period in my life. Finding Botanical Art helped me so much. I know many have been through the same thing and I know many artists suffer from depressions. I guess artists in general have strong emotions and that's what makes us more vulnerable(?). I also think it is so good to speak openly about it. It really helps.
Terri, thanks for your comment. The Facebook group ROCKS ;)

Vicki Lee Johnston said...

Dear Sigrid - how beautiful this painting is - I am quite amazed at how you can come back with this incredibly accurate work after such a difficult period but then again I often wonder if the block is there to make us find even more inspiration in the long run ...

ChampagneMaker said...

BEAUTIFUL work! Thanks for the follower and you've got yourself a new one too :D

AtelierBrigitte said...

Prachtig werk - ik hoop dat dit je weer de kracht geeft om weer 'op te krabbelen'. Heel veel sterkte!