Lime tree in pastel experiment

The Great Lime Tree pastel painting experiment commences.

I thought for Jenn's Artist Playroom challenge #30 - Botanical, I would paint my lime tree.

Great idea.  

Its accessable (on my patio), there is great light today, and I have about an hour or so before life calls me back to the mundane (grocery shopping or the troops WILL revolt!)

I did a quick pencil sketch to get my hand in. O.K. so far

Then I started.

hmmm I only have Monte Marte pastel paper left, but decide to give it a go.

Bad idea.  I hate it. It's too textured, and it has no substance to it.  I choose green ( thinking it would be a good idea) and discover I dislike working over the green tint.

But I persevere... Here's what it looks like at the end of stage 1:

Yucko... the soft blue for the sky turns a puce shade no matter what I try

and the green for the grass is vile.

So - when in doubt (and desperation) Attack!

I paint it with rubbing alcohol, add more pastel, and dubious quantities of spray fixative...

end of stage 2 it looks like this:

at end of stage 2 of the experiment

 

I am a little more happy with it... but not entirely.  So onto stage 3...

My plans for the next stage: overnight under some heavy books to get the crinkle out of the paper,

then maybe some gesso, or acryllic paint, adding some collage elements?  I'll have to mount it onto some heavier stock paper before proceeding anyway...

Heaven only knows... but it can't get any worse!

I have decided a couple of things...

1. Don't skimp on good paper - it's just NOT worth it! :-)

2. if something seems to fail - 

learn as much from the process as possible... what happens if I...??? You've got nothing to loose at this point so make the most of it!

Secondly:  I will make my best effort to participate in...Blogtoberfest!

As it is a countdown now to my 2nd Blogiversary, I have been wondering - so what do I do?

There seems to be many options out there in blogsville

But I need it simple, easy, and concise!

So - joining a month long blog celebration seemed appropriate! 

The first post by Kat @ I Saw You Dancing, included a list of suggestions for setting an intention for the month, such as:

I want to try and blog every day for 31 days.
I want to check out new blogs and meet like minded souls.
I have this creative project and I want to use this as an opportunity to stay accountable, get some feedback and get it finished!
I have no fixed plan, I'm just looking forward to seeing what happens. I'm open to surprises!

Can I set my intention as, "All of the above" ???
haha - but I don't really want to blog every day... so this will require some thinking!

I was  much happier with these recent efforts, look at them, please, rather than this woeful lime tree!

watercolour illustration...

 

watercolour and pen sketch...

Linking to:   artist playroom
Love your comments! :-)