I’m so sick of being cold. Ya, really over this winter thing. I live in the West Coast of Canada and winter is kind of a hardship here. We just don’t have the resources, let alone the mittens, to handle cold weather! I want Spring. Right now. I demand it. So, I decided to draw it instead. Yep. Thinking warm. Thinking pretty flowers, sunshine and warmer weather. Daffodils, tulips, cherry blossom trees. WARMTH.
I don’t mind rain. Go for it, I’ll live with the bad hair day, I’m good with that.
Just. Warm. Up.
Ok, I’ve had my little rant. Let’s pretend we’re digging in the garden this next weekend and planting the seedlings we bought. Ooh, we could make some lemonade, grab a good book and go sit out on the patio. How about a walk on the beach or a Starbucks coffee break with your bestie? Don’t forget to have an oat bar with your café mocha!
Speaking of coffee, and who doesn’t want to always be thinking of coffee, right? The new Cappuccino Book by Hahnemuhle is the paper I used to draw this Spring bouquet. If you’ve been reading me for a while you’ll know that I love their Greybook(review here). The Cappuccino Book is their tan version. I didn’t think I COULD love toned paper more than the Greybook. But wow. I’m in love with the shade of this paper! Usually, I’m all about the grey toned paper. When I did tests of all the toned paper selections I could get my hands on a few years ago, it was the grey paper of any brand that caught my eye. Hahnemühle’s Greybook won out because of its smoothness.
The Cappuccino is, in my opinion, even prettier and just as wonderful. It comes in a woodgrain-like hardcover A4 or A5 portrait size. There are 80 pages of smooth 120gsm light tan paper. The paper is made for dry media, not for watercolor (although my friend Sandra did make it work). She proved that you can use watercolor on this paper, read her review here.
I draw in the Cappuccino and use white gel pens and colored pencils to add dimension. I love the meditative feeling of the pen over the smooth paper. The Zebra fine liner technical pens I used did a spectacular job on this paper. I’m liking them for their finesse better than the microns. I found it easier to vary the line with just a little less pressure. The line was also more consistent than I’ve found when using the same delicate technique than any other fine liner.
Here’s the finished work.
Or is it finished? I haven’t decided. There was originally a plan for this drawing. I wanted to use white as the highlight and add a little yellow in the daffodils and red for the tulips. Just a hint to suggest their color, letting the tan paper do the rest. Much like a sepia photo portrait that has the lips and blush added in with a wisp of color. Now I’ve fallen in love with it plain, without highlights. That speaks volumes about the tone of this gorgeous paper. I guess it’s good that I’ve already planned another outing with my Cappuccino and Zebra pens. The artist, always quixotic.
One last tip. I came across a new kind of white ink pen, the Kuretake Zig Cartoonist Brush Pen in white. It looked so exciting with it’s brush nib but I was a little chagrined because of the price, so decided to make my own. I have some white ink and I put some into an empty water brush. Tada! My own white ink brush pen that works great! Much cheaper too, since I get a lot more ink in a bottle than I would in a pen.
Let’s pretend to be warm together. Maybe mother nature will take pity on us. Ok, off to make a coffee and climb in. Brrrr!
Carol Boss
I”m with you. Visualizing the beauty of all the spring flowers and warm sunshine surrounding me.
Tracy
Snow is in our forecast from tonight through the weekend.
Whaaaaaaaat?!
I vote for a blush of color on the flowers!
Sal Scheibe
So gorgeous! I think they look beautiful exactly as they are too! And for sure I am with you on the spring wish. I’m so sick of the cold and the snow. I can’t wait to get into the garden.
Jennifer Rose
Great line work on the flowers 😀
thankfully starting to get more spring like here 🙂
Jean Marmo
Oh if only spring would come. Temps are bitterly cold in Michigan and it is snowing – again! Don’t think it is ever going to end!
This is lovely!!
Laura
This is so beautiful! Thank you for sharing a breath of spring with a winter weary Midwesterner.
Sarah Ochoa
Lovely flowers! I live in western WA, and it has been so cold here, too! We’ve finally had some sun, so it’s been nice sitting in a sunny window, but it’s still pretty frigid outside. Can’t wait for spring (and I’m kind of looking forward to summer, too).
Alice
This is gorgeous, jennifer. You art amazes me.
Brenda Abbott
Spring, please hurry! Finished or not…… it is still gorgeous!
Jenny
awww jenn, hang in there my friend. where i live, march and april typically bring the most snow so i’m not getting my hopes up. your idea to bring spring into your art is a great idea!! another great idea is adding white ink to a water brush!! doing that! you really like the zebra fineliner pens? i added them from your link to my list on amazon-may need to get a set for a friend. off to check sandra’s review. your flowers are luscious! a hint of color would be lovely as well. tfs your ideas and inspiration. ❤ 🌻 🌼 🌹 🌸 🌷🌞🌞🌞
Susan
Oh, that is just gorgeous! Love your sketch on the cappuccino paper! I can’t drink it, so maybe I’ll draw on it instead! lol….Yes, I’m all over the cold, the snow and all the ice (I fell 3 weeks ago and hurt my just-healed knee. grrrrr but getting better tg) and our forecast this weekend is for daytime temps above freezing! Yes! C’mon spring!!