Our prompt this week at Scibble Picnic is "lantern" and I'm sure when you see or hear the word "lantern" your first thought would conjure a lantern that might look like this (although I think you might say this is an oil lamp not an oil lantern). Anyhoo, after I took this picture I had a decidedly different idea for where I wanted to go with the theme this week.
Botanically.
It's been very cold for March here and all weekend long the weather prognosticators were warning of a possible March blizzard this week. Some of our spring plants were teased into blooming the last two weeks with the mild temps we'd been having. I felt sorry for them. HWNSNBP had just started some seeds and there were still seed catalogs laying about which sparked the thought of a Chinese Lantern plan. I believe that my grandfather had one of these plants growing in his garden outside our childhood home. They always fascinated me.
I used a combination of some watercolor pencils and Koi watercolors for these. I've been using a sketchbook with 65 lb. paper and I'm finding that it's buckling a lot with watercoloring. And it looks as though there's some kind of watermark in the paper also - or it's just poor quality. In any case, I think I'm going to have to scare up either a watercolor sketch or mixed media in the future.
Looking at reference photos on line, sometimes the pods appeared to have concave segments and other times they appeared convex. This leads me to believe that when the pods first appear they are very full and then, as they dry out, they become more concave. Eventually the pods will skeletonize and the red fruit inside them will be visible.
I kind of wish now that I had thought about this before HWNSNBP put in his seed order. Maybe next year. Until then, as the blizzard bombed out leaving us with only 6 3/4" of heavy snow, I got to enjoy the sunlight illuminating the orchids this morning on our second snow day. We didn't have school yesterday as "Stella" promised to drop 18-24" on us. Today, because the storm ended late in the afternoon, side roads and sidewalks needed to be attended to so they cancelled school again.
I purposely kept myself from looking at the other lanterns before I posted mine this time, so I'd better head over there and start making my visits. You can check it out too by clicking here.
I adore your Chinese Lantern sketch, Lorraine! They make me think of gooseberries which have a similar shape of pod/shell...different colour though. I googled it to see if we had them here in Australia and, apparently, Chinese Lantern plants have deep root systems, spread like wildfire and take over gardens...some people view them as a pest. They look so beautiful though.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous orchids!
Thank you Serena. And thanks for the info on the plants. We already have something taking over our garden and I don't need something else, even if they are pretty.
DeleteBoth lovely photos and your illustrations....Wow, nice colors. Like them both.
ReplyDeleteI like your lantern plants, good idea. reminds of me summer days.
ReplyDeletehave a lovely day.
Thank you lissa. I hope you have a lovely day too.
DeleteLorraine, what a lovely lamp lantern photo you show here and I so love your Chinese Lantern Plant. What a great idea. Love that uniqu interpretation and its colour, as well as learning about it. Excellent. Thank you so much and very glad you were able to join our picnic this week. :)
ReplyDeleteFunyn how you have all that snow whereas here it was so warm, I actually broke out the shorts...which I rarely ever do! It is going to be 79F tomorrow, apparently! Really nice right now as still not too hot. But good luck to you over there. Stay warm and cosy!
OK, what does HWNSNBP stand for btw?
Glad you like it Michael. Enjoy that warm weather. HWNSNBP stands for He Whose Name Shall Not Be Published - my husband. Although there have been a couple times when I've slipped up, my husband asked that I not refer to him by name on my blog. His given name is not a common name and not what he goes by and depending on where someone knows him from, he is called by different nicknames. We met in high school and I call him by the name he was known by then. His work associates knew him by something different. In fact, this is why he is assigned the task of signing our Christmas cards - so he can sign the name the person knows him by.
DeleteI love your botanical take on this theme, the Chinese lantern is such a beautiful plant and you have captured the wonderful curves, colour and movement in your painting!
ReplyDeleteThanks Christine. I had fun with this one.
DeleteYour lanterns are lovely.
ReplyDeleteI like 140lb. paper or even thicker sometimes. The paper doesn't buckle as much, and the paint works better on it.
Thanks for the info Tammie. I'm going to have to look for that this weekend I think. Have a great one.
DeleteLove the Chinese lantern plant and your art is lovely - interesting as to how they change with age, kinda like us I guess, haha!
ReplyDeleteMary -
Mary, I thought the same thing. They do look rather pretty skeletonized.
DeleteThese are lovely and resemble a Chinese lantern of sorts. Brilliant idea. and your orchids are BEAUTIFUL!! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Alexandra. I think I got lucky with the orchids in finding a place in the house where they are happy. It's an east-facing window with only a valance and with the trees outside the sun is filtered during the summer. It always amazes me how long they bloom - Feb. to about Sept. and I'm always pleasantly surprised when they send up new flower shoots.
DeleteLorraine,
ReplyDeleteMy aunt had Chinese Lanterns at her cottage which became her home. She would give them to us in the fall and we would use them as centrepieces. Dried out they are quite beautiful as well.
I use 140 lb with the watercolour but use 98 lb when using watercolour pencils. You did very well with that paper and your picture is lovely.
We winter in Arizona and it will be 95 here today. Too hot for me to play pickle ball unless I go early.
Blessings
Janis
Janis, that's a little too warm for me too, but I'm yearning for the spring weather so I can get out and walk. Thanks for the info on the paper - I will be doing some shopping around this weekend. Enjoy these last days of winter.
DeleteLorraine, how beautiful!! They are a plant I have always loved. I've grown them a couple of times and yes, they can be somewhat invasive but a bit of diligent pulling up shoots keeps them in check. And they make beautiful house décor.
ReplyDeletehehehe... it's funny you said that about NOT looking at other ppl's versions of any prompt or challenge before you begin! love, love, LOVE your lanterns, beeeeautifully rendered, missus!
ReplyDelete(i like canson's 7x10" spiral bound books, bought with a coupon at michaels; i typically buy mixed media, which does well for a bit of watercolor, though it will warp if you go VERY wet. the watercolor one is also good. i slightly prefer strathmore's watercolor paper, but their only non-giant spiral watercolor books are 6x9 which is kind of a weird proportion. i'm thinking of using my bind-it-all to make some custom watercolor journals...)