Sketching Along the Way - Yosemite National Park

Morning Light, Yosemite Valley

Whenever I travel I always make room for my sketchbook and painting supplies. Here's a peek into my sketchbook from my recent trip to Yosemite National Park. The light in this awe-inspiring place was amazing! This first sketch shown above was started at about 8 am, as the light was cresting over the granite mountains into Yosemite Valley.
I'm really liking Strathmore's hard cover watercolor sketchbooks, you can find them at our local Michaels Store. I still use my Winsor & Newton travel watercolor set from college. It's held up really well, and when I run out of a color, I just squeeze more into the well from tube paints. My favorite brush for traveling is a 1/4 inch dagger brush from Princeton Art & Brush Company. If you've taken a class with me, you've heard be talk about this brush.
There's something about capturing the feeling of a place that makes the challenges of sketching in the great outdoors worth it.
If you love to sketch too, consider meeting up with our friendly Urban Sketchers Corning Group. The group meets every weekend and anyone is welcome to join us. Check out more, including upcoming meet-ups, here on their Facebook page: Urban Sketchers Corning

My set-up: sketchbook, folding watercolor set that fits brushes, pencil box, plastic container for water, paper towels.

 

Giant Redwood Tree in Mariposa Grove, pen and watercolor.

Quick pen sketch of a Ponderosa Pine Cone

Half Dome, Yosemite National Park, pencil and watercolor. 

Aspen Leaf, pencil and watercolor

Merced River, near Happy Isles, Yosemite. Pen and watercolor

I'd love to hear about your sketching adventures and any sketching tips or questions in the comments below.
Happy Sketching!
Bridget

Studio Workshops

Happy Studio Workshop Students

 Spring - Summer 2018 Studio Workshops

Join me in my light-filled home studio for an afternoon of drawing and painting. These classes are for all levels, no experience necessary. Materials are included in the price of the class ($50 per student per class). Feel free to bring your own materials if you have them.

Studio Workshop Setup

Botanical Drawing and Watercolor Workshops

Working with live plant specimens, students will learn to draw and paint plants with accurate detail. We will go over the basics of botanical drawing and watercolor painting techniques. I will be teaching the classical botanical style of working in thin transparent layers of watercolor. Our plant subjects will be different for each workshop, usually what's in season.

"Peony Tulip and Daffodils" by Bridget Bossart van Otterloo. Finished demo from workshop.

Upcoming Workshop Dates

    Sunday, April 8, 2018, 1:00pm – 5:00pm
    Sunday, May 27, 2018, 1:00pm – 5:00pm
    Sunday, June 24, 2018, 1:00pm – 5:00pm
    Sunday, July 8, 2018, 1:00pm – 5:00pm
    Sunday, August 12, 2018, 1:00pm – 5:00pm

Registration
 
$50. per Student per class (includes all materials)
Email me at bbvanotterloo@gmail.com or send me a PayPal or Square payment with a note.


Please send your email address and a note about which workshop you are signing up for when you use PayPal or Square.

Payment Options:
Mail a check to: 10 Jackson Circle, Corning NY 14830
   
Register with PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/BridgetvanOtterloo
   
Register with Square: https://squareup.com/store/bridget-bossart-van-otterloo

Feel free to Call: 607-542-0662 or email me with any questions about the workshops. 

I hope to see you this Spring or Summer!
Happy Painting,
Bridget

Elusive Hologram Moth

"Hologram Moth" 11x12 watercolor and copper by Bridget Bossart van Otterloo

Hologram Moth, Step by Step

I've been hiding out in my studio lately, avoiding most of the holiday craziness. Here's one of the many projects I've been working on. I thought you'd enjoy reading and seeing a little about my process. 

"Hologram Moth" (Aka Green-patched Looper Moth) Diachrysia balluca 

My painting of this Hologram Moth was created for a traveling educational exhibit with the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators, Finger Lakes Chapter, in Ithaca NY. The title and theme of this exhibit is "Elusives, the Natural World we Seldom See." It will be an educational collaboration with the Rochester Museum & Science Center/Cumming Nature Center. On exhibit there late January through April, 2018, then traveling to other venues. 

This painting was created with many thin layers of watercolor paint, building up to the final detail. I added the copper leaf to illustrate the iridescence on this moth's wings. The Hologram Moth's coloring makes it elusive to predators in the woods. This mostly green-brown moth has a wingspan of 4.3-4.8 cm. The fore-wings have large patches of dull, metallic green over much of the outer two-thirds. I used some of the remaining leaves from my raspberry bushes as a reference for the background. Raspberry and hops are a few of her favorite foods. 
Keep an eye out for this beautiful moth the next time you're out hiking in our region. 

My Process:

 Beginning drawing, and first layers of watercolor

Step 1: I started with a pencil drawing of the moth, then began adding some light layers of watercolor. In this style of watercolor painting I always start with the lightest colors in the painting, as it is impossible to go lighter again once the paint has dried.

Adding the copper leaf.

Step 2: Adding some copper leaf to illustrate the iridescence on the moth's wings. The above photo shows the brand of gilding supplies I prefer- Golden Leaf products.

Starting the background of raspberry leaves.

Step 3: I cut the remaining raspberry leaves from my garden to use as a reference for the background. Raspberries are one of the Hologram Moth's favorite foods. The leaves have been changing color in their jar of water since I cut them, having their own little Autumn again.

Step 4 to Finish: I'm happy with the results, shown in the photo of the final painting below. My moth is camouflaged in her oasis of raspberry leaves, with just her copper patches to give her away.

Here is a short video showing the final stages of my painting process:

I'm offering high quality archival digital prints of this painting over in my Etsy shop. Follow this link to order: www.etsy.com/listing/580592259/hologram-moth-print

"Hologram Moth", 11x12 image with a 2 inch white border. 

$60. Plus tax and shipping
This is a Limited Edition Archival High Quality Digital Print on Watercolor Paper with hand applied Copper Leaf. Signed by the Artist

Final "Hologram Moth" 11x12 watercolor. Prints Available

I hope this post brought you some peace and distraction from any holiday stress. Thank you for your interest in my artwork. 

My best, 

Bridget

Connect with me:
website: bridgetbossartvanotterloo.com
facebook: Bridget-Bossart-van-Otterloo-Painter
instagram: instagram.com/bbvo_studio/

Painting Flowers from Life - Amaryllis

"Amaryllis" 36x24 watercolor by Bridget Bossart van Otterloo

I began this painting in back in February. Patiently waiting for the double blossoms to open, I watered and moved my amaryllis around following the sun. Knowing I wanted to paint this amaryllis life size, I picked out a large sheet of paper and planned out the composition with a very light pencil sketch. I started with the blossom on the left, the fist one to start opening. The intricate curling green sepals attracted my attention.

I began with the first Amaryllis bud.

As the blossoms unfurled, I continued to paint with a combination of flat layers of color and dry brush detail. This classical botanical style of painting begins with light layers of color, followed by more and more layers of detail and color. Each petal has at least 5 layers, or passes, of paint on it.

Work in progress- Amaryllis blossoms taking shape.

I prefer to paint plants from life because there is so much more information and energy in the living plant. A photograph is limited as to how much detail and light it can capture, although I do use photographs to finish a painting.

I always find it hard to get rid of my plants, even after they've passed their prime. I still have the dried amaryllis blossoms in my studio, and I've been thinking about painting their delicate veins.

Finished plant and finished painting.

Come paint with me in my home studio and try out this botanical watercolor painting technique. I have two workshop dates left this spring, April 8th and May 27th. We'll be working from plants, following the technique I talked about in this post. Email me at bbvanotterloo@gmail.com with any questions and to register.

• April 8, 2017 - Botanical Drawing and Watercolor
  Working with live plant specimens, students will learn to draw and paint plants with accurate detail. We will go over the basics of botanical drawing and watercolor painting techniques. I will be teaching the classical botanical style of working in thin transparent layers of watercolor.
   
• May 27, 2017 - Botanical Drawing and Watercolor – Spring Flowers
  Working with live plant specimens, students will learn to draw and paint plants with accurate detail. We will go over the basics of botanical drawing and watercolor painting techniques. I will be teaching the classical botanical style of working in thin transparent layers of watercolor.

Happy painting!
Bridget
www.bridgetbossartvanotterloo.com

Follow me on Facebook (@BossartvanOtterloo) and Instagram (@bbvo_studio).

Artist's Residency at Sunny Point

Sunny Point Art Center on Keuka Lake—view from my kayak.

Last week I had the pleasure of spending time on Keuka Lake with my artist friends Aleta Wynn Yarrow and Gretchen Halpert. The Arts Center of Yates County has a beautiful location at Sunny Point for Artist Residencies, Retreats and Workshops. Check out all they have to offer on their website: www.ycac.org

The purpose of an artist residency or retreat is to give an artist time to create their art, away from the distractions and routines of daily life. The experience is especially wonderful if you can share it with inspiring artist friends. Aleta and Gretchen made my stay even more enjoyable. Here we are warming up for a day of painting and creating with some yoga.

Yoga before painting

I spent my days at Sunny Point enjoying the beautiful surroundings and completing some watercolor paintings. I did not give myself any big goals to accomplish (I've been doing too much of that lately). I just wanted to use the time to enjoy watercolor painting and absorbing inspiration from the environment.

Watercolor study—view of the studio barn from the cottage dining table. Can you smell Gretchen cooking dinner in the background?

Watercolor study of the trees on Sunny Point surrounded by lake water.

Rainy day watercolor of foliage changing on Keuka Lake. I used the splattering technique to create that rainy day wet feeling—leaving droplets of water on the paper.

Windblown autumn leaves caught in delicate spider webs. The wind kept trying to take my paper too.

I really enjoyed the peaceful time here at Sunny Point. Thank you Chris and everyone at the Arts Center of Yates County who make this Residency possible!
If you are interested in finding Artist Residencies or Retreats for yourself, check out this website: http://artistcommunities.org/. You'll find a wonderful directory for Artists of all disciplines there.

Happy creating!
Bridget

"Nature's Light" - new paintings at West End Gallery

"Nature's Light" at West End Gallery through October 14, 2016.

My studio is empty, and the West End Gallery is full of paintings! There are 29 new paintings and 1 sketchbook (from my California trip) on view at the West End Gallery from now through October 14, 2016. If you're in Corning tonight— Friday September 9, stop in the West End Gallery to say hi. My favorite part of an opening reception is chatting with all of you face-to-face. I love to hear your feedback and reactions to my paintings. Feel free to ask me lots of questions. There's a little story behind each painting. If you can't make it to the gallery, you can always view all my paintings on my website: www.bridgetbossartvanotterloo.com

"Goldfinch on Thistle" by B. Bossart van Otterloo

 

Please join me for an

Opening Reception

Friday, September 9th 

5:00–7:30 pm

Music by Harpist, 
Meredith Kohn Bocek

West End Gallery
12 West Market Street
Corning, NY 14830

Preview my new work on my website: 

 www.bridgetbossartvanotterloo.com

Save the Date!
I will be doing a watercolor demo at West End Gallery during Urban Arts Crawl in Corning on September 30, 5:00 – 8:00pm.

Sketching along the way - Northern California and GNSI Conference

I just returned from a trip to Northern California and I'm full of inspiration, new connections, and ideas! I kept a sketchbook/nature journal along the way. Keeping a sketchbook is a great way to record your experiences in a visual way. Drawing pictures and taking notes has a way of helping you remember information. Some of these sketches may turn into larger more finished paintings in my home studio, we'll see. . .

I thought I'd share my trip in pictures from my sketchbook and some field notes. I hope you enjoy them.

Morning coffee sketching at our Airbnb in San Francisco

The main purpose of this trip was to attend the GNSI (Guild of Natural Science Illustration) Annual Conference on the beautiful campus of UC Santa Cruz. My good friend and colleague, Gretchen Kai Halpert, and I decided to expand our trip to San Francisco and the Sonoma Valley the week before the conference. Gretchen was a delight to travel with, and no, we are not sisters (we were asked this three times!?)

Gretchen Halpert and Me; Hiking in Petaluma, CA

These two sketches below were drawn in pencil and pen on location, then I added the watercolor later. Sometimes, working out in the hot sun has its time limits. If I can get the lines in while out in the landscape, it's easier to add some color from a photo reference later.

Top: Bay Bridge in San Francisco. Bottom: Golden Hills and Live Oak Trees in Petaluma, CA.

California Poppies were growing wild everywhere. They were such a beautiful pop of color in the dry landscape.

California Poppy Sketch

Week two - we arrived on the UC Santa Cruz Campus for the GNSI conference.
UC Santa Cruz is known for banana slugs. The Banana Slug is a bright yellow, slimy, shell-less mollusk commonly found in the redwood forest surrounding the college. Of course, being serious nature artists, we had to take some "Slug Selfies" when we found one near the lecture hall.

Slug Selfie

There is also a beautiful Botanical Garden and Arboretum on campus. Here's a sketch of one of the many white eucalyptus trees growing there.

Eucalyptus Tree in UC Santa Cruz Arboretum

If you love science, nature and art I highly recommend the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators. You can find more information about this non-profit organization on their website: gnsi.org. I am a member of the Finger Lakes Chapter of GNSI, meeting in Ithaca, NY. They are the most welcoming and generous group of artists I have ever meet.

During the conference there are several opportunities to take workshops with talented Science Artists. Below are the handouts, and my painting, from the Mushroom Painting Workshop that I took with Julie Himes. It was informative, and fun.

Mushrooms Painting Workshop with Julie Himes

The following pictures are from the second half of the conference week, when we ventured off campus for field trips.
While kayaking in the Elkhorn Slough we saw Otters, Harbor Seals, Sand Dollars, a Sea Hare, and lots of birds. We were able to kayak slowly and quietly by this colony of  Harbor Seals.

Colony of Harbor Seals in Elkhorn Slough, Moss Landing. 

I was fascinated by the pattern of tiny spines on the bottom of this living sand dollar. I have only seen them dried out and for sale in booths at the Jersey Shore.

Sketch of tiny spines on living Sand Dollar

We visited the Natural Bridges State Beach and spent a few hours observing and sketching the tide pools. There is so much life and drama in each one.

Notes on the Tide Pool 

Sketch of one tide pool with Sunburst Sea Anemone, Mussels, Turban Snails, and more!

Sketch of Mussel shells found on the beach at Natural Bridges.

Natural Bridges State Beach is known for this Sea Arch carved out of Santa Cruz Mudstone.

Sea Arch of Mudstone at Natural Bridges State Beach.

The last field trip of the week was to the Redwoods forest. We had a guided tour through the Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, just north of the UC Santa Cruz Campus. Here are my notes from the tour:

Redwoods Notes

 There was a little time a the end of the tour for doing some sketching. So I speed walked back to my favorite tree- "The Giant", a 270 foot tall, 17 feet wide spiraling Redwood, and did some quick drawing. I added the color later.

"The Giant"

Scientists are still not sure why some of the Redwoods spiral and twist as they grow. There are a few theories. You can read more about it in this article: 

Why Do Some Trees Grow in Spirals?

Perhaps the most impressive fact we learned about the Redwoods was that they absorb more carbon dioxide (CO2) than any other tree on earth. This makes them important players in climate change. Here's another interesting article on the trees: 
Redwoods keep the climate healthy for us all.


Overall this was an inspirational and information-filled trip for me. I hope I've inspired you to keep a sketch journal on your next trip. I'll have my sketchbook on display during my show at the West End Gallery in Corning NY, if you'd like to thumb through it, and get a closer look. Join me for the reception on Friday September 9th, 5:00 - 7:30 pm. We can chat about my trip and the new paintings in the show! If you can't make it that night, the exhibit will be on view from September 2 - October 14, 2016. 

Happy traveling and sketching,
Bridget