Dedicated to all my Northern Hemisphere blogger-friends!
On a wonderful clear winter night,
Feeling the breeze,
Watching the trees,
They're swaying with grace,
In this peaceful little place,
Oh man, how wonderful Winter can be!
- Unknown
It's almost December again and while the Northern Hemisphere is already enduring their cold season, here in South Africa we are in the middle of summer and we've been lucky to be blessed with some excellent rains ringing in the Christmas season. I live on the Dolphin Coast in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, and our tropical climate ensures bright green landscapes throughout the year. No Snowmen and Mistletoe for us, everybody flocks to the beach on the hottest days of the year and organise Christmas parties hosting outdoor braais (barbecues) and warm Christmas Eves opening presents under beautifully decorated Xmas trees, one thing that is surely the same the world over.
I've got this little hand-made sketchbook with a satin-finish linen paper and I can sit for hours churning out these little 7"x 4" (17cm x10cm) watercolour sketches. I find it totally calming and it also satisfies my need to fiddle! This paper is very unforgiving, can’t take pencil marks, so you can’t do any preliminary drawing and also no erasing. The paper (or linen) virtually disintegrates under an eraser. Once you put colour to paper, that’s it! But it does allow for a lovely flow of the paint, which I enjoy immensely as I never know exactly what I’m going to end up with.
I've got this little hand-made sketchbook with a satin-finish linen paper and I can sit for hours churning out these little 7"x 4" (17cm x10cm) watercolour sketches. I find it totally calming and it also satisfies my need to fiddle! This paper is very unforgiving, can’t take pencil marks, so you can’t do any preliminary drawing and also no erasing. The paper (or linen) virtually disintegrates under an eraser. Once you put colour to paper, that’s it! But it does allow for a lovely flow of the paint, which I enjoy immensely as I never know exactly what I’m going to end up with.
This snow scene is for all my Northern Hemisphere friends and also a bit of wishful thinking on my part. Just ONCE in my life I would love to see a White Christmas!
::
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