Cosmos

Cosmos flowers with a dragonfly.

Cosmos

A very colorful grouping of Cosmos.

Cosmos Study

A cat came by while I was doing this study of the Cosmos flower.

Chrysanthemum

The Chrysanthemum has interesting insecticidal uses. The active component found in the Chrysanthemum is called pyrethrins that attack the nervous systems of all insects.

Chrysanthemum Study

Chrysanthemums are usually portrayed in two different ways. The line drawing approach and the two tone brush approach. The two tone brush loads the base of the brush with a light tone of sumi-e ink and then tips the brush with dark sumi-e ink.

Clouds

The clouds were painted with two washes. The first wash tones the entire paper and put down some color for the clouds, The second wash painted the base of the clouds and the paper was tipped to allow the water to bleed upward to establish the top of the clouds.

Cloud Study

I call these clouds "white line clouds." I bought a bottle of white opaque. The opaque white is brighter than the white paper. I used the opaque white to establish the white highlights on the clouds.

Bamboo

This painting is much larger than the others. I used a hake brush to paint the main stem of the bamboo.

Bamboo

A simple Sumi-e composition of bamboo.

Bamboo

There are two general types of bamboo: clumping and running. Clumping bamboo grows in tight clusters as shown in this painting. Running bamboo is a gardener's nightmare. Running bamboo is very aggressive and spreads through their roots over a wide area.

Auto

For a change of pace, I painted a manufactured subjects rather than a natural subject.

Bamboo Study

Bamboo is one of the four primary forms in sumi-e painting. These four forms are often referred to as the "four gentlemen."

Bamboo

Wind blown bamboo

Clouds

Summer thunderheads

Cloud Study

A study of clouds using outline style.

Corn Field

Thunderheads over a summer cornfield

Corn Plants

More corn plants

Corn Plants

One of Mexico's greatest gifts to the humanity was the domestication of the corn plant.

Portrait

I tried to catch strong sunshine in this watercolor portrait.

Balboa Park

Balboa Park in San Diego is wonderful for painter. An almost unlimited source of painting subjects, which include people, buildings, gardens and all bathed in sunshine.

Grapes

Grapes grow is clusters of six to 300 and in various colors.

Pomegranate

The pomegranate is native to Persia and has been cultivated for thousands of years.

Wisteria

Wisteria can grow in a mound when unsupported, but grows best when is it can climb up a wall or a tree.

Hawk

A flying hawk study.

Hawk

The legs of this bird just don't seem to work.