Process
Several have asked about my process drawing the Maple Series. Here’s a brief summary:
I love looking out my windows at the saltwater, the sky, the trees – the majority of which are maple. Actually, maple trees can be seen from every window in my house – north, south, east, and west! For years now I’ve been intrigued with the geometric shapes that are formed between the leafless branches in the wintertime. This winter I was inspired to create a drawing series exploring these shapes. First step – select interesting sections of branches crossing each other, photograph with iPad. Open images in a computer draw program, adjust to black and white, high contrast. Paste image into a word document, print. Lay print upside down on light table, put drawing paper on top of print, then using fine and ultra fine permanent ink markers I interpret the design. Sometimes the drawings use strong colors, bold lines. Other times I select peaceful colors, use delicate lines, and most often choose the back of the drawing as the finished side – I purposely use paper that the markers will bleed through in order to achieve a watercolor-like soft edged image.