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.