Dear Laura,
After receiving your newest piece of the collective in the mail (scroll down to see the damage of the package received in the mail- yikes!), I took a walk in my garden seeking what is blue. Of course, I found the blueberries. We have been picking them the last few weeks and adding them to all sorts of meals. Blackberries, figs, lemons, basil, green pepper, and a new avocado tree are all happily growing. This time of year is always abundant!
After reading your notes about contour drawing, I set out to draw. I outlined my drawing in washi tape only because I was out of my regular drafting tape. Once I had it in place, I really liked the design element. It gave an unexpected antique Victorian aesthetic so I decided to keep it on the paper. This decision changed my idea of adding color. I wanted it to be a simple, elegant drawing similar to your blind contour drawings. The color and the design on the washi tape seemed like too much in combination for representing these delicate, temporary berries.
I played with my line quality to represent the shadows on the stems rather than shading it. The berries and leaf were the only parts I wanted with shading, but even that I kept minimal. Below is the final work…
So, I am currently coming up with a better plan to ship this work to you so it arrives safely. This is what it looked like when I got it last :( The work has water damage and dings in the corner. I suppose this is simply part of the process right?
