Category: seashells

Friday’s Photo on Saturday

Three Beach Shells (c)2011 Dora Sislian Themelis  8×12 Watercolor

Fighting resistance with everything I have this week. Sometimes I win. Sometimes Mr. Resistance wins.
What’s with that?

If you give in to it, low motivation can last longer than you would like and that just can’t happen anymore. I don’t have time to waste, so Mr. Resistance needs to get kicked out the door. He overs stays his not-so-welcome welcome every now and then.

Two of these shells were collected on one of the last great beach days a little while ago. The cracked smaller shell you have seen before. The watercolors were out, the shells and the paper ready, and I had the time so I pushed through the fog to paint. Twenty minutes later and I was done.

I tried to use only as much water as would allow the paints to flow so I could continue and finish without waiting for it to dry. I think I figured out how much water to keep on the brush. I also think I need better brushes. I was using synthetic brushes, but I went back to using sable. I like the way the paint flows and the point might be more pleasing. A visit to the art supply store may be in order, just to get some info.

These shells were similar in color and value so I needed to establish the ground there were sitting on by throwing on some color. I think it adds a little something and perks up the whiteness. You get the idea.

Beware the Ides of March

“Beware the ides of March” Julius Caesar,  Act I Scene II, William Shakespeare

In olden times the ides of March meant nothing more than the middle of the month. No omens of evil, nothing bad, just mid-month. For some reason the ides took on this spooky quality after Shakespeare has the Soothsayer mention it in the play about Julius Caesar, on the day he meets his end.

The ides fall on the 15th of March, May, June and October. Check out the Wikipedia link. The other months’ ides fall on the 13th. So what? What’s the big deal? Everyone always says that line as if some big thing will befall them on this date like Caesar. Shakespeare made the ides have some weird and eerie feeling. I think I’ll stay away from painting today.  Why play with fire?

Although, something interesting might come of it if I do paint. Who knows? Maybe some strange, ethereal quality will emerge from the dreaded apple and fearsome shell bits?

Can you picture it? The apple- dark, mysterious with red foreboding. The shell bits-pasty white with pointy and sharp edges. The fearful pebble! What will it mean? What is the evil omen they suggest? Is it possible to paint a lonely apple and broken bits of seashells with an quality of doom? How about the beach pebble?

I have an idea! I think I will paint!