Monday, July 9, 2012

Illustration Friday: Suspend


Prismacolor colored pencils on Strathmore Bristol Vellum

In my garden, ripening blackberries are suspended from their stems, 
waiting for the birds—or me—to pluck them off. 

 
My blackberry plants are out of control—in a good way. They have razor-sharp thorns, and they grow like weeds, but I love them anyway. Maybe it's because I can never pick them without thinking of Beatrix Potter's The Tale of Peter Rabbit, in which Peter's sisters obediently pick blackberries during his misadventure in Mr. McGregor's garden. 


It's great to be participating in Illustration Friday...it's been a little while! I'm reserving judgement on the new format—maybe it'll just take some getting used to. (I'm not so good with change.) I hope to visit some old favorites as well as some new faces this week! (Update: After actually posting my first time in the new IF  format, I have to admit that it's nice to not have to make a thumbnail—even though I miss the "surprise" element of clicking on them—and the "sharing" capabilities are amazing!)

22 comments:

  1. Those berries are so very juicy! Beautiful!

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  2. I hope they are as delicious as they are beautiful.

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  3. Beautiful! Such a nice idea for "suspend". I put up with all those razor sharp thorns, and the birds got almost every one of my berries. I'm still adjusting to the new IF format. I agree with you that it used to be fun to click on a thumbnail and see what popped up. Oh well, the new format is nice too.

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  4. Amazing what you can reach with colored pencils!
    Beautiful work!

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  5. Thanks! Actually, these are almost like wild berries...pretty seedy, and imperfectly shaped, but still sweet (and warm, on a sunny day). My chickens have acquired a taste for them as well, so we snack together.

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  6. This is beautiful! Your work is one-of-a-kind. I find whenever I see any kind of botanical illustration these days I compare it to yours!

    I tasted a wild blackberry last week and it was yummy! There are bushes in the wild areas of my neighborhood and my mom picked a few while she was here on a visit. I see people out picking them all the time.

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  7. this is gorgeous and so exquisitely drawn. i adore blackberries.

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  8. Sarah, your drawing is absolutely stunning! You achieve such depth and intensity with your colors. Do you add anything to the pencil to dissolve the color? I am in awe.
    PS - I like that our illos for this week both revolve around berries.

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  9. Mardi, I occasionally use a blending pencil, and very occasionally, a blending marker. But usually, and in this case, I just burnish by pressing hard with the final color used. Thanks for asking!

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  10. A beautiful piece of work Sarah, I love the leaves as much as the berries.

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  11. Mmmmm, I love love love blackberries but they're almost impossible to get where I live. We do have an old, tangled raspberry bush, but the bugs always beat me to the fruit. Love illo!

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  12. Gorgeous! My mouth is literally watering...they look THAT good!

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  13. Another beautiful illustration. I love all the different colours in the fruit.
    I know what you mean about the change in format. I'm not good with change either!
    Especially with anything technological...

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  14. Sarah, your paintings just get better and better. I LOVE this one. It's beautifully composed and a gorgeous balance of color. Just gorgeous!!

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  15. Beautiful. Masterfully rendered.
    And I'm having difficulty with the new IF - not the uploading, but the browsing of other artists' work. Which I find to be the best part of IF. Sigh.

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  16. So beautiful! I was just out the other day picking the wild berries for breakfast. Sour and delicious. Your drawing captures them perfectly!

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  17. Gorgeous work, Sarah!!! Your illustrations just pop off of my computer screen..truly. I am with you on my initial reaction to the IF change..I have yet to post so hope I cahnge my mind! : ) Thank you so much for your recent visit..you are so sweet!

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  18. Wow, these blackberries are lovely. I adore Peter Rabbit!

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  19. Beautiful, could pick them straight off the screen :)

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  20. Beautiful work Sarah!
    Stew.
    stewcrowther.wordpress.com
    _________________________

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