Last Saturday, I took time out to capture the Bald Cypress in our back yard. These wonderfully lacy trees are a favorite of mine. In the fall, their green leaves turn russet closest to the trunks while the ends of the branches struggle to remain green.

I used both Derwent watercolor and metallic pencils along with brown Micron pens. The yellow metallic #86 was the perfect color for the yellow green leaves. Other metallic colors used: copper #86 and antique gold #33. Watercolor pencils used: Copper Beach #61, Golden Brown #59, Deep Vermilion #14, Orange Chroma #10, Grass Green #10 and Prussian Blue #35. And a titch of General’s Sketch & wash pencil on the trunk.

I’m taking Cathy (Kate) Johnson’s ‘Keeping an Artist’s Journal’ online course and have decided to make a small journal containing November’s Low Country Colors. I’m using a piece of Arches HP watercolor paper sized to 11 x 17 inches. I folded it in half, lengthwise, then in half width wise and then into quarters. Then I hand tore 3/4 of the lengthwise fold. This is what it looks like once folded together

Arches HP paper cracks when it’s folded. This is another reason why I chose to hand tear the paper. Now all sides of the book have an uneven edge. I will probably use some embroidery floss to stitch together the center fold.

Here is the mock-up I made using 11 x 17 copy paper. Dudley had to check it out 🙂