Sometimes I like to paint mushrooms and for that purpose I have a lot of reference pictures, taken for me each autumn.
The reference picture for this painting is taken by my husband, about three years ago. We were on a walk in the forests of Sauerland - in Germany. There were lots and lots of mushrooms in all possible colours.
These looked a bit grey on green moss. The moss is something I never achieved as I like it to be so this time I decided to make a very different background.
When I was looking carefully at the mushrooms to draw them correctly I saw the grey was actually a bit violet and a bit orange. So the mushrooms have been painted in those two colours. I added the twigs in order to connect the mushrooms and make it one painting instead of several 'portraits of a mushroom' on one sheet of paper.
Unfortunately it was hard to make a good picture, the real painting has a bit more red in its overall impression.
More information (size, colours and paper used etc) can be found at my website www.jannekesatelier.webs.com
When I was browsing through my reference pictures looking for inspiration I found this scene. The picture was taken years ago and I could not exactly find who had taken it, probably my daughter. It was one of a series of snow pictures given to me for inspiration a long time ago, so I can use it as I wish.
The scene is not very far from our house.
We regularly take a walk around the quarter where we live and in the winter - with snow - the most beautiful spot of the walk looks like this.
The lights are the lanterns illuminating the highway close by. There is a screen (to block most of the noise so houses have been built nearby) which is visible in winter, when the trees and bushes are bare and the herbs are sleeping in the soil.
Sunset is early in December and the picture was taken just after the sun had disappeared.
I used some of my Twilight Colours again, combined with a yellow and an orange for the lantern lights.
More information about this watercolour painting (size, colours used, etc) can be found at my website www.jannekesatelier.webs.com
The Blijdorp Zoo in Rotterdam is one of those places I visit at least once a year. Every time it is different compared to the visit before: new buildings or new animals are to be seen in the garden.
It is always crowded at the animal shelters, so there is not much 'peace and quiet' to draw the lions, tigers, birds, elephants, wolves, giraffes and other animals I might like to sketch.
So I decided to try and show the buildings of Blijdorp Zoo that were designed by the architect Sybolt van Ravesteyn,which are monuments since the year 2007.
First of them is the Rivièrahal - or a part of it.
This hall used to be a tropical greenhouse, but it is not well isolated. Being a National Monument, it was not allowed to make changes to the construction of the building, so new buildings have been constructed to take over that function and the Rivièrahal is now used for educational projects and an indoor playground.
The zoo is also a botanical garden, so lots of trees and bushes are everywhere to be found.
More information about this drawing (underpainting used etc) can be found at my website www.jannekesatelier.webs.com
