I have written a few times about our native Pōhutukawa which we call our Christmas tree, because of its vibrant red blooms tipped in gold which look like decorations, and it always blooms around Christmas time. Last year the flowering was not so spectacular, but this December because of more constant rain, the flowering has been superb. Most of you who follow me will know that I have been working on a new novel, and have been writing like crazy to complete the first draft. It is almost there. So, before I embark on the last pages, I thought I’d relax with a little sketching. I have chosen to do a close-up sketch of emerging pōhutukawa flowers. Hoping it will look okay.
I chose to work on a 9×12 sheet of 140lb Canson watercolour paper, with a soft kid finish. This allowed me to use watercolour paint, pen, colour and aquarelle pencils, should I choose. Always it’s a ‘let me see what works’ approach. And now, I have chosen to stop the sketch, which seems somewhere between a piece that has almost worked, and rubbish. This does sound rather negative I know, but I am a bit messy when it comes to mixing mediums. I made the buds too dark, and used a white colour pencil over the top of the dried watercolour, then used a sharpened 4H to mark lines into this, a la Sgraffito.
I decided to look up a sketch I did a few years back of the Pōhutukawa with baby buds. Here I used colour pencils only. The sketches are just different I guess.
And to show you another Pōhutukawa all splendid in its Christmas coat, like so many of these fabulous trees in my neighbourhood. Merry Christmas everyone!
ARTISTRY 
Sunshine at Christmas, I remember those days! The photographs are so beautiful and I love your ‘everything but the kitchen zink’ sketch. Wonderful news about your novel. I hope those final pages flow from of your pen. May I wish you and yours a very merry Christmas and a happy and healthy new year.
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Yay for endings and beginnings and pohutakawa blooms! Long may your creativity flourish! Happy holidays – here’s to celebrating summer sunshine in 2024 🌞
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It seems summer is finally here Judy. May you enjoy yours.
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Excellent rendering, Vivienne! And yes indeed the Pohutukawa are magnificent this year 🙂
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Thanks Yvette, May you have a good Christmas and free time where you might laze in your garden and admire your labours.
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What a spectacular showstopper that flowering tree is! Your sketches capture the little details that often only an artist will notice – the variations in colour, the tiny veins in the leaves, the buds so tightly clumped together, and then finally, the flowers emerging in glorious colour. Well done Vivienne. Merry Christmas!
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Thanks for the very nice comment Louise. We are lucky to have these trees en masse in Devonport. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love them. I shall probably return to them as a subject many times. And, Merry Christmas to you. (we celebrate today, ahead of you I believe).
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Love the botanical drawings, and the pics of the wonderful Pohutukawa tree, Vivienne. It’s good being educated on unfamiliar plant science. Also, adding those fine details of the type of pencil and weight of paper used in the process are useful to know about too.
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Thank you Jason. I’m not sure that I’m that educated on plant science. I just know that I am interested in nature, and when a plant or tree appeals to me I have an urge to sketch it. I love drawing anything really, always have.
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