Thursday 12 August 2010

So Delicate

I collected these little seeds after a very windy night. They were scattered across the road. As I picked them up I slipped them into my bag and I didn't think they would make it home in one piece. To my surprise they survived intact. They are very tiny and have such delicate stems, like young children not yet fully formed, and yet a miniature replicate of their adult. They will never grow any more but it means I can admire their beauty at this stage.
As I drew them I was influenced to make such fine lines, to use soft watery colours and paint with a slow and careful manner. I just wanted to capture the tiny fragile shapes exactly as I saw them scattered on the ground. It is a simple little page in my square book but to me a very beautiful page.
Hope you like it too.

14 comments:

ELFI said...

très beau!!!!!!

Von said...

I do, lovely!

Carol Creech said...

I love these, Milly! They are indeed very delicate and I love to see your renderings of them. They look like they are about to blow off of your page, they are so light :)

Carol Creech said...

I just clicked and took a closer look - and I love the branches! Such detail. I think that small stems/branches are one of my favorite things to render.

Dan said...

I think these are really lovely Milly! I love the way you put shadows on too, it makes them look as if they are actually raised up off the page.
Dan
-x-

Pondside said...

They are, indeed, "like young children not yet fully formed" or gangley teens - all leg.
Lovely.

Frances said...

Hello Milly and thank you for your recent comment.

Once again, your beautiful observation and sensitivity to nature shine in these delicate drawings. Not everyone would recognize the elegance of the design of those fragile, tiny seedlings. Isn't nature just remarkable!

May I also send you big compliments on that exquisite quilt? It's marvelous to see a bit of what was involved in its creation.

What an remarkable lady you are! xo

Emerald Window said...

I LOVE it. They call these maple seeds Samaras. They ARE magical, aren't they? I collected some very tiny ones from a hedge maple in England a few years ago and they are still sitting in a dish on my dresser. I can't let them go. Your painting honors their beauty.
Cenya

sea-blue-sky & abstracts said...

Hi Milly, as always, I love your treatment of the subject matter and the end result and also have had to smile because, when painting in detail in watercolour, have a piece of scrap paper to hand very similar in appearance to yours, marked with paint strokes of excess colour and moisture! x

Jill said...

You have captured their delicacy beautifully.

Susan Scheid (Raining Acorns) said...

Just arrived back from Wales, and so nice to see this lovely drawing. In Wales we saw a plant you've drawn previously, Lords and Ladies. So enjoyed seeing one "in person" and being reminded of your beautiful drawings.

Lucille said...

Yes I've seen a few of these with their beautiful pink and green colouration. Mine dried out but yours will stay fresh forever.

Teresa said...

I more than like it! They're beautiful!

Are they Sycamore seeds?

Carolina said...

Hola Milly!
You have accomplished the goal of representing their fragility and delicacy perfectly. That's what comes to my mind when I see them in your painting. Thank you for sharing how you did it.
I really love this little painting.
Un abrazo,
Carolina