Hackberry ink

I was again along the woodland trail in the south east corner of the wetlands proper. It is endless- there are so many plants with a zillion different postures, that a person could draw endlessly I suppose.  Can't say I was terribly impressed with the way I dealt with the jig jag nature of the twigs as they jog from leaf to leaf.  That was one of the things I wanted to emphasize. Oh well, another day!

The fuzzy designation at the top- MS807A- is the number on the disposable pens that were given me for Father's day.  From .005 nib to 20 brush tip. Lots of range. Much more simple than keeping a whole range of Rapidograph points clean!

Sundae girl

Another India ink drawing from the 1980's.

Sting Nettle

There are some pretty immense patches of nettles along the eastern most trail in the wetlands. The trail runs along the Wakarusa River through the woods for a half mile or so.  I had been interested in how each plant displays a very flat arrangement of leaves at the top of the plant.  I was able to get a drawing to approximate it from the side, using a ball point pen that I found in the car, as I had forgotten to put anything in my pocket to draw with. 

Here is another plant, drawn a little more from the top.  Shannon gave me a 3 legged camping stool for father's day which I was sitting on for these pencil sketches that I finished up with some ink at home. As kids we used to run through this stuff on the way to the river, sometimes chased by a billy goat. Fortunately the blisters seldom lasted even until we returned home for supper.

Wash Day

I had stopped by our daughter's for some reason or other, and could not resist getting a drawing of her car as she was cleaning it out with the doors standing open.  The actual was yet to come. This was last weekend. Started this sitting in the shade in her garage looking out at the car with the woods and the sun behind.  I did some pencil, then added ink over the top later on.

the classy Spiderwort

Here are a couple more spiderwort inks.   Classic shapes 

O'Connell Stone

It is not that I don't have more drawings of spiderwort from Prairie Park, but let's have a little change.

This little stone farmhouse was one of the original structures on the east side of Lawrence. When it was built the town was no doubt 2 or 3 miles north west. It was a long time before the road ever got named O'Connell Road. 

I can get there in a few minutes on a bicycle, and maybe should do some more drawings of the place.

with milk weed sprouts

Perhaps the most varied of a dozen or more ink drawings done of these delightful blooms.    I do not think there is a flower in Prairie Park all year that is as elegant.  With leaves & bracts both integral and independant, all finding a complimentary place in the sun...

These guys are even this morning still trying to bloom, though the amount and size of the blooms are reduced.

Dress Tie posture

Let's go back to the series of inks done 30+ years ago. 

I found this set of photocopies last year. I suppose they were done with India ink and a radiograph pen, if anyone still knows what that is.  There are quite a number of these sort of inks sitting around here...

and again

 Yes, here are yet more of these dandies. These were done on two consecutive days last month.

Across the entire field they open daily to the morning sun . But close up in the midday heat.