Red Fox With Leaves And Flowers Watercolor Illustration
By Charlie

Someplace Lovely

Written by Charlie O'Shields

For our prompt of “Fox” today, I decided to to sketch one with some flowers and leaves. My little fox isn’t in a specific location, but just one of those places filled with lovely things that make for smiles. Recently, I was thinking about wanting to take a trip somewhere, but I don’t have the time to go or even to plan one. Yet, I realized that if I just think a bit differently, I’m sure I could easily come up with something interesting to do in my own city that feels wonderful and new. The truth is, I’m rather easily amused. Perhaps it’s my ever-active inner child at work there as well, but I just love anything that’s new to me. So, even if it’s a park I haven’t explored before or a garden I’ve never managed to visit, it will always feel like a bit of an adventure. As a kid, I was thrilled discovering new places, but as an adult, the number of new places in my own city gets a bit smaller. Still, I’ve not managed to see every little thing even where I live, so there are plenty of adventures to enjoy ahead.

Tomorrow, we’re heading to the theatre with friends and that’s always a fun time. I love jumping into a story for a couple of hours. It’s a wonderful little escape, and I always get so engrossed in what’s happening on stage. That is, if it’s an interesting story, of course. Philippe and I are creatures of habit, so shaking up our little routine is always a good thing. Though the weather will be a bit warmer here, there’s still not a lot of flowers and leaves to be seen yet. Those will all return in spring when trips to the park will also return. Even though this year has been a busy one for me so far, I hope to sneak in more time and find something new for Philippe and I to visit. There’s one museum that I haven’t been too since I was a kid, but it’s been closed for renovation for quite some time and is set to reopen later this year. In truth, winter is a bit of hibernation period where I live, and by February, I start to get a bit antsy. Even indoor events seem to slow down during this time of year, so there’s less to do around the city.

Though, the groundhog did predict an early spring, so I hope he’s right this time. I read somewhere that Punxsutawney Phil, the little creature who makes weather predictions annually at the beginning of February for Groundhog Day, has a rather dubious track record. Some say he’s right only 30-40% and others say he’s right up to 47% of the time. In any of those cases, it’s not enough to beat flipping a coin, but it’s really not bad for a groundhog, clearly not trained as a professional meteorologist. I’ll be thrilled to see the first flowers appear, as well as many of my neighbors who I’ve not seen in weeks. But I’m not truly bothered by winter in the end. I rather like a bit of hibernation and, with fewer plans, I get a touch more time to sketch and paint, which is never a bad thing. And each time I open to a new blank page in my sketchbook, I may not know where I’m heading next, but I know it will always be someplace lovely.

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About the Doodlewash

Da Vinci Paint Co.: Yellow Ochre, Vermilion, Opus (Vivid Pink), Cobalt Turquoise, Leaf Green, and Indigo. Staedtler Pigment Liners in an A5 Hahnemühle Watercolour Book. Want to purchase a print of this doodlewash? Send me a note with a link to this post, and I’ll add it to my shop!
 Red Fox With Leaves And Flowers Watercolor Illustration Sketchbook Detail

 

Charlie O'Shields

Creator of Doodlewash, founder of World Watercolor Month (July), World Watercolor Group, and host of the Sketching Stuff Podcast. Sharing watercolor illustrations and stories while proudly featuring talented artists from all over the world!

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28 thoughts on “Someplace Lovely”

  4. Great fox Charlie and he looks content! I hope you have fun at the theater! I am winding down with a glass of wine as I am overwhelmed with the turn out that I had at my art opening reception at the coffee shop tonight! My husband thinks there might have been about 40 people. Nice to share this step with friends. Totally outside my comfort zone but I had fun.

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  5. Stumptown Fil, one of the beavers at the Oregon Zoo also predicted an early spring – in writing even, so you know it must be true. Enjoy your theatre show. I hope you’re going to see something good.

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  6. Have you seen the new commercial with Bill Murray that’s a take off from Groundhogs Day? I love that movie, and Bill M. so the commercial hit a sweet spot for me.

    I was watching Steve Mitchell use a dip pen with watercolor to paint. I made a lovely practice tree on scrap paper using this idea. As sick as I get of winter, I do like the bare bones of trees this time of year. You can really see the structure.

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  7. j’adorerais, hiberner, comme certains animaux, je ne connaissais pas l’histoire, de cette petite marmotte qui donne la météo – merci de dessiner, mais aussi, et surtout pour moi de raconter, cette vie, différente, avec vos us et coutumes – merci de tout coeur – j’adodre de plus en plus vous lire – j’aurais tellement de questions à vous demander – Cathy France

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  9. Going to the theater is a bit of an adventure too and what a coincidence, this week I’m going too, with some old friends that I didn’t see for about 4 years now. The director of the piece also is a friend. It will be fun.
    Not so my little fox that I made a drawing of a couple of months ago…
    Yours is colorful… Those DaVinci paints are so beautiful. I wish I could participate in the give-aways, but lately that’s impossible, because they are only for US and Canada when Da Vinci paints are involved… Anyway, I have enough lovely paints and supplies… but the thrill, you know 🙂

    Reply

    1. Thanks, Heidi! 😃💕Glad you enjoyed this! And yay to a theatre outing with friends. That’s always such a great time! Yeah, giveaways during the year are often restricted by the sponsors, but save the date for July and World Watercolor Month when every giveaway is international!

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  11. He is quite wonderful. I chose a cutesy little guy, wasn’t in the mood to do something serious. Of course this morning I want to! Haha! I was just whining yesterday that we haven’t had a winter this year. Spring seems to be creeping in already. That depresses me! Happy Saturday!

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  12. What a gorgeous fox.

    Charlie says, “each time I open to a new blank page in my sketchbook, I may not know where I’m heading next, but I know it will always be someplace lovely.”

    You take us to those lovely places. Thank you!

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  14. Your fox is seemingly reflective in his or her flowers. Spring so lovely to have it coming soon for you in the Northern Hemisphere. Love reading about your plans. When you live in the country and have little money it is nice to be taken off on your travels with you and Philip. ps I do hope you had your cake!

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