Written by Today, I was about to sketch a single bee and then realized that’s what I would normally do, so I decided to try something different and more complex. I literally erased an entire pencil sketch of a bee and drew this instead. It was liberating to wipe the page clean like shaking an Etch A Sketch and move right on to something else. So here we have a bit of a hive of honey bees doing their bee thing on a honeycomb. Still sketched loosely and speedily as I’m running out time to make this post. I don’t have a vast knowledge of honey bees, but do know that their numbers are shrinking each year, due to pesticide use, as humans are rather poor neighbors to pretty much all other living creatures on the planet. That, and honey bees are the only bees that die after they sting you, which is another unfortunate fact for them. Thankfully, these little guys are pretty docile so if you stay out of their way, they’ll typically stay out of yours.
I heard once that bees in a colony have different jobs, and some change their jobs throughout their brief existence. Interestingly, their brain chemistry actually changes as well before they start their new job. I’ve always thought this would be an exceedingly useful trick if humans were capable of doing the same. It also probably explains why I’ve only been able to do creative jobs my entire career. My brain just can’t rewire itself to say, do accounting, or other things that require an extended use of the left side of my brain. I’m pretty sure my right side devoured that bit sometime in grade school. But I guess, in the end, I wouldn’t have it any other way. As I continue to push myself into new territory with full-page sketches, I’m also wishing I could rewire my brain to increase my attention span. Near the end of these, I get a bit bored and start splashing color around and dabbing bits of dark in places in order to complete it.
What I’ve realized is that my short attention span and quick execution are simply part of my style. They’re what makes my sketches look like mine, and so it’s really not such a bad thing after all. This may also be why I’m reticent to do any sort of demo, as I’m not sure that “jabbing bits of dark” counts as a teachable technique. But if you happen to like my style, that’s pretty much the key as I always push contrast as much as possible. This is why I rarely put down my fountain pen as it helps me add immediate contrast which makes the painting go by faster. That, and painting in circles so one bit almost dries by the time I come back with another wash. All of this, I now realize, is my version of a style and so even as I paint larger, I’m still embracing it. Sometimes, you have to just lean into what feels right for you and abandon notions of right and wrong ways to do things. Sure, it would be nice to rewire our brains so that we could do what we see others do. But, in the end, we should just stick to being ourselves as we all can’t be as lucky as honey bees.
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About the DoodlewashSennelier L’Aquarelle: Indian Yellow, Quinacridone Gold, Red Orange, Perylene Maroon, Dioxazine Purple, and Payne’s Grey. Lamy Safari Al Star pen with Platinum Carbon with black ink and second pen with sepia ink in a little red cloth hardbound l’aquarelle journal I found in a Paris shop. |
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Love your honeybees and honeycomb Charlie–especially the transluscence of that honeycomb! Very nicely done!
Awww thanks so much, Annie!! Glad you liked this!! 😃💕
For a quick sketch it is pretty awesome
That’s exactly what I was thinking! This is quite an awesome sketch! 😎👍
Thanks! That’s so wonderful to hear! 😃💕
Thanks so much!!! Appreciate that! 😃💕
Oh I love it Charlie!
Awww thanks, Jodi!! 😃💕 This was a fun one!!
My my, someone’s been a busy bee himself! This is a treat – you didn’t get a WHOA this time, but you got a YAY! instead, so no need for alarm! 😉 I do love bees, such hugely important creatures, and their jobs and the hierarchy therein is so fascinating to me. I’d love a hive someday and one of those funky beekeeping suits – one for the list! I didn’t know that about their brains – that’s so interesting, and enviable. Every day’s a school day!.
Thanks, Jacob!! 😃💕 I had a little extra sketching time which helped a bit for this one. Geesh… that honeycomb was tough! hehe And yes! I’ve always wanted a hive someday. It would be so amazing!
You managed this very well for a full page! And we all have our own style, which is what make us recognizable, and is nice to stick with it no matter the size of your painting. You can still be able to paint in a larger scale and still be yourself! 😉 <3
Thanks for that! 😃💕 It’s been fun to try these full page doodlewashes. Especially when I don’t have any extra time. Learning new things every day!
Yes is another challenge running with the time! But you are doing well! 🙂
The hexagram is a great shape, the bees know what they’re doing to create a geometric background.
I bet after you finish this experiment with filling the whole page, your “normal” renderings will have a new dimension too. It’s always good to try something new, even if you end up back where you started. (K)
Thanks so much, Kerfe! 😃💕 Yeah, I’m not sure where I’ll go next after these. Filling a page is tough, since I often have extremely little time to make a post, but I’m enjoying the challenge immensely!
An artist, writer and naturalist – very well said!
Awww thanks, David! 😃💕 I really appreciate that!
love this post !
Thanks! Glad you liked it! 😃💕
lovely blogpost.
Well done for fitting this one despite erasing and starting again on a full page, so pleased you did, it’s a delightful post of the wonderful honey bee.😀
Thanks so much, Rebecca! 😃💕 Yeah, it was fun to trash a drawing and go for something different! hehe… glad you liked how it turned out!
Aw you have been inspired and created an beautiful post with painting,love it so much💝Thank you for sharing your creativity and thoughts💞
That’s such a wonderful comment!! Thank you! I really appreciate hearing that! 😃💕
They’re on the endangered species list! Beautiful tribute to these productive insects that the garden and plants need so much.
Thanks so much! 😃💕 I really hoped I did them justice… such important creatures to our little green planet!
You certainly did do them justice xo <3
It’s bee-yootiful! Sorry for the pun (not sorry…hahaha)! 😉 I love your style, so please never change! <3
Thanks so much, Teresa! 😃💕 This is fun to try these!
I, for one, would like a video demo of your “technique”. It’s very helpful to watch how others create – stretches my thinking.
Great bee hive. They are fascinating creatures.
Thanks so much, Judy! 😃💕 Yeah, one day I’ll actually find the time to make a proper video. I have to admit it’s a little terrifying. I’m impressed by those who can do it! 😊
Love it! did you paint the honeycomb or the bees first?
Thanks so much, Sharon! 😃💕 I painted the honeycomb base first and then went into the bees while it dried. I have to go fast as I don’t have much time so I just bounce around.
Amazing 😃😃
Thanks so much! 😃💕
Really great to see you spreading your watercolour wings further Charlie! And as the mother of a junior beekeeper, this one’s especially appreciated… 🙂
Thanks so much, Rebecca! 😃💕 And yay! That’s awesome… I’ve always wanted to be a beekeeper as well.
All the best people do, you know. The real key to beekeeping, we’ve found, is to find a nice old boy who will help you – that’s essential! 🙂 Hoping to get our first pots of honey this year. Fingers crossed!
The world is a lucky place that you are not an accountant. We need accountants but you have gifts that can’t be measured with numbers but felt in our hearts, sometimes in our funny bones. I like your new “bigger picture” approach, and don’t care if you’re throwing dark paint into a few spaces. Out of black holes comes new life – something like that. Love the composition of this painting, the bees in their busy little hub, the golden honey setting up in its comb. Perfect all around.
Awww thanks so much, Sharon! 😃💕What a sweet and encouraging comment! I truly appreciate that! Yeah, at this point, jabbing bits of dark has simply become my style… hehe… so I guess I should just own it!