landscapeartist

Open Italian anatomy book beside red flowers, paint palette, brushes, and cappuccino

Magic and beauty, red peonies, cappuccino and Leonardo’s Notebook. Part 3.

ArtTravel

Still life and urban sketching. Because apparently, I can’t sit still OR leave my house without a sketchpad.

So Leonardo da Vinci’s Notebook told me something rather inconvenient: artists need to constantly find new things to paint or draw. (Thanks a lot, Leonardo—no pressure!) Thus began my endless quest to think outside the box that I’m apparently always painting inside. This summer, I had a minor epiphany: watercolor graphic technique is NOT just fancy coloring books. Shocking, I know. It was a small discovery that spiraled into full-blown artistic obsession, and now here we are.

My still life muse? Bright reddish peonies, obviously. I arranged them artfully on my treasured Leonardo da Vinci book, added my glasses (for the intellectual look), threw in a cup of cappuccino (for the vibes), and created what I can only describe as a masterpiece of self-indulgence. Voilà! Another watercolor and ink painting in my beloved impressionist style was born.

Watercolor fantasy. Cappuccino and red peonies and a book

Just imagine it: a warm Mediterranean evening, you’re wandering charming cobblestone streets, and voila—red and pink peonies spill from a straw basket on some picturesque wood door or window. That’s watercolor and ink, my friend. That’s impressionism at its finest. That’s also my elaborate fantasy about our future travels to southern France, Italy, or possibly Greece (I’m not picky when it comes to vacation dreams). Who knows where wanderlust will take us? :)

Summer flower fantasy.

Shout-out to my daughter for the phenomenal gift: Leonardo’s Notebook. This book is basically the gift that keeps on giving—centuries-old wisdom from a guy who was basically good at everything. It’s like having a Renaissance master constantly looking over your shoulder with 500-year-old advice. Terrifying and inspiring in equal measure.

Bon voyage! Until the next adventure awaits! Stay healthy and hydrated (your skin will thank you when you’re sketching in the Mediterranean sun).

All paintings belong to the author. Seriously, don’t copy them. I mean it. My lawyer says I have to say that. Just go make your own masterpiece!

Tools used for my painting: Watercolors by Charvin and Van Gogh (because apparently only the best will do for this artist’s delusions). Pastels by GrayPas Expressionist (the feisty cousin of regular pastels). Derwent watercolor pencils and Faber Castell artist pens (because one type of pen is never enough). Paper: Strathmore Watercolor and Mixed Media albums in that perfect 15×20 cm (6×8 inch) size—not too big, not too small, just right for my control-freak tendencies.

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Wildflowers. Red Thistle and Madrid. Still life and urban sketching. Part 2.

Artist, ArtTravel, Uncategorized, Urban sketching

Red thistle flower and my absolute favorite city in Spain, Madrid—basically my love letter in plant form. Because apparently when I want to express passion, strength, energy, and fearlessness, I paint spiky flowers. Revolutionary, I know.

Madrid called. I answered in watercolor.

Madrid. A city with more sides to it than a geometry textbook—aristocratic, bohemian, and commercial all rolled into one impossibly stylish package. The moment you land there, something magical happens: the city whispers, “Hey, you look like you belong here,” and suddenly you feel like you actually do. Your city. Your home. The place where you’re meant to thrive (or at least enjoy really good tapas while pretending you belong).

Naming just a handful of Madrid’s masterpieces would be like choosing a favorite child—borderline impossible and slightly offensive to everyone involved. But here goes: Plaza Mayor (where people-watching reaches Olympic standards), Puerto del Sol (it’s basically Grand Central Station but cooler), the Prado Museum (where you can contemplate art for hours and feel intellectually superior), the Royal Palace (proving that “bigger” sometimes actually is better), Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum of Art (for when the Prado wasn’t quite enough art for your art-hungry brain), and Retiro Park (nature’s masterpiece to balance out all the human-made masterpieces). We’ve been there more times than we’d like to admit, and it’s absolutely penciled in for our next rendezvous. Or three. :)

I got so inspired that I created an entire series of watercolor and ink paintings featuring vibrant red and warm peach-colored thistles, all dedicated to one of my favorite cities in Europe. Because nothing says “I love you, Madrid” quite like painting prickly flowers obsessively.

This particular thistle features petals in tomato and red cabbage tones, paired with an indigo background because apparently I’m all about dramatic color combinations and life choices.

Tomato red meets indigo. Fancy.

Here we have a thistle sporting pomegranate and scarlet petals against a lemon and coffee-colored backdrop—basically proving that flowers have better color sense than most interior designers I know.

Pomegranate. Scarlet. Basically a salad, but make it art.

A watercolor masterpiece featuring thistle with shades of raspberry and blueberry swirling together with dark blue, crowned with celery-green leaves. Bright, bold, and absolutely gorgeous. (I’m biased, but also right.)

Raspberry, blueberry, dark blue — someone was hungry while painting.

The sunny thistle: a wildflower sporting cocoa-colored petals with artistic flourishes of cognac and a moody bluish background—basically the sophisticated cousin of all the other thistles.

Cocoa and cognac. The only acceptable breakfast palette.

And finally, a thistle with amethyst and salmon-hued petals floating against creamy, tender-feeling colors. This one’s basically the introvert of the collection—softer, dreamier, and slightly less inclined to poke you.

Amethyst and salmon walk into a painting…

If you ask me, Madrid is the red color personified. The land of gazpacho, bullfighting, and flamenco basically *is* red. Passionate, vibrant, unapologetically bold. And I’m absolutely here for it. :)

Madrid in the wild. No filter needed (okay, maybe one).

All paintings belong to yours truly (aka me). No image shall be copied without permission, or the color-mixing gods will have words with you.

Bon voyage! Until our next travel adventure (and probably another painting series). Stay healthy, stay curious, and keep your eyes open for wildflowers. You never know when one might inspire your next masterpiece.

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