Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Sangat pagi-pagi

These Balinese roosters get going very early in the morning (sehari pagi-pagi). They crow all day long along with cooing doves, croaking toads, chirping cicaks (small geckos) and tokeks (large geckos) and the constant sound of motorbikes going up and down the street. Just another peaceful day in paradise...

Flocks of chickens wander freely and everywhere before they become makan (food). I see them roaming in grassy lots along the beach, in-town and on the highways, pecking away at the ground and often times Hindu prayer offerings. They usually scurry off when I to sneak up on them with my camera. So I did these quick watercolor sketches from blurry photos. I decided to try to paint without a pen or pencil line. It was fun to just move paint around.

9 comments:

Kate (Cathy Johnson) said...

Love the chickens, Jennifer! There's a sumi-e quality about that fresh, expressive brushwork...

owenswain said...

These are beautiful and the more-so assuming there was no pencil work. It appears to be brush straight to paper.

bubblemunch said...

These are great. I love the freedom with which you use watercolours.

Linda T said...

I love how you did these with no preliminary drawing. They are great.

A Brush with Color said...

I'm a huge fan of going right in without sketching first, and this is fabulous, Jennifer. You're doing great with these watercolors. I love that rooster.

Sandy said...

Great sketch subjects so colorful and lively - great painterly capture. Have a Happy New year which with the time change I suspect is very near for you!

Nancy said...

Love the watercolor with out pen and ink. The gesture is great...
Happy New Year Jen.................

Anonymous said...

Love your roosters...that first one has great attitude. A great 2009 to you, filled with great art!
ronell

Linda said...

I LOVE these! They remind me of oriental ink paintings. Wonderful!