DRAWING TREES

Almost done. That “Ancient Oak” looks more like a “modern abstract kudzu.” Trees are my Waterloo. No, they’re more like D-Day. I’ve suffered many casualties but I’m going to win.

I’ve done some paintings with pretty good trees, but they were obviously accidents because I didn’t learn a thing from them! With this church painting, I applied everything I’ve ever learned about art and about pen and ink techniques, the most important of which is to NEVER put your pen to that paper in a hurry and NEVER lay down an unplanned line. But then there’s this tree. I broke the rule. I did what I used to do in school - went in unprepared and hoped for the best.

I’m going to beat this devil yet. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!