2026 drawing project - plant forms for June and July

 

I seem to be experiencing some gremlins within my blog. For reasons that remain a mystery this post didn't publish last month and I seem to be unable to comment on mine or anyone else's blog. I haven't the foggiest why but hope it resolves itself soon. Fingers crossed that this post publishes....

This is the missing drawing from June for my drawing a month project. The same model as March's drawing but this time a top view.

Pine cone top view   sketchbook study in stages   ©2026LisaLeQuelenec

My drawing for July is below. Dandelions begun in Spring but only recently completed. The meadows were full of lush grass and dandelions back then - a very different story to now as everything is burnt, dry and dusty with the rather repetitive heatwaves.

Dandelion study   sketchbook page   ©2026LisaLeQuelenec

How beautiful was this? I couldn't fail to be inspired...

2026 drawing project - honesty... silver dollars...lunaria and a pine cone

 

Honesty Silver Dollars Lunaria   sketchbook drawing mixed media   ©2026LisaLeQuelenec  

April's drawing (I am so late posting!) is inspired by a stem of Honesty that blew across my path as I walked down to the fields. It was dull grey winter time and this little stem shone like it contained all the light of the day - so beautiful. It has been standing in a bottle for a few months waiting for its turn to be drawn. It isn't until you start to closely observe that you see just how many colours are contained within it's luminous discs, I'm not sure I have done it justice but it was an absolute joy to try.

Now I am not sure what happened to March's drawing because I did post it but it seems to have gotten lost as it is not here now. Anyway, I will include it here;

Pine cone Drawing stages   sketchbook mixed media   ©2026LisaLeQuelenec

I used to draw pinecones frequently in the past, I love getting lost in the patterns but has been a little while since the last one. I thought you might like to see the stages of drawing that I use and below the final sketch.

 

Pine cone  mixed media in sketchbook   ©2026LisaLeQuelenec

Below is a bonus sketch; on a familiar stretch on a dog walk I came across this on the path. Either the remainder of something's lunch or maybe discarded by another dog  was this 'pinecone flower' another treasure bagged and stored away in a pocket to be drawn. The strange thing was that I'm pretty sure the nearest pine tree is about a kilometre away so this little flower had travelled a bit.

Pine cone  mixed media in sketchbook   ©2026LisaLeQuelenec

I will try to be a little more punctual for May!

Pine cones - it started with some sketches....

Pine cone sketches   pencil ink and watercolour   ©2017Lisa Le Quelenec

...and quickly got out of hand... but in a good way. I love the structure of pine cones, such a challenge to get 'right'. There is a park I visit with my little one that guarantees we will come home with at least a few we are both as bad as each other with our little collections and we added quite a few more this summer.

Sketches and doodles turned into...

Pine cone stages   watercolour on A4 paper   ©2017Lisa Le Quelenec

There are two paintings available to buy here at Seaside Studios UK.


But then that turned into....

From sketch to drypoint plate to prints   ©2017Lisa LeQuelenec

and now I have these....

Trio   artist proof 1 drypoint print 19x10cm   ©2017LisaLeQuelenec

Trio   artist proof 2 drypoint print image size19x10cm   ©2017LisaLeQuelenec

Trio   3/20 drypoint print image size19x10cm   ©2017LisaLeQuelenec

Trio   drypoint prints image size 19x10cm   ©2017LisaLeQuelenec

Which are also available at Seaside Studios UK and at Seaside Studios Uk on Folksy.


I do get myself in a pickle sometimes :o)

Pine cone - a drypoint

Pine cone   drypoint etching print   ©2016Lisa Le Quelenec

I have been working on a set of new monoprints of winter birch trees and am impatiently waiting for the ink to dry so I can work into them and experiment with combining other media. My fingers are itching to get going but It will be another few days yet....

In the meantime here is a small drypoint pine cone that I finished last year and have just put for sale in my Etsy store SeasidestudiosUK.

I am so lucky to be so close to the sea and near the New Forest - it really is the best of both worlds.

Dry point pine cone three variations

Pine cone   dry point with chine colle & watercolour 8x7.5cm   ©2015Lisa Le Quelenec

Pine cone   dry point with gouache 8x7.5cm   ©2015Lisa Le Quelenec

Pine cone   dry point  8x7.5cm   ©2015Lisa Le Quelenec

My little press and I have been busy experimenting with dry point. I'm still using perspex as a plate but I now have an dry point tool which is much easier on the hands than my old compass. I am rather pleased with these three variations and the different qualities that you can get just by changing an aspect of the printing process or working into the prints after. All three of these pine cones are available in my Etsy store here.

Below is the plate and dry point tool.

2026 Drawing Project - March Pinecone

 

Pine cone   coloured pencil and ink   ©2026LisaLeQuelenec

Drawing for March, a pine cone. It has been a while since I drew one of these, they used to be a favourite subject. I like to get lost in the patterns.

Pine cone   coloured pencil and ink   ©2026LisaLeQuelenec

Whilst out on a dog walk recently I spotted this on the path - the remnants of somethings lunch? ...discarded by another dog? ...I wasn't sure and the nearest pine tree to the location where I found it was about a kilometre away. However it got there it was a lucky find for me and an unusual view of a pine cone so of course I had to draw it.

Pine cone   coloured pencil and ink   ©2026LisaLeQuelenec

Pine cone   coloured pencil and ink   ©2026LisaLeQuelenec