Lessons from a Carrot
At the recent workshop I led in Anacortes, Washington, we started off with some back-to-basics drawing and painting techniques. Participants practiced blind contour and gesture drawings; did short, timed sketches; worked in ink to keep a drawing flow going without erasures; and put a number of concepts together while painting vegetables. Here’s my demo painting, which I went back to later to add tips from the lesson. Isn’t it great that we can learn so much from a carrot?
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Drawn In 
This is brilliant, Jean.
Isn’t it fun? So simple, but important none-the-less. Thanks!
I often find lessons in my journal pages…but your handling here is most wonderful.
Beautiful!
Thanks Michael!
Love this!!
Thanks Jodi— it was a fun lesson.
What a beautiful way to teach!
I think going back to basics every now and then is really worthwhile. And painting simple objects helps build skills and confidence. Plus, vegetables/fruit can be so beautiful.
This is fabulous!! 😃
Glad you enjoyed it Jill!
Simply amazing!
Thanks much! Looks like you’ve been up to many creative pursuits, too.
I love this page! What a great way to make a lesson fun and memorable! Everything you mentioned doing in your back-to-basics techniques is what I need to practice too. I think I’ll use your idea here to create some sketchbook pages of my own, if that’s okay.
Absolutely. Those back-to-basic techniques are worth coming back to. You can try them with any subject. I recommend giving yourself a time limit: try 30 seconds, 1 minute, 5 minutes, and 10 minutes. That will keep your hand moving!
Your sketch of the carrot has a lot of character; no two carrots look the same
All I needed to know about watercolor I learned from a carrot! I get it! Thanks Jean.
Well, I hope you’ve learned a few things from me, too! I look forward to painting together again soon!
Nice work!
Thanks much!