Mother Lode
After a season marked by a dearth of mushrooms I found a mother lode of amanita growing under a large spruce tree just down the road last week. They were so colorful and numerous I could hardly wait to go back home and retrieve my sketchbook. When I nestled under the branches later in the day to sketch, I was surprised by the driver of a passing car who rolled down his window and called out—“Amazing mushrooms!” This was a first. I’ve had people slow down to see what I’m doing, and once had someone come by to see why I was parked on the road by his property. But never has someone joined in my enthusiasm. How wonderful!
Tips and Techniques– I like to sketch mushrooms from life and right where they are when possible. It’s the best way to really observe all the things that will go into identifying them. It also helps you convey your sense of discovery and lots of subtle details. Take photos for reference or color notes if you’re painting inside later. (Materials: Micron 005 sepia pen, watercolor, 5.5×8.25 Handbook Journal Co 140lb watercolor sketchbook)
Coming up! Drawing the Nature of November online starts Thursday, Nov. 6. Sign up at Winslow Art Center. Learn about 2026 travel workshops here and reserve your spot.
Drawn In 
I think that driver would be even more impressed with your “amazing mushrooms” painting! Totally fabulous.
Amanitas!
Good golly Gorgeous, Jean! How many ‘shrooms we’re there under that guardian spruce (or should I say “host” spruce)? Love your composition, colors, printing, text, and the obvious love you displayed when creating these pages!
Gotta, gotta, gotta know! Are you funning with us, or is this a hilarious coincidence? Amanita muscaria var. guessowii !! For real?
Wishing you more amazing discoveries and enthusiastic cheering from passers-by!
For real, Barb. No joke.
Cool!
Jean, how exciting. That is the one I would love to see in person. From your wonderful painting, I guess they weren’t as red and wonder if you know why? Under a spruce tree too! We have not had many in our yard this year at all. I am getting too old to go out to the forest and hunters are there now anyway. So…I am thrilled to see this lovely rendering. Thanks, Dawn
Dawn– I just know that there is a yellow-capped variety, but I don’t know why the reds grow in certain places and the yellow in others. Other than these, it was a quiet year for mushrooms. I keep waiting for a big year again. Maybe 2026.
I just had to look that guessowii (yellow-capped) up since we get the red-capped ones here. So beautiful but… !! ‘Shrooms are fascinating.
All those complicated names…it would be easier if people just said “yellow capped”!
What a beauty of a sketch, Jean. I feel like I’m sitting right there with you.
Wow, did you mask the warts, or paint around them? Love the warm brown colors.
I decided to mask them this time, though I sometimes paint around. There were so many that it made the washes go more quickly. I then go back and add some color and shadows to give the warts a lift.
So interesting! I can easily understand the shrooms in the perpetual shade under a spruce… but what kind of green plants were there?
Lots of grasses and weeds were growing under the spruce. It’s right at the intersection of two roads at the edge of a field, so lots of sun reaches the ground beneath it.