New paintings and regular art updates.
I tried adding texture with photodirector to this little drawing I did at Trentham Gardens in 2017. I like the way the rushes stand forward slightly more in the digitally adjusted one. I have a ‘go to’ style in Photodirector, I go to the effects option then generally choose option two or sometimes six. That seems to concentrate and texturise the drawing.
At Trentham Gardens today.
Red leaves on plants at Trentham Gardens today. Usually leaves are green but these have a strong red colour. The light shines through them giving them a glow. I remember hearing about other plant colours that happen in autumn. The green chlorophyll is absorbed back into the plant (usually a tree) and other underlying pigments that help to phosynthesise carbon dioxide and water to join together into simple sugars that can then be transformed into cellulose and other plant structures.
As the chlorophyll is absorbed, red phycobilins, yellow xanthophylls and orange carotenes are left in the leaves giving Autumn colours. This usually happens as the temperature cools and the plants start to store food and chemicals for winter.
I don’t know if these plants are doing thus? They remind me of the colours that are found in Swiss Chard.
Recently planted willow stems arch over a path and make a willow dragon that children can run rhrough. It was a bit low for me until I got into the main tunnel. Still it was fun to walk through. It’s something you could make in your garden if you had the knowledge. X
Black Swan seen today. My hubby went up to it and stroked the back of its neck! I’m surprised he didn’t get pecked!
I heard that these birds were introduced from abroad. Perhaps Australia? They are mostly all black with red beaks, although there are slight amounts of white in places on them. They are slightly smaller in stature than the normal swans we see. Mute or Hooper Swans? I’m not sure if they can interbreed.
I’m sad that I didn’t get a better photo.
We went out to Trentham Gardens for a pie and a walk.. Yes there is a pie under there. Beneath the chives and grated cheese. On a bed of mashed potatoes with onion gravy. It was delicious. A Pie Minister Moo pie. (warning, contains meat).
She nipped out of the fronds of flowers and grabbed a watering can. She had seen the pansies were wilting from lack of water. Strong little hands held the can and dipped it into the water. Then wings flapped furiously as she lifted it up. Along the gardens length, to the tiny purple flowers. A good soak of water and their nodding heads rose again. The fairy decided to keep watering the plants all summer so they would be OK. That summer the blooms were more fantastic than ever.
Huge and tall, these stunning flowers had grown up at Trentham Gardens today. Everything was massive and blousy. I’m trying to reduce my file sizes so I’m only adding small images. But you get the idea. Nice walk with friends in exploring mode.
Sculpture on the trail round Trentham lake at Trentham Gardens.
I like a walk with sculptures. It seems a good way to see sculpture up close. There are various places where this happens in England. There is Grizedale Forest in the Lake District. Yorkshire Sculpture Park. The National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas and many other places like the Angel of the North and at Crosby beach near Liverpool I think.
However there have been incidents where sculptures have been stolen. I think I remember a Henry Moore sculpture was stolen from the grounds of the Yorkshire Sculpture park a few years ago. The piece was made of copper I think and may have been melted down for scrap!
Two views, lined up and joined. Different depths of field. Blurred and sharp. The images were taken on the same day, about half a mile apart. I like the way the far bank of the lake seems to join up. I acheived this by stretching the images so they could work together. I haven’t worked on the colours or sharpness, they are not manipulated except for scale.
Walking past these tonight, they hissed a bit, warning us off from their brood of goslings. It’s a good place to be bringing up young. I think they are greylag geese….? I shall have to see if I can find out. Different looking to the Canada geese that usually inhabit the area..
One day I will find out and learn where they come from and what type they are?
Mallaband-Brown