Barbecue season is upon us, complete with social distancing, limited numbers of people, and donuts. Yes, barbecued donuts (the cake style ones) are truly delicious. The other thing is dandelion season. Millions of the little yellow 'weeds' are growing all over town in every available patch of grass including this embankment which is part of a small park near the train tracks called Aaron Hart Park. I found a good spot to sit in the shade and grinded out a couple of hundred yellow flowers on a grassy green berm.
To begin the flowers and grass I made a wash of lemon yellow from the Stoneground Paint Co. in order to raise the temperature. Then I painted the green lawn leaving little circles were the dandelions would go, continuing from bottom to the mid point of the tree. Above the tree, I dragged and dabbed the brush with green paint from side to side to create the berm shape. Finally I filled in the dandelions mainly with isoindo yellow (PY154) and vanadium yellow (PY184), with hints of benzi yellow, a yellow-orange (PY110). I used a bit of the verona green earth (PG23) up on the building in the background.
7 x 10" rough press. watercolour. May 2020
But wait, there are more... dandelions.
Heading home, I found this scene in the parking lot of Decarie square mall which is totally empty. I just stopped for shade and water and I was stuck by the contrasting yellows and the "I" shape parking lot barrier full of grass and dandelions. I put some tinted grey ochre on the asphalt, and used the benzi and isoindo yellow on the deep shadow of the painted curb.
5 x 7" cold press, watercolour, May 2020
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