Painting in Return

Yesterday I received a fabulous surprise.  Not only had a postcard arrived for me, (this is the third), but it was a beautiful painting done especially for me!!!

This was so special and for a couple of reasons.  The first was because someone had taken the time and effort to not only paint me a picture but chose a topic close to my heart, cooking.  I love the softness of the watercolour and the choice of colours are beautiful.  Such a nice contract to the high intensity colour I like to use.

The scan has not done it justice, the background is a soft wash of that lovely teal colour and there is much more detail that hasn’t come out.  Magrietha covered the painting in contact so it could be sent as a postcard without damage which is a great idea, but I think it has affected the scan.

I also love this postcard as now I know what it is like to get a hand painted card made especially for you.  I do hope that my postcards have given/will give a small amount of the happiness to their recipients as this one has given to me.

Thank you Magrietha from Rotterdam, your card has put a smile on my face and warmth in my heart.

Love Postcrossing

Post Card 8 Lighthouse to Barcelona

This was an interesting postcard.  Jordi has been a Postcrossing member for five years and had a great profile.  There were many areas of interest and I had a lot of ideas but Lighthouses were one of his favourites so I went with that.

• Topic  I decided to do a drawing of Cape Schank Lighthouse which is not only one of the closest lighthouses to were I live, but I also have a been in it.  A friend of mine knew one of the last light house keepers of Cape Schank, and we went to stay a weekend with the lighthouse keeper and his wife.  Had a great time, but my best memory is of sitting up in the tower, watching the sun go down and being told stories of what it is like to be a lighthouse keeper around Australia.  What an amazing experience!
• Decided to keep it colourful and simple.  Acrylic and coloured pencils.  Simple shapes and high wide horizons.
• Happy with the outcome, I don’t do a lot of architectural drawings, but a lighthouse is nice and simple.  I love the white against the blue of the ocean and sky.

Hurray!  Jordi loved his card and replied

“Hola Karen!
Thanks a lot for your wonderful Cape Schank Lighthouse postcard, without doubt the most beautiful lighthouse postcard I ever received, i looove it, you´re a BIG artist!!
Please, you can send me your address? I´m really happy if i can send you a Barcelona thank you card in return. 😉
Your card put a big smile in my face, you make my day happy, THANKS!!!
All the best, Jordi”

Post Card 7 Sturt Desert Pea to Kansas

This Postcard has been a joy to do, especially after the last one.  If is for June in Kansas, and I think it will be her first postcard.  I even broke out my favourite technique and am very pleased with the result.  Even thinking of doing a bigger picture of this one.

• Topic  Sturt Desert Peas are another favourite wild flower, they grow in the desert, usually on our very red desert soil.  They are a weird flower with their black centres so shiny, like they have been lacquered.  June works in a green house so I think she will like the botanical theme.
•  Technique  This card has been done with both acrylic and colored pencils.  I paint it first in acrylics using just the basic colours, then I add shading and depth with the coloured pencils.  I love the depth of colour it gives you.  The layering gives it vibrancy and saturated colour.
• Outcome Really happy with this card, it was quick and came out how I had visualised it.  I don’t mind spending time on work, it is just so satisfying when it just works.

Well June I hope you enjoy Postcrossing as much as I have been.

Post Card 6 Tea Cup to Hungary or not

This has been a very difficult card, and as I write this I am still not sure what I intend to do.    My recipient has said on her profile that she does not want to receive any hand-made cards or painted.  She was in fact very strident on what she did and did not want to receive which but my back up. So do I paint her a card or not?

Now Postcrossing make it very clear that the choice of what is sent is up to the sender and while the receiver my put forward a preference they cannot dictate what you send.  So I have painted a postcard, but now I don’t really want to send it.  Maybe I will just share it with you on the blog and send her an ordinary postcard.  Not sure.  Don’t want to send something I spent hours in creating to someone who has already said they do not want it.

• Topic The topic was easy as the recipient likes tea and coffee and I wanted to do a tea-cup for her. I decided against a pretty rose print one and did a retro one as she likes the Beatles.
• Technique  This postcard and the next I did on the weekend and I had time to get out my paints.  I prefer acrylics as they are cleaner than oils, and easier to work with then gauche.  I haven’t had the paints our for a while and it was good fun.
• Outcome Very happy with this one.  It turned out how I wanted and it has a nice fresh feel to it.  I have also refrained from putting a border around it.

I will let you know what I do with the card.