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Drawing challenge: Shinrin Yoku

Hello everyone and welcome to this week’s drawing challenge: Shirin Yoku.

I was thinking that I actually do a lot of forest bathing, and the forest I love more than anything are birch and aspen forests.

fall

I absolutely revel in the golden autumnal birches and aspens, but that’s just luck of the draw because I’m usually in that part of the world in the autumn.

But what about now? What about a fresh, green, spring birch forest?

The thought put me in the mood for a beautiful, big oil painting….in two days…yeah, I know!

So I got into the garage loft and took down a large canvas that I started painting something on a few years ago (No idea what I was thinking.)

Happily it had an acrylic layer, and soon I had it sanded off and painted a new layer of acrylic as a simple tone on it, and sketched a few “trees” in charcoal.

started painting

Then, with a couple pieces of birch bark as inspiration, I got out my oils.

IMG_8763 copy copy

If any of you paint with oils, you probably know that it takes days and days for oil layers to dry, and there is nothing practical which can be done to speed up the drying.

started painting 2

And while oils are my first and true art love, I’m not the most patient person in the world.

But the danger is that the oils will begin blending into mud with too much wet-on-wet work…

IMG_8767 copy copy

And so we must take a break for a day or two and prop up the painting on the mantle piece where we can walk by and admire it and try not to touch it to test for wetness. (sigh)

Hurry up and dry!

015 copy copy

In the meantime, I can’t wait to come round and see how we’re all shirin yoku(ing).

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Comments: 16

  • January 29, 2016
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    it is beautiful at this stage Veronica!
    i love spring and summer forests too. bathing in their presence can bring calm and healing to a troubled heart or mind, inspire at all times, remind of a favored stance: to be rooted in the earth and arms and heart in the heavens. Today i have a winter forest and snow has begun to fall. Soon the green trees will once again be cloaked in white. So lovely.

    thank you for being our host.

  • January 29, 2016
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    Of course, the absolutely best place for those autumnal birches and poplars are along the Similkameen River, between Hedley and Princeton. 🙂 That view just fills me up when I drive through there to the coast. The closest I’ve ever come to a similar place is high in the mountains in Colorado where the aspen forests are magnificent. A bit far to go. lol.

  • January 29, 2016
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    Ha Ha! I smile when you say: “I’m not the most patient person in the world”. because I think: Veronica needs Shinrin Yoku! 🙂

  • January 29, 2016
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    as always, girl, woman, you rock. i mean, you reinvent the term winging it into a piece of full blown art, even in oils! look at that simply beautiful forest result… it is absolutely touching, the feel in this painting.
    as we are blessed with rather yukky weather, and i am blessed with hardly any free time, i will try and go forest bathing tomorrow morning. a quiet sunday out there should do the trick. of course, i will report back. x n

    • January 31, 2016
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      ssssssssssssooooooooooo. in the meantime…. yes!
      we’re at a new week and yes, it is i who is inviting… meaning, come check out here and see ya! X nadine
      nadine?, aka tinyWOOLF

  • January 29, 2016
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    Lovely colours!
    Interesting photos of the process of drawing – I like those very much.
    Annette

  • January 29, 2016
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    Dear Veronica,
    this Looks great. Good work, I want to walk in this forest.
    Thank you, this DC is a plesure.
    Lucia

  • January 30, 2016
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    Dear Veronica,
    your palette, ahem, I already love your palette, what can I say?! Your painting, your wonderful painting of a bright wood of birches in Spring, seems to me very ‘ready’. But maybe I am a kind of impatient person, too… Wanna wander in.
    Thank you for hosting, Lady! It was a big joy and pleasure to find the way into the forest.

    Love,
    Ariane. Rose

  • January 30, 2016
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    It’s always a pleasure to see your extensive post. Looking forward to see the final result of your painting. It already looks great. – eric

  • January 31, 2016
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    Dear Veronica,
    You are a whirlwind of talent and inspiration! Thank you for hosting.
    Lovely painting so far. I admire your patience when working with oil.
    Until next week! xo

  • January 31, 2016
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    Dear Veronica,
    You are a whirlwind of energy and inspiration! Your painting has captured the quiet of the forest, a peaceful canopy to bathe under.
    Thank you for hosting another Drawing Challenge. xo

  • January 31, 2016
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    wauw….
    love that painting!
    thinking of my brother and Finland
    thanks!
    xxx

  • February 1, 2016
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    i am always impressed with how beautifully you paint/draw … i can draw and paint but i cant seem to capture what i see the way i see it … which is why i turned to photography

  • February 1, 2016
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    Veronica, I am truly amazed that you could do that beautiful oil painting in 2 days! It looks like the perfect place to go shinrin yoku!

  • February 4, 2016
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    such a nice and interesting theme, many thanks my dear!
    i love the 5th pic most x stefanie

  • February 7, 2016
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    Oh how I wish I could paint! I look at your work and feel so envious. You must have always been creative. I still draw stick figures … dear me! Still at least I can get outdoors and be creative in my garden. Hugs

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