For my birthday Ben gave me an orchid plant, saying, “These are supposedly impossible to keep alive but I thought you’d like something with a small footprint.”   Now there’s a challenge!

Happy Birthday to Me! by Kerry McFall, colored pencil, ink, watercolor

This sketch feels somehow “oriental”.  Having fun with the little palette “signature”.  But somehow the burst of magenta at the end of that graceful long stem just didn’t seem bright enough, so I tried it again…

"Aura" by Kerry McFall, ink and colored pencil

And apparently this time it got away from me!  I had been skimming a book written in 1903 by Lews F. Day about pattern design, and one thing led to another.  I had also just looked through my old book about colored pencils, which mentioned putting something textured beneath your paper, so I tried coloring the background over a chunk of nylon net.  Quite useful!