Tree & Foliage Study in Mixed Media (Part 2) From My Own Garden. Roman Szmal, Luminance, Oil Pastel

Here's a quick little follow-on from yesterday's video, where I'd looked at a few artists online, and made a study of how they approach trees and foliage. Today I had a go sketching some greenery from my garden, inspired by what I learned yesterday.
Yesterday's video:
• Tree & Foliage Study i...
Mungyo Gallery Artists' Soft Oil Pastels 48:
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Talens Art Creation Sketchbook:
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Roman Szmal Paints at Jackson's Art:
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Winsor & Newton Promarker Watercolor 24 set:
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Derwent Lightfast Pencils 100:
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Caran D'Ache Luminance 100 pack:
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Open stock pencils from Jackson's Art:
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Albrecht Durer Watercolour Markers:
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[@user-fp4rk2bj8r]

I really love the little oak tree with the ‘un-natural’ colours - they have the same effect as a light leak on a film camera - adding real texture and warmth to the picture. Lovely 😊

[@helencryer]

Thank you! I'm quite pleased with that one, because it was the one I felt was most out my own head, and less like the other artists from the day before.

[@deeanncross7674]

I absolutely love the unrealistic colors in your tree. I've never tried this, but now I will. All the elements make a striking sketch page.

[@helencryer]

Thank you! I hope you have fun with it!

[@madebylora]

It’s impressive that you’ve done so many different styles! The page looks great!

[@helencryer]

Thank you! Some were more heavily influenced by the previous day's exercise than others.

[@margaretspringer9197]

I love these, and the ones from the previous day. Working small enables one to try things quickly and gauge the effect. I'm going to try it! Thanks!

[@helencryer]

Thanks! Yes - it's surprising you can fit quite a bit into that size, but they're quick to do!

[@jennyrose1274]

8.28 another lovely spread. I’m staying with friends, surrounded by woodland. No excuses for me not to have a go!!!!

[@helencryer]

Oooo - I hope you do some!!!

[@lauraking1331]

Thank you so much for taking us along on this journey! I just love your process and absolutely plan to do this on my own. Landscapes overwhelm me in person - curating the 'scene', applying my own style, a (silly) sense of urgency, etc. These videos have been so inspiring to me. I know how hard it is just to work through the process on my own...I really appreciate your willingness to share and demo a new, freeing approach to all of us!

[@helencryer]

I'm beginning to realise how much psychology is involved in art!! I really have appreciated everyone sharing their journey on here! I've felt grateful to be able to talk about mine, so thanks!

[@lauraking1331]

@@helencryer Thank YOU! Amazing how expansive this world of artists community is.

[@marydodson5265]

I really like your work! Great colors and your style is great as well! It gave me some ideas too.

[@helencryer]

Thank you so much!

[@artmix700]

These look great and i particularly love the 'unrealistic' colours on both your little oak tree studies💜 Its so inspiring watching you experiment and trying new things, thank you🙏🏼

[@helencryer]

Thanks so much! I was thinking that I ought to set myself the challenge of just using a limited palette of unnatural colours.

[@artmix700]

@@helencryer I'll look forward to watching if you do decide to do it, sounds like it could be a really inspiring challenge😊

[@katehirst6046]

The difference in style between the top left and top right is massive and l think you did them both justice. I love the top left idea most, it's the one that both most appeals to me and is probably the one l'll have most success trying. Great video, thanks.

[@helencryer]

Thanks ever so much!

[@teekierudite5108]

Oooh purple trees, I like it! Keep going, your art is wonderful!

[@helencryer]

As always, thank you very much!!

[@chereliu5565]

So fascinating to see your process of interpretation Helen! Love your little captured artworks! Thanks for all the great videos of your artwork and journey! I’m envious of your nice weather outdoors and beautiful green views! It’s that time of year that is my least favorite with it being too hot to be outdoors, but I’m enjoying being inspired by creative people like yourself!!!

[@helencryer]

I'm sorry to hear the weather is so inhibitive at the moment for you! Mind you - it's rained pretty much a week solid here 🤣 Thanks so much!

[@chereliu5565]

OMG, this is a nice reminder of envy! The rain is what makes a place green and lush, whereas I live in Southern California, USA which is a more desert climate. But, luckily enjoying art is possible anywhere! 😉

[@Purpleladybirdart]

What a lovely sketchbook tree study…it’s given me the inspiration to practice my trees too. Thank you 🙏

[@helencryer]

Thank you! I'm so glad, and hope you do!

[@apronhugsingreeenbay]

Lovely! My favorite is the tree with lilac foliage.😊

[@helencryer]

Thanks so much!

[@ChantelleArts]

that's a lovely setup you've got outside, I wish the weather was nicer to be able to do this more often ❤⭐

[@helencryer]

Well I basically dumped a load of stuff on the grass next to a lounger! I think it's going to rain much of next week though ☹️

[@ChantelleArts]

@@helencryer it’s been raining soooo much lately 🥺

[@nisamorin2519]

They're all lovely, each one in it's own way. But my heart has immediately fallen in love with those two in the middle of the page ❤ ... ... ... ... ... ... ... I feel as if you put a mirror in front of me - my mind and almost 15 years of painting my own way in all those crazy small lines on one side, and my heart and my hurting arms on the other side ... ... ... ... ... Thank you, thank you, thank you Helen!❤ And thank you, Nisa, for being open!😊 😉 Oh, i almost forgot - congratulatins on your 5000 subscribers! 👏 💞😘

[@helencryer]

I think they are my favourite too! (Though I liked my oil pastel stripes on the grass 😂) You describe it very well! I just want art to feel more joyful and free... but also to like the outcome! I have to accept the awkward truth I'm not going to like all the outcomes on that journey. I hope you feel open and brave and excited too! Thanks! I'm kind of surprised how it crept up! Seem to be so many lovely people out there!

[@nisamorin2519]

@@helencryer Yes exactly as you said - accepting that I'm not going to like each and every painting I create. And at the same time knowing, that this is normal and absolutely ok. Thank you for your encouraging words! Sometimes I can be my own worst enemy ... But maybe I'm entering a new phase of my creative life. From now on the artist part of me has a new hymn: Girls just wanna have fun! 🤣 Yesssss for Cindy 🥰 As for the number of your subscribers - you more than deserve it! I hope you're having a great Sunday 🌼🐬💞

[@juliebromfield1865]

I live your 'unnatural' colour watercolour tree it works very well. A completely different style to all the others which in their stylised form are great too!

[@helencryer]

Thanks! I'm not sure if my general painting will improve much, but it was interesting to do!

[@dianegibbs]

Love the purple tree! Way to be brave! this is a great exercise and you have inspired me to try it

[@helencryer]

I'm really glad - I hope you enjoy it! Thanks!

[@impish22]

wow, loving those trees !!

[@helencryer]

Thank you!

[@nancytipton2640]

Thank you for sharing your progress. Each is a positive step in the right direction. (Piaget:we learn from each experience)😊

[@helencryer]

Thank you! And Piaget... Blimey, that's a blast from the past, and my degree!!

[@FaithAnnNB]

I think this page turned out quite lovely, despite your self-critique! I especially like how your oak tree turned out! Your surroundings are similar to what I see when I look around my house. There are a lot of mature, large trees of different types all clustered together and I don’t have many “stand alone” trees that are easy to copy; there are lots of shadows and lots of growth and they are so close together. A lot of paintings seem to have perfect, distinct trees that are spaced apart to balance the scene. Last night, I saved some sample tree paintings and I plan to practice a few styles today. We shall see how that goes!

[@helencryer]

Those clusters are just really hard!! I hope you have fun with it!

[@FaithAnnNB]

@@helencryer It was fun! Although, I ended up doing more of an A Gallo essential 6 colour study than the tree study I had planned 😂. All of the trees I did yesterday turned into the same style and I enjoyed exploring different combinations of colours instead. So, TODAY, I plan to do different styles of trees 😃.

[@karenjacobs3775]

It is inspiring to see how you adapt what you’ve learnt. And I do think you’re a bit hard on yourself: you managed to reinterpret your style and I absolutely love 4 out of the 6, and find interest in the 2 more moody/muddly ones. Job very well done I’d say. Thank you!

[@helencryer]

Thanks ever so much!

[@KerryAA7130]

Congratulations Helen on your over 5k subscribers, I’ve been following you since almost the start of your journey, you’re doing amazing Helen and your art is always great . I will have to try the tree drawing experiment because I’m awful at trees when it comes to drawing or painting them into my work . Thankyou as always for sharing .

[@helencryer]

Thank you so much - and for all your support!! It sort of sped up and took me by surprise. As long as everyone knows I'm just making it up as I go along!! I really do recommend giving it a go though - it was both fun, bit too hard, and I also learnt quite a bit.

[@Dawnasy]

Great study! I esp like the oak tree!

[@helencryer]

Thank you!

[@racechick2033]

They look wicked, well done. I know this isn't that easy for you but you are picking up lots of new ways of representing what you see on paper. You are also inspiring us to throw caution to the wind and to worry less. You covered a nice set of different styles and my favourite is the one with the blank trunk. It looks amazing! Carry on enjoying your mark making. ❤ xx

[@helencryer]

I really like that one too. All I can say is this felt much harder work than the previous day though! Oh well! Hope you're doing OK xxx

[@janetbailey7600]

I think they are lovely - also enjoyed yesterdays when you copied from other artists - I am going to have a go as I find trees difficult and like you tend to overwork! Don’t they look lovely when you take off the washi tape! Love your style.

[@helencryer]

Thank you! I really recommend you do have a go! Looking at other work really takes off the pressure, when it feels like a difficult subject!

[@lulabelle33]

These are great!!!

[@helencryer]

Thank you!

[@agentxp0749]

Lovely! I particularly like the one on the bottom right of the page, the pencil marks make such a nice natural texture :D Thanks for the video(s) 🖌🎨 (Also glad to see you kept the nice weather, it's a wash out in England today! 🌧:S lol)

[@helencryer]

Thanks! Oh dear! I think the rain is on its way to us...

[@valeriegehling4358]

Like the pics on the left, the abstract trees I find surprisingly pleasing tho unrealistic but, think artistic value is high! Successful morning! I looked at trees differently on my walk yesterday, more intensely, must now practice! Thanks

[@helencryer]

Haha - we'll all be walking around glaring at trees now 😂

[@valeriegehling4358]

@@helencryer Funny how a day can change, re visited the trees I found so interesting yesterday not so today, perhaps I know them too well now! Been out “tree spotting” lately?! When I opened my back door this morning the birds weren’t singing but, a woodpecker was hacking a tree! Nature is amazing, my thoughts were he’s hammering away ( more than 10 mins), how does he not get neck or headache ? Well, he can’t tell me, but, after asking google, apparently they’ve extra strong neck muscles! But, he’s a beautiful specimen black & white with a bright red head! In a day I’ve gone from trees to birds spotting talk about spider brain! Ha!ha!

[@helencryer]

Haha, love this! I've gone off trees today too (well mainly) - been back to painting the building again, in a different style for me. Talking of birds though, I recently downloaded a bird identification app, from their songs. I've been going out, and trying to learn them a bit! (My Dad on the other hand has been trying to trick the app with his bird impressions!)

[@valeriegehling4358]

@@helencryer Good for you! I tried to tape as in the old days the birds song in the garden as I spied a chaffinch & a wren bouncing in & out of our flower pots in spring. As I know nothing about birds after putting up feeders last spring we had 26 sparrows, blue tits, great tits, robins & our Fridolin ( she/ he is our red squirrel) that one year during the pandemic we had mum, dad & baby feeding at the place we left nuts & fruit near the kitchen door, we spent hours watching them such fun! Enough nature watch for now!

[@antoinettesharp6030]

Thanks!

[@helencryer]

That is so kind of you! Thank you!

[@cindyfromsydney7693]

These are great but Ilove how you make trees anyway😂❤

[@helencryer]

Thanks! You are so nice!!

[@Paintspotsandpaper]

Lovely sketches Helen, we’re all a bit nervous but it’s when we have a go that we learn and enjoy. Amazing too, what a difference it makes framing with washi, it reveals a cleaner and more professional look! Thankyou for sharing x

[@helencryer]

Thank you! I know art shouldn't be something nerve wracking, but sometimes it just is! I'm just glad I'm willing to feel that way more often nowadays. Yes, the washi tape is very satisfying!

[@susananielsen8911]

I simply love this video…have this dream that you give links to all the artists??🫸🫷

[@helencryer]

I showed the names of all the artists in the video this one links to (the original tree study), but I don't think I did links.