About a month ago the sketch group dwindled in the face of cold, dreary conditions to only a handful. Thinking that the weather might close in, we made our way to the domed Des Moines Botanical Center, a wonderful melange of indoor specimens under the dome and extensive outdoor gardens. The Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden (to use it's official name) opened as the domed Botanical Center in 1979 and now has grown to a much larger facility, but the dome remains the centerpiece.
The dome seemed a good choice that day. Dark clouds boiled along the northwest horizon, across the Des Moines River, as we went inside. No sooner had we ducked into the humid interior but a violent thunderstorm exploded overhead, complete with thunder and lightning. We settled on a balcony that overlooks a tangled mass of tropical vegetation that includes several species of palm trees, including banana palms, orchids, ferns, and much more. It's a wonderful and warm refuge during the cold months.
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| "Under the Dome," watercolor on paper |
With a cup of hot tea to warm up, I made this watercolor sketch in the usual order. That is, graphite layout sketch, then large masses of color, then details, then ink lines for definition. Several other groups of people were there, one woman on her computer. The ribs of the geodesic dome and the translucent panels made an interesting backdrop for the selection of figures I decided to include. The mini-jungle protrudes above the balcony railing. The blurred and unfocused outdoors was one of the challenges that made me want to do this one.
Watercolor is a great choice for sketching on the fly, whether indoors or out. You can carry a little half-pan palette, a pencil, tech pen and brush in one pocket. And of course water is readily available, though I also like to use a waterbrush.
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