Journal Ends ~ Rocks 'n Mountains

When the ending of one journal comes ~ I like to close with a quiet image but lofty thoughts. This particular two page spread does just that.

These two images were created in sheer joy. Working, well, more like play actually with my dear friend who pays me the compliment of taking private watercolor lessons from me had requested we work on rocks and mountains. Two of my all time favorites (maybe along with clouds and flora)!!

She'd selected an English rock wall that we started upon ~ and it turned into hilarity. We both developed the shapes with drawing and textures, aided with wax crayons. When we examined our paintings, hers only lacked in darkening the grout between the large rocks. What began with me just wetting the "trail of grout" between her rocks ended with her chasing my wet paintbrush with her heavily pigment loaded paintbrush - - like a game of cat and mouse. We both ended laughing near tears!!!

The rigid mountain peaks were a different story. On one ridge we used a white wax crayon, the other just discipline of "saving the white". The afternoon wained and so did our energy. We were most pleased with the wax crayon peak, as it leaves a fuzzy edge, more appropriate with a distant ridge. But what really helped was adding the closest, shadowy mountain, which helped establish the foreground of the far-away scene.

Ending my journal entry, my mind wandered in gratitude for such a precious friend and all I've learned from her and then, to a bumper sticker I'd recently seen and loved, "The more you know, the less you need."And on, to the next journal . . .