Butterflies

I'm sure most of us have experienced "butterflies" at one time or another.

I had a case of the "butterflies" this past weekend.

I discovered the best way for me to soothe those butterflies, was to sketch them.

I sat in the cafe at a Barnes & Noble bookstore and started sketching.

I bought the small book of butterflies you see in the above photo, so I could have something to go by.

I still struggle with drawing something out of my head.  I like to look at something and then put my own twist if I can.  Maybe sketching from your head just comes with time.

This is just graphite pencils 

When I got home, and I had my paints, I couldn't decide if I should add color or not.  I wasn't sure how the graphite would work with watercolor.

I tried a test page in the back of my book, and decided it was fine.  So, in the first photo I used watercolor pencils and a small amount of water. 

I think color is good, however I'm kind of enjoying the raw sketch too.  What do you like? 

My "butterflies" are all gone now.

I'm glad I can look back in my sketch journal and see how I could turn that feeling into something more productive.

I've decided I like butterflies, I just prefer them in my sketchbook. :-)

Becca

(background music, Poor Butterfly by Oscar Peterson & Count Basie)