Author: MKW Publishing

Learning to paint #3

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Slowly getting there and finding styles I like. I picked two tutorials, cactus sunrise and a northern lights sky. Pleased with both but instantly wanted to do the northern lights one again and have been this last weekend. Second attempt was much better! but will be on the next post. Turns out my next cactus one was pretty good too, but it all has to start somewhere.

I also wanted to see if I could recreate one of my own sunset photographs. The one I chose I have as a set of coasters so could put it in front of me to paint. Not quite exact, but I’m happy with the results.

(c) K Wicks

Wild Orchids (Spain)

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Out on one of our walks in Spain, we stumbled across these orchids up in the hills. I was so excited to find not just one wild orchid type, but three! I have found a few wild orchids in the UK while out walking the dogs but never with a camera in hand. Spain however is vastly different, wildlife and insects literally just lying around. Sometimes I figured it was just too hot to do anything, for them included. Which was great for photo opportunities (hence the abundance of photos I have from spending just two years there). But these were a real treat to see.

Ophrys speculum

Ophrys lutea

Ophrys tenthredenifera

(c) K Wicks

It’s taken a turn… (poetry)

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It’s taken a turn

And not for good

Who could foresee

This year we would

See our futures

And lives destroyed

With not a thought

Thrown into the void

Not one in which

There is an end

Or one from which

You can defend

What once we knew

Has really changed

Before our eyes

They rearranged

Our thoughts and lives

Nobody can know

What next will come

In this live shitshow

Rhyme and Reason

(c) K Wicks

Nuthatch

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Inspired by a post I saw yesterday, I have dug out my photo of the only time I have seen a nuthatch here in the UK. Having trees close by meant we had plenty of wildlife in this small patch of garden, but was only a temporary rented property again so we weren’t there very long. I also spook birds quite easily as well, so usually have to spend some time waiting for them, this time I was lucky having put food out for the squirrels and other birds.

(c) K Wicks

Learning to paint #2

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I am thoroughly enjoying painting now and kind of wish I had found it years ago, feeling as if I have missed 20 years of something great. But I am making up for it with all evenings and weekends now taken up with painting. There is a lot more to it than I realised.

I keep switching between finding tutorials on YouTube and trying to use my own imagination. Above is imagination and below is tutorial.

At first I also switched between watercolours one weekend and acrylics the next (below). Liking both, but have settled on watercolours for now.

(c) K Wicks

We’re told to try… (poetry)

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We’re told to try

And do what we can

But the shit has really

Hit the fan

We’re in this together

A big fat lie

They swan around

And still deny

They haven’t got

A fucking clue

Of what is truth

Or what to do

The wildest claims

But no evidence

Shall have the direst

Consequence

A fallen nation

With no foe to see

Instead ground down

By tyranny

Rhyme and Reason

(c) K Wicks

Learning to paint #1

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Last month I decided to start learning how to paint. I had a pack of partially used watercolours that my grandma gave me years ago so started there. Quickly switching to acrylic the following week and back again. After 25 years of drawing geometric black and white pictures, I am thoroughly enjoying using colour. Checked out a few tutorials and found a picture to copy. Starting with nature and seeing it where it takes me.

(c) K Wicks