The art part was fun. The science of it however...

We are finishing up our art class this week. I don't anticipate that generations from now someone will find one of my projects stashed behind an old armoire, take it to an art auction and be able to retire on the proceeds. But it has been fantastically fun.

I've learned about colours. We don't use terms like red, yellow, orange, green and blue. It's Quinacradone, ochre, cadmium, Hooker's and Phthalo.

Never being one to take things at face value, I had to wonder why the word cadmium is used to refer to reds, yellows and oranges. I distinctly remember not cutting class that day in grade nine science when we learned that cadmium is a bluish coloured metal on the periodic table.

Yes, I admit my life is so dull that I felt the need to google it. Cadmium has 2 main uses: battery acid and paint pigment. It's a known carcinogenic, causes kidney failure and permanent respiratory damage, even in minute doses. Inhalation is more destructive than ingestion.

While I don't plan to eat my paintings, I can't help but breathe while I paint. I suddenly have an urge to do all my artwork in blues, greens and greys.

My first encounter with watercolour.

What I've accumulated.

A photo we took at Peggy's Cove



My rendition.

A mountain in Jasper or Robson Park.


Riding along towards Lake Superior


My combo creation of the mountain and Lake Superior.

Overlooking the Northumberland Straight on the Cabot Trail.


Although nothing like the original, I really like the way my sky turned out.



A fantastic view of the sunset from our campsite in Nova Scotia.


I hate the way my interpretation turned out. But hey, I'm a newbie... and I was using a lot of cadmium based colour in this project. ;)

Some practice work, using tonality.



Large trees at the old homestead where we went "hunting."



The old homestead.

I combined the homestead and the large trees. I trust not too many people will know that the big trees didn't actually grow near the buildings.