Gift From the Sea

Hi, Friends, I enjoyed a first swim at Narrabeen beach and re-read "Gift from the Sea" written by Anne Morrow Lindbergh. I've loved that book since my late twenties. Her insightful writing always gives me what a woman's life is at each stage from youth to aging, regarding relationship, marriage, creative activities and solitude in a modern society. Anne's very frank and unsentimental eye on herself and topics are very touching -- as if we were having a conversation in person. Young readers will find advice on marriage and love in Anne's comparing the shapes of shells to women's life stages. Middle aged readers will find comfort and suggestion in the maturing process of life. Aged people will find a direction to go both outward and inner world. 

Now, this is my first sketch of the sea. I play with waves on paper as well as in water! The fresh green of a big wave attracted me. Big waves in Narrabeen beach are popular among surfers. Always waves capture my heart. Its colours, movements and shapes are changing or waves never stay the same. It is much like our lives. I made this sketch around noon. Fortunately, the weather was good and the watercolour painting relatively got dried well. 

Today, I did not collect any shell. (*Usually, I pick up some shells.) Like Anne Morrow Lindbergh writes, I know we cannot collect all shells -- we all, one day, clearly realise the limitation of abilities and time given on the earth. But it is the beauty of maturing ; know what we are well and properly. So, we can concentrate on what we want/need to do. This paradox is true, I feel, if we go any direction in the limitation, we can find eternity and no restriction.

People enjoyed swimming, surfing, sun tanning or just walking on the beach. A water temperature was a bit cold, 18'C. Often people said to me, "You're brave!" Only a first step was cold. Once, you jump in a pool, that's fine. An ocean, like a mother, kindly held me, water was not cold at all. Few people were in the pool and almost mine early in the morning! Big waves broke against the walls of the pool and made splashes! Some came into the pool. That's very impressive, but hard to capture it. Anyway, this is my try. I hope you can hear waves and the sounds from the sea.

Then, the below is the sketch of the pool. A day time saving has started from this Sunday. We are getting into summer. Our long weekend was over. Each of us will go back to routine from tomorrow. But it was lovely to have had such a rich quiet time in the off days.

I feel like reading well that book, "Gift From the Sea." Quite a thin book, yet it's full of wisdom in lyrical and rhythmical sentences like waves sounds. If you have a spare time, it's worth reading.

Friends, Happy Painting!

Capture Waves Rough & Calm @ Narrabeen

Hi, Friends, which season are you enjoying? We enjoyed a long distant swimming at Narrabeen. I sketched a sea. So, these are the souvenirs for you.

Have you ever tried capturing waves with watercolour? In my eyes, a sea is not simple blue at all. Waves have several colours and dramatic movements that create value. So, an ocean's mood always fascinates me. A careful observation of waves helps to capture a pattern of movements and decides positions of varied colours.

The first sketch was done around four to five before a sunset(NOTE we're having a day time saving!). Nearly black-like, very dark blue interested me. In parallel, a sky gets dark.
The second sketch was created in a very day time. Greenish cerulean blue was most eye catchy. It reminded me of fresh mint. I had a deep breath and enjoyed the mood. The mood is very different between them. The day time ocean looks very cheerful, as if it were laughing below. In contrast, the evening sea looks serious.
Which one do you like more? My friends seem to prefer the first one. 

People often came to me and asked questions. Most questions were...
Q1) "How do you draw?"
No. I just draw some "lines." The lesser, the better or more comfortable for me. Once, get on colour, colours tell me which next and where to put strokes to build up a value.
Q2) "How long?"
30 minutes to 1 hour. Try not to do overwork. Within 30 minutes is preferable.


The third sketch was done around 2 o'clock. It was so windy. Hard winds blew away waves' heads with no mercy. Swish! Fume and foam! It was amazing and beautiful. Oh, yes, sea sounds were so amusing and stirring. Hopefully, I can send you "some."

Waves are never the same. Changing sun light alters a sea's colour from time to time. Winds and clouds work together on its changing.
Many adults silently look at the dancing waves for a long hours...

"The cure for anything is salt water - sweat, tears, or the sea”. Isak Dinesen quotes (pseudonym of Baroness Karen Blixen.) 

Looking at dancing waves washes away negative feelings, etc, whatever from a heart. Yes, refreshing our hearts, really. Probably that's why a sea has an indescribably deep colour that accepts anyone's emotions and silent talks...
Friends, come to a sea, chest off and set yourself free. In addition, well, all the people at a beach are friendly. As you can see high and big waves are popular among surfers.  

Technically, I also feel watercolour has no limitations to depict any subject and expresses our inner world. 
Let's explore watercolour more and more. 
Friends, Happy Painting!!

Learn Swimming in Australian Summer

Hi, Friends, how have you been?  I enjoyed swimming at Narrabeen in a storm! I sketched a wild sea from a car. This post is a "private swimming lesson" for you. Friends, show off your beautiful swimming to your friends and family next/this summer?!

 

First, be a jelly fish. Don't get panic. Lungs are natural air bags and tubes. We'll float. Tips are "keep your back straight like lying on a ground" and "relax yourself. Let hands and legs down in water." In salt water, it's much easier to float than an inside pool. While floating, look up birds and clouds in a beautiful blue sky.

OK, a next step is to move hands or legs while floating. That's all what needed for swimming. See? You can swim! Then, choose a favorite style from below.

1) Back strokes = Sunny Side Up Free Style
Easy! After floating, move hands like a wind mill and kick water. No need to worry about breath taking.
In my understanding, "reversed back strokes = free style."

2) Dog Paddle
Stay still in water. Stand there and trust in your lungs. Slowly, float with a head up. Don't get panic. Remember, you'll never sink. In my experience, water might come up to the nose, but it never went up to the head or top. If you're not confident, look at a dog and any animal. It does swim naturally and very well. 
After floating, move hands and legs vertical! That's all! 
A bit like a "dog's life," as that style lacks elegance, in my opinion(excuse me, doggies. I love you all!). Well, after mastering dog paddle swimming, do you feel like challenging sophisticated skills? Try breast strokes.

3) Frog Style = Breast Strokes
"Move hands & legs horizontal" is the key like a frog, not vertical like a dog. Closely look at frogs. They are the masters!

4) Free Style = Reversed Back Strokes
Free style took me more time to master than any other styles. Breathing is tricky. I often failed it at the beginning of learning. Then, I tried to look up or look back a blue sky and took a breath quickly. Wow, I made it! Got the feeling?
I observed each person's swimming. Individual has a different pattern to take a breath. Find a favorite side to turn up a face and make your own rhythm and tempo. Count number is a good idea. And repeat it.
Now, a free style is yours.

Another problem of a free style was "Swim straight" in a rock bath. Many people have the same issue. We need traffic lights. Swimmers tend to choose the first or the last lanes and avoid middle lanes despite a plenty of space. Unfortunately, a rock bath does not have lines at the bottom.
Tadadada~~~!! I found the solution. My solution is "check a pool's  side wall and remember a distance while swimming." Now, you can swim elegantly and confidently in the middle lane, a lot of space. Please show off your sophisticated free style?! For a long distance swimming,  swim gently and enjoy it! If you have any good suggestions to learn swimming, please let me know. 

Swimming is a wonderful stress buster between work, although we're getting into autumn. 
Have a wonderful day and 
Happy Painting!! 

Gear Up New Year!

Hi, Friends, did you enjoy a festive season?
The last year was very fruitful for me. I used A4 sketch books, 13 to 14, plus, many watercolour pads. I've begun to enjoy "wash" more and more, which needs qualified watercolour pads.

Last year, the most lovely challenging was to capture waves. Do you know? A sea changes colours, reflecting a sky. A stormy sea shows a dark, melancholic blue. On the other hand, a fine day, a sea shows a very bright greenish blue like a laughing cheerful girl.

But "people" are my most wonderful and favorite subjects. Like Meegan, I'd capture "snap shots of our everyday life" from a changing angle. Australia has colourful cultures and brilliant linguistic diversity. The aim of my posts is to demonstrate "what we are Australians" at grass roots level in Sydney, humorously and with humane eyes.While exploring the cultural and linguistic diversity, I'd show beautiful nature in Australia from micro to macro level.

Regarding architecture, my posts will highlight Australian history in Sydney. Technically, I've begun to get how to handle it. Mmmm...could be enlightening?! Putting colour amuzes me so much now. Practice, practice, practice!
But my very poor appetite for buildings is only the issue!?

Well, hopefully, I can carry out these resolutions...gulp?!? Friends, your cheers give me energy to go on.

Finally, thank you for other sketch club members who have shared time and fostered wonderful friendships. I heartily hope we will enjoy sketching more in 2012.
And a big bow for you, Friends, who have read our blog and cheered us up!!

Friends, Happy Painting in 2012!!

Beach Chat Mollymook Australia

Summer time in Australia. Holiday time and everyone (most anyway) gets to the beach at some time. Standard procedure is a good catch up and chat on the beach. Quintessential Australian.

My ears are shells, fondly hearing the sound of the sea

Hi, Friends, how have you been?
The subject line is originally by Jean Cocteau.
"Mon oreille est un coquillage Qui aime le bruit de la mer"

(=My ear is a shell who loves the sound of the sea)

私の耳は貝の殻 海の響きを懐かしむ ---ジャン コクトー

Narrabeen

I've loved looking at waves and hearing sounds since childhood. The sounds of waves are bit similar to the blood flow in a mother's womb. Could be...the unconscious memory takes me to a sea to listen to it.

Looking at ships is another fun. Retired, still working, etc, etc. Each ship tells her life long story. Quite interesting and wonder why a female gender is applied to a pronoun for a "ship" in English. Who started to call a ship in an elegant(?) manner? A romantic soul? Or simply because a sailor projected his desire onto a ship during a long journey without a girl? Imagination always amuses me.

In the afternoon, sketching in light is nice. Feeling a soft breeze, I always smile at the sea in a wharf. Silent. Quiet and peacefull.

Drummoyne

Friends, when you come to Sydney, visit beaches and wharfs and enjoy serenity.
Have a nice weekend!

Narrabeen Beach

Hi, Friends, are you enjoying autumn or spring?
We, Australians are at the beginning of spring. Today, I'll take you to my favorite spot, Narrabeen beach in Sydney. I sketched a rough sea from the car below. It was a storm. Wild waves caught my eyes and heart. There, I listen to the voice of waves. Sometimes, they cry, weep, laugh, giggle etc, etc. Probably, it's up to a listener's feelings. I have a CD that mixes the sounds of waves with "Pachelbel's Canon." Simple and endless. I listen to it for hours.
If a weather allows me, I always enjoy swimming. Narrabeen beach has big waves and surfers love there.
Little Sadami wondered why an ocean has so beautiful, dark, but a bit sad, greeny blue. I thought... a sky fell in love with an ocean. The ocean, too. But they could not become "one" and turned to be so blue.
...ocean rolls make anyone sentimental and a poet?!

I often walk up this stairway to enjoy a beautiful overview of the sea. Many athletes and joggers love these steps.
Anyway, enjoy Narrabeen beach!
If you want to enjoy my sketches more, come over Sadami's Graffiti and let's have a chat together. Cheers!