It doesn’t always work first time

It took me two attempts before I was satisfied with this dragonfly ZIA.   The first time round I chose a much too ornate and involved background which meant that the dragonfly pretty much got lost.  I started again and this time kept the background simpler.  I already visualised a monochrome background and a bright insect that would ‘pop’ from the page.  I shaded with graphite and then I began to colour the dragonfly with alcohol markers.

I bought a set of Spectrum Noir markers earlier this year as so many people on Ornation Creation seemed to recommend them.  I have to say that although I love how eaily they blend with each other, I’m disappointed with many of the colours which are not as vivid as I hoped for.  Also some colours are lacking from the range – there is no bright sunshine yellow, no Christmas red, no emerald green.  I coloured my dragonfly with shades of turquoise, lime green and lavender and waited for the ‘pop’.  There was none.  I wanted vibrancy and irridescence and wasn’t getting it.

So, I turned to my Japanese watercolour brush pens and finally got satisfaction.