Blue Dicks purple Northern California Wildflower @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

Wandering Camera – Wildflower Portraits

Blue Dicks purple Northern California Wildflower @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

Blue Dicks Photo Print

 

Hi Everyone!  I have something very special to share with you today.  There is a trail not too far away from where I live.  It’s not a very large trail, about 1.25 miles one way.  Parts of it get very steep and most of the year it is completely dry.  However, in early spring, I have seen the most variety of wildflowers in that small of an area.

 

 

 

Western Blue Eyed Grass purple Northern California Wildflower @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

Western Blue Eyed Grass Photo Print

 

Since a few years ago, I have been taking portraits of these little beauties.  I thought I would share them here along with what it takes to get these photos.

They never grow where I can comfortably position myself to take a photo.  So, I need to place myself in very awkward positions most of the time.   Thankfully, the trail is a quiet one.

 

 

 

Milkmaids Northern white pink California Wildflower @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

Milkmaids Photo Print

 

Most of them are really tiny, between 0.5cm and 1.0cm.  Keeping myself steady and focusing on the right part of the flower gets a bit tricky.  I have to use my eyes and not depend on the camera.  Not to mention, the slightest breeze throws another wrench in the whole game.

 

 

 

Star Lily white Northern California Wildflower @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

Star Lily Photo Print

 

I had to play with the camera settings quite a bit to capture something that small.  There is not much room for adjustment, so I have to be there at the right time when the sun is not too harsh but the flowers are lit up properly.

 

 

 

Golden Fairy Lantern yellow Northern California Wildflower @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

Golden Fairy Lantern Photo Print

 

I really love these little wildflowers.  As you already know, due to severe allergies, I end up getting chest constriction if I spend too much time outside.  So my dear husband keeps a keen watch on the time. Despite that, I sometimes get carried away by the love of photographing these beauties and pay for it dearly afterwards, but the time I get to spend there is always extremely special.

 

 

 

Golden Fairy Lantern yellow Northern California Wildflower @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

The Golden Fairy Lantern is a flower that is endemic to Northern California.   These two were tucked away by an oak tree.  When I went back the week after, I looked for them and, to my surprise, found them too.  They were a bit worse for wear, but still pretty.  It made me very happy to see them again, like seeing a couple of old friends.

 

 

 

Golden Fairy Lantern drawing yellow Northern California Wildflower @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

There are little green butterflies that I also see on the trail, the same kind that flutter around in our garden too.  They are so sweet and I love seeing them.  It was easier to draw one in with the flowers, than trying to capture them in a photo.  Those little flowers are challenging enough for me.

 

 

 

Golden Fairy Lantern yellow Northern California Wildflower @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

Golden Fairy Lantern Photo Print

 

There’s an immense sense of joy when I get those photos where everything works out.  The composition, light, focus all work together to capture the essence of these little ephemeral beauties.

 

 

Here is a Gallery of all the Wildflower Portraits together.  Please click on the image thumbnails to see the pictures and the names –

 

 

Purchase wildflowers photo prints

 

I have added these photo prints to my shop.  I print them on high quality photo paper using archival ink. They can be framed as-is in a 5″ x 7″ frame, used as greeting/note cards, or simply displayed on a small table easel.

They are very special to me and I hope you enjoyed them too.  Let me know if you have a favourite.

 

I look forward to seeing your photos and reading about them.

 

Wandering Camera art and photo linky party @ InkTorrents.com by Soma Acharya

 

Wandering Camera starts on the last Thursday of every month.  Photos, art and creative-themed posts, including other linky parties are all welcome.

You can continue to link up multiple posts.  

Please add a link back to this website. 

Have fun!!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

I am linking up with the linky parties on my Events And Links page.  Please pay a visit to some of them.

 

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Dragon painting with fountain pen ink @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

Little Stories – Fairy Tale Inspired

Dragon painting with fountain pen ink @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

 

Hi Everyone!   Recently I pulled out the blocks for one of  my quilts which had been stashed away for a very long time in the hope of finishing them soon.  I finished this little painting using fountain pen inks, looking forward to  sharing my findings with you.   To wrap it all up, I have a pair of little wild flowers.

 

 


 

Unfinished Garden Path Quilt

 

 

Garden Path Flower Quilt Pattern @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

 

Let’s start with the Garden Path quilt.  I had the quilt layout design done long ago.  It was inspired by the gardens I had visited in the UK.  Some of those gardens really look like fairies live there.

 

 

Please click on the image thumbnails to see the pictures –

 

 

Selenite Clematis,  Olivine Tulip,  Kyanite Iris and Garnet Primrose

 

These are all 12″ flower patterns that I designed with stained glass motifs in mind.

If you are wandering about the names – I love geology and the flowers started looking very much like they were made of crystal. So, I decided to name them after my favourite minerals.

 

 

 

Garden Path Flower Quilt Pattern @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

Here is the full stack of finished blocks.   Only five more to make.  I am hoping to finish at least two more blocks within the next two week.

 

 


 

A Little Experiment – Painting With Fountain Pen Ink

 

 

Fountain Pen Quilt Pattern @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

 

Fountain pens and I go a long way back.  In school, from third year onwards, we were to use fountain pens only.  I still remember the anticipation of getting my very first fountain pen.  Since then, I have only ever used fountain pens for writing.  This is a quilt block I designed based on one of my pens.

 

 

 

Painting with fountain pen ink @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

 

For my birthday this year, my husband gave me a fountain pen and couple of bottles of beautiful inks.   I was curious to see how fountain pen ink would behave as paint, so I set out to sketch a quick painting with them. 

 

 

Please click on the image thumbnails to see the pictures –

 

 

 

The blue ink is Pilot Iroshizuku Moonlit Night, the red is Diamine Dragon Blood Ink.   Love the names.  He really knows me well!

 

I left the ink on my palette for a few days.  I was afraid that once the ink dried, it may not rewet well.  To my surprise, it was as good as fresh ink with a drop or two of water.

 

I tried sploshing a little ink on wet paper in my little book.  It spread out just like watercolour. 

 

Although these two inks are from different companies, they mixed very well and I was able to create different shades of black, grey and purple.

 

The Dragon Blood ink is infused with gold coloured particles which gives it a slight shimmery effect.  That part is only seen in the undiluted ink.

 

 

 

Dragon painting with fountain pen ink @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

 

With watercolour, I can lift and move paint easily as long as it has not dried completely.  These inks, however, would not budge at all.

 

I started with extremely diluted paint, and slowly built up the colour intensity by layering.  The inks did not lift off when I applied the next layer.  It was really easy to work with them, and I needed very little ink for this 6″ x 4″ painting.

 

Even the diluted colours dried with a soft but vibrant effect.  I found that to be very unique to these inks.

 

Fountain pen inks can be quite expensive.  Goulet Pen Co. sells ink samples for a very reasonable price.  Jet Pens also has a very good collection. 

 

 


 

Little Book of Dragons

 

 

Handmade watercolour journal @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

 

This moss green journal was the very first 3″ x 4″ journal I made.   The early editions of  J. R. R. Tolkien’s Hobbit was bound in light green cover.  As soon as I made this book, I wanted to make it a book of dragons.  I am glad I waited.  Now the first painting is special, made with the inks I got for my birthday and inspired by the weather on my birthday at Yosemite Valley.

 

 


 

Dragon And The Little Boy

 

 

Dragon painting with fountain pen ink @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

This little boy can befriend dragons very easily.   Not to control them mind you, but to talk to them.  Dragons always have such fascinating stories to tell.  While everyone else thinks he has special powers of making dragons listen to him, he would tell you that he is simply being nice to them and listening to them.

 

 


 

Little Wild Flowers

 

 

 

Last Sunday, despite my deadly pollen allergies, I hazarded a little outing on a trail.   Although I paid for it dearly afterwards, I found the most beautiful flowers there.  These are Golden Fairy Lanterns.  I found these two tucked away beside an oak tree.  More on the next Wandering Camera.

 

I always get asked – The quilt patterns and the journals, designed and hand made by me are available in my shop.

 

I think we all can use a little helping of fairy tale inspiration every now and then, don’t you?

 

Until next time,
-Soma

 

I am linking up with the linky parties on my Events And Links page.  Please pay a visit to some of them.

 

 

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