Our Hibiscus and Exercising Right Side of the Brain

One of my favorite flowering shrubs is the Hibiscus.  We have a couple orange flowering shrubs that were here (in the ground) when we moved into the house six years ago as well as a couple double peach Hibiscus.  Since then we've added a red and my youngest son gifted me with a tropical (Hawaiian I believe) that is multi-color with red, yellow, and white.  Last year I mail ordered yet another double peach with these new additions in pots until we decide where we want to permanently place them.

The Hibiscus basically bloom year round......even during winter.  The only issue we have are aphids as they too love the flowers.

First illustrations I worked sketching on my Ipad, using Procreate, and Apple Pencil.  I printed off onto regular bond paper and then decided to use watercolor pencil (dry) on one of the illustrations but left the other two as ink only sketches.  Used Technical and Fine ink tool brushes.

Yesterday I decided to exercise my brain a bit using the "Right Side of the Brain" exercise where I had the illustration next to my journal page and did my best to slowly copy exactly what I saw line by line.  It's really interesting when you can actually "feel" the right and left side battle one another to take control.  I'd be going along just fine with eyes on first illustration and hand making marks on journal page and then it was like the left side wanted to take control and my hand going off in a different direction or angle.  Between the level of concentration and battle going on inside my head, I found my hand becoming a bit shaky and glad I was initially doing this with light pencil.  By the time I was done, my hand was too shaky to start in with pen and ink so I waited awhile.

Still a little shaky, I proceeded with pen and ink.  It was actually a good thing as I felt it helped with a more spontaneous looking line but then maybe just my imagination.

If one didn't know better, one might think I had traced these as I came real close and feel good with the results from this exercise.

Journal with Arches Coldpress / Pilot Prera w/#41 Brown / DS and QoR watercolors