I have not done my One Big Leaf yet becuase Susan only offers that class every other year and I MISSED IT while I was in Durango but It’s coing up again this spring and you should probably know the following:
One Big Leaf is exactly that. you pick out one leaf at least 30 sq in in size and you draw that bitch 1. Life Size 2. As realistically as possible.
You are allowed to draw Two of the Same Big Leaf for compositional purpose or if it illustrates something imporant about it.
Your leaf may be long, round, complex, simple, alive, dead, partially eaten, still attatched to the rest of the plant, some kind of parasitic plant, terrestial, arboreal, aquatic or whatever.
But It Gotta Be Big
One Big Leaf is a course that’s also only offered to people who’ve graduated the program
So ya gotta show off
Pick something crazy
Something with a complex structure, pattern, sporophytes, senessence, spines, hairs, wild colors, you get the idea
Ok, i hear some of you going. that doesn’t sound so bad.
Here’s the Kicker
It’s gotta be done and ready to hang
in five weeks.
Nearly everyone works on it exclusively in class, because moving your specimens and large paper is a BITCH also it;s the only studio space some of us have.
so it’s really gotta be done in 15 hours.
You heard me
ADDITIONALLY
I have a reputation to uphold here.
As someone who works fast, large, with tons of color and dynamic compositions
which is BI for “is filled with hubris”
and my mother, who is also In The Program
just did a life size Ponderosa pine bonsai from the garden’s collection
at like 3×5 FEET
so
the bar is up there
so I’ve been considering candidates
and I think I’ve found something to retake my throne as the Monarch of Madness.
This is Victoria amazonica, or the Queen Victoria Water Lily, which is already Baller, but I don’t wanna draw the smooth green top.
I wanna draw THE UNDERSIDE
THE TEXTURE! THE SPINES! THE COLOR!! THE GEOMETRY!!! THE DRAMA!!!
I have. no idea. where i’m going to get a sample.
but I’m gonna do it.
1. Since some people were concerned about the baby: these things are hella tough and bouyant. srsly they’re outright woody you need a saw to cut the stem and all those tubes on the bottom and about half the flat section is filled with air. You can plop a whole-ass first grader on there, cut the stem and let ‘em paddle around. You could plop a half-assed first grader in there too but they probably wouldn’t get as far.
2. Denver Botanic Gardens grows at least a few of these bad Bitches every summer so I just have to talk to whoever’s in charge of them. The Boanists love it when we ask for samples and let them talk about thier favorite plants, instead of stealing them in the night like little art goblins.
3. I also decided, since it’s an Amazonian plant, and you donlt have lily pads without a frog, Imma stick a little bitty camoflaged Poison Dart frog in there liek a tiny deadly easter egg for people. leave both latin names in the label and let ‘em squint for it.
So I’m having a problem.
I can’t find paper large enough to draw this that I can afford.
one of the places in Denver sells 40×60 in papers in the right style/weight/archival quality… but only in a 5 pack and it costs Fuckign $300 usd.
The other option is to buy a roll which comes even larger but that’s a bitch to cut and then ya gotta flatten it and… still $150.
I wanna draw my boi at LEAST 3x3ft with some margin space so if anybody in the denver/front range area (I’m willing to drive a couple hours here) knows where I can get some 140lb (or heavier), archival drawing/watercolor paper in that size for… less money than that, You’ll be my new best friend and I will love you forever.
EDIT: might have found a few avenues to get appropriate paper, but I gotta see how they’ll pan out first. I’m mostly just venting here, but I appreicate y’all’s concern over this
@likhoradka would you have any suggestions for finding this paper for a good deal in CO?
Meininger’s should have Stonehenge available in 38"x50" (90# I think, but not certain) for around $10. Otherwise, there is Arnhem available off a large roll, which is sold by the foot. I think the width is over 3’ and is either 90 or 120#. Again, Meininger’s should have it. Both are 100% cotton drawing papers. They also have oversized sheets of Arches watercolor paper (300# I think) and that’s gonna be around $70 or so if I remember right – not sure if Denver store has stock on hand, but the Springs store should have something. If you don’t know where Meininger’s is, Denver is 499 Broadway, Springs is 201 S Weber, and Boulder is 1135 Broadway. I’d say call beforehand and make sure they have what you want in stock or even call and see what options are available.
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