Tuesday 31 December 2019

Mushroom painting series



I find it a little mindboggling that this year is now coming to a close. I have been doing so much throughout the whole year, both as an artist and also in my private family life. So how to ring out the old year here on my blog?

In January of this still current year I started a series of watercolour paintings to really get to know the customised watercolour palette I had  just assembled. All of these paintings are mushrooms, some are odd, some are beautiful, some are edible and some are just naughty. I am adding the name of the mushroom where I know it. All of these are painted with Schmincke and Winsor/Newton professionel watercolours on Arches HP 300gsm watercolour paper.
DISCLAIMER: I am NOT a mushroom expert. Do NOT eat any mushrooms you find in the wild unless you know what you are doing or are in the company of someone who does! I will not take responibility for reckless consumption of questionable fungi and their effects!

So here goes:

My favourite one:
Omphalotus Olearius, commonly known as Jack-o-Lantern Mushroom



Morchella Esculenta, commonly known as a Morel Mushroom and highly edible to the best of my knowledge.



Hydnellum Peckii, commonly known as Bleeding Tooth Fungus. Yes, it really looks like it has droplets of blood oozing from its pores.



Astraeus Hygrometricus, commonly known as Barometer Earth Star Fungus, edible.



Clathrus Cancellatus, I do not know anything about this mushroom, I painted it because it is shaped like an organic netlike structure, with the vibrant orange outside and a really weird sort of brownish inside.




Okay, the last one for today comes with a warning. If you are a prudish sort of person, do not scroll down further!

Phallus Impudicus, also known as the Common Stinkhorn. Very fitting names if you ask me...