September 19th 2012


While in Iceland, we had a couple of days to take things slowly and explore the area around our little cabin in Skagaströnd.  Chris and I would climb up the cliffs behind the cabin and sit in the grass and draw or paint.

Usually, while on vacation, we don't have the time to do any drawing or painting because we're only there for a short time and would rather spend it going to new places.  The great thing about spending time up in the north was that we were forced to take things a little slower and take in everything around us.

Above is a drawing of the top of a rock pillar formation that was just off of the cliffs in the ocean.  There were Northern Fulmar (Fýll) nesting in the rocks, (as well as some angry Arctic Terns that kept dive bombing us while we sat.  We must have been near their nests).


This is a quick painted sketch of the view from our front door.  The mountain straight ahead, (which we could see from many kilometres away on the drive in), was covered in the most beautiful blue Lupins.  It made the whole base of the mountain a bright purple-blue colour.


These were the Icelandic horses that grazed in the field in front of our cabin.  They were a little shy with us at first, but got curious when we stood by the side of their field for a while and came to visit.  

The farm land around the village was so colourful.  There were purple and yellow wildflowers everywhere you looked.  And there were so many different types of birds; it being a bird sanctuary in the cliffs behind us.  I wish I'd taken even more time to draw what we saw there, but that will have to wait for the next time.

6 comments:

  1. Beautiful Melinda! I love travel drawings so much! And travel water colouring is just something I admire so much!! You should maybe pretend you are traveling while you are home and do some water colours on the road in Toronto!

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    1. Celine, I've been thinking the same thing! And I'm heading up to my parent's house this weekend, so maybe I'll get a little painting done there too ;)

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  2. Okay, the idea of you guys drawing and painting together while on vacation is so cute it hurts. So amazing. x

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  3. These are so lovely, Melinda! That watercolour sketch of the mountainside is so elegantly minimal and perfect.

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    1. Thank you Carly! I had a hard time stopping there, but sometimes it's nice to leave things a little 'unfinished'!

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