Mosslike | Gemma Hazen

Author: mosslike

  • Ink sketches of Koa leaves for Inktober Day 1

    Ink sketches of Koa leaves for Inktober Day 1

    It’s Inktober again!

    That means it’s time for me to stress out over posting a drawing every day this month. I don’t mind drawing every day – I LOVE that! It’s the posting part that’s annoying.

    I’m currently using a prompt list provided by Laulima Hawaii. Usually I try to stick to one major prompt list for the month. For example, my Spooky favorite, Mab’s Drawlloween Club. I’ll definitely be posting there at some point. But I’m no longer going to freak out over sticking to any particular lists. I’m just going to try and post a drawing I make daily. I’m already behind today, but my mind has plans.

    This drawing, for the 1st of October, is of Koa. Acacia koa is a very important tree species here in Hawaiʻi. We had a Koaʻia (Acacia koaia) planted in my yard at one time. It was a thriving and beautiful tree! It offered amazing shade, dropped the coolest sickle-shaped leaves, and sounded beautiful in the rain. It’s roots began lifting the neighbor’s shed, so we had to remove it. I’m not kidding when I say that I can still cry when remembering this tree.

    I drew the left sketch on Charcoal paper, just to see how it would hold water and ink. I like the splotchy bleed effects I got from my water-soluble Kaweco Pearl Black ink. I also used Noodler’s Bulletproof Black for the lines I didn’t want moving.

    If you read this far, enjoy this video of my kiddo dancing in the shade of our old Koa tree.

  • Oil pastel drawings of Mililani’s shady park trees

    Oil pastel drawings of Mililani’s shady park trees

    Pastel drawing of a white tree trunk
    Pastel drawing of a Monkeypod tree and it's shadow

    Some pastel trees for today!

    The first drawing is of a tree in Mililani Mauka Ravine Park. It has a white trunk with lichen.

    The second image is of a Monkeypod tree. We are surrounded by them here in Mililani. I love their shade! After my runs, I take time to lean on a tree and ground myself. Then, I pour out the last of my water near it’s base out of gratitude. Everything has been so crunchy dry after the summer passed.

    I hung out with some friends a couple weeks ago, and one of them said how Mililani is the prettiest town he’s ever seen. The trees, the parks, the clean roads. I get it. It was really nice to hear someone else appreciate it.

    In Ravine Park, they have fruit trees that are marked and also a section of native Hawaiian plants. It’s a really nice walk that I’ve enjoyed a bunch of times.

    Except this one time… it was night. My friend and I approached the park in our car, and all the nearby street lights shut off. The sprinklers turned on as a cold wind came down the road. There are a lot of large rocks in ravine park. I could have sworn something was between the rocks near the entrance. We got the creepiest feeling and got the hell out of there.

    And this other time that the whole park smelled like a litter box. We had to leave. Don’t get me wrong, I love cats ~ but it was out of hand. I’m sure even the cats were pissed.

    Anyways – these were my trees for today. Hope you liked them!

  • Pastel Portrait Practice

    Pastel Portrait Practice

    It’s been a few days and I’m still playing with the oil pastels. Yes, they’re crayola. I’m doing these after taking the kiddo to school and before I have to start working.

    Today, I used a reference from Pinterest.

    The proportions are wrong – it’s a little long in the face. Still, it’s a good looking face.

    This background color worked nicely with the colors I chose, so I like that too!

    The morning light outside in the patio is so nice. It’s the perfect time to get outside and think about something as simple as colored lines.

    Listening to the early birds chirping around.

    One day, I’d like to draw some trees at the neighborhood park. Writing that down so I actually try to get to that…

    For now, it’s time to go to work.