Day 14 - Toadstool

[vilakins]

Today's entry for the naarmamo National Art Making Month challenge is a toadstool I took a photo of back in May when I was down in Palmerston North. I've hardly ever seen one and this was huge, colourful, and magnificent.

Toadstool



There were a lot more leaves around it--in fact the ground was covered in leaves--but I got lazy and filled most of the background in with black.

My NaArMaMo 2008 Gallery is here.

Comments

[zoefruitcake.livejournal.com]

that's great, I love the colours

[ultrapsychobrat.livejournal.com]

This is gorgeous! Love the colors and textures.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Thanks! It was that bright too.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I actually rather like the black background; it brings the leaves out.

[kerravonsen]

it brings the leaves out.

Not to mention the toadstool itself.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Well, that was so bright it was sure to stand out. The leaves are a bit more muted. But it was a thing of beauty in Greg's sister's garden.

[imhilien.livejournal.com]

Now that's a toadstool... :)

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

It certainly was! It was about as big as my fist.

Lovely icon!

[linda-joyce.livejournal.com]

There should have been a little gnome smoking a pipe besides it, that's the toadstool they use for homes over here. You've caught the colour and shape beautifully and I love the colours of the fallen leaves.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Thanks! And I didn't know till I saw it that they even grew here.

[linda-joyce.livejournal.com]

Fly Agaric can be used to make a psycho-active drug when dried, so it was probably brought over by a colonist and escaped into an area of NZ that is most like the UK in climate. There's a short article here
http://www.shee-eire.com/Herbs,Trees&Fungi/Fungus/Fly-agaric/main.htm
That might interest you.

[san-valentine.livejournal.com]

That's very effective. As usual, the way you shade colours is very good. The range of oranges and reds to form the shape of the cap is very satisfying. The black outlines work well in this context too.

[nautile26.livejournal.com]

That's lovely. The black background is very effective and the toadstool itself is a delight. I like the subtle colours you've used for the leaves.

[popcorn-oracle.livejournal.com]

Oh! I've always had a fondness for mushrooms visually. So you already win points there! But that aside this is very nice and colorful and the sort of shading and line style all looks so cool for it. ::likes::

[acanthaster.livejournal.com]

WOW! What a toadstool! I love it!

[entropy-house.livejournal.com]

Wow, that's a toadstool that really glows. It's gorgeous.

[matildabj.livejournal.com]

There are real mushrooms like that? It's lovely!

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Thank you! They're based on the colours of the real ones which were a nice mix.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Yep! I was amazed when I saw it in my sister-in-law's garden. This was the first toadstool like that I'd ever seen. There were two and this was the bigger one. I've got a link to the photo in the post. :-)

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Thanks! :-D I was sorting through photos and came across this one and knew it would be a good subject.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

It's no brighter than the real one either! :-)

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

And the colours of the toadstool itself are pretty accurate. It's the one I took a pic of when I was visiting Greg's sister to meet his father; there's a link at the top.

You could draw some of the beautiful lizards and other creatures you've photographed!

[entropy-house.livejournal.com]

Ooh, the racerunner might be a nice subject. It's almost the same colors as my new set of pens. :^)

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Go for it! I'd love to see that. And maybe the little frog.

[entropy-house.livejournal.com]

I shall try for the lizard tomorrow (I found a nice head shot in my collection). I decided to try another human portrait tonight.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Oh yes! That certainly looks like it--and the pics in fairy stories!

[lizamanynames.livejournal.com]

I remember that picture!

The painting is even more striking than the original.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

:-D Thank you!