#3x3thumbsup
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fruchtdrop.bsky.social
Complete! I've just finished my 10th series of #3x3thumbsup which means there are now 310 tiny thumbnails showing memories of my life of the last nearly 10 years.
Photo of 4 thumbnails in watercolour showing a house, a wood stack, a can bin and a breakfast table
September 3, 2026 at 8:46 PM
fruchtdrop.bsky.social
Almost up to date - only 4 tiny thumbnails are missing to finish this year's #3x3thumbsup challenge!
A photo of the next 9 thumbnails of the #3x3thumbsup challenge. There's: a latern, a plant shelf, garden temple (1st row), blueberry cake, bread and fruits, a tomatillo (2nd row) and sheep, grass hopper and a butterly (last row)
August 31, 2026 at 7:03 PM
cyluho.bsky.social
From New Plymouth to Palmy North to Taupo to Rotorua to Auckland to Hobbiton (=perfect paradise) to Rotoroa... and back home again

#3x3thumbsup
A white square with 9 square drawings, 3 in 3 rows. They are painted in naturalistic colours with gouache and watercolours. From top left to lower right: 19: A bright pink and gigantic blow-up-octopus at New Plymouth Festival of Light. It floats on water and mirrors in it, surrounded by greenery and more colourful lights. 20: A rainbow painted pedestrian crossing in Palmerston North. The rest of the pavement around it is very grey. 21: The back of the tourist information in Palmerston North: a white building front decorated with green and red and gardening in front leading towards the Ladies restroom. 22: Turqouise water surrounding by lots and lots of green leading towards the Huka Falls. To the right a looming sign with yellow writing on a dark background saying "Last Exit". 23: A view of Lake Rotorua: dark duckformed shapes sitting on a tree trunk and branches fallen into the water. The water is blue, mirroring but darker than the sky. 24: A turqouise basin of probably very warm water at Te Puia in Rotorua, next to the big geysires. In front is light green shrubbery, behind it darker greens and trees. 25: A view of Auckland townhall at night. The white front with a clock tower and columns is dramatically lighted in warm yellow tones. 26: Part of Bagsend in Hobbiton: A green grassy hill covering a low yellow hobbit hole with a large way too perfect tree on top. 27: The Guardian of the Island on Rotoroa: Three towers of stones reaching out from the bushes like fingers towards the sea surrounding the island. #3x3thumbsup2026
August 30, 2026 at 9:28 PM
fruchtdrop.bsky.social
After a wild month of August with lots of deadlines and overtime I fell behind with my tiny thumbnails of #3x3thumbsup
I was able to catch up some today and I hope to finish this year's series next week!
9 tiny thumbnails showing impressions from everyday life in watercolour.
August 30, 2026 at 8:53 PM
fruchtdrop.bsky.social
I catched up on #3x3thumbsup - I'm still on vacation and enjoying daily trips in nature. Can't imagine myself back at my desk on monday...
Photo of the next sheet from my yearly #3x3thumbsup challenge showing thumbnails 10 to 13. I drew two interior shots (10, 11) with orange accents and the solar eclipse I witnessed in a valley so no sun there but a beautiful light and a green meadow from a hiking trip (13). All are painted with watercolours with a fragile lineart underneath.
August 13, 2026 at 5:47 PM
cyluho.bsky.social
Auckland to Christchurch to Queenstown to Christchurch to Kaikōura #3x3thumbsup #3x3thumbsup2026

(had to repost, noticed a dumb dumb mistake in my alt text)
A white square with 9 square drawings, 3 in 3 rows. They are painted in naturalisticcolours with gouache and watercolours. From top left to lower right: 1. A black-beaked gull sitting on a wooden post in Auckland harbour with a dark coastline in the distance across the water and a cloudy sky. 2. The second shows a very green hilltop with diagonal tree growing out of it and a black sculpture that looks like a piece from a plane or something similar. The sky behind it is very blue with a couple of clouds. 3. A bunch of torch lilies at Christchurch Botanical Gardens: bright red blending into yellows and orange towards its lower third. 4. The small stone pavillon at the top of the Bridle Path Walk between Lyttelton and Christchurch surrounded by low yellowed gras and shrubs. 5. Perspective from Queenstown Gardens towards the promenade across the very blue lake with mountains rising behind the town. Left and right it is framed by light green trees in the foreground. 6. Mountains and grassland rising above the Mirror Lakes with blue sky in the background and framed by shadowy branches in the foreground. The mirror lake shows a slightly distorted image of the scenery. 7. Close-up of a bunch of fly aminata on the forest floor of Fernhill surrounded by pine needles. 8. The little stone chapel at Lake Tekapo surrounded by yellowed tufts of grass with dark mountains rising in the distance underneath a cloudy sky. 9. The flag post with the NZ flag at Anzac park Kaikōura. At its foot are two beds of roses, with more greenery, like pōhutukawa, and a path behind it. The background is all blue, blue sea, blue skies.
August 10, 2026 at 7:06 AM
fruchtdrop.bsky.social
Something pooped on my watercolour sheet shortly after taking this picture. Just garden things I guess... well played! #3x3thumbsup
Photo of the first 8 squares of this year's #3x3thumbsup challenge. There are 8 watercolour painted 3x3cm thumbnails showing scenes from everyday life. First row is food, second windows and the last shows awkwardly placed furniture.
August 8, 2026 at 5:37 PM
fruchtdrop.bsky.social
It's time for another August of #3x3thumbsup - this year is a little special because I am doing tjis for the 10th time in a row! It hasn't gotten easier to find balance between overloaded compositions and neat detail.
Photo of a sheet of paper showing 4 tiny thumbnails in watercolour. The compositions are taken from my every day life: breakfast, dinner, coffee break and a window at a museum
August 4, 2026 at 2:14 PM
cyluho.bsky.social
This year for #3x3thumbsup I'm once again torturing myself by looking at and painting vacation pics - this time from our trip to Aotearoa NZ at the start of the year (and maybe a handful of Helsinki) 💚
Photo closeup of an open sketchbook with white paper. Behind it on the table lies an open palette with paint pans and a dirty piece of tissue. Little squares of 3*3 cm are drawn in, the two first are already filled with tiny watercolour & gouache paintings. The first shows a gull sitting on a wooden post, a cloudy sky, greyish water and a dark coastline behind her. Underneath it says "01.01. Auckland Harbour". The second shows a very green hilltop with diagonal tree growing out of it and a black sculpture that looks like a piece from a plane or something similar. The sky behind it is very blue with a couple of clouds. Underneath it says "02.01. War Memorial Museum".
August 2, 2026 at 6:07 PM
fruchtdrop.bsky.social
And... we're done! #3x3thumbsup
Happy September everyone!
Last four squares of my 3x3 thumbsup challenge showing a plate with food and a pinic in the first row and two tinx landscapes in the second row.
September 1, 2025 at 11:15 AM
cyluho.bsky.social
I actually think I like these last 4 best as a combination? They kinda work together colour- and themewise as well in a way. And not just because it's 50% remains it's also 75% archaeology, ok? I'm not just into drawing dead stuff.

#3x3thumbsup 🐡
cyluho.bsky.social Lucy @cyluho.bsky.social · Aug 31
And that's #3x3thumsup2025 done ✔️
A white square with 4 square little paintings, 2 in 2 rows. All painted naturalistic with black lined sketches and watercolours. From top left to lower right: 28: A torn of and gnawed of pigeon leg, slightly bloody. The foot is still intact. It lays on the pavement, with a little bit of moss and grass. 29: A renovated amphitheatre at Phourni forest surrounded by light Mediterranean forest with a good view over Archanes. 30: Close up of excavated skull of a young person at Heraklion Archaeological museum, their head crowned with a bronze wreath with gilded clay beads. 31: The brown sign for “Phourni Archaeological Site” behind a rusty fence and surrounded by small pine trees.
August 31, 2025 at 10:16 PM
cyluho.bsky.social
#3x3thumbsup all done 💪
cyluho.bsky.social Lucy @cyluho.bsky.social · Aug 12
Bit late with posting but actual paintings were done on time! Little recap of July for #3x3thumbsup2025, my favourite annual challenge by @fruchtdrop.bsky.social - this is actually the 5th year I'm doing something for this challenge?!
For #3x3thumbsup A white square with 9 square little paintings, 3 in 3 rows. All painted naturalistic with black lined sketches and watercolours. From top left to lower right: 1: Close-up of a hawkmoth in a museum display. The moth has different shades of brown, the background is white. The moth is not fully within frame. 2: A street scene as seen slightly from above out of a window. A purple ice-cream van is parked in front of a bus stop. 3: A close up of a Japanese beetle on a wooden background, turned towards the camera. The beetle has a shiny green head and thorax, its abdomen is a light brown. 4: Part of a German small-town train station as seen from the top floor of a passing train. The platform shown is very grey and unremarkable with some shrubs and greenery in the background. 5: Two people in the fields. One is picking straws from a field of yellow wheat and definitely not cutting her hand by doing that. The other is standing in the path next to the field, watching her. There’s trees in various shades of green and purple in the background. 6: Frontal view of a pot-bellied pig at an enclosure. It has its snout on the ground, looking for food. 7: Top-down, very close view of a Valais Goat. It has a dark brown head with a big, very stylish hairdo and a little beard. 8: Close up of a dead may beetle lying between wooden chips with its little legs dangling in the air. 9: A freshly painted garden shed sits under the trees. Its metal roof is red, the sides are blue and the framing of the doors is white.
August 31, 2025 at 1:41 PM
fruchtdrop.bsky.social
I've made it. I'm up to date! (Yes today is missing but today isn't over yet, right?!) #3x3thumbsup
Photo of the 3rd big square of mx tiny thumbnailing challenge. The last row shows different situations with my backpack.
August 28, 2025 at 7:16 PM
fruchtdrop.bsky.social
Only 3 days behind! #3x3thumbsup
Photo of the next row of thumbnails showing landscapes in austria painted in watercolours.
August 27, 2025 at 8:41 AM
fruchtdrop.bsky.social
And I'm only 7 days behind now! #3x3thumbsup
Photo of the finished 2nd big square of my tiny drawing challenge. The last row shows ruins and wild housings with summery greens.
August 25, 2025 at 2:00 PM
fruchtdrop.bsky.social
I fell behind a lot, first due to holidays and then due to an injured hand (I am clumsy af). But now that I'm better I am slowly catching up on #3x3thumbsup
The second big square of my 3x3thumbsup challenge. The first two rows are finished, the third shows only sketchy linearts. Thr second row shows "table top views" of jewlery, breakfast and dinner
August 24, 2025 at 1:33 PM
cyluho.bsky.social
Bit late with posting but actual paintings were done on time! Little recap of July for #3x3thumbsup2025, my favourite annual challenge by @fruchtdrop.bsky.social - this is actually the 5th year I'm doing something for this challenge?!
For #3x3thumbsup A white square with 9 square little paintings, 3 in 3 rows. All painted naturalistic with black lined sketches and watercolours. From top left to lower right: 1: Close-up of a hawkmoth in a museum display. The moth has different shades of brown, the background is white. The moth is not fully within frame. 2: A street scene as seen slightly from above out of a window. A purple ice-cream van is parked in front of a bus stop. 3: A close up of a Japanese beetle on a wooden background, turned towards the camera. The beetle has a shiny green head and thorax, its abdomen is a light brown. 4: Part of a German small-town train station as seen from the top floor of a passing train. The platform shown is very grey and unremarkable with some shrubs and greenery in the background. 5: Two people in the fields. One is picking straws from a field of yellow wheat and definitely not cutting her hand by doing that. The other is standing in the path next to the field, watching her. There’s trees in various shades of green and purple in the background. 6: Frontal view of a pot-bellied pig at an enclosure. It has its snout on the ground, looking for food. 7: Top-down, very close view of a Valais Goat. It has a dark brown head with a big, very stylish hairdo and a little beard. 8: Close up of a dead may beetle lying between wooden chips with its little legs dangling in the air. 9: A freshly painted garden shed sits under the trees. Its metal roof is red, the sides are blue and the framing of the doors is white.
August 12, 2025 at 7:17 PM
fruchtdrop.bsky.social
I am up to date with #3x3thumbsup !
The next three thumbnails of my 3x3thumbsup challenge. They are painted in watercolour and show from left to right: a tin cup on a table with a piece of bread and marmelade in the foreground and a glass of fruit juice to the right; a freshly made bed with a striped pillow and a window in the background; a shelf with a retro lamp and a few empty vases, only one is decorated with a dry flower.
August 12, 2025 at 5:27 PM
fruchtdrop.bsky.social
Feels a little like the "are you human" captcha form. So... spot the squares with feet in them I guess? #3x3thumbsup
A photo of watercolour drawings showing the first 9 thumbnails of the 3x3thumbsup challenge. The last row is new. It shows two thumbs with my feet on the ground. The last one shows nasturtium.
August 9, 2025 at 4:58 PM
fruchtdrop.bsky.social
August seems to be the shortest month of the year? #3x3thumbsup
Photo of two rows of thumbnails from my challenge "3x3thumbsup". The second row is new it shows from left to right: my feet while entering a balcony, a yellow door and a hidden garden spot. Everything is painted in watercolours.
August 7, 2025 at 9:01 AM
fruchtdrop.bsky.social
It's THAT time of the year again: happy thumbnail season! #3x3thumbsup
Photo of 3 3x3 cm sized thumbnail squares showing (from left to right) my backpack with the keys to my new car, my new car and my stuff when visiting the public pool. They are painted in watercolours.
August 4, 2025 at 9:23 AM
cyluho.bsky.social
Aaaand that's a wrap. 31 tiny gouache studies for #3x3thumbsup.

I'm really happy with this years' process and results - but I think I need a little break from looking at them every day.
A white square with 9 square little paintings, 3 in 3 rows. All painted naturalistic with gouache and watercolours. From top left to lower right: 28: Close-up a decorated, medieval-style statue in the library of Cardiff Castle holding a stone with ancient writing on it. 29: Hill top in Penarth with a structure on it – a white metal circle with a glass window is held up by two columns above the mosaic of a giant foot on the ground. 30: View across a field in St Fagans Museum, framed by trees and a wooden fence, with a blue sky in the background. 31: A half-opened, dark wooden door set in a rough, brown-ish stone wall. Behind the door some steps lead up towards the green.
September 2, 2024 at 7:28 PM
cyluho.bsky.social
3rd batch of the tiniest August-challenge and more beauties from our trip to Wales.

#3x3thumbsup
A white square with 9 square little paintings, 3 in 3 rows. All painted naturalistic with gouache and watercolours. From top left to lower right: 19: The black statue of a seated lion is guarding a tide clock at The Coal Exchange. 20: The medieval church at St Fagans Museum – a low white building with a dark brown roof, surrounded by wild greens and trees. 21: A crooked seagull sitting on a grey railing along the River Taff, close to the Principality Stadium. 22: Close-up of a dahlia in the gardens of St Fagans Castle. 23: A green house with a brown roof along the banks of the River Taff. 24: Part of the Gorsedd Stone Circle in Bute Park in Cardiff. Greyish-brown, partly overgrown rocks sit in the lawn. 25: The Bobbin Sisters’ building in a Hay-on-Wye - a stone-building with a blue door and window. 26: Entrance to the Book Passage in Hay-on-Wye. A blue door with a sign above it sits in a grey stone-wall. 27: Crooked close-up painting of an old-fashioned lantern on Penarth Pier.
September 1, 2024 at 12:33 AM
fruchtdrop.bsky.social
Okay this is officially the VERY FIRST year that I finished the last square before the end of August. Usually I always need to do some in September but NOT THIS YEAR! I did it! #3x3thumbsup
A set of four squared thumbnail drawings each of them showing tiny compositions with plants in watercolour.
August 31, 2024 at 8:08 PM
cyluho.bsky.social
Days 10-18 are a bit full of St Fangans Museum (listen, we went there on my birthday and I loved it bc it's glorious).

#3x3thumbsup
A white square with 9 square little paintings, 3 in 3 rows. All painted naturalistic with gouache and watercolours. From top left to lower right: 10: View across the lawn towards St. Fagans Castle - a grey Elizabethan house. 11: View into St Fagans garden with dark red, purple and white flowers between high bushy grasses. 12: View across the lawn away from St Fagans Castle – a fountain with a statue between purple flowers and high, bushy grasses. 13: A rocky overgrown cliff with stone layers in different browns and greys on a beach towards a bright blue sky. 14: Close-up of a soup ad-sign in a mock-up shop in St Fagans Museum resting on cans of soup. 15: An old barn with a stone foundation and wooden roof standing in the woods at St Fagans Museum. 16: Close-up of the unopened flowers of New zealand flax. 17: View towards houses on a green hill in Penarth in front of a grey sky. 18: View towards the Norman keep at Cardiff Castle. A rough grey building sits on top of a green hill.
August 28, 2024 at 5:40 PM