Merry Xmas

This is one of my favorite Cavalier moments.  I'll be going home for the holidays, so wishing everyone a Merry Xmas...hopefully Santa brings you all that you desire!!!

IF -- Separated

Separated from mom on the first day of school.

Today's my birthday...

Today is my birthday and I had to start the morning with  drawing Monet's waterlillies from a past trip to his garden.

wild purple daisys

On a recent walk, I noticed these purple daisy surround by tall blades of grass.

Rounded lobed hepatica watercolor pencils

I've been using my watercolor pencils to work on studies for possible larger paintings.  By doing this, I can see if the painting will work and what corrections I might have to do.

IF--Brigade

Jolie is ready for any emergency with her fireman bucket brigade.

watercolor pencil sketches

I've been working in my 8" X 8" handmade journal, using my watercolor pencils.  Since my watercolor pencils are so portable, I can end the day by sketching in bed...which is becoming my favorite thing to do.  I find that  20 minutes is very relaxing and I accomplish a lot in that short period of time. 

Handmade journal cover

I wanted to use different elements on the front of this small handmade journal.  I watercolored several 1" strips in various colors and then cut into 1" x 1" pieces.  Next I just placed randomly on the cover with double sided tape, framing the pieces with wasabi tape.  To make sure those 1" pieces would come loose, I applied strips of clear packaging tape on top.  The journal measures 4" x 6"--just the right size for small sketches.

Bella as a puppy

I've haven't been posting very much lately, but I've been busy drawing, painting, and making journals.  After making quite a few journals in various sizes and papers, I figure it was time to put pencil to paper.  I went through all my old photos and came across my beloved Bella sleeping when she was just a puppy.  This is a small drawing, first sketched in pencil and then I applied watercolor pencil for color.

IF: Round

Mom just cut off my allowance!

IF -- Round

Nothing like hula hoops to work on a girls round curves!

IF -- Vanity

Sophie didn't know which hat she looked best in, so she bought them all!

IF: Vanity

Nothing like having an audience on the catwalk to flaunt one's vanity

IF: Silent

IF -- Silent

I always remember as a kid seeing theses signs in the library.

IF: stripes

Another take on Illustration Friday Stripes.  This was created on my IPAD using sketchbookPro.

IF--Stripes

IF--Fuel

The bunny wasn't sure he had enough fuel to get home

IF -- Scattered

Nothing like a bunch of fall leaves to scatter

IF -- Ferocious

Only Muffy thinks he's ferocious!

IF -- Mesmerizing

Maddie was just mesmerized by her dog bone!

IF -- Boundaries

Skippy thought "if only there were no fences, he could be on the other side playing with his ball".

IF -- Mysterious

Max wasn't sure what this mysterious food could be!

IF -- Disguise

Nothing like having a different disguise when you need one!

IF -- Influence

Even our dogs are influenced by TV!

Green broadbill bird

I thought this guy was rather colorful.  He's from Asia, but some references also say he's from South Africa.   I really like my  6 x 6 watercolor journal, but the only thing is when I scan the center, it's a little bit off,  which  is sometimes noticeable as in this painting.  I keep telling myself these are only practice piece that I can use for future bigger pieces later.

I still am in love with my rubicoil binding machine.  This journal is made with Kraft paper and decorative paper on the front and back cover.  The size of this journal is 8 x 6.  I used a Carl Bidex hand held perforating rotary to perforate 1" from the binding, so if I didn't like the design I could easily tear it out of the journal.

On this drawing I used a white gel pen to draw the butterfly and then used markers to add color.

Barnacles

I haven't drawn or painted barnacles since my colleges days when I was taking a natural science class.  I remember the field trip that the class took to Santa Cruz, CA --natural bridges where one could get up close to see the sea animals.

Parrots...

This colorful guy was done in my 6 x 6 watercolor journal, using Daniel Smith watercolors and Daler-Rowney  gouache.  I also used M. Graham gouache.

IF -- Swell

Binky decided she'd rather eat carrots, than cupcakes, because she didn't want to swell up like Winky!

New Painting, New printer, New camera

 It started out with a  photo of daisy's.  Then came the Polaroid Pogo digital mini printer.  When I tried to use my existing Sony digital camera to transfer pictures, my camera was not compatible.  I could connect the Pogo to my Mac Pro and get my computer to talk to the Pogo...pictures would get printed.  But I really wanted the portability, so if I was out and about and saw something I wanted to paint, I could take a photo and print out my photo reference. So I finally broke down and bought myself a new Canon Power Shot Elph 300 HS digital camera.

IF -- Imperfect

New handmade journal, new watercolor

OK, my new handmade journal is done.  I couldn't decide what my first painting would be in the new journal.  It was this morning looking at my favorite subject that I finally got inspiration!  I'm happy with the painting, but I still need to work out the mechanics of making a journal.  I was able to assemble the watercolor paper with no problem.  It was the outside cover that I still need to perfect.  Even though I had put a ton of books on top of the journal to help the glue adhere to the cover, the cover did not dry flat.  So I know what I'm going to tell my husband I want for Xmas...a journal press!!

Maddie quick study

Today I had a good day.  My husband was off so we went down to Pasadena for lunch and shopping.  My favorite art store--Dick Blick is located in Old Town in Pasadena.  It's a small store, carrying some art supplies, just enough eye candy to make a girl excited.

I bought a few tubes of Holbein designer gouche.  I rarely use gouche and after reading Cathy Johnson's new book Artist Journal workshop, I decided I would try using gouche, in addition to regular watercolor paints.  In the book Cathy mentions toned paper...never hearing that term, I did some research and discovered that it was heavy weight pastel paper.  I found Fabriano heavy weight Ingres cover paper in many colors.  So I bought an assortment of colors to try.

When I came home I thought I would use some of the Fabriano paper, along with my 140lb watercolor paper to hand bind a 6 x 6 watercolor journal.  While waiting for the glue to dry on the spine of the journal, I did a quick study of my puppy Maddie with a Faber-Castell Pitt artists pens.

So it was a good artist day for me.  Not only did I get a fabulous lunch, I also got lots of new art supplies!!!!

 Maddie waiting. 

IF -- Obsession

One can never have enough hats!

Autumn trees

About 10 years ago I took a week long watercolor workshop with Susan Scheewe in Oregon.  It wasn't until recently I finally got to make use of the foliage brush that I bought at that workshop.  I can't get over how simple it was to use and I loved the way my trees look.

Ocean breeze

I forgot how relaxing painting landscape pictures--makes me want to go to the beach.

river water

Working on landscape/seascape paintings

IF -- Perennial

Nothing like daisy's and candy!!!

I'm going to England...

For my husbands 60th birthday in October, I'm taking him to England to celebrate.  He's been doing genealogical research on his father's side of the family on Ancestry.com.  While doing this research he discovered that he has first cousins that live in Chester, England.  So we will be spending time in Chester and the surround area taking pictures, and I'll be doing some plein air painting of the Chester country side.  In preparation for the trip, I've been brushing up on painting landscapes.  I want to feel comfortable painting in public, but also want to be prepared.  So I'm playing with an assortment of watercolor brushes, watercolor paper, and watercolor palettes. 

IF - - Gesture

Gesturing with a wave, the duo Maddie and Fluffy are kicking up their heels and dancing!

Pretty Kitty

My friend came over today to show me her pretty kitty.  So I thought I'd surprise her with a little portrait of the angel.

Blue bells

This is my latest watercolor painting that I did tonight.   It's been a long time since I've used colorless art masking fluid to save the whites; this allowed me to paint the background detail with ease.  Once I was done with the background, I simply removed the masking fluid and then painted detail to my trees.  I also used my Derwent Inktense watercolor pencils to add even more detail.

In my quest to paint daily, I've cut down my watercolor paper to 8 x 10.   This is a nice size to work on and it allows me to finish a painting quickly.

IF -- Stay

Maddie has wide eyes as she is following Bunny's command to Stay!