Wild horses

Quick sketch / watercolor  in my landscape journal.  Too bad I didn't paint this on a long piece of watercolor paper since I really don't like the way the horse is cut in half.

Uni-ball gel pens

A couple months ago I discovered uni-ball pens.  I really liked how they moved across the paper, so recently I came across these gel pens and thought I'd give them a try.

I picked out a few colors and attempted to draw a bunny with the gel pens.  I discovered I could blend the gel pen across the paper if I took a wet paint brush immediately after laying down the color.  If I waited to long to drag the paint brush across the paper, the ink would be dry.  I like idea of carry a few pens with a water brush for a quick sketch on the go.

Giraffes on large canvase

I have a couple of gallery wrap canvases that I want to do a series of giraffes.  So I've been doing some rough watercolor sketches trying to figure out placement before I take the plunge on the large canvas.  Each canvase measures 36" x  15".  

Lovely green eyes

Today I saw a beautiful black cat with really pretty green eyes.  Gouache on watercolor paper

Midori travelers notebook...Look what I got in the mail today!!!!!

Midori travelers notebook blue edition.

When I heard about the blue edition I wasn't quite sure if I wanted one.  When I finally decided to get one, they were all sold out, and all USA stores were waiting for a new shipment.  It wasn't until

I spoke to someone at Maido store in San Francisco that they told me that they were not getting anymore shipments.  So I got on ebay and found a seller from Japan.  Seven days later I have my own blue edition to add to my collection.

Now to decide what inserts that I'll put inside.

II

Ventura harbor

It was a nice day spent at the Ventura harbor.  Jolie went with us so her daddy could take her picture.

Cherry Blossoms

When I don't have a lot of time to paint, I use small pieces if watercolor paper to do a quick painting.  Total time 10 minutes.

Faces

I'll be the first to tell you...I can't draw peoples faces.  Since I can't then I thought it would be OK to experiment with a multi-color colored pencil.  I figured using a colored pencil would prevent me from erasing...so what I see is what you get.   So maybe I can draw a face..it's not bad, but it could be improved with practice.

Now to the next victim.

One intense kitty

  This was one intense kitty.  I'm not sure who out stared each other.  Watercolor, koi markers, black sharpie.

 

UK coast

Still having problems posting on my computer.  Thank goodness for iPad and my iPhone ..

Another watercolor of the UK coast.

Ocean view

Ocean view some where on the UK coast.

I made the mistake of downloading windows 10.  It never fails, the process is never easy.  For some reason I can't import my photos onto blogger.  I guess it's time I yogi to fix the problem.

Elegant writer calligraphy marker

 

 

My newest past time is to watch you tube videos.  You can learn just about anything on you tube.  This week I learned how to dye a midori cover, add a pencil loop to my midori, make dash boards for my midori, and the list goes on.

 

So last night I found a video that showed How To Use the Elegant Writer Calligraphy Marker with Artist Karlyn Holman.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBe6bG6ouZo

 

This 24 minute video is packed with a lot of useful information.  So I pulled out my black 2.0mm fine elegant writer, Caran d'Ache crayons, and my Daniel Smith watercolor.  I did a quick sketch of tulips and then misted my paper to activate the ink in the elegant writer. I moved the paper around as the water explored all the ink lines.  Once the ink was dry I went in and added color.   I really like this techniques and plan to use it often.

 

Green eyed cat

  Shhh...don't tell my dogs my secret or they'll get jealous.  Long time ago I owned cats.   One had piercing green eyes and the other had greenish brown eyes.  Recently I came across photos of Misty who had the piercing green eyes.  Since I didn't have any paintings of Misty, I thought it was time I did.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blood orange flowers

Just dropping color and sprinkles of color.  I really like vermillion which reminds me of blood orange.

 

 

Tulips

I don't do still life's very often, but when they were in bloom in my yard I had to have some in the house.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Border Collie puppy

Quick watercolor of a border collie puppy.

 

 

 

Tulips the final 4 of 4

Several years ago I started a series of 4 watercolors of tulips.  Up until today only 3 of the 4 were complete and hanging up on my wall.  The watercolors were grouped together with the 4th fame empty.  Well today that 4th frame is no longer empty.

 

I used Kuretake Gansai Tambi watercolors to paint this impression of tulips on Fabriano watercolor paper.

 

 

Throwing paint

I discovered that I like throwing watercolor paint.  It's such a freeing way to drop paint.

 

 

 

Lions

 

 

 

I've always have loved lion since I was five years old.  It started with my father winning a large pink lion at the county fair,who I named Sammy.  Sammy went everywhere with me.  When I was upset I would seek comfort in my pink lion.  He's never far from my mind and I always wonder what happened too him.  I thought I'd find him in my parents storage when we cleaned out the house to sell, but he was no where to be found.

 

Gouache painting  9.5 x 11 on watercolor paper.

 

Boxer pup...Happy Birthday Rosebud

In celebration of my dear friend Rosemary...the lovely lady who loves boxers!

Happy Birthday Rosebud!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drawing outside the lines

I'm trying to get away from painting that is too controlled.  So doing these 15 minute studies of drawing with ink, adding splashes of color, and finishing with sprinkles makes my heart happy.

 

 

 

Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July!!! 

 

I thought it was time to resurface again.    How have you all been?? I've been busy drawing, painting, and traveling.  I have a ton of drawing and paintings to scan, which I'll do a few a day.  In between traveling I came down with a nasty sinus infection that finally has gone away.

 

As for traveling...went to Las Vegas to celebrate my sister's 65th birthday.  Came home for two weeks and then I was off to Seattle, Washington for my 2-day Jean Haines workshop.  Did a lot of  day trips, most recently to Ventura Harbor to take pictures and have lunch.  While at the harbor discovered I could taking sailing lessons.  So come August, my husband and I will be taking 21 lessons on a 30ft sailboat...can hardly wait.  Learning how to sail has always been a dream, but never had the time or in the right place to take lessons.  So no more excuses!  In a couple of weeks we leave to go up north for a family wedding, maybe stop to see some cousins in Sacramento on the way home.

 

As the temperature has started to climb...can get over 100 to 115 degrees, I'll be doing a lot of studio painting with the AC on high.

 

Remember when you were a kid learning how to color with the idea of staying inside the lines, while

 I've been experimenting with painting outside the lines, which has been a bit different for me, but rather freeing.   I was looking for a way to shake things up and I'm really enjoying the process.

 

I also have taken some online class with sketchbook skool.  Some of the instructors were inspiring, sharing their tools and techniques.  Even though I love the idea of going to workshops, I've decided that taking online classes for me is the better way to really absorb new ideas and techniques.  There are still a couple of artist's that I'd like to take classes from like Charles Reid, Hazel Soan, but for now learning from their books and DVD's will have to do for now.

 

I'm still in love with bookbinding and have binding small books 3.5" x  5.5" which I use to do my pinterest sketches and paintings.  I love the access to all sorts of topics on pinterest and try my hand at attempting to draw and paint images that I like...so in a sense I'm copying, but using that only as a learning tool...kind of like what the great masters would do to learn a subject until they could refine it and make it their own.

 

So that's what I've been up too...what about you??? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Schmincke travel watercolor box

 
 
 
 
 
 

I'm always surprised when I come across art supplies I bought and forgot about them.  

So in my search I found this small Schmincke travel watercolor paint set that comes with a watercolor palette and water container.  The set only came with 8 colors, so I decided to add 4 more to make this a even dozen.  Now it's time to use it. 

 

 

Las Vegas here I come

Today is my sister's birthday and we're celebrating in Las Vegas for the weekend.  It's a big number, so we had to do something to celebrate the occasion. 

 

Our plans are to play the nickel slot machines, catch a show, do some retail therapy, visit Dick Blick art store, and maybe even do some plein air painting. 

 

While gathering my supplies, I found this Holbein metal watercolor palette that I've had for years, so I added Holbein watercolors.  Can't wait to do a test run.

 

 

So "Happy Birthday" big sister!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Flower dog

Today I was doing line drawings and decided to do a drawing with Maddie hiding in the flowers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Paint Box has arrived

I finally got "The Paint Box" from the Watercolor Paint Box Company in the UK after a rather long wait.

 

Got this a week ago and have been thinking on this rather expensive watercolor palette.

 

I was excited to order the paint box, but when it finally came, I was not so excited, and here's why:

 

I was aware that it would take about 12 months for Craig Young to make the paint box, and I was OK with that.  But what I was not OK with is the lack of customer service.  I never did receive acknowledgement of my order request and only knew that Craig received my check when it was cashed 3 weeks after I placed the order.   A year and a couple months went by--heard nothing! I sent an email--still no response.  Finally, a year and a half from my order date, Craig tells me that he would be working on my paint box (soon).  After the final payment, he finally got to work.   Bottom line, it took 17 months. Was it worth the wait?

 

When I opened the box, I was excited, but after close examination, I was disappointed in the workmanship.  The black enamel on the outside of the box was chipping a little.  When I opened the paint box completely, I noticed that the 16 whole pans rows were not uniform.  The left row could take half pans, but the other three rows--no way. Full pans only!

 

When you pay more, your expectations go up. I paid a lot, and unfortunately, my disappointment went up. My recommendation; before you place an order with "The Watercolor Paint Box Company", check out the competition.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've been doing a lot of drawing lately and have been putting to use my Caran D'Ache Neo Color Crayons.  They go down nicely on drawing paper and  a water brush they blend smoothly.

 

Little Maddie

 

I love looking at baby pictures of Maddie.  She was such a cute puppy, but she has grown up, but she will always be my Little Maddie.

 

Caran D'Ache Neo Color Crayons on drawing paper.

 

 

 

 

 

Calla Lilies

It's getting to be that time of year when I see lots of Calla Lilies growing everywhere.  When I see them, it makes me think about my mother who loved Calla Lilies in many colors.

 

Caran D'ache Neo color crayons on drawing paper.

Daylily

Daylily in gouache and acrylic paint.

 

 

 

 

Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve

 We had another wonderful weekend of 80's weather.  So off to Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve so my husband could take photo's while I kept myself busy painting little landscapes of the poppies.

 

 

 

Lions resting

 

I have a lot of art supplies and I always forget about my Caran d'Ache  watercolor crayons.  So when I'm under the weather I like to go through my zoo photo's and pick out something to draw that I can do while resting in bed.  Caran d' Ache are so portable and easy to lay down and with a wet watercolor brush I'm able to blend the color.  The only thing I didn't like was I had to wait for each layer to dry before moving onto more detail.

 

 

 

Black and white puppy

 

This is the last page in my 6" x 6"  drawing/watercolor journal.  The first 12 pages of the journal have drawing paper, which I used to render ink drawings.  The last 4 pages, I had watercolor paper and did 4 small watercolor paintings.  I think I like working with combination of drawing and watercolor paper.

 

For this puppy painting I used ink for the face and body and then went back in with a wet brush to move the ink around. I finished the painting off with watercolor paint.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elephant

Today I painted elephants in one color.  I choose Sepia watercolor to render a side view of the elephant.  I painted directly on the watercolor paper without drawing the elephant first.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve

 
 


Today was a nice warm sunny day for an outing to the Antelope Poppy Reserve. 

I did a quick 5 minute watercolor and my husband took pictures of Jolie seating in the poppy field. 

We also visited my husbands work site, so Jolie could play chess.  A good time was had by all.

Daffodils

Today when I was out and about, I spotted daffodils at the local florist.  I decided to buy a bunch and come home and paint them.

 

I wet my watercolor paper first and then dropped in yellow watercolor for the bud.  For the stem I dropped in a mixture of greens and blues.  I let the paint dry before I went to my next step.  Once the surface was dry on my painting, I started to define the daffodil flower...adding more yellow and dropping in some oranges.  I kept on dropping in paint, letting it move around the surface to give the painting a defused look.

 

This painting was created on 6" x 6" watercolor paper, using water brushes filled with watercolor paint.

 

 

 

Recycled Hawk

I don't know about you, but I tend to go through a lot of watercolor paper that comes in watercolor pads.  I try to recycle the book board that's in the back of the pad, but I thought I do something with the front cover of the watercolor pad.  My solution was to glue two pieces of front cover together, white on the outside and pad design on the inside, hence, giving me a front and back to paint on.  Because the white side of the cover has texture, it adds to the look of the painting or drawing I've created.

 

With this found paper I plan to use for experimenting techniques trying new supplies without having to use good paper.

 

So with this painting I used water brushes filled with watercolor to create this scary looking Hawk.  I liked the way the texture of the paper enhanced the birds feathers.