Sketchbookery and Me!

Posted on July 7, 2014 by Dana Burrell

I didn’t really need another online class… but that’s never stopped me! I’m taking Sketchbookery with Mary Ann Moss of Dispatch From LA fame!

I’ve long been a fan of her unfailing upbeat art and humor and never had a chance to take one of her classes ’till now. I’m just under a week into it and I’m loving it!

We’ll soon be making our own sketchbook but Mary Ann wanted to get us working on our drawing and watercolors right away. First up: make watercolor reference cards for our palette… or, as in my case… palettes!

I know… I know!!! …….but I need them! ok, ok, I admit, I’m addicted. I’ve actually used them all but you can see the current favorites by their messiness.

Practice, practice, practice!

Class is filled at the moment but you can give yourself a Christmas… Hanukkah… Kwanzaa… or New Year’s gift. Next session begins December 26th!

I can’t stop smiling!

Posted on June 30, 2014 by Dana Burrell

Let’s start this week out right!

… and now you can’t stop smiling either!

Happy Monday!

EDM11, and all the way to Number One!

Posted on June 29, 2014 by Dana Burrell

I spent a little time this afternoon trying desperately to catch up on my scanning. A little prioritization was in order. First up my Every Day Matters challenges. Two years ago I started out with Number 100 and have been working my way down to #1…

…and I’ve done it!

No… it doesn’t mean I’ve finished, there are 328 different challenges! … but at least now I can start working my way forward.

I can’t wait to start EDM #101… stay tuned.

Binge Reading

Posted on June 24, 2014 by Dana Burrell

I can’t read… I mean, I can’t read anymore… no, that’s not it either.

I can’t read slowly. When I read, everything else falls away. I’m immediately transported and I don’t return ’till the book is finished. I wish I could read a chapter or two, go out…pull weeds, maybe make dinner then read a few more chapters. No… I binge. Hours pass and… I’m done! Where did the time go?

Just the other day I came home from the library with Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple.

Wonderfully fun satire, perfect for lighthearted summer reading. Yeah, I read fast but this just might be a record! Trouble is, I’m now in the market for another “summer” book. Any suggestions?

By the way, earlier in the year I read Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan… also highly recommended for your summer perusal.

Before the Rain

Posted on June 12, 2014 by Dana Burrell

I came to watercolors 3 years ago when I took an online class with the fabulous Jane LaFazio. Her work is fresh and fun and she’s a marvelous teacher, generous with her time, knowledge and especially her gentle encouragement. I’m still a frequent visitor to her website and blog.

As I looked through her class offerings I saw her sketch of a Matilija Poppy blossom. Jane had captured this beauty with a minimalist line and a few splashes of watercolor… I was inspired! My garden has been calling to me… “paint me, paint me.” But where to start? I snipped and floated one of my favorite peony blooms to be my first model!

You can see I copied… yes, copied! … Jane’s sketch of her poppy. I knew that as I drew the lines she drew I would absorb the loose feeling she captured before trying to replicate that feeling in my peony. (Don’t fret, I gave her credit on my page.)

I’ve been experimenting with various pens but for this I returned to my tried and true favorites… my TWSBI fountain pen filled with Platinum Carbon Black ink. To get the cool, icy pink of the petals I used multiple dilute glazes of Quinacridone Rose and deepened the shadows with Indanthrone Blue.

Since the forecasted wind and rain would doom the last of my poppies, this was my only chance. They’re so ephemeral. I stood in the driveway painting as the rain started to fall. Whew! Finished just in time!

They’re gone now, petals scattered on the ground, just a bunch of seedpods ripening for next year.

Every Day in May Concludes!

Posted on May 31, 2014 by Dana Burrell

May… a commitment to drawing the predetermined prompt every day. Do I love it or hate it? I’d have to say, both! I’m energized by my fellow participants but by the end of the month, I’m tired. Tired of someone telling me what to sketch and tired of posting.

This year I posted to my Flickr account and linked to the Every Day in May group and posted to their Facebook group too! Oh, and here too, although I enjoyed grouping my daily pages into one weekly post. If I join in again next year I may choose to post only here. Maybe that’ll breathe new life into my EDiM.

Whew! I’m ready for June!

My Month of May Continues. EDiM 21-26

Posted on May 26, 2014 by Dana Burrell

After the last bunch of blacks, whites and grays I really needed some color!

June is closing in… only 5 more days. but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

Keep on, keepin’ on. EDiM 15-20

Posted on May 20, 2014 by Dana Burrell

The month of May just keeps rollin’ along as do the Every Day in May challenges. It’s been great to not have to think about what to draw… just look at the prompt and draw it. Don’t get me wrong, I have been working on other projects but that’s fodder for another time.

EDiM 15 – 20

Mo Momentum. EDiM 8-14

Posted on May 14, 2014 by Dana Burrell

I love Every Day in May… and I finally found a link to the list of daily prompts on Jana Bouc’s blog!

It’s wonderful, just do something… anything… each and every day in May.

It can be as simple or elaborate as you wish and have time for. As you can see from the above page… I was really busy last Friday!

Draw something small.

Draw something alive.

Upload for everyone to see or keep it private in your own sketchbook, the benefits are the same.

You cement a creative habit!

Do your creative self a favor…… Just Do It!

Keeping up the Momentum. EDiM 1-7

Posted on May 7, 2014 by Dana Burrell

After a month of daily journaling and posting for International Fake Journal Month I really wanted to maintain my artsy momentum but dial it back a little. No more daily posts… I have a fairly simple system but it’ll be great to give it a rest!

However, I am participating in EDiM… Every Day in May. This is a Flickr and Facebook offshoot of the EDM – Every Day Matters Group.

So yeah… even more days of daily sketching. Sweet!