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

Sketchbook Skool… art for me!

Posted on April 13, 2014 by Dana Burrell

I’ve matrikulated into Sketchbook Skool!

This endeavor is a wonderful kollaboration of Danny Gregory and Koosje Koene, two artists I’ve followed for quite a while. They’ve put together a six week kourse, (adding the k is killing me… I’ll stop now.) each week featuring the art, inspiration and guidance of a different artist. Danny took the first week and inspired us to draw the ordinary, the everyday… no special equipment, just a sketchbook and a pen. Paint the page first if a blank white page makes you freeze… just start.

Just yesterday, Koosje’s lessons, week 2, were posted.

I particularly appreciated Koosje’s intonation to “get over yourself!”… to just get out and draw… out in the open, in the community, even if… gasp!… people may be watching! This has long been one of my goals so I packed my sketchbook Friday evening when we went to a friend’s home for a Celtic music house concert.

My apologies, portraiture is not a specialty, but I’m going to keep working on it!

Next up… Prashant Miranda.

Journal52 – Weeks 4 through 7

Posted on April 6, 2014 by Dana Burrell

I’m still working on catching up with the Journal52 challenges although I suspect I never will. This week’s challenge is #14 … so, you do the math.

Anyway… here’s what I’ve done in the last few weeks.

Breaking a Slump

Posted on February 4, 2014 by Dana Burrell

Today as I got on the treadmill for my regular 50 minute trek I pulled out my iPod and plugged in my earphones.

HORRORS!!! … the battery had no juice!

Now I shouldn’t have been shocked by this. I’ve been in a bit of a slump. Two weeks have passed without me going to the gym. My music just sat in the bag, all its charge draining away. This slump has also invaded my artistic life. Sure, I’ve been working on lessons for a class I’m taking… but my daily personal journal? … the one I take with me everywhere… uh, no new entries.

So I gave myself a kick in the butt, put on my gear and got back on the treadmill. I was a bit concerned about my lack of tunes. Could I go the distance? Would I give up early?

I did not! In fact, I had an amazing workout! And no, I didn’t walk longer or harder, nor did I break any records. But I did have breakthrough. No longer bound to mentally sing along with my playlist, my brain was free to just wander. I planned this post and another and decided how I wanted to finish a few sketchbooks I’m binding. I even decided how to break the stalemate I have with my journal.

So, next time you find yourself in a slump try a little exercise and be sure to try it at least once without a soundtrack. Just go where your body and mind takes you.

Dana Burrell… Art

… adventures in creativity.

Tag Archives: Pen and Ink