As I was looking though my sketchbook/illustrated journals I was reminded that art is more than just images. I often write meaningful quotes in my journals, often with images, but sometimes the words themselves become the art. These came from a particularly difficult 3 week period.
Art heals.
I hope to see you tomorrow for day four!
77 degrees Fahrenheit this afternoon. It’s mid October and strictly speaking, since we haven’t had a killing frost, this isn’t Indian Summer. What it is, is too beautiful to be inside.
I wanted to practice drawing figures and there’s no where better to observe the public than the steps to the Opera House opposite the town green at lunchtime. A couple of hours passed like minutes. If only it would stay as warm.
I am NOT addicted!
If this sounds a bit defensive… well………
From left to right… TWSBI Mini Fine, Visconti Traveling Ink Pot, Pelican M200 Fine, Duke with bent calligraphy nib, Pentel Pocket Brush Pen, Pelican M200 Medium, Lamy Joy with 1.5 calligraphy nib, Platinum Preppy, Lamy Safari Extra Fine, Lamy Vista black EF, Lamy Al-Star F, and an old Mont Blanc rollerball, just because it writes well.
My favorites are filled with different inks for different purposes. My Pelican at the top is loaded with regular black Waterman ink… it’s soluble and bleeds wonderfully when hit with water. The silver Duke has Noodler’s Lexington Gray which needs a bit longer on the paper to become permanent. The lowermost pen is my beloved TWSBI Mini with a Fine point… LOVE! I’ve filled it with Platinum Carbon Black ink which has been the most reliably permanent ink I’ve tried.
What’s that just above the TWSBI? It’s my Visconti Traveling Ink Pot… it holds plenty of ink for quite a few refills. I load it with the PCB and it tucks neatly into my TSA approved quart sized fluid bag for carry-on travel. I’ve been away for more than 2 weeks and it’s served me well!
At this point I only have black fountain pen inks but I’m planning on remedying that! I have an order pending with my friends at Goulet Pens. FAIR WARNING! Do not click that link unless you are prepared to spend substantial time and have your credit card handy.
Addicted? hmmmmm…. Obsessed? OK, I’ll give you that.
Sue’s at the Montshire! Correction… a life-sized replica is at the Montshire Museum of Science in Norwich, VT. She’s the largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus rex ever discovered!
My geeky alter-ego would have been a paleontologist so a trip to see Sue was a given! She… or maybe she’s a he, they don’t know… is HUMONGOUS! Over 40 feet from her snout to the tip of her tail and she stands at least 13 feet tall at her hip. Simply massive!
A quick splash of color before spending quality time with my fountain pen. She barely fits on my page!
But one visit just wasn’t enough. I returned today for another view!
My… what large teeth you have my dear!
Check out those proportions… Her foot is as large as that young fella!
The T. Rex exhibit will be there ’till September 7th. Find out why she’s named Sue and try all the interactive activities… don’t miss it! Not interested? There’s plenty to keep your attention and be sure to say hi to this little mink for me!
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.
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.
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!
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.
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
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.
Dana Burrell... Art 