a new beginning

a new beginning, a photo by vickylw on Flickr.

I've started a new sketchbook, with cleaned up palette and re-filled watercolor pans . . .

This handbound journal contains mostly Fabriano Artistico 140# hot press paper, plus a sample of Canson Dual 140# (cold press on one side, rough on the other). In the binding process, I forgot to add end papers . . . and found that I actually prefer it this way, using the same watercolor paper for end paper as well.

Though I'm no longer limiting myself to 3 primaries + 2 neutrals, I have larger pans of them in this palette. But I dropped Payne's Grey, switching to Monte Amiata Natural Sienna as my second neutral --- mixed grays and blacks are so much more interesting.

November 2012: Tea Time

November 2012: Tea Time, a photo by apple-pine on Flickr.

More Playing with Primaries

I did this a few years ago with my basic primaries...in this case, Cadmium Yellow Medium, Phthalo Blue, and Quinacridone Red.  I was happy with this little farmscape.

Went for bolder mixes yesterday, in my journal...Quin, Rose, Phthalo Blue, and Hansa Yellow in this set.

You can go very subtle, too, if you wish...this is those same three primaries, but blended into varied blue grays.  (Hero M-86 pen with Polar Brown ink, for the under-drawing.)

So are you still experimenting?  Share on our Artist's Journal Workshop group on Facebook if you like! https://www.facebook.com/groups/artists.journal.workshop/?ref=ts&fref=ts or in our Flickr group!

Saying Goodbye to Our Pumpkins

Saying Goodbye to Our Pumpkins, a photo by apple-pine on Flickr.

My Usual Colors...sort of...

This is what I was using last year for my usual palette in my old repurposed Prang box.  I'm moving away from the Cadmiums now, and I don't use Transparent Yellow as much as I did...the sap green is gone, too, but everything else is pretty much standard, when I'm NOT using the limited primaries palette!

My color-challenge continues...

This one was done right after I did all the color tests in my journal...I had an old Shaffer calligraphy pen in my purse and added the color from memory, which often works better for me.  Fresher color!

Down in the Ozarks this past week, I knew I'd have a REAL challenge, with all the fall colors.  This one was done on the spot...

My new walker gave me a place to carry all my art supplies and my camera, as well as a place to sit while I worked, but I found I did need a separate table of some sort.  The arm rests really kind of got in the way if I tried to sit and work in my lap, and my journal tended to slide off my knees onto the ground.  So I'd usually park near a bench...

The same day, as evening came on...I wasn't really happy with the one on the left, the darker colors got muddy on me and the brights were TOO bright.  The sun was going down behind this big hill, so I wanted the shadowy effect, but think I should have kept it cooler and grayer...

Still, it was fun to try to capture the effect of fire in this small sketch that was on one corner of a journal page...

I kept it simple with this one...and liked the effect.

Did I stick completely to my primaries-only plus Burnt Sienna and Payne's Grey palette?  Nope, occasionally I just wanted the colors and textures offered by my original set.  I LOVE granulating colors, and the simple set doesn't offer that.

I also found myself reaching for my original little Altoids kit with the primaries instead of the newer kit...but basically it's the same primaries, a warm yellow, Quin Red, and Phthalo Blue, plus B.S. and P.G. It's light and handy and slips into my purse.

I'm enjoying the challenge, but don't consider myself tied...it's a choice, not a geas!

The Self Imposed Ink and Exercise Challenge

I'm trying out yet another Stillman and Birn Journal.... this time the Epsilon Series that has paper suited for pen and ink.

This is my first entry and I've got to say writing on this paper with a Micron pen is dreamy. The greys were created with grey and black Pentel Sign Pens that I hit the tip of with a waterbrush, then added the ink to the page.  The water/ink combo spread like butter.

One thing I really like about using a waterbrush is that it dispenses just enough water to get the job done.  This is very useful when the paper being used is not necessarily meant for washes.

This journal has two purposes. The first being to get me off of my desk chair and moving about. That's a challenge in itself as I get lost in my work and time goes sailing by. The second, and most fun, is to explore ink.

I'm glad the journal has many pages as there are so many inks waiting to be tried :) Which leads me to the back of my journal where I create color test pages......

click to enlarge

I'm keeping this journal in my desk drawer, easily at hand.  I've been sitting too long again... time to catch lunch and take a stroll with my journal and pens :)