Finally, sketching outdoors again!

And ended up making a journal spread...

This is the finished spread...trying out new colors!

All I got done on the spot; my ink wasn't drying!  It was Noodler's Lexington Gray in a Hero bent-nib pen, and usually dries quickly.  Not yesterday!  So this morning I decided to take my time and mask off the little waterfalls and ripples!

I'm testing new watercolors from Golden--QoR paints, pronounced "core"!  You'll be hearing more about them...happily, I had an unused palette to put them in.

I decided to use a lot of wet-in-wet to keep it fresh...lots of Naples Yellow and Quin Gold in the rocks...

I used my little sprayer to soften the fore edge, and laid in the fish while the water was still wet.

Removed the mask and added a headline...strengthened some areas in the background...

I tried to keep the feeling of motion in the water...

Pleased with the fish!

I used a pen made from a honeysuckle twig for the pampas grass...

And my new Sharpie EF water-based marker defined the water a bit more.  It's acrylic, so I could paint over it when it dried...nice.

All in all, I was pleased with the spread for how it preserved the day--strong winter sunshine and a good day with old friends.  I'm a bit of an introvert (OK, understatement!) and spending a little time sketching in the midst of the party helped keep me focused.

AND I was pleased with the paints, which are strongly pigmented and re-wet nicely.  You'll be hearing more about them as I try out more things...

bear-making and sketching

When our first grandchild turned 7, I made her a hand-made teddy bear with antique shoe-button eyes and real mohair fur. I used to make these to sell in the 1980s/1990s. So I made it a tradition by doing the same for each grandchild on their 7th birthday.

This year, it's Quen's turn. Because he loves wearing button-down shirts with real ties, and loves to sketch and paint, the style was obvious --- a wee artist bear. I only need to sew the ears on and he will be finished. And then sew a tiny sketchbook bound in leather for the bear (or Quen) to fill up with drawings. I used leftover bits of paper from binding regular sketchbooks for the pages, which will measure just under 2" when done.

I'm in more of a mood to sketch, so I took time to do so instead of finishing the bear yesterday. Sketching also helps me decide on facial expression and outfit.

Design Ideas

People often ask about designing pages--it was one of the most popular requests on the poll in our sidebar at right!  I'd done a couple of PDFs to go with my original class and then on the Keeping an Artist's Journal CD that grew out of that class, but I wanted to give them to you here, for nothing!

http://www.cathyjohnson.info/PDF_library/DesignIdeas1.pdf
http://www.cathyjohnson.info/PDF_library/DesignIdeas2.pdf

Let me know what you think!



The CD with TONS more on it is here:

And the downloadable eBook version is here.

Escapism via The Artist Journal

Taking a page from Kate's own fantasy journal, I decided to create a "getaway place" in my own journal during my recovery from a recent bout of the flu.

The Heart-Held Cottage
Watercolor and Ink
Stillman and Birn Bound Beta Sketchbook
5.5 x 8.5 inches

I have long loved Hobbiton from the Lord of The Rings and The Hobbit series as seen in Peter Jackson's movies. I love the gypsy wagons you see in Europe as well as some of the tiny structures that people have built for backyard escapes, even using them as small homes. 

The idea of a personal place all my own where I can go to escape the challenges of real life, be they illness, family, financial or just a too long to-do list holds vast appeal to me. I can decorate and nest and relax. A place where problems can't follow, where there is no dust, no clutter, no cleaning. 

A place to enjoy painting, reading, napping, observing nature, lounging in front of a warm fire, visiting with invited friends, cooking a special meal or just simply being. The cottage became a place where I'm not rushed by deadlines or decisions and I can indulge (if I want to) in an hour long soak in a gorgeous claw- foot tub! (TMI, I know!)

The fun part for me was adding special touches that have special meaning to me that might not be obvious to the casual observer. (The stained glass doors in the bookcase sketch have a backstory, but you wouldn't know if I didn't mention it.) 

While I'm definitely not an architect and I certainly wasn't become overly concerned with the laws of physics in my house plans, I did have a great deal of fun thinking about the rooms I would have and the type of furnishings I would surround myself with. The colors and material choices were all up to me without considering someone else's tastes or needs (unless I chose to include them).

The pages developed over the two weeks I was sick and I worked a little bit here and there until they were finished.

But in a way, they'll never be finished as I have enjoyed the escape so much, I'm already planning my next getaway!

The things I learned for next time:

• I'll work bigger and create the floor plans to take up an entire page each.
• By working larger, I'll be able to add in more detail when it comes to the furnishings, window treatments and such.
• I will work on both the views of the inside as well as the views looking out the windows. 
• I'll focus more thought on where the getaway is located‚ like the beach, mountains, underground, or in a pasture or forest.

How about you? Care to join me in creating a fabulous getaway that only exists in your imagination and on the pages of your sketchbook?

If you do, please comment back here so we can come and visit your secret hideaway!

Sandy Williams -- A Cacophany of Cats

We've been having record cold temperatures here in Michigan as has a lot of the country.  It was the worst time for our furnace to go out last Saturday night and repairs couldn't be made until Monday.  So off went my dog to my brother's house and my sister came and got our three cats while my mother and I checked into a hotel.  We were SO glad to be able to return home as were our pets.  The cats in particular let us know that they did not approve of being uprooted and sent away and let us know -- quite loudly.  I'm happy to report that life is now back to normal and our house is toasty and warm.

moving and remembering

We are still dealing with the craziness that comes with relocating to Texas . . . and I'm sketching bits of our old home when I find time. This is a small section of the vintage kitchen Bill made that I am sadly leaving behind. We moved all my paints and inks last week when we went to close on the cabin. So I just have this simple "warms and cools" palette with me. If I remember right, the pigments are as follows:

cadmium scarlet  /  permanent rose
hansa yellow med.  /  hansa yellow light
serpentine genuine  /  sap green (not really a cool)
ultramarine blue  /  phthalo blue
quin. burnt orange  /  burnt umber
quin. gold  /  payne's gray

Drawing in Dad's workshed Alissa Duke

I have a yearly visit home to Toowoomba (in Queensland) from Sydney at Christmas. It is a week or two catching up with friends and family and falling into a familiar routine. This usually includes de-cluttering cupboards and being highly distracted by childhood memories.

It also involves re-exploring my Dad's workshed in the backyard. It is a step into the past. Dad died in 1987 and although much of the larger machinery and tools are gone, it still has shelves and cupboards of work tools and bit and pieces. Dad was a panel beater by trade and a handyman, inventor the rest of the time . He seemed to have every possible item to fix, nail, screw, clip, polish, cut, drill ... The tools are stored in specially labelled  containers and drawers or hanging up above the workbench, on the wall. Most of these items are still there and have not been moved

So much of this is part of my childhood

drawn in 2012

This year I decided to draw some more of it. It is al in watercolour pencil and Lamy Safari Joy ink pen. If a clean out is ever done (hopefully this year) it may not be there next time I visit. These are my artist journal pages

 

 

 

I stood in front of a wall and started drawing the tools and containers. I decided to add the colour to the (old Dixibelle margarine containers circa 1970).

 

 

 

I then drew the wall above the main workbench, over two pages. I was not sure where/if to add colour to the page. I do not need any of them in my life in Sydney, but wanted a memory. That gave me the idea to draw some of the tools on the page. I chose a few and bought them up to the house and drew they over two days.



This is what I did New Years Eve !  (wire strippers and washers)

a G-Clamp and pop rivets

 

this is what the dinner table looked like on New Years Eve - a drawing in progress

 

 

 

 

 I have no idea what many of these objects are and the labels are a mystery. It was the job of my brother & I (and Mum to ) to sort through and to separate buckets of nuts and bolts ! I did not inherit my Dad's mechanical and technical nature, although he also had a creative side (woodturning and pottery). This is not the first year I have drawn tools from the shed. Previous Christmas visits have also provided opportunities. I think I am done now.

 

 

(can't figure out how to turn this image)