Painting Cameos

Doodling with watercolor.  Cameos that I prefer to call them as they are a little more than just mindless marks put on paper.

Playing with different brushes; different colors; and different techniques.

Mixed Pen and Ink Sketches

Various sketches I've worked on over the last several days........all in the Strathmore Gray Toned sketchbook.

Fort Island Beach, FL

Here are a couple pages in different journals of our trip to Fort Island Beach a few weekends ago.

This first page entry is standing on the pier looking towards the man-made beach and the second is from the beach area itself looking towards the pier.

This one worked in the meandering journal an art friend made for me back in January out of Arches paper.

Second painting/sketch from the Strathmore Toned sketchbook.  I chose the gray paper for this one because it actually depicts the gray skies with storms that were coming in off and on that day.  At the time we were there, it wasn't storming (had already hit earlier that morning) but then the sky opened up about the time we were leaving.

August 15, 2015 Virtual Sketch Crawl

There are groups of people across the globe who physically get together in what are called sketchcrawls.  They meet up somewhere walking around and sketching what they see and experience.  For many people, they don't have this luxury often because of where they live and/or not knowing others who enjoy this type of get together.

Cathy Johnson holds an event each third Saturday of the month pulling people together in what's called a Virtual Sketchcrawl.  Individuals, small groups, and even larger groups from all over, utilize this third Saturday to go out sketching and then come together to share their day out in Cathy's Artists Journal Workshop group under Facebook.  A way for all of us to come together as if we actually met up in one huge group.

This is what I did for yesterday's sketchcrawl.  I've missed out on the last couple of months but managed to participate this month.  This little building stands at the entrance to a shopping mall area in The Villages / Lady Lake area in Florida.  I left the lettering off the building as I just wanted to keep the sketch simple.

Missing Our Hummers

Where we lived in West Virginia, we had an abundance of hummingbirds perched in our front yard trees; zooming back and forth to include under our porch roof; and we went through a lot of sugar water keeping them fed and readying them for their trip back south each year.

They would fly around us, at times hovering right in front of our faces as if checking us out.  They knew we were not a threat and it was such a treat to have them each summer.

Now we live in Florida and we saw one last year that didn't hang around.  We've put out feeders and all we seem to attract are ants.  We so miss these little guys!!!!

A Tree With a Heart

One of the things I find amazing are the various shapes of trees, how their branches might grow twisting and turning in unusual ways and some of the holes you see in trees.

What caught my attention with this particular oak was the heart-shaped hole.

Working with pen and ink on toned paper, trying to depict moss against leaves and branch/trunk under heavy shade, was quite a challenge.  I was in unknown territory as to what to do or how to go about it without making it too dark and showing some depth.

This is what I ended up with and I'm not real sure at this point how I feel about the results.  I'll have to revisit this page days or even weeks down the road when my mind is fresh to really know :-)

Strathmore toned paper; Microns 005, 05, and 03 and some smudged graphite to gray some of the canopy area that was a bit too bright so that the main branch came forward more.

Market Square Lake Shore Dr Florida

Years ago all I used to be interested in was nature........flowers, plants, wildlife, and landscapes without any man made structures.  It seems my interests have shifted or expanded through the years and now I find it not only challenging but enjoyable to include buildings and other architectural structures.

This is located in the center of the Market Square off Lake Shore Dr and Sumter Lake.

Worked in the Strathmore Visual Journal, QoR watercolors, and Micron 005.

A large waterbrush was used to paint this piece.  I'm finding lately I want to grab for these brushes rather than a standard paint brush.  It just seems I have better control and love the sharp point these brushes return to.  Out of all the waterbrushes I've tried, my all time favorite is the Pentel (blue barrel that body has a flat area to keep from rolling off the desk).

Outing at Lake Shore Drive, FL

I could work several pages of this area as there was so much there to see and to sketch/paint.

The day we went, it was between storms so we basically walked the area taking pictures....plus it was super hot and humid.  We plan to return in the near future as there are lots of shops to explore, loads of restaurants, and this area borders Sumter Lake.

It's beautifully set up with the boardwalk and plenty of props like you see here on this page.  Barrels and buckets with live flowers and trees; boats set up out in the lake (for viewing only) to include one large ship partially sunk.  Across the lake is a beautiful golf course.

This page I've just finished is using my Pilot Falcon fountain pen and Lexington Grey ink.  Worked in the Strathmore Visual Journal.

Various Doodles

These are just a few little doodles I've worked either in sketchbook or scrap paper over the last few days.

These painted ones were worked in a sketchbook (bockingford) playing with various brushes like a filbert, dagger, and comb..........just playing.

                                

Palm scene using my Pilot Prera fountain pen on scrap paper.

Lego Scarecrow worked on scrap paper with a new mechanical pencil purchased by Staedtler...........a 2 mm lead 4B softness.