Monday and Tuesday Sketching

Monday and Tuesday's sketching:

Hand Sewn Journal with Fabriano Artistico (old stock) 140 lb watercolor paper / Lamy Safari with DeAtramentis Brown Document ink / Holbein watercolor

Stillman & Birn Zeta Sketchbook / Lamy Safari w/DeAtramentis Brown Document ink

Bear - Holbein

Rose - QoR watercolors

Been messing with scanner settings as a trial and error to see how close I can come to actual results in my journals.  Scanning normally results in higher contrast so I've been trying to change that in the scanner rather than trying to adjust in Photoshop Elements.  One of the scanner settings I've been changing is Linear to Flat Contrast when scanning.  Not sure I like the results any better. 

Sketching With DeAtramentis Document Brown Ink

For a change I've been using a fountain pen loaded with DeAtramentis Brown Document Ink.  I'm not one who likes real stark black so I normally use a soft black or dark gray ink like Lexington Grey.  Thought maybe I would sketch with the brown for awhile to see which I might like better.

One thing I've noticed, this ink 'seems' to flow so smoothly in my Lamy Extra Fine Nib.  Maybe it's the nib...maybe it's the ink....I really don't know.  Anyways, I've had this brown ink stored in my pen for months and unlike other browns I've tried, hasn't clogged or dried up in the pen needing help starting it.  That alone is a plus!

Also trying a new eraser called VANISH Four in One Eraser.

What's In YOUR Wallet

Inspired by a Capital One commercial. 

It's really disturbing to me how many daily ads we see, emails we get, plus all the pre-approved credit offers received tempting people to borrow money and go into or deeper into debt.   And it's not always about self discipline or lack thereof but for many having no choice .... caught up in a vicious cycle.....with banks/lending companies taking advantage of that, often making matters worse.   :-(

KG Sketchbook / Lamy Safari with DeAltramentis Brown Ink / Holbein watercolors

Outside Treasures

New discovery of a different type lizard we've never seen before.  This Blue Tail Skink was inside a bag of mulch we've had sitting outside the last couple of years.  We planted a grapefruit tree and when Terry opened the bag of mulch, this little guy made himself known.

On a piece of dead wood sitting in the back on a table, I saw this small mushroom growing.

As for the magnolia, there was a tree in the back that was growing kind of strange (top heavy with a ball like shape up top) and would never flower.  We decided we would take it down but left the trunk in the ground a certain height with the intentions of putting a bird feeder on top.  To our surprise, it started sprouting limbs and leaves and now has a gorgeous shape to it; AND, early this year it actually produced a single flower and I found the pod sitting on the ground.

Door Entrance Downtown Leesburg

Down the street from where the sketching group went last Tuesday is a rather plain looking building with this door entrance.  The door itself really stood out to me against a plain outer wall because it reminds me of a clock with hands pointing around 3:43. 

KG sketchbook / Pilot Falcon / Lexy Grey ink / QoR and DS watercolors

My Shoes

I've lost count the total number of shoes I've purchased (last 10 years) hoping to find a pair that doesn't cause my feet to cramp either while wearing them or most often after I take them off.  I've spent big bucks for the better quality shoes that are suppose to give best support and still deal with the issue.  Many of my shoes end up being worn a couple times and then donated to Goodwill or Salvation Army.

Anyways.........I don't have a closet full of various shoes like some women do.  I have two old pairs of dress shoes (navy and black) with low heels and two pairs of sneakers.  One pair ties and the other slides on.  The pair I tend to grab most these days is the slip on kind and I don't pull them up on the heel like they are suppose to be worn.  To be honest, I wear shoes only when I go out anywhere or sometimes when in the yard.  I'm a barefoot gal (and probably why I suffer as I do).

Today's journal page is sketching my slip on sneakers.  They have a mottled (think that's the word) blue coloring and I had hoped to achieve the look on paper but didn't.  Maybe on a rougher surface.  I mixed heavy granulating pigment to make my blue by using DS Lunar Black with Holbein Cobalt Blue.   On the palette the granulating pigment did exactly what I was after but not so once applied to paper.  Oh well.  Rest of the colors used are Holbein.

HSFab01 - Holbein with Lunar Black by Daniel Smith - Lamy Vista with Lexy Grey ink - Micron 01 for some of the wording.

Starting a New Sketchbook - Hand Sewn

I have finally reached the end of the journal I've been working in for awhile ..... giving myself permission to start a new one.  I chose one of my hand sewn journals (labeled HSFab01) that I made back in April.  It is made of old stock Fabriano Artistico 140 lb Cold Press watercolor paper.  Paper purchased back in 2005 or 2006 when I could get 10 sheet packs and before the manufacturer changed their papers.

With the first page in this sketchbook, I decided to sketch the palette with Holbein watercolors for reference.  I set this palette up like over a decade ago but has been sitting in a drawer all this time.  I am totally amazed by how fresh the pigments have remained and the ease in re-activating.  I tend to grab my palette with Daniel Smith, QoR, or Winsor & Newton (in that order it seems) first.  I don't much care for Winsor & Newton pigments as many dry and crack or become hard as a rock not re-wetting very easily.  I'm finding a few of the Daniel Smith are doing the same thing.  Anyways.........I decided to use the Holbein for awhile.

With Miya healing and improving, I'm back to feeling like sketching again.  With the round the clock care for several days and lack of sleep, I just didn't feel up to doing much of anything.

Trying to get a feel for working on cotton paper again, I worked this sketch after I did the Holbein palette color chart.

Yesterday's sketching was setting up my miniature animals as sketching models.  For today, I decided to pull out several items from one of my drawer units that sits on top of my table/desk in the sun room.

Sporadic Sketching

It's been a rough couple of weeks between son and our dog with injuries plus health issues.  Although slow going, both are recovering.

The round the clock care with our dog has been really taxing so it's no surprise I haven't felt like too much sketching.  I've done a little.

All in the KG sketchbook / 07 mechanical pencil / #2 Mars Lumograph pencil / Micron 01 pen / Holbein watercolors

With the praying mantis, I didn't feel like messing with the shadow......although I may return to this later and add it in.

Monday and Tuesday's Sketches

Today makes one full month I've been working these "Draw Your Day" journal pages.   I find myself slowing down a bit lacking the motivation I had when I started these.  It's hot and humid and even though staying indoors, I feel hot and sluggish...not feeling like doing much.  Is it winter yet???  LOL

Yesterday I was looking out the window and saw our black snake on the fencing.  I thought it was so neat how he weaved in around the wire spokes.  He worked his way along a good part of the fence before he slithered to the ground and made his way over to the garden area.

For today's sketching, I just pulled out my collection of birthstone bears.  Haven't been doing much to really journal about except being lazy and either listening to or watching TV.

KG sketchbook / Micron 01 and 005 / Holbein and QoR watercolors (mainly Holbein)

Morgan's New Bird - Charlie

Today I wasn't really feeling it to do any sketching until my granddaughter called all excited about a new bird she bought out of her own money.  The family are at the beach and she will pick "Charlie" up on their way home next Saturday.

While at the shop, Morgan held different parakeets until she found one that seemed to like her and not bite.  This little fellow even laid on his back for her to rub his belly and closed his eyes enjoying the moment.  Morgan has done her homework researching all she could about keeping birds.  How cool!!!

My granddaughter's phone call was enough to inspire me to grab my sketchbook and paint her bird from photo she sent me.

KG sketchbook
Holbein watercolors
Micron 01

Friday and Today's Sketching

My husband has been coming in saying how bad the midges are so I decided to document them in my sketchbook.  I went outside walking around studying and taking photos of those on the outside walls and car.  While outside, I walked around the house and saw where there were early fruits on the Japanese Yews.  My eye also caught something on the roof and it was this dove peeking over the edge.

Thursday, I got a call from my youngest son saying he had taken a bad fall in the attic of one of the houses he was checking for a break in wiring.  He found the problem and was headed out of the attic when he stepped back off the end of one of the joists onto ceiling.  So that he didn't damage or go through the ceiling, he quickly pulled back which caused him to lose his balance.  He tried to break his fall by grabbing onto an overhead support and his body swung around causing him to lose his grip.  He fell flat on his back across the joists.  Another contractor was below in the garage and heard the loud thud.  He had to help Travis out of the attic and my son's supervisor was called.  His supervisor came on site and saw to it Travis went to be checked out.  Took him to Leesburg Regional Urgent Care.  Although xrays were taken (not read yet), the physician documented Travis was suffering a contusion to the back and a spinal sprain.  He was sent home with instructions and wants him back Monday for a follow-up visit.

Travis is one hurting puppy but if there's a positive in this..........he didn't fall THROUGH the ceiling landing on a concrete floor below.  With two sons working jobs that require them at times up in attics, this has been one of my fears along with passing out due to the Florida heat.

Second page is my participation in Cathy Johnson's monthly Sketch With Me virtual sketchcrawl.  The theme for the month is "Challenge" where we choose to work something we find challenging......either subject or medium, etc.  

I'm always wanting to sketch and paint Miya but always find myself dragging my feet actually doing so.  It's her fur that intimidates me.

This started out as a graphite only sketch but then sprayed it and decided to go ahead and attempt the coloring.  Her fur is one of the things I love about her.  It's soft and I love the scraggly look due to the soft curls going off in various directions.  I keep her fur cut fairly short by sitting her in my lap and cutting with scissors..........it's one of our special bonding times together.  

Dead Ringneck Snake Found

We have a small entrance porch (covered) at the front of our house with a couple chairs.  Under Terry's chair I noticed this little guy on his back....definite sign it was not alive.  Before discarding him, I wanted to document capturing his unique color and patterns on the underside compared to how he looks right side up. 

We have several snakes, some of which are rather large.  All being non poisonous.  And we are grateful for them to help keep certain nasty critters from getting out of control.  One large black snake likes to sunbath in the middle of our back yard. 

As to what happened to this guy, we have no idea.  There were no apparent signs of another animal getting a hold of it. 

KG sketchbook / Micron 01 / Holbein watercolors

How Do They Know???

Today's page is more of a written story accompanied by a few illustrations.  Telling the story about how funny our four legged family members can amaze you wondering how on earth they know or figure things out.........even when you try to take precautions or be sneaky about it.

I haven't illustrated this but the other time Miya seems to know things that leaves us scratching our heads is when we bring home a toy in with her food from PetSmart.  We bring in grocery bags and it doesn't phase her at all.  We bring in the same type bags from PetSmart and if just food, no reaction.  But if we have a stuffed toy in among the food...........Miya will follow from front door to the kitchen jumping for the bag.  She just seems to know even if she can't see it. 

KG sketchbook / Micron 01 / Holbein and DS watercolors.

Three More Draw Your Day Pages

Sunday was easy to journal with illustrating our favorite restaurant.  Monday wasn't so much since I didn't do anything but watch TV.  In fact I just didn't feel up to doing anything to include sketching.  Yesterday I actually left the house and joined up with my sketching group at the monthly Library Tuesday meetup.  Our time was just sketching what we had with us as practice capturing various shapes, setting up mini still life if people chose to, or working from photos on their phones.  I chose to take several items out of my sketching bag and set up as a mini still life arrangement.

KG sketchbook / Mixed watercolor brands (Holbein, DS and Qor)/Micron 01

A Little Bit of Nature

For these pages I chose to capture a few things going on right outside our door.

Yesterday's sketching - We have a pair of brown thrashers that hang around on the ground below the feeders and will often fly and sit on the feeder pole.  This is right before they decided to fly off.  The male is in the pose right before taking off.  The female followed.

Today's sketching is of three of several flowering plants/shrubs off the sunroom.

KG sketchbook / Holbein and Daniel Smith watercolors (mainly Holbein) / Micron 01

Gecko Babies and Eliminating Self Imposed Anxiety

Left Page - Baby Geckos

We had unexpected baby geckos hatch from eggs found months ago (found in lunch bag in storage we closed out) I had sitting in a dish for sketching.  It was early evening and walking by where the dish was sitting, my eye caught a glimpse of something that looked different.  At first I thought I was suffering double vision of a dried up brown anole also sitting in the dish.  Looking closer I saw it was a baby gecko.  I carried the dish out and released the baby in the garden so he could get to food and water.

Looking closer at the eggs, three other eggs look different.  They are darker in color (as if something inside) and have some weight to them.  I was sitting in the chair next to the table the dish sits and heard a noise.  Within 30 minutes we had a second hatching.  We set that little guy outside as well.

Right Page - Eliminating Anxiety

It's been eating at me that here it is June already and I still have the 75 Day Ink Only Challenge looming over me to do this year.  A self imposed yearly challenge I set each year simply because I feel I have to.  Well meaning compliments or comments has left me to feel or given my inner critic the excuse to nag at me that using pencil must be a no no and that I need to work towards not using one.  I have finally made the decision that I'm not going to feel like I'm doing something wrong by using pencil first and setting myself free of that anxiety.

I like using pencil for several reasons.........it's NOT just about having the ability to erase (although that does take pressure off a person....HA HA).  I'm not in a race to work a page and the entire process I enjoy the most  (pencil / ink / paint ... and in that order) is what makes my sketching relaxing, fun, and therapeutic in nature.

More Game Play and Pet Antics

It's becoming a little more difficult coming up with what to include in my day to day due to a non-active life style and rarely leaving the house.  What I do day in and day out is pretty non-eventful and repetitive.  Might be I don't actually sketch my EVERY day and go back to working how I was before.  We'll see how each day goes.  One thing for sure, I want to continue at least doing something until the next rest period hits.

KG sketchbook / Micron 01 / Holbein watercolors

What My Mind Was On Yesterday

Yesterday was one of those days I couldn't satisfy my hunger.  Not that I was really hungry but instead just wanted to eat.  I behaved throughout the day but all I could think about was food.  Come evening I kind of blew it eating more than I normally allow myself.  It could have been worse but to me bad enough.  Hopefully today will be a better day.

KG sketchbook / Micron 01 / Holbein and Daniel Smith watercolors

Sunday - Quiet Day Until...

Well we may have our #3 on the "what will happen next" scenario........lol.  Still awaiting on Toyota's decision to cover my tailgate under warranty so it's not that.  Instead it ended up being my youngest son's dog all of a sudden taking ill and being taken to the Emergency Vet Hospital.  It was quite a scare but appears to have been an allergic reaction to something Sunday evening and was taken care of with treatment.  She's all back to her normal self :-)

KG sketchbook / Micron 01 / Holbein and Daniel Smith watercolors

What's Next

Although it's probably just silly superstition, it's seems to always play out to be true for us when something bad happens, it comes in three.

First it was the refrigerator and now it looks like our vehicles.

Wednesday evening Terry went shopping for groceries and came out to his truck only to find it wouldn't start.  My first thought was the battery but we didn't have cables on either vehicle to test that out.  He was thinking starter because he thought he heard a clunk sound when he turned the key in the ignition.  I brought him home and Thursday he had his truck towed to Toyota.  As it turns out, it was only the battery and an expensive one at that!!!  Here he was sitting in a parking lot where Advance Auto sits and could have had a choice in batteries at I'm sure a lower price.  Oh well.  The positive to this.........he FINALLY has maintenance done on his truck while at Toyota.  Something he's been dragging his feet on for over a year.

My SUV has had an ongoing issue with the tailgate.  Started years ago and three trips to Toyota only for it to work just fine when they tested it.  And we always left feeling like idiots because they would just pass it off as needing to hit the reset button on the tailgate.  Each time following the trip to Toyota, we'd get home and it would not operate correctly.  This went on until it reached the point where we had to forcefully open and close the tailgate 90% of the time.

Friday we scheduled for my car to have it's maintenance done (only a few months late) and Terry went to the service manager about the tailgate rather than relying on one of the techs.  We were tired of being put off without them holding onto and really taking the time to check it.  Of course at first try, the tailgate opened and closed just fine.  The service manager said they would test it while doing the maintenance and lo and behold, it failed to open.

Out of three prior trips only one tech bothered to document our complaint and fortunately it was when our car was still under warranty.  The service manager did some research and found this was a common complaint for our year SUV and is submitting for approval for Toyota to cover the cost since it was first reported while still under warranty.  No promises though (and I'm not holding my breath) but we can keep our fingers crossed.  If they don't cover the repair under warranty, we're looking at least $1300 just for the part.  We won't know until this coming week.

So we're asking ourselves, will these two added issues with vehicles be considered #2 or #3...........lol  What's next?

Yesterday was rather uneventful here but my nephew was married up in West Virginia.  I hated we had to miss it!!!  The entire day my mind was on them while I tried to focus on here at home.  At least my oldest son and his family were able to make it and I'm so thankful for that!!  At least someone from my side of the family made it to the wedding.

With yesterday's lack of focus, I at least managed a little illustration of the wedding and then decided to chart my greens for comparison.  I have all these tubes of green paint but normally only grab the Sap Green.

KG sketchbook / Mixed brands / Micron 01