Early Morning Sketching

Worked these this morning...........the bird while everyone else was asleep and then sat outside after the sun came up for the other page.  Although really not feeling it with regards to doing much (especially artwork), I did manage these two pages.

Both using my Pilot Falcon pen in the Strathmore Visual Journal (Bristol paper).

Not real happy with my scanner either.  Settings have been messed with and I can't seem to get it back scanning close to the actual color saturation.  A bit on the contrasty side.

Cypress Tree Sketch - Pen and Ink

Had that itch to sketch today so I worked this cypress tree in the Strathmore Visual Journal - Bristol Smooth paper.

Decided to use a different fountain pen as well..........my Platinum Carbon Desk pen with Platinum Carbon black ink.

When I added watercolor to it, I thought about adding in a background.  Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), I was in one of those "hmmmm, I don't know" moods so I went with the "if in doubt, do nothing" decision and left it out.

As far as I can remember (which some days I question), I have not tried watercolor on a Bristol paper surface.  I was quite surprised and pleased with how well the paper handled it.  Normally I save Bristol for graphite work.  I wasn't even sure how well the fountain pen would work on it.  Would it smear as I worked?  But no it didn't.........at least not with this pen or the ink in it.

Stonegate Community Landmark

Each time I've passed this over the last two years, I've wanted to sketch it.  I've finally managed to do so.

The left page is my main sketch but as I worked, I decided to carry it over onto the right page.  It's worked in the hand.book journal using my Pilot Falcon fountain pen and mixed brand of watercolors.

Spooky Tree in Graphite

A couple weeks ago while out on the river near where we live, I took a lot of photos.  Besides wildlife, I enjoy taking pictures of trees because of their unique shapes and patterns.  This one particular tree grabbed my attention because of it's unique shape, holes, and because of the nest on top.

Going through my photos and coming across this tree, I saw something totally different tonight from what I saw the day I took the photograph.  To my mind's eyes, I saw what resembles an old wizard, wearing a robe of sorts, and holding a wand.  I have put to paper what stands out to me the most using a mechanical pencil in the Strathmore Visual Journal (watercolor paper).  .

This was fun.........so much so that I sat up all night working on it :-)

Sitting Outside The Last Two Mornings

Earlier this week, I've spent quite a bit of time outside with the temperatures mid to upper 80s and low humidity.  But all good things eventually come to an end.  The 90s have returned with it hitting mid to upper 90s..........a bit warm for me although I'm slowly adapting.

Yesterday, because I knew the day was going to be a hot one, I was up before 6 a.m. :-O and enjoyed being outside until it started heating up.  I sat taking in all the sounds around me and wrote those sounds down in my hand.book journal.......along with a mini sketch of a new bird feeder we put up Monday.

Falcon fountain pen with Lexington Grey ink and mixed brand of watercolors and waterbrush.

This morning I was up early once again and sat for a couple of hours before it got too hot watching three squirrels forage the ground for food and chasing one another up and down this tree as seen on left page.

The bungee feeder we put up has been ignored except when we draped the corn across the picnic table.  One squirrel found it yesterday and went to town.  We then let it hang again hoping to see some fun action.

As of early morning when I started journaling on the left page, the corn was being ignored.  Instead, the squirrels fed below the bird feeders.  After sketching on the left page adding my notes and ready to go back inside, one squirrel finally spotted the hanging corn.  He actually tried for it but the bungee action made him jump and move away.  He did attempt it a couple more times until another squirrel caught his attention and he decided he wanted to play.

Handbook, Falcon fountain pen, and mixed brand watercolor using a waterbrush.

Bird Doodling in Pen and Ink

This is just a page in my hand.book square journal doodling a couple of birds.

One following John Muir Laws article on simplifying bird plumage and the cardinal head from watching cardinals out at our feeder.  With the top bird, I chose to go with more......not less........of the plumage.

For his article, please follow this link:  http://www.johnmuirlaws.com/art-and-drawing/simplifying-bird-plumage

I added the cardinal to fill the page where I was sitting outside.  I chose to work pen and ink only as continued practice getting comfortable using ink only.  (I still have a ways to go before feeling comfy.)

Caladium Flower in Graphite

I find whenever I might have something weighing heavy on my mind, graphite tends to be my medium of choice to work with.  For me it's the most relaxing medium to use helping me to lose myself in what I'm doing (forgetting for a time what was on my mind when starting).

This is a caladium flower that came up with a small clump of pale green caladium leaves edged in dark green.  The flower was white.

Behind the caladium is a large reddish violet impatiens plant and with this drawing, I tried to only suggest them using a putty eraser to lift some shapes.

This was worked in a Strathmore Visual Bristol journal using a 5.6mm cluth pencil with 4B lead and a 2mm mechanical pencil with a 4B lead.

I love the blending of graphite and lifting with a putty eraser.

Sometimes It Works and Sometimes It Doesn't

This is one of those times when "I" didn't feel things turned out.  I've never really liked working anything black on a large scale so it was my intent to only color the background and leave the bird in pen and ink only.  Unfortunately I had a bit of a mishap dabbing a few areas with white acrylic marker pen as the pen decided to unload a large pool of white.  When scanned, the acrylic covered area showed up in a blue tint.  So that changed my plans leaving the bird pen and ink only and went ahead trying to paint him.

With my first attempt at painting the vulture and scanning it, the page looked flat..........all the same values.  I didn't want to go too dark with my blacks so I tried scrubbing out some of the background color.  I managed to remove some color but I was also using staining pigments.  Thank goodness for heavy paper.

Already feeling I had messed up this page, I thought, "what the heck," I'll go a darker and see what happens.  It took three layers to achieve this and I'm still not thrilled with the results.  BUT, as a reminder to myself, I'm not after perfection.  I'm not planning to frame this page nor enter it into a competition.  This is about journaling an experience and that I did achieve with this page :-)

Hand.book homemade heavy weight watercolor journal, W&N watercolors, #8 Round, and Falcon fountain pen for sketching and brown Micron for wording.

Playing Catch-Up

We acquired a new toy the end of May, just in time for the Memorial Day Weekend............a pontoon boat.  Needless to say, we've spent quite a bit of time out on it ....in and out of the water (ha ha).... weather permitted.

We were able to get the pontoon before my Nephew returned home after being with us for three weeks.  Our first day out Terry took the boys out on Lake Eustis.  Next he took myself, Cristy, and the girls out circling an area of the lake while Ron worked on his bass boat dealing with engine issues.

Once Ron and his family left, Terry and I did a little sight seeing traveling down the Dead River that connects Lake Eustis with Lake Harris.  My favorite has to be the Dead River as it's quiet, beautiful with the cypress trees, and lots of wildlife along the banks.  Dead River is not very wide compared to other rivers I've been on.  Just so peaceful!

While out on Lake Harris, there was this opening between pine trees where these three palms sat.  They just sing out to be noticed.

Pen and Ink in the handbook.

Along the Dead River on either side were Anhingas sitting with wings stretched wide as they sun bathed drying off after diving for food.  This guy had finished drying and I caught him just as he commenced to fly off.

Strathmore Visual Watercolor journal, Pilot Falcon fountain pen and QoR watercolors.

These other two watercolor sketches are from other outings weeks/months earlier from photos.  Both worked in the Strathmore Visual Watercolor journal.  The flowers using a ballpoint pen and the bench and door using the Pilot Falcon fountain pen.  Both using QoR watercolors.

Mini Mechanical Pencil

I've seen mini brushes and mini pens so I went searching to see if anyone made a mini mechanical pencil.  Sure enough!!!

This is a Pilot Mini Mechanical pencil that came in a four pack with extra erasers and extra lead.  The lead grade is .07 that came with the set.

Perfect for small traveling palette setups like this.....

My Orchid in Graphite

This is a graphite drawing of an orchid plant I've managed to keep alive for almost two years.  A couple of the leaves are becoming soft and wilting causing a bit of concern but I'm thrilled it's lasted this long.  Not only is it still alive but has bloomed three times for me (which includes the blooming when I purchased it).  When purchased, it had two stalks with flowers but reblooms have only been on one stalk.

Worked in a Strathmore Visual Journal with Bristol paper using a Staedtler Mars mechanical pencil with 2mm - 4B lead.  Love this pencil and love this 4B lead.  On the Bristol paper, it just seems to glide across the surface.  Blending with a tortillon is so much fun for me.  I love how a kneaded eraser can easily lift highlights.  Graphite is definitely one of my top favorite mediums to work with.

Quick Palm Sketches Different Mediums

These are two little sketches worked in the square Handbook journal playing with two different techniques and mediums.  More doodling than anything........just to do something.

Lamantin Beach Pen and Ink Sketch

I have a very dear friend of 12 years whom I met through PaintDoodles forum.  Hany travels quite a bit for his job and shares his adventures and photos with me, as well as his sketches, drawings, and paintings.

Often with his photos and stories behind them, I'll feel intrigued to sketch from them (with his Blessings) and this is one.

The photo shows a lot more but this is what stood out to me.  It's a guard house or guard like structure along the beach a guard will stand in.  That part in the foreground is a straw umbrella that had blown over evidently during a storm.  In other photos they show many more blown over or snapped at the poles.

PaperBlank journal and Platinum Carbon Desk pen.

Update on Exercise for Myself and My Granddaughter

I've been meaning to post this but it's been a crazy several days for the family with a lot going on.

Here is the original post:  http://sbwatercolors.blogspot.com/2016/05/exercise-for-my-granddaughter.html

And here is what Madison did last week:

She's working in one of my hand sewn journals I made that she carries everywhere with her in her purse.

We haven't had a chance to move forward sharing videos on hatching and cross hatching for her to add form with hatching and cross hatching.

Quick Sketch Using Koh I Noor Artists' Leads - Medium Brown

I shared a value chart a few posts back and last night thought I'd do this quick sketch using the medium brown.

This was working in the Handbook journal that has a vellum like feel to the paper.  I really like how this chalky lead feels.  Love the blending quality.

Buildings - Pen and Ink plus Watercolor

Some quick sketching with pen and ink first and then adding a bit of color.  Photo reference from Textures.com (free photos).

Platinum Carbon Desk Fountain Pen

Paperblanks journal (not meant for wet media but that doesn't stop me) :-)

Exercise For My Granddaughter

Few days ago, my granddaughter made comment she was glad to see me active again with my sketching and painting.  That when I'm not doing anything, she doesn't feel like it either.  That I'm her inspiration and motivation.

I remember feeling that way myself when closely interacting with others I admire in the Art field. When they were going through down times, I too would lose interest and it would only return when my inspirational friends were back in the game.  I've since then learned to rely on my own (rather than other people)......with ups and downs........but took me many years.  Others still inspire me but the motivation to pick up that pen and paint is solely on me.

Thinking about this and after reviewing one of my Craftsy courses by Paul Heaston, I worked this little exercise hoping to get my granddaughter back into her artwork.

I set up this little still life of makeup I used to use many moons ago.  Not sure why I hang onto it as I've not used makeup in forever.  But makes a nice still life with the simple shapes.

The first step I want for my granddaughter to work through is contour drawing of what she sees in the photo......keeping it simple.  I asked her to use either pencil or pen but if she elects to use pencil, NOT to use an eraser but instead accept the lines she puts down on paper and work with that.  I chose pen so not to be tempted to make corrections myself :-)

Then I want her to sit and view Mr. Heaston's videos on hatching and cross hatching giving those simple shapes some form.

Here's my quick sketch.....flaws and all.  I may change the set up a bit and sketch a few more just for my own practice.  

One of the things I personally need to work out in my own mind is when to use what hatch marks when like direction, spacing, etc.  Spacing not so much as I do understand spacing determines the value of an area.  But directional hatching I'm still not quite sure.........especially on flat areas.  Maybe there is no true rhyme or reason but instead what each individual feels like doing to make an area look right to their own eyes for volume and depth.

Platinum Carbon Desk Fountain pen used in the Strathmore Grey sketchbook.

Now I'm waiting for Miss Madison to do her exercise :-)

Couple of Buildings in Hand Sewn Journal

Back to my own hand sewn journal with Fabriano Artistico 140lb Cold Press paper.

I actually miss the irregular rough surface of the Hand.book handmade journal as I liked the textured look for landscapes and buildings.  But this was fun, just the same.

Platinum Carbon Desk Fountain pen for line work.

This first is from a site called Textures.com offering copyright free photos.  There is a section of old buildings like this that I absolutely love.

This next one is from one of my own photos from many years ago while living in Waynesboro, VA.

Couple More Pages in the Hand.book Handmade Journal

Here I have two more pages in the Hand.book Handmade journal that on the third page I was working on, the book fell apart.  I've been able to use cheesecloth to attach the front cover back with the first pages but haven't figured out just yet how I want to fix the bottom stitch that has also pulled away from the complete first signature.  Mind you there are only two holes with one large stitch holding the entire thing together.

I do like painting on this paper :-)

Platinum Carbon Desk fountain pen used for the line work.

Koh-I-Noor Artists' Drawing Pencil Lead 5.6 mm

Received this set of 5.6 mm lead for my clutch pencil yesterday.  Although purchased through Amazon, it came from the United Kingdom.  I was pleased at the speed in which it came too considering where it was coming from.  I had placed my order on April 17th with an estimated delivery date of May 12-26th; however, I received it yesterday April 28th.

Koh-I-Noor Artists' Drawing Pencils

The last set of 2 mm colored lead I received days ago were waxy color pencil like lead.  These here are more chalky and what I was hoping for.

Here is a quick chart I did last night.  The one thing lacking on this chart is testing how well they erase.  One will definitely have to use a fixative to keep these from smearing but love the blending quality.

The Charcoal is super dark and I had a problem being able to achieve a nice value scale.  Would definitely save that for when I needed a real dark area applied and using the Gray for the other values.

The White I also struggled achieving a good value scale but I think that was from operator malfunction ...... not what the lead itself will do ;-)  I did find when using a tortillon that more rubbed off than actually blended.  I need to work with that a bit more to see if that's just the nature of the white or problem with the one using it.