New Pens - Stabilo 88s

Received a new set of pens I ordered to test out for ink and wash sketching.

These are fine tipped pens that seem to glide across the paper surface with ease.  They do not bleed out quite like the Rotring or the Tombow marker pens but definitely nice to work with.  I like for sketching with an added dimension of the wash but still maintaining that "sketched" look with pen and ink.

This set includes the wrap and I like that there's an added zipper compartment there to the left as you view the screen. I can stick my little waterbrush in that compartment; grab a small sketchbook; and off I go. 

 

 

Here are a couple quick sketches playing with a few of the colors along with a color chart for all the pens in this set.

 

Left done in Moleskine Watercolor book

and right side in the Handbook Sketching book.

One of the advantages to these pens is the fact they are fine-lined and water based/soluble for wash but will "set" first application of water brushed over the lines.  After that, you can use watercolor and brush to add color if you wish without worrying too much about ink bleeding and contaminating the watercolor wash like I've found with the Tombow pens.  Of course if one doesn't "set" the ink first and goes in with brush and watercolor, the results will not be the same and probably disappointing.

With that said and in defense to using the Tombow pens (which I absolutely love), it seems the ink does set to some degree but maybe because it's a thicker application, not all the ink is set with an initial water brushing.  That possibly leaving unset ink to bleed in with the watercolor when it's applied.  I'll have to do some more experimenting and playing ........ comparing the two type of pens ......... but so far this is what I've concluded on a quick trial.

Wet n Wet Practice

This is a sheet in my journal book practicing the wet n wet technique.  I started with the left side and first go didn't turn out.  My mix was too thick and found myself having to force it with too much brush work.

The two on the right plus the leaf turned out as I had hoped.........at least with the effect of paint spreading without my having to manipulate as I did with the first.  I truly was hoping for a spontaneous and loose feel rather than one that has been "manicured."

My Mother's Day Lily's First Bloom

I've been watching the buds from my Mother's Day gift as they go from very green to a maroon/red coloring to now two buds in full bloom.  They are deep red lilies and this is the first red of its kind I've ever seen let alone owned.  

#10 Round
5 x 8 " in size
Daniel Smith Perm Aliz, Sap Green, Perylene Green, Fr Ultra Blue, Cad Yellow Med and a touch of Indigo.

Went back over some of the petals and leaves with a light touch - Quin Gold and Quin Rose

Little bit of pen work with 005 Pigma pen.

Mother's Day Gift - Ink and Wash

Here's an ink and wash of a lily plant my eldest son and his wife gave me as a gift for Mother's Day.

The boys when younger used to always get me plants that I could put out in the garden every year.  They haven't done that in years since they've grown up and their Dad not helping them get their gifts for Mom.

Well this year my eldest son thought about what they used to do and how much I loved getting the living plants so that's he and my daughter-in-law decided to do.

All the buds were small and very green.  Now they are getting bigger with the larger turning a deep red as they get close to opening up.  I'm not sure what the actual flower color will be yet.

Sitting Outside - Ink and Wash

Today relaxing and enjoying the sunlight before several days of possible rain.

Oh how I love using the water soluble ink!!!  Can't say it enough.  It's such a joy to work with.  Makes sketching fun and brings ink sketching to a different level (for me that is).   I just like the results compared to pen and ink with cross hatching or speckling for adding depth.  It's easier for one thing because a little ink goes a long way adding substance and depth with just a few lines and a water brush taking it further.

More Dogwood Examples

Today I was in a better frame of mind and think it reflects in the results.  At least I enjoyed what I was doing without the uncertainties I felt yesterday.

Top is using watercolors and a little Pen and Ink and the bottom is using the Tombow Marker pen. 

I just love working with the black water soluble ink.  To me it's like magic watching all that ink dissolve and move about with the flow of the water.  The water soluble ink worked really well in this Hand-Book journal.

Tried a small petite Koi waterbrush.  It has a really small fine brush but worked perfect for these small examples.  Especially when working with the center of the dogwood flowers.

Colors of Spring

Thought I would do something a little off the wall by using color for my white dogwood sketch.  If nothing else, it makes for a bright colorful page in my journal book.

I have not done any serious watercolor painting in some time and found myself struggling with this.  Add my using paper I'm not accustomed to and I truly feel like I've stepped back in time as a beginner.  Think I need to dedicate some time with the brush and paint.  Maybe do some exercises to help get me back on track. 

75 Day Sketch Challenge - Day 57

With each passing day, the woods surrounding us are springing to life with all the new growth covering the trees.  Amongst the greenery you'll see scattered whites from the wild dogwoods growing.  Deeper in the woods, you might come across a pink or lavender but in our surrounding area the white dogwoods dominate.

Ink and Wash - Tulips

I really should get my watercolors out to do more justice to the flowers I'm sketching.   Until I do, the pens are easy to grab at a moment's notice and I'm just happy with myself to do some sketching even if it's in ink.

This one is using the Rotring Ink Pen and waterbrush.  I'm trying a Niji waterbrush whereas before I was using an Aquaflo from a set I purchased some time ago.  Don't see much of a difference in handling.

75 Day Sketch Challenge - Day 56

Another color is showing up in the field from these little clumps of weeds with yellow flowers.  If it is cloudy, the flowers are cupped or closed.  In full sun they open wide.  Really nice with the blues and lavenders still blooming in the field. 

Trying to identify what this is, I believe it's in the buttercup family; although I could be wrong.

Ink and Wash - Dandelion and Eggs

What a combination.......right? 

Today I was in the mood to do some ink and wash.  I don't know what it is about this technique that is so intriguing to me but I love it.  Although I have several colors (at least in the Tombow Markers), I prefer the black for some reason and I'm one who loves color.  

This first was done with a Rotring Art Pen in my Dowler Rowney sketch book.  The lighter leaf was done first with me pulling color with the waterbrush first along the outer edges of the leaf.  Then I pulled some of the pigment from the center lines making up the main vein.

I worked the bud next and then thought I'd add the darker leaf.  

 

The eggs were done using the black Tombow Marker.  This time you can see some of the pink and blue tint that I find happens now and then with the black marker.  The scan doesn't do it justice and not sure if you can see the colors in with the black.  I think the blue is more apparent and it shows more in the egg closest to the viewer.

75 Day Sketch Challenge - Days 52 through 55

Day 55

Most people cringe when they see these popping up in their lawns.  I must be strange because I love the yellow flower heads and think it's unique how they all turn to white tiny fairies flying around in the air.  Of course hubby will be out with his weed and feed and these will all be gone.  Until then I'll silently take in the bright yellows popping up amongst the dark greens.

Day 54

These little leafy plants are also popping up all over the place.  They are very small and mid to dark green.  They remind me of a wild strawberry only I think strawberry plants they have three leaf clusters rather than five.  These are not in the poison family although they do remind me of them as well.   Too small.

Day 53

Our mobile home or home away from home is located in a field.  If the field is left to grow without cutting, the grasses are light golden brown and very tall.   Of an early evening, the tall grassy field has this golden glow as the sun is lowering in the sky.  

These sketches are new growth sprouting and going to seed of various grasses.  This is in addition to the little blue and lavender flowers I'm finding sprouting all over the place plus the yellows from the dandelions in full bloom.

Day 55

While babysitting the granddaughters, there was a box on the counter that had this design.  This is just a quick sketch of that design.

Walk in the Field

These little gems are growing wild in the field around the house. 

Daniel Smith pigments - Fr Ultra, Cobalt Blue, Perm Aliz, Sap Green, Perylene Green, and Cad Yellow Med.  Round brush in Hand Book journal.

Playing with Rocks in Hand Book Journal

This is Page 3 and 4 of the new journal book.  What I found is that both left and right pages were the same in texture this time (unlike the first two pages shared in the previous post).  Flipping forward through the pages, the paper texture depends on how the paper was folded and bound.  Sometimes you'll find the textured page on the right and the smooth on the left or vice versa.  Sometimes you'll find left and right pages both smooth or both with slight tooth.  So there's really no set consistency with texture from one page to the next ..... at least with this particular journal book I received.  I wonder if this is just a fluke or if this is what one should expect with this particular brand.

This journal book is actually for drawing but with pages heavy enough one can use wet medium.  The specs say one can use light wash without any problem.  I decided to push the limits a bit with going heavy in my application of pigment.

Top two rocks (left and right) is using watercolor and a flat angular brush.  The pigment consistency is rather thick like one might expect with acrylic paint.

Bottom rocks were done using a more fluid consistency of pigment and a round brush.  The tooth of the paper (or texture) absorbed the pigment/water so there was not much in the way of pigment moving without the help of the brush even with the wetter consistency.

Another note - the two top rocks looked similar.....kind of bland to me so I added a little detail with pen and ink with one leaving the other without in order to compare.  I definitely like the added detail.  Did the same with the bottom two rocks using pen/ink with one and not with the other.

These illustrations were done back to back and I found even with the thick and wet application of paint that I used, it did not hurt using both sides of each page.  I was able to scan without seeing ghost images from paper being too thin.

New Journal Book

Thought I would try out a new journal book purchased based on feedback I've seen by other artists.  This is the Handbook Journal from Dick Blick.

The first two pages shows samples between writing and illustrations using pencil, micron pen 02, Rotring pen, Tombow marker, and watercolor with waterbrush and with regular round brush.

The first thing I noticed was that the left or back side of each page is different than the right or front side of each page.  The left seems more textured which seems at first trial to be absorbent than the right side.  Water and pigment absorbed much more quickly than the right or front side of the pages.  Wet in wet on the front or right side behaved differently with colors moving and mingling whereas on the left or back sides didn't.

The scanner I'm using scanned the buff colored pages in a strange way.  Some areas are showing white which isn't true and the buff area shouldn't show quite this dark.   I really should learn to use my camera for taking photos of my artwork!!!

75 Day Sketch Challenge - Day 51

Just doodling with the pen while watching a movie.  

This cord is on my mini blinds.  The left is while the blinds were up and cord witting on my table.  The right is after I lowered the blinds and cord was hanging.

75 Day Sketch Challenge - Days 49 and 50

Day 49

As I was walking the dogs in the field, I came across these little white flowers.  Must be the grasses flowering or weeds?

 

Day 50

From watching the birds at our feeder - two of these woodpeckers came at the same time.  The one that looked like a male was on the suet feeder.  This one looking more like the female was perched on a fallen limb we have set up around the feeder just below the suet feeder.  It's like she was looking up just waiting for her turn to get at the suet.

75 Day Sketch Challenge - Day 48

Our home away from home sits right on the edge of the woods.  Throughout the forest area are many downed trees that have been down for some time.  This one in particular grabs our eyes due to how the inside is hollow and the edges curling inwards.

There's new growth there at the edge of this downed tree.  Right now it's that Spring green that is a sight to behold after months of bare and dismal surroundings.  

75 Day Sketch Challenge - Days 43 through 47

I love nature.......can you tell? 

75 Day Sketch Challenge - Day 42

This has been done for both the 75 Day Sketch Challenge and a sketch challenge that was set in the forum I'm active in.  The challenge in the forum is drawing Spring Flowers.  Kind of follows suit with what I've been doing already with previous posts.

I find myself still unsure on shading techniques with the pen.  Some subjects seem to be easier than others but this is not one of them.  As I study this and some of the other flowers I've done, I feel they don't come across as being delicate and fragile as I'd like them to look.  It might be in the line method I'm using for shading.  Maybe dots might be better.

75 Day Sketch Challenge - Days 40 and 41

With me, one never knows what I might decide to do next.  To include me.  I just go along day by day and follow through with might strike my fancy.

Day 40 - I was going through a new book received by David Bellamy and a painting example jumped out at me.  I decided to try it in pen and ink.

 

 Day 41 - While watching a show I like to keep up with each week, I happened to take notice of the clothes pen sitting on my desk.  Without giving much thought, I grabbed my sketchbook and pen and completed this simple illustration.

75 Day Sketch Challenge - Days 38 and 39

Here are the last two days sketching exercises I accomplished.  Both with Spring in mind.

Mother Nature has been teasing us here of late.  We had several gorgeous days with warm temperatures and then the cold returned along with rain and even snow showers.  I don't mind the rain as the plants can use that but I would like to pass now on the cold weather.  I'm truly ready for more sunny skies and warmer temperatures.

 

75 Day Sketch Challenge - Day 37

This is a sketch of a bird my husband came across while 4-wheeling the trails behind the property.  This bird sits crouched on the ground trying to camouflage itself against the woodland debris.  While hubby was riding, he almost ran over the bird as it just sat there.  Unlike other birds that would fly off or at least take off running.

These guys like sticking their long bills into the ground for invertebrates.   I love the large eyes.  To me gives the bird a soft sweet or innocent like characteristic. 

75 Day Sketch Challenge - Day 36

Here at the trailer we have two feeding stations.  One off from the side where our kitchen windows are located and one in the back right outside our office/studio (two main rooms we spend the most time in). 

 

This is in the back yard which is right along the edge of woods.  We dragged some dead limbs that were real twiggy to give the birds something to land on around the feeding station.  We added some rocks stacked in case we have chipmunks visit the feeder area and one really unusual looking piece of tree stump.  Helps give them some feeling of shelter or place to escape rather than a totally opened bare area as well as a natural looking environment for us to view.

75 Day Sketch Challenge - Day 35

Here is a pen/ink sketch of a Junco.  We sit and watch these guys out at our feeding stations.  They mostly stick to the ground but they also will fly into the flat hangers we have.  Around the feeding post that has various type of feeders, we arranged fallen tree branches that have lots of little limbs as well as arranging rocks and other natural material you'd find in the woods.

I find using a the Micron pens to be wonderful rendering the texture on the bodies.   This was done using the 02 tip.

75 Day Sketch Challenge - Day 34

Inspired by my time watching the eagles and eaglets streamed from the Norfolk Botanical Gardens, I tried rendering their feathers in ink.

What's intriguing is the fact my husband's heritage is Native American.  I've noted on the page what the eagle feather can symbolize for the Native American tribes.

It's also amazing how the laws protect this bird to include who can own one of these feathers.

Norfolk Botanical Eaglets - Ink and Wash

Life's been a bit hectic here of late slowing me down with regards to drawing and painting.  Every day I try to escape for a few moments by checking in on the new hatchlings and parents caring for them.  The time spent is relaxing and nurturing for the soul. 

I have come to realize some of the lessons we could learn from observing more that goes on around us with nature and wildlife as examples.

Here is a quick sketch I did yesterday as I sat and enjoyed my time with these majestic and beautiful creatures. 

75 Day Sketch Challenge - Days 32 and 33

During my online surfing ventures, I saw desert scenes which gave me the idea of sketching the cactus plants.  

The prickly pear cactus is one my dad actually grew here in West Virginia.   It didn't do half bad although I don't think we ever saw it bloom.....at least I never did.

Crocus in Color Ink and Wash

Did this one a few weeks ago about the time I did the lucky bamboo.  Hadn't scanned it until tonight and thought I'd share it. 

One of the first flowers we personally have breaking ground as proof Spring is in the air.

The color Tombow markers are not created equal.  Some do better than others with bleeding when water is brushed over the ink.  I have gone through creating a color chart testing to find the ones that behave or react in the same way or similar to the black I love.   Those used in this example are amongst the winners of my testing.

75 Day Sketch Challenge - Days 30 and 31

It's been a bit difficult doing this on a regular basis and consecutive days.  Finally I've managed to do some sketching yesterday and today.  Not to the level I'd like but at least it's something.

Day 30

One of the few things I still do together with my youngest son (who's 23) and my husband is play Pokemon when the new games come out.  This year it's Black and White with the guys playing the Black version and I'm playing the White. 

Working on our DS Lite consoles, we are on our own but it's nice working together with the same goals.  Often I ask for ideas of what the others might do in certain situations or what they might choose with regards to moves.  Each of us reach the various levels at different times normally with my son getting way ahead of us and beating the game long before we get close to it.  And so that he's still playing along with us, he's been known to start over again using a different line-up of pokemon on his team.

One of few role playing games I'll actually sit and play.  It's not stressful and I don't get easily frustrated while playing as I might with other games.  I like getting my DS Lite out when I'm not up to doing other things.  It's a nice diversion from the norm......a filler when I'm not up to doing anything with art or in a creative mindset, and something I can do anywhere.

Day 31

This entire past weekend I've been glued to the computer screen watching the live eagle cam set up at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens.  The first eaglet was born Sunday morning and what a treat it was to experience that and the baby's first feeding hours later.  Nothing like I've ever experienced before. 

It was one of those "I don't feel like doing anything" weekends so watching the eagle was really nice and relaxing.....not to mention heart-warming!

Because of the eagle cam, I've come to learn about the Botanical Gardens.  We plan to make a trip there (7 hours away from us) sometime this year.  Looks like an absolute beautiful place!!!  Hopefully Next month we can sneak away for a weekend to visit this place.

Right now at the gardens, several things are in bloom, which includes a Saucer Magnolia.  This is where I came up with doing the magnolia bud for today's sketch.

Lucky Bamboo Plant - Ink and Wash

Needing to do something in color for a change, I grabbed my Tombow Marker Pens and sketched this bamboo plant.  It's not a true bamboo but instead in the Dracaena family.  Can be grown in a dish with pebbles and water or soil provided the soil is never allowed to dry out.  These plants do very well in the home or office in low to indirect light. 

The sketch was done initially using the green marker.  Then I took a waterbrush to make the ink bleed out.  Once that was dry, I went over with the yellow in areas and a bit of lost and found lines with the black.  I ran the waterbrush over areas to once again cause the ink to bleed.  While still wet, I took the Bt Sienna and Redwood (brown) markers and emphasized a few areas.  Once completely dry, I used the black and just touched up a few areas for definition. 

75 Day Sketch Challenge - Day 29

This was yesterday's challenge achievement. 

I'm struggling a bit keeping up on a daily basis with the pen and ink sketching.  Some days one just runs out of time or maybe doesn't feel up to being artsy....or the combination of both. 

Also, I am finding myself missing the color from painting or the fun with pushing ink around with water and brush playing with the Tombow markers.  Some days just not enough time to do it all so I try to at least do the pen and ink challenge.  I still have a ways to go to complete this challenge.

Where do I find myself right now at Day 29 with regards to feeling confident or more willing to put pen to paper?  Still hesitant to be quite honest.  There's still that desire to use a pencil first to make sure I get things right before committing to a more permanent medium like ink.   My confidence level might be a hair better but not much more than that at this point.  I do ask myself if that will really change even after 75 days.  Are my drawing skills improving?  Maybe but then it's hard for me to really tell because I'm so critical of my own work anyways.  Probably the best judge of this would be from other viewers.

75 Day Sketch Challenge - Day 28

Here in the last week or so, I've notice Canadian Geese all around the Industrial park I travel through to get to work.  Outside the Nasa building were several walking around to include crossing the road.  Just seems kind of funny to find these birds in this location.  I did notice coming back this evening that there's a run-off pond near the Nasa building so maybe that plays a part in the attraction to the area.

75 Day Sketch Challenge - Day 27

Ahhhhh, Spring is in the Air!

Our temps have been teetering up and down going from super cold with freezing rain and snow showers to sunny skies and low to upper 50s.

Today it hit 51 with beautiful sunny skies.  Tonight I think we're in for the frigid 20 degree temperatures but we have near 50s and sunny skies again tomorrow to look forward to.

We saw our first Robins out yesterday.  Only two but I'm sure we'll start seeing many running around the field.  The Robins are one of the most beautiful early sights letting us know that Spring is right around the corner.  Next will be all the budding and blooming Spring flowers and other vegetation.


Totally unrelated to the above, I did this sketch this evening.  I was researching seed pods and came across an article about velcro.  I did not know until this evening that the cocklebur is what inspired the invention of velcro.  I thought that was most interesting.

What I do remember of this plant is picking these awful things off the boys after running and playing in the woods or coming back from fishing.  What a pain trying to remove those embedded in socks and shoe laces.

Digital Sketch - Bamboo Tablet

It's been a crazy week so I've really not done much in the way of artwork. 

Today setting up my laptop with various drivers and programs, I installed a Bamboo Tablet and thought I would give it a try.  Here are the results.  This is a quick sketch of what I see outside my kitchen window. 

It's going to take a bit of practice with this digital tablet/pen combo.  The surface is smaller than what I'm accustomed to working on at home using a larger Wacom Tablet. 

This bamboo tablet is smaller making it easy to carry around with me and I see potential should I be out and about with laptop (like at work) and find I don't have my sketchbook with me.  Another art tool added to my collection I can sit and play with.