Author Archives: D. Katie Powell

About D. Katie Powell

hollywood baby turned beach gurl turned steel&glass city gurl turned cowgurl turned herb gurl turned green city gurl. . . artist writer photographer. . . cat lover but misses our big dogs, gone to heaven. . . foodie, organic, lover of all things mik, partner in conservation business mpfconservation, consummate blogger, making a dream happen, insomniac who is either reading buddhist teachings or not-so-bloody mysteries or autobio journal thangs early in the morning when i can't sleep

VSW: Frida Kahlo’s Museum

Posted on May 10, 2018 by D. Katie Powell

This virtual walk is exciting for me because I love the vibrant colors of Mexico! For food, Chinese or Japanese is home; for color and furnishings, it is Mexican or Spanish! I started our walk at Frida Kahlo’s home/studio and … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, challenge, color, landscape, pen & ink, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged #danielsmithprimateks, #danielsmithwatercolors, #davinciwatercolors, #fridakahlo, #Hahnemühle, #HahnemühleWatercolourBook, #mexicocity, #MGrahamwatercolors, #PilotMetropolitan, #super5ink, #virtualsketchwalk, architecture, art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, M.Graham, Mexico City, Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, virtual sketchwalk, watercolor | 8 Comments

Cat Squares, 1

Posted on May 7, 2018 by D. Katie Powell

I just keep the pen moving… Don’t think, just journal. Keeping this sketchbook at my work desk I remember little things all day… like the crazy stuff with the cats. Fifteen minutes for most of these, no thinking, just draw, … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, watercolor, writing | Tagged #cattoy, #Hahnemühle, #HahnemühleDSSketchbook, #ilovemycats, #Lamy, #madeyoulook, #middleofthenight, #momentsketchers, art journal, cat toy, cats, De Atramentis Document ink, Hahnemühle D & S Sketchbook, Lamy Joy, Platinum Carbon pen, watercolor | 5 Comments

VSW: Fjord

Posted on May 6, 2018 by D. Katie Powell

Pure, Lofoten is one of the most beautiful places on the planet! I had to do another image from last month! To hear about classes, follow me on Facebook or check out my new and improved dkatiepowellart.com and sign up … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, challenge, landscape, pen & ink, virtual sketching | Tagged #davinciwatercolors, #Hahnemühle, #HahnemühleWatercolourBook, #MGrahamwatercolors, #purelofoten, #twsbieco, art journal, Da Vinci Watercolors, Daniel Smith watercolors, Hahnemühle Watercolour Book, Lamy Joy, M.Graham, Norway, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, Pure Lofoten, Rohrer & Klingner ink, TWSBI ECO 1.1stub, virtual sketchwalk, watercolor | Leave a comment

New Journal: Hahnemühle DS Sketchbook

Posted on May 5, 2018 by D. Katie Powell

I’ve had this journal for a long time and as I am writing more I decided to give it a go! It is a draft and sketchbook, but of course I will push boundaries and eventually tell you what it … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, watercolor, writing | Tagged #davinciwatercolors, #Hahnemühle, #HahnemühleDSSketchbook, #Lamy, #middleofthenight, art journal, Da Vinci Watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Hahnemühle D & S Sketchbook, Lamy Al-Star, Lamy Joy, Platinum Carbon pen, Super5 ink, watercolor | 2 Comments

Full Moon of Kurma Jayanti

Posted on May 4, 2018 by D. Katie Powell

Keeping this new Hahnemühle D & S Sketchbook at my work desk. I can drop in a fast sketch on what is happening… Full Moon last Sunday night and the turtle played a central theme. I realized I needed no … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, creativity, drawing, journal, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, watercolor, writing | Tagged #fullmoon, #Hahnemühle, #HahnemühleDSSketchbook, #Lamy, #middleofthenight, #super5ink, art journal, full moon, Hahnemühle D & S Sketchbook, Lamy Joy, lunar, moon, Platinum Carbon pen, Super5 Frankfurt ink, tortoise, turtle, watercolor | 6 Comments

Tools: Ink Journal

Posted on May 3, 2018 by D. Katie Powell

In the back of new journals, I make sure I try all inked pens on the new paper. It is the second test I have for inks to see if they are waterproof, the first here. I also get to … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, color, drawing, ink painting, journal, pen & ink, process, review, sketchbook | Tagged #diamineink, #Hahnemühle, #HahnemühleWatercolourBook, #KWZink, #Lamy, #middleofthenight, #nostalgiejournal, art journal, De Atramentis Document ink, Fineline masking fluid, Hahnemuhle Watercolour Sketchbook, Lamy Al-Star, Lamy Joy, Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen, Platinum Carbon pen, Super5 ink | 3 Comments

VSW: Norway

Posted on May 1, 2018 by D. Katie Powell

The beauty of doing a virtual sketchwalk is that you visit a place you might not even have known about! Norway was a gift to me when Sylvia chose it and led our May sketchwalk; the images were beautiful and … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, challenge, landscape, pen & ink, virtual sketching | Tagged #cloudberry, #HahnemühleWatercolourBook, #pauluskirke, #purelofoten, architecture, art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Hahnemühle Watercolour Book, Lamy Joy, M.Graham, Norway, Paulus Kirke, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, Pure Lofoten, virtual sketchwalk, watercolor | 2 Comments

Tools: Waterproof Inks Review

Posted on April 30, 2018 by D. Katie Powell

If you are a watercolor artist your definition of “waterproof” must meets the highest standards. A lovely drawing in ink has to hold while washes of watercolor pour over it; the linework must stay put. When people say, “It is … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, watercolor, writing | Tagged #Hahnemühle, #Lamy, #middleofthenight, #nostalgiejournal, #sketchinks, #waterproofinks, art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, De Atramentis Document ink review, De Atramentis Document Review, Diamine Ancient Copper Ink, Document ink review, Fineline masking fluid, Holbein, KWZ Ink Foggy Green, Lamy Al-Star, Lamy Joy, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, Nostalgie Sketch Book Journal, Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, Sennelier, Super5 ink, watercolor, waterproof inks | 13 Comments

MPF Conservation: Washington State Flag First Drafts, Paper

Posted on April 26, 2018 by D. Katie Powell

In my other life (the one that pays the bills), Mitchell and I own a conservation business which conserves (restores) antiquities. I do a lot of finish (painting, shellacking) work in our business. The DAR approached us to recreate the … Continue reading →

Posted in commission, history, oil paint, painting, portrait | Tagged #DARstateflag, #gamblinartistcolors, #gamblinoilpaint, #mpfconservation, #replication #paintingonsilk, #washingtonstateflag, DAR, flag, MPF Conservation, painting on silk, replication, State Flag, Washington history, Washington State DAR, Washington State Flag | 4 Comments

Toilet Time

Posted on April 21, 2018 by D. Katie Powell

Our Morning Rituals are important. To Her too! To hear about classes, follow me on Facebook or check out my new, improved dkatiepowellart.com “Memory is more indelible than ink.” Anita Loos, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. “I think not….” Me… why I … Continue reading →

Posted in animals, art journal, journal, memory, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, watercolor | Tagged #danielsmithwatercolors, #davinciwatercolors, #Hahnemühle, #ilovemycats, #Lamy, #middleofthenight, #nostalgiejournal, #Siamese, art journal, Cat, Da Vinci Watercolors, Daniel Smith watercolors, Nostalgie Sketch Book Journal, Platinum Carbon pen, siamese cats, watercolor | 2 Comments

My First Zine: Toilet Paper

Posted on April 17, 2018 by D. Katie Powell

My first Zine! I took a class from Skillshare (two months free from Doodlewash, I figured why not) and was surprised at the fun of listening to Kate Bingaman-Burt’s enthusiastic class “Making Your First Zine: From Idea to Illustration“. It … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal | Tagged #PlatinumCarbonPen, #zine, toilet paper | 12 Comments

Bright Ideas Journal, Cat Memories

Posted on April 14, 2018 by D. Katie Powell

At the end of 2016 I made a commitment to finishing off wayward abandoned journals. I’ve made great headway in that, with only a couple to go. The Bright Ideas Journal isn’t one of them, Though I picked it up … Continue reading →

Posted in animals, art journal, drawing, journal, memory, pen & ink, sketchbook | Tagged #brightideasjournal, #PilotMetropolitan, Bright Ideas journal, cats, colored pencils, De Atramentis Document ink, Lamy Joy, Platinum Carbon pen, White Pitt pen, White Uniball Signo | 4 Comments

Florian Afflerbach: Der Zeichner

Posted on April 13, 2018 by D. Katie Powell

Florian Afflerbach was an amazing urban sketcher and architect. I wish I’d known him; I wrote to him once to tell him how his drawings were an inspiration to me… I’ve seen many many architects turn to art, but Florian’s … Continue reading →

Posted in review, urban sketchers | 4 Comments

Lojong 34: About Your Attitude

Posted on April 12, 2018 by D. Katie Powell

I’ve studied through the slogans a dozen times in my life; these are my musings on the slogan currently, not a formal interpretation. For that reason they are less about straight Buddhist teachings, and I think able to be shared … Continue reading →

Posted in art, Buddha, journal, lojong, meditation, pen & ink, ritual, tonglen | Tagged #boddhisattvavow, #lojongslogan, #resistance, #the100daysproject, #weepingbuddha, Boddhisattva Vow, buddha, buddha ball, Buddhist teachings, lojong, Neocolor II, Okina Journals, pen and ink, Refuge Vow, tonglen, watercolor, weeping buddha, Zen Buddha | Leave a comment

Milking a Steer

Posted on April 11, 2018 by D. Katie Powell

I wrote a lot about my mom last week in my journal, as I didn’t do anything but engage her and medical people and Medicaid… my work went on hold. Our system is corrupt and we are a cruel country, … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, drawing, journal, painting, sketchbook, watercolor, writing | Tagged #growingold, #Hahnemühle, #Lamy, #middleofthenight, #nostalgiejournal, #yinyang, art journal, Conklin, Holbein, Nostalgie Sketch Book Journal, Super5 ink, watercolor, yin-yang | 2 Comments

USk: Williams Shopping Trip

Posted on April 9, 2018 by D. Katie Powell

We took a trip to the store on Saturday, not our usual day. Whenever we go to the Williams store we pass by this brightly colored green and purple store, which I thought was a children’s bookstore. Turns out it … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, watercolor, writing | Tagged #Hahnemühle, #momentsketchers, #nostalgiejournal, #the100daysproject, #urbansketchingportland, art journal, bookstory, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Holbein, Lamy Joy, Lamy Vista, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, magnolia, Nostalgie Sketch Book Journal, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, Super5 ink, USk, watercolor | 2 Comments

Lojong 33: Boddhisattva Vow

Posted on April 5, 2018 by D. Katie Powell

Posted in art, Buddha, journal, lojong, meditation, pen & ink, ritual, tonglen | Tagged #boddhisattvavow, #refugevow, #the100daysproject, Boddhisattva Vow, buddha, buddha ball, Buddhist teachings, lojong, Neocolor II, Okina Journals, pen and ink, Refuge Vow, tonglen, watercolor, weeping buddha, Zen Buddha | 5 Comments

VSW: Menton France Turnaround

Posted on April 3, 2018 by D. Katie Powell

Quick doodling sketches while waiting for yet another crazy phone call from hospital staff… NOTHING like art to calm and soothe! Moleskin journal, Platinum Carbon Pen with DeAtramentis Document Brown ink. To hear about classes, follow me on Facebook or … Continue reading →