Author Archives: D. Katie Powell

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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

Jantzen Beach Carousel 3, Floral

Posted on October 3, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

One of my favorites, the Floral Horse! Jantzen Beach Carousel is a series, and this is the third in the set. (Below are links to others previously posted.) The many layers, above. Grisaille (pronunciation, taken from the French word for … Continue reading →

Posted in animals, architecture, art journal, commission, history, painting, pen & ink, process, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Elephant Tea Pot

Posted on October 2, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Another experiment… Very very fast teapot sketch, middle-of-the-night. Covered the sketch in water and dropped ink samples onto it. Inktober is all about experimenting. I think maybe it is time to stop the mad scientist.  What do you think? Fluid … Continue reading →

Posted in animals, challenge, color, drawing, journal, painting, pen & ink | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Tools: Filling Ink Converters

Posted on October 2, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

This post is for Deb. Filling and cleaning go hand-in-hand. Goulet offers the pen cleaning package! Goulet has amazing videos and I highly recommend Fountain Pens 101. I was crazy not to take the time to watch the whole series … Continue reading →

Posted in class, pen & ink, process | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Bright Ideas: Inktober 2, Pa’s Glasses

Posted on October 2, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

How do I let go of family things that no one wants? Draw them! Bright Ideas multi-color journal, with Platinum Carbon pen with Platinum Carbon cartridges and Lamy Al-Star with De Atramentis Document black ink, White Uniball Signo pen, Fat … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, challenge, journal, memory, pen & ink, sketchbook, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Bright Ideas: Inktober 1, Moneybelt

Posted on October 1, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

INKTOBER IS HERE! One of the two challenges I look forward to, this one is drawing every day. It is a great way to tone your drawing skills, play with texture in line-work. For all my love of color, I … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, challenge, journal, pen & ink, sketchbook | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Sammy in the Studio

Posted on September 30, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Sammy in the upholstery studio… He even has his own chair, the Moon and Stars chair. Black cats are not easy to paint.  Black on black on black… Pentalic Aqua Journal, Platinum Carbon pen with Platinum Carbon ink; Noodler’s Lexington … Continue reading →

Posted in animals, art journal, furniture, journal, making a living, memory, pen & ink, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 32 Comments

Janzten Beach Carousel 2, Grapes

Posted on September 27, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Jantzen Beach Carousel is a series, and this is the second in the set. (Click here to see the first, the Chinese Water Serpent Horse.) I named this Horse with Grapes! Why am I naming them differently than CW Parker … Continue reading →

Posted in animals, architecture, art, commission, painting, pen & ink, process, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Restore Oregon Invitation

Posted on September 26, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

It is fun to see my artwork from last year used on this year’s invite to the Restore Oregon Celebration Dinner! Last year I sketched the dinner in a handmade folding journal. You can see Mitchell in the second image … Continue reading →

Posted in commission, watercolor | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Tools: Favorite Fountain Pens

Posted on September 25, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

NOTE: UPDATED 1/2018!With Inktober arriving in a week, pens are an appropriate tool to review! (BTW, yes I am doing the challenge — I love it — but I don’t use the prompts.  I just draw every day in ink!) … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, creativity, pen & ink, tools | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 28 Comments

The car studio

Posted on September 24, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Shari Blaukopf's Sketchbook How do I paint from my car? What does my setup look like? I’ve been promising this post for a long time and I finally found a photographer willing to take some quick photos of me sketching (well, … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal | 2 Comments

Days of Yore: Laguna Beach

Posted on September 23, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

I am homesick. Sketch from an old black and white photo from who-knows-where, looking East into the Laguna Hills, when they were pristine… With more news of fracking pollution approved to dump in our oceans, I am homesick for better … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, drawing, history, journal, landscape, memory, painting, pen & ink, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Janzten Beach Carousel 1, Chinese Water Serpent

Posted on September 20, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

I am a lover of carousels; this set was a pleasure to paint! Jantzen Beach Carousel has so many gorgeous carousel horses! I wanted to set up a series whereby someone could buy the set or just one, and they … Continue reading →

Posted in animals, architecture, creativity, drawing, memory, painting, pen & ink, pencil, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Tools: Travel Palettes (and a Review of Prima Watercolor Confections)

Posted on September 18, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

I’m happy with my travel case from Sennelier. I recently cleaned it and changed out two colors. There is one little thing: It doesn’t fit into my small purse. I know, artists are always fussing, right?  But it is about … Continue reading →

Posted in color, painting, process, review, sketchbook, tools, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , | 20 Comments

Fort Rock

Posted on September 16, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

You might remember that I painted a sketch of Fort Rock as part of a folding journal after the Endangered Places of 2015 was announced?  It was based  on the photograph by Craig Powell, #1 in the line-up, below, along … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art, commission, making a living, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Birdhouse

Posted on September 15, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

(Image provided by Sharukh Bamboat: friend, tour guide, writer!) I thought it would be fun to show how the choice of an ink color can change-up your drawing.  I keep a stash of good images (both mine and other folks) … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, drawing, painting, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Sunflower Honeybee

Posted on September 14, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

(From an image by Cheryl KP, with permission) “Every artist dips [her] brush into [her] own soul and paints [her] own nature into [her] paintings.”  Henry Ward Beecher I have been gifted by the Internet God/desses of Amazing Connections to … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, journal, pen & ink, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Working on Commission: How to Connect with a Subject

Posted on September 13, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

I am almost completed with my commitment to painting many of Oregon’s Most Endangered Places for Restore Oregon.  They will auction the images at the Restoration Celebration dinner to raise monies to further the cause of restoration and saving pieces … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art, art journal, creativity, history, memory, painting, process | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Creative Life

Posted on September 12, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

(Image by Dan Antion, with permission; his blog is No Facilities.) A dialogue with a friend yesterday about perfection in his painting (he is learning gouache) reminded me that perfection freezes us.  Also, NO artist is objective about their work … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, creativity, landscape, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments