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

To Heal

Posted on September 11, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

I am loving the paintings that I am doing for another, AND, it is nice to play around in my own sketchbook! Thanks to Tracey Fletcher King for a photo that became my middle-of-the-night entry. Pentalic Aqua Journal, Pentalic 2B … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, journal, pen & ink, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged Austrialia, beach, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, fog, Holbein, Lamy Joy, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, morning, Pentalic Aqua Journal, Platinum Carbon pen, Sennelier | 2 Comments

Squirrel of Judgement

Posted on September 10, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

I have no idea if I am infringing on copyright but this cracks me up. Whomever thought of this, thank you for the laugh every time I see it posted.

Posted in dunno | 6 Comments

Bugs Bunny

Posted on September 6, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Thanks to James Gurney for sharing this on his blog:

Posted in animation | 6 Comments

Rivoli Theater

Posted on September 5, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Rivoli Theater at 1355 S Main Street, Pendleton, Oregon was built in 1900. It is a significant part of the original streetscape of the old downtown. In its heyday, the Theater served as a social and economic center of community … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, commission, watercolor | Tagged architecture, commission, Daniel Smith watercolors, Fineline Masking, Holbein, Oregon, Pendleton, Portland, Primatek, QoR watercolors, Rivoli Theater, Sennelier, virtual sketchwalk, watercolor | 26 Comments

Sketchpack Project: Week 4

Posted on September 3, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Shunyata… Buddha. Sacred tobacco roll and broken Buddha head (we set his head on our altar — he was a garden Buddha who disintegrated!) Jai Jai Ganapati (crazy or annoyed??? WILD EYED!) Mei Fa Buddha Style! Annoyed Cat Buddha! Just … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, Buddha, challenge, creativity, drawing, pen & ink, waterbrush | Tagged #Sketchpack, Artsauce, August Challenge, buddha, buddha face, Capetown, cat buddha, De Atramentis Document ink, De Atramentis Tobacco ink, Diamine Ink, fish, folded jurnal, Ganesha, Jinhao, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, Mei Fa Hairstix, Platinum Carbon pen, Sketchpack Project, tobacco, waterbrush, zen | 4 Comments

Uppertown Net Loft, Astoria, Oregon

Posted on September 2, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

The barn red on the lovely blue Columbia River was my initial attraction. I did a few fast sketches, and this one I like so will donate…. An image of the building from the hilltops is here. Uppertown Net … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art, creativity, drawing, history, landscape, painting, pen & ink, process, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged architecture, Astoria, Columbia River, commission, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, De Atramentis Tobacco ink, Fineline Masking, Holbein, M.Graham, Oregon, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, QoR watercolors, Sennelier, Uppertown Net Loft, virtual sketchwalk, watercolor, White Uniball Signo pen | 20 Comments

Doors in Brazil, Middle-of-the-Night Sketch

Posted on September 1, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

To me this is a compelling street scene because of the line of doors…. Update: Murilo S Romeiro took the image of Tiradentes, a small town in Minas Gerais, Brazil. For Thursday Doors, Norm’s blog round robin open to anyone! … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, challenge, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged #thursdaydoors, architecture, art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Fineline masking fluid, grisaille, grisaille underpainting, Holbein, Lamy Al-Star, Pentalic Aqua Journal, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, Sennelier, Thursday Doors, virtual sketchwalk, watercolor | 16 Comments

I’ve got a Patreon Page!

Posted on August 31, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

I’m getting ready to begin teaching, and so, drumroll…. I launched my Patreon page! Yes, here I am asking for your support and money… I support two artists, one on Patreon. For the cost of a coffee out, I contribute … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, class, creativity, drawing, history of journal, history of sketching, journal, making a living, pen & ink, pencil, watercolor, writing | Tagged art classes, online classes, Patreon, video classes | Leave a comment

A post from Scrimbles: Must visit!

Posted on August 30, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

How to Get Better at Drawing Fast: “Do these funny drawings every day” “Keep drawing. The more you draw, the better you’ll get at drawing.” So a friend said to me when I explained that I feel like all my drawings … Continue reading →

Posted in creativity | 2 Comments

Summer Veggies

Posted on August 29, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Okay, despite my annoyance with Pentalic Aqua journals, it is what I have until sixty pages are used up! (I will tell you if my bugging them a second time gets their attention! While I am working on the pieces … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, watercolor | Tagged Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Diamine Ink, Holbein, Jinhao, Lamy Al-Star, Pentalic Aqua Journal, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, peppers, Pilot Parallel pen, Platinum Carbon pen, QoR watercolors, Sennelier, tomato, watercolor | 2 Comments

Wong Laundry Building, Portland, Oregon

Posted on August 26, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Wong’s Chinese Laundry resided in the Wong Laundry Building on NW 3d St, an area currently under constant demolition for high rises, many of poor design quality. It was designed by Alexander Ewart in 1908, and has had many businesses in … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art, creativity, history, landscape, painting, pen & ink, urban sketchers, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged architecture, Chinatown, commission, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Fineline Masking, grisaille, grisaille underpainting, Holbein, Japantown, Lamy Al-Star, M.Graham, NW Portland, Oregon, Pearl District Portland, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, QoR watercolors, Sennelier, virtual sketchwalk, watercolor, White Uniball Signo pen, Wong Laundry Building, Wong's Chinese Laundry | 39 Comments

Tools: Pentalic Aqua Journal Failure

Posted on August 25, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Update, before you read: Out of the blue Pentalic responded to a letter from ages ago. They worked on the books and felt the problem was solved. They comped me two books. I told them they should’ve said that they … Continue reading →

Posted in review, tools | Tagged Pentalic Aqua Journal, review | 13 Comments

Tools: Sketching Bag, the Saga Continues

Posted on August 23, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Some of you know that I wanted to rid myself of the color of my Harbor Freight beige sketch bag, as I am not a beige-kinda-gurl, and had one failed experiment with De Atramentis Document Turquoise ink. The ink never-ever … Continue reading →

Posted in acrylic, color, tools | Tagged beige, dairylide yellow, De Atramentis Document ink, GAC, Golden Acrylic Paints, Harbor Freight toolbag, marigold yellow, sketchbag, turquoise | 18 Comments

Sketchpack Project: Week 3

Posted on August 22, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Aaack. Behind. I hate it when that happens. Heart Sutra Vietnamese Buddha + Scarab Moon Transformation Primordial Sound Japanese Paper Heart Ganesha ABOUT SKETCHPACK PROJECT: The project began in 2011 to get folks to draw daily. The sketchpack is a … Continue reading →

Posted in animals, Buddha, challenge, drawing, pen & ink, sketchbook, waterbrush | Tagged #Sketchpack, Artsauce, August Challenge, buddha, Capetown, conch, De Atramentis Document ink, De Atramentis Tobacco ink, Diamine Ancient Copper Ink, Diamine Ink, elephant, folded jurnal, froggie, Ganesha, heart, Jinhao, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, moon, Platinum Carbon pen, Primordial Sound, scarab, Sketchpack Project, trumpet, waterbrush, zen, Zen Buddha | Leave a comment

Working Toward a Goal

Posted on August 22, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

I’ve rarely worked toward a goal/deadline in my painting life. (I do it all the time in my working life, above.) That is, there is a desired result at the end for a “client,” here, as. I am creating a … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art, creativity, drawing, history, landscape, painting, pen & ink, process, watercolor | Tagged architecture, commission, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, De Atramentis Tobacco ink, Holbein, M.Graham, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Pilot Parallel pen, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, QoR watercolors, Sennelier, Upper Sandy Guard Station Cabin, virtual sketchwalk, watercolor | 20 Comments

Kamala and My Sketch Bag

Posted on August 21, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

I have such a love-hate relationship with Kamala. She drives me crazy, never really wanting relationship with me, but definitely trying to drive me crazy by getting into the exact things I want her to leave alone. She pushes baskets … Continue reading →

Posted in animals, art journal, drawing, journal, memory, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, watercolor | Tagged Aquabee Super Deluxe Journal, art journal, Cat, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Holbein, Lamy Al-Star, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, QoR watercolors, Sennelier, watercolor, White Uniball Signo | 4 Comments

Middle of the Night Sketch Kit

Posted on August 19, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

The last drawing in this sketchbook… Pentalic Aqua Journal, with a Pentalic 2B woodless pencil and Noodler’s pen with De Atramentis Tobacco ink. Waterbrush. ©D. Katie Powell. My images/blog posts may be reposted; please link back to dkatiepowellart.

Posted in color, drawing, journal, pen & ink, pencil, sketchbook, tools, waterbrush | Tagged Ahab Flex pen, art journal, De Atramentis Tobacco ink, Goulet nib, monochromatic, Pentalic Aqua Journal, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, tools, waterbrush | 10 Comments

Summer in a Bowl

Posted on August 17, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Summer in a bowl: peaches, blackberries, blueberries, yum! Pentalic Aqua Journal, with a Pentalic 2B woodless pencil, Platinum Carbon pen, Lamy Al-Star with De Atramentis Document, Jinhao with Diamine blue, and Sennelier, Holbein, QoR and Daniel Smith watercolors. Always … Continue reading →