Category Archives: architecture

Dan’s Squirrels

Posted on February 7, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

Commissions are harder because I have a happy outcome in mind. I can see the person who the piece is for and see that smiling face and… My Monkey Mind Critic kicks in… Black animals are the hardest…. black cats, … Continue reading →

Posted in animals, architecture, art journal, commission, creativity, pen & ink | Tagged black squirrel, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Holbein, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, Noodlers ink, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, Sennelier, Super5 ink, watercolor | 5 Comments

VSW: Art Center, Craig Ellwood

Posted on January 30, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

Sketch from an image looking back at Art Center spanning the arroyo. To hear about classes, follow me on Facebook! Moleskin A4 Watercolor Journal, with a Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Platinum Carbon pen in medium and fine with De Atramentis … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, challenge, pen & ink, virtual sketching | Tagged architecture, Art Center, art journal, Craig Ellwood, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Holbein, Moleskin Watercolor journal, Pasadena, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, Sennelier, virtual sketchwalk, watercolor | 5 Comments

Happy Year of the Fire Rooster!

Posted on January 28, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

Okay, he’s not as fiery as some I’ve drawn but he is what he is and he is also a New Moon Rooster as he was made during my sketch blitz yesterday when I took some silence and set my … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, pen & ink | Tagged Aquabee Super Deluxe Journal, art journal, Chinese New Year, Daniel Smith watercolors, Diamine Ancient Copper Ink, Fire Rooster, Lamy Al-Star, new moon, New Year, Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen, Platinum Preppy pen, Primatek, rooster, Super5 ink, watercolor | Leave a comment

VSW: Green Hotel, Pasadena, California

Posted on January 25, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

Sketch to ink to grisaille to underpainting (for brightness) to final watercolor!. I spent a lot of time in Pasadena and love the Green Hotel! Above, pencil sketches and a relaxed layout of the entry and one end of the … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, challenge, painting, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, virtual sketching, waterbrush, watercolor | Tagged architecture, art journal, California, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, drawing architecture, Green Hotel, Holbein, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, Moleskin Watercolor journal, Pasadena, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, Sennelier, watercolor | 12 Comments

Women’s March Portland Oregon

Posted on January 24, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

Along the Willamette River, estimates of 70,000 people wearing brightly colored clothing and umbrellas (not a normal sight in Oregon) in the grey rain. Moleskin A4 Watercolor Journal, with a Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Noodler’s Lexington Grey Ink, Super5 Frankfurt … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, challenge, ink painting, landscape, pen & ink, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged architecture, art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, downtown, Holbein, KWZ Ink Foggy Green, Lamy Al-Star, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, Moleskin Watercolor journal, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Platinum Carbon pen, Platinum Preppy pen, Portland Oregon, Primatek, protest, Sennelier, Super5 ink, watercolor, Willamette, Women's March | Leave a comment

CA Trip: Mitchell Lived Here and Here and Here

Posted on January 21, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

A complicated little house not far from the Moreton Bay Fig. Not easy, lotsa mistakes…. Logic (an architectural drawing) is easier. Not my style anymore… and little fun for me! I release those days! Relying on seeing leads to charming … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, drawing, ink painting, journal, landscape, memory, painting, pen & ink, watercolor | Tagged architecture, art journal, California, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Fineline masking fluid, going home, Hand Book journal, Holbein, Lamy Al-Star, Noodlers ink, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, Santa Paula, Sennelier, travel, urban sketcher, USk, virtual sketchwalk, watercolor | 4 Comments

VSW: Pasadena Rose Bowl Parade

Posted on January 18, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

Pepé Le Pew was a favorite cartoon of mine… Had to be the first sketch of the New Year in the Virtual Sketchwalk group! I wanted you to see that I had water-colored his black with a dark sepia but … Continue reading →

Posted in animals, architecture, art journal, challenge, pen & ink, virtual sketching | Tagged art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Fineline masking fluid, Holbein, Lamy Joy, Moleskin Watercolor journal, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, virtual sketchwalk, watercolor | 4 Comments

CA Trip: Mitchell’s Moreton Bay Fig

Posted on January 17, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

Mitchell took me to see his Moreton Bay Fig in Santa Paula. I understand that. I have relationships with trees too, and this one is amazing. It was planted in 1879 — and yes, it is famous — and grows … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, drawing, ink painting, journal, landscape, memory, pen & ink, sketchbook | Tagged California, Handbook Journal, Mitchell Powell, Moreton Bay Fig, Morton Bay Fig, Platinum Carbon pen, Santa Paula, tree | 14 Comments

CA Trip: The Chili Hut

Posted on January 16, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

Mitchell’s mom ran the Chili Hut in Santa Paula… When I sketched the building where it was I put a couple of women in dresses as they might have been then and used a 50’s style car (made up of … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, drawing, ink painting, journal, landscape, memory, painting, pen & ink, watercolor | Tagged architecture, art journal, Chili Hut, Hand Book journal, Mitchell Powell, Platinum Carbon pen, Santa Paula, urban sketcher, USk | Leave a comment

Random thoughts about architectural school

Posted on December 20, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Musings today. And continuing to finish off this breaking apart Pentalic! Being a student in a great architectural school prior to the advent of CAD, and exposed to some amazing and innovative thinkers was a huge gift. Los Angeles was … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, creativity, drawing, journal, pen & ink, process, sketchbook | Tagged architecture, art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, drawing architecture, Holbein, Lamy Joy, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, Pentalic Aqua Journal, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Platinum Carbon pen, Sennelier, watercolor | 2 Comments

Hand-Mind Creative Connections

Posted on December 15, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Liz Steel asked this morning if the architects she knows who draw needed to learn observational skills in order to sketch as artists. I sketch, practiced architecture until I left it to pursue art, and am an artist. Most of … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, creativity, making a living, memory, process | Tagged architecture, creativity, dialogue, drawing architecture, mind-brain connection, perspective | 4 Comments

VSW: Alamo, a Fast Study

Posted on December 9, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

In an effort to begin to discuss how I look at buildings in order to begin to draw them, I took an image of the Alamo and dissected it. Most of this I do by simply looking, but what helps … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, class, drawing, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, timed painting, urban sketchers, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged Alamo, architecture, art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, drawing architecture, Lamy Al-Star, learning perspective, Moleskin Watercolor journal, perspective, Platinum Carbon pen, Sennelier, Texas, urban sketchers, USk, virtual sketchwalk, watercolor | 13 Comments

NaSkeFiMo, or Fill Up The Journal and Be Done with It!

Posted on December 2, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Working to finish up a journal I don’t like. Not because of the paper — Strathmore paper is good paper. The journal is not falling apart (I’ve stuck with THOSE.) No, this is because the Strathmore Journal has a strange … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal | Tagged Alphabet District Portland, architecture, art journal, De Atramentis Document ink, Diamine Ancient Copper Ink, Diamine Regency Blue ink, fear, Lamy Al-Star, Lamy LX, Platinum Carbon pen, Portland Urban Sketchers, Strathmore journal, Super5 ink, urban sketcher, urban sketchers, Urban Sketchers Portland, USk, virtual sketchwalk | 10 Comments

USk: Alphabet Tile Home

Posted on December 1, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

You might remember the sketch I did of this door and “blue” tiles at a home the other day >> It wasn’t the first time I’d drawn the house. I’m drawn to it: it is close to the studio, the … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, drawing, journal, process, sketchcrawl, urban sketchers, watercolor | Tagged #thursdaydoors, Alphabet District, Alphabet District Portland, Aquabee Super Deluxe Journal, architecture, art journal, Art Nouveau, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Lamy Al-Star, Moleskin Watercolor journal, Platinum Carbon pen, Sennelier, Thursday Doors, urban sketchers, USk, watercolor | 17 Comments

VSW: Boyd’s Bread

Posted on November 28, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Sketch to watercolor… Thanks to Randy for this image… Middle of the night drawing. Pentalic Aqua Journal Pilot Desk Fountain Pen – DPN-70 with De Atramentis Tobacco ink, Sennelier, Holbein, and DS Primatek watercolors, and Daniel Smith Watercolors. ☾ I … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, challenge, pen & ink, virtual sketching | Tagged art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, Holbein, Pentalic Aqua Journal, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Pilot Desk Fountain Pen, Primatek, Randy Boyd, Sennelier, virtual sketchwalk, watercolor | Leave a comment

CA Trip, 1: Telegraph Road, Santa Paula

Posted on November 23, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

I’ve been processing a wild and woolly trip to So Cal. I’ll be posting items out of order, that is for sure. I’m adding color to many, and some are images from photos taken. Starting with Tooling around Mitchell’s home … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, drawing, ink painting, journal, landscape, memory, painting, pen & ink, watercolor | Tagged architecture, art journal, California, De Atramentis Document ink, Hand Book journal, Lamy Al-Star, Lamy Joy, Noodlers ink, palm tree, palm trees, Platinum Carbon pen, Santa Paula, Sennelier, Super5 ink, Telegraph Road, travel, urban sketcher, USk, Ventura County, virtual sketchwalk, watercolor | 5 Comments

VSW: Buffalo the Town, 1

Posted on November 21, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

I want to play with color in unexpected ways. And loosening up, always trying to loosen up. Moleskin A4 Watercolor Journal, Lamy Al-Star with De Atramentis Document Black ink, Platinum Carbon Pen with waterproof cartridges, Sennelier and Daniel Smith Watercolors. … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, color, creativity, drawing, pen & ink, sketchbook, virtual sketching, waterbrush | Tagged art journal, buffalo, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Lamy Al-Star, Moleskin Watercolor journal, New York State, Platinum Carbon pen, Sennelier, virtual sketchwalk, watercolor | 2 Comments

Thursday Doors, a day late….

Posted on November 18, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

I took a moment yesterday late to draw the door itself in this beautiful building that reminds me so of the Brentwood area of Southern California. I am finishing up images of this building that I will post later, but … Continue reading →