Category Archives: art journal

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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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

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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 , , , | Leave a comment

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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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Johnny Jump-ups, 2

Posted on August 16, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Enjoying this not-using ink thang… getting tired of flowers though they are great subject to learn while doing — so cheery, especially in the middle of the night! For some who don’t know, these are not pansies. They are tiny, … Continue reading →

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Sketchpack Project: Week 2

Posted on August 15, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Week Two, no time to think, so busy, loving the simplicity of pencil, pen, ink, waterbrush. in memory of my baby brother on what would be his birthday… Halfway through, fast sketching, loosing inhibitions! ABOUT SKETCHPACK PROJECT: The project began … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, Buddha, challenge, gods and goddesses, meditation, pen & ink, pencil, sketchbook, waterbrush | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 22 Comments