Category Archives: art journal

Come Join Me in Cherished Blogfest 2016!

Posted on June 29, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

One month until the Cherished Blogfest arrives! Last year my blogger friends organized the Cherished Blogfest in which we talked about the most cherished objects in our lives, sharing stories, memories, and emotions. I wrote and painted about Buddha Ball (above), which … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, challenge, creativity, journal, memory | Tagged #cherishedblogfest, Cherished Blogfest | 4 Comments

VSW: Hawaii, Oahu 2

Posted on June 27, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Amy Lauren Gettys *thank you* gave us wonderful images to paint, and I had fun in this incredibly busy month putting together the second page in the spread. I haven’t done a collage in ages, and because of my shortened … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, color, drawing, pen & ink, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged architecture, beach, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Hawaii, Holbein, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, Macaw flowers, Moleskin Watercolor journal, Oahu, ocean, Pacific Ocean, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, sea turtles, Tiki statue, virtual sketchwalk | 4 Comments

Bright Ideas, Week 9

Posted on June 25, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

I sketched these in the Bright Ideas journal, and have begun to pick up whatever color ink I want to use. Rules are meant to be broken! We didn’t have a lot of money but Christmas was always a lot … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, drawing, journal, memory, pen & ink, sketchbook | Tagged Anthurium, art journal, Bright Ideas journal, California pottery, Christmas ornament, compass, De Atramentis Document ink, dogs, grandmother, Hallmark, hand made paper, heart, Lamy Al-Star, meat grinder, Mimi, Platinum Carbon pen, Santa Anita Ware, Santa Claus, White Pitt pen, White Uniball Signo | Leave a comment

Tool: Watercolors, 4, Blues to Greens

Posted on June 25, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Each Sunday this summer I am looking at my paint “collection”: Tools: Watercolors, 1, Yellow-Orange Tools: Watercolors, 2, Red-Pink Tools: Watercolors, 3, Greens to Yellows. I had to make myself purchase blues. I love turquoise blues, and bought Primateks when I … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, color, process, watercolor | Tagged blue, Daniel Smith watercolors, green, Greenleaf & Blueberry Watercolors, Holbein, M.Graham watercolors, Mayan paints, Primatek, QoR watercolors, Sennelier, transparent paint, watercolor | 6 Comments

Belated Solstice: Black-eyed Susans

Posted on June 24, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Extremely busy week; all work and almost no painting! An exhausting but good week, we are embarking on a new adventure. I’ll talk about it soon; you will get to see what I do when I am using my painting … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, drawing, landscape, memory, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, watercolor | Tagged Black Eyed Susan, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Lamy Al-Star, Lamy Joy, Pentalic Aqua Journal | 2 Comments

TOOLS: De Atramentis Document White Ink

Posted on June 21, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

I am very excited about the new De Atramentis Document White ink (DeA hereafter). I use white inks from time to time, mostly in sketching, and have finally found good white ink sketch pens: Faber-Castell PITT artist pen WHITE 101 … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, color, pen & ink, tools, watercolor | Tagged De Atramentis Document ink, Pitt pens, watercolor, white ink, White Uniball Signo | 8 Comments

Tools: Watercolors, 3, Greens to Yellows

Posted on June 18, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Each Sunday for the next few weeks I am looking at my paint “collection.” In the last weeks: Tools: Watercolors, 1, Yellow-Orange; Tools: Watercolors, 2, Red-Pink One general comment about the greens is MANY of them are based with Phthalocyanine (sounds … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, color, process, watercolor | Tagged Daniel Smith watercolors, favorite, green, Holbein, opaque, pan paints, Primatek, QoR watercolors, Sennelier, transparent paint, tube paints, watercolor, yellow-green | 14 Comments

Creative Blocks: What does that Nagging Voice Want?

Posted on June 17, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

When I am stuck, I play in color and texture. I see where materials take me without expectation. To have the feeling of blah, no vision, heavy, stupid, dim, is hard on any creative. Especially as being creative — at … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, creativity, journal, making a living, memory, process | Tagged child's play, color, creative block, critic, critical voice, materials, play | 20 Comments

Bright Ideas, Week 8

Posted on June 11, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

I sketched these in the Bright Ideas journal, which is becoming a constant companion! Mug Soulmates. I don’t think anyone’s ever spoken of it before. It is a thing! You have to be part of our inner-inner circle to know … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, color, drawing, pen & ink, sketchbook | Tagged art journal, Bright Ideas journal, clocks, compass, De Atramentis Document ink, durgha, Fiesta Ware, frogs, hand made paper, Lamy Al-Star, Mimi, mug soulmates, mystery, Platinum Carbon pen, Portland Oregon, rocks, stopwatch, White Uniball Signo | 2 Comments

Palm Trees Coffee Pot

Posted on June 9, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

I want this. I’ve had a small image of it for years. If I had this my life would be complete… No Thursday Doors…. Real life got in the way! *sigh* But then, making money = $$$ for paint = … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, sketchbook, watercolor | Tagged coffee cup, coffee pot, De Atramentis Document ink, Lamy Al-Star, Mid-Century Modern, palm trees, pan watercolors, Pentalic Aqua Journal, Sennelier, watercolor | 4 Comments

Tools: Watercolors, 2, Red-Pink

Posted on June 5, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Each Sunday for the next few weeks I am looking at my paint “collection.” OOPS. I HIT PUBLISH BY MISTAKE AND NO ERRORS. HOW OFTEN DOES THAT HAPPEN? SO THIS WEEK’S WILL BE PUBLISHED NEXT WEEK! Because of this mistake, … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, color, painting, process, tools, watercolor | Tagged Daniel Smith watercolors, favorite, Greenleaf & Blueberry Watercolors, Holbein, M.Graham watercolors, Mayan paints, opaque, Primatek, QoR watercolors, Sennelier, transparent paint, watercolor | 8 Comments

VSW: Hawaii, Oahu Palms

Posted on June 5, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Ink drawing, shadow inks (grisaille), then watercolors. Moleskin 8×11 watercolor journal, Platinum Carbon pen, Lamy Al-Star with De Atramentis Document Black, Noodler’s inks, and Daniel Smith , Holbein, and QoR watercolors. I started a Facebook group page (you must join … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, drawing, landscape, memory, painting, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged architecture, beach, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Greenleaf & Blueberry Watercolors, grisaille, Hawaii, Holbein, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, Moleskin Watercolor journal, Oahu, ocean, Pacific Ocean, palm trees, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, virtual sketchwalk | 4 Comments

Bright Ideas, Week 7

Posted on June 4, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

I sketched these in the Bright Ideas journal. I had to use Freshly Minted Suggestions for the best designed bottle cap opener thangy ever! If you don’t have one of these 50+-year-old gadgets then you haven’t lived. And the memories … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, journal, memory, pen & ink, writing | Tagged AA token, art journal, bottle opener, Bright Ideas journal, cats, compass, De Atramentis Document ink, Dyson vacuum, Eldajon palette, hand made paper, heart, Lamy Al-Star, mala, Marilyn Wold, pepsi-cola bottle, Platinum Carbon pen, Portland Oregon, rock, rocks, strawberry huller, Toes, White Pitt pen, White Uniball Signo | 11 Comments

USk: St. James Lutheran Church

Posted on June 2, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Experimenting with color after taking a class… I am often bored by stone buildings, but several interesting water-colorists use what-ever color where-ever they want. This is one of the stone churches we pass on our way to the Saturday Market … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, color, pen & ink, sketchbook, urban sketchers, watercolor | Tagged #thursdaydoors, Daniel Smith watercolors, Fabriano Watercolor journal, Greenleaf & Blueberry Watercolors, Platinum Carbon pen, Portland Urban Sketchers, Primatek, St. James Lutheran Church, SW Portland | 17 Comments

VSW: Capetown South Africa Beachwalk, 2

Posted on May 31, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Necessity is the mother of fast sketches. I barely finished these by the end of our month on Capetown! I used a water-soluble graphite fat pencil and splashed watercolors over the sketches. From beginning to end in about 15 minutes … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, pen & ink, series, sketchbook, timed painting, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged architecture, beach, Capetown, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Holbein, Moleskin Watercolor journal, ocean, outdoor market, Primatek, virtual sketchwalk | 2 Comments

Overworked / Failure

Posted on May 30, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Dan recently blogged about failures: “So many people try to hide failure. Sometimes, they want to hide it out of embarrassment and sometimes they want to hide it out of fear. I don’t want to fail, but when I do, … Continue reading →

Posted in art, art journal, creativity, making a living, painting, pen & ink, process, watercolor | Tagged anniversary, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, failure, floral, flower, Lamy Al-Star, pan watercolors, Pentalic Aqua Journal, Platinum Carbon pen, Sennelier, struggle, Sunflowers, watercolor | 4 Comments

Bright Ideas, Week 6

Posted on May 28, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

This week I’ve taken care of business — my jewelry business, as I am hoping to wind it down and close shop this year. (If my readers fall in love, note the 40% off using the code “SPECIAL”. Shameless plug.) … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, Buddha, gods and goddesses, journal, meditation, memory, pen & ink, writing | Tagged art journal, Bright Ideas journal, color, De Atramentis Document ink, Guadalupe, heart, Lamy Al-Star, mala, meditation, Platinum Carbon pen, Portland Oregon, prayer, turtle, Virgin Mary | 12 Comments

For Dan, One More Train…

Posted on May 27, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Middle of the night drawing of the Oregon Zoo train. Dan now you are forever linked to trains, along with my girlfriend who I used to ride trains with, and a crazy boyfriend who once picked me up on a … Continue reading →