Category Archives: art journal

Zen Cats and Watercolor Washes

Posted on February 9, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

After my frustration at Kiva Tearoom, I decided I needed to go back and just play with washes. Middle of the night I read suggestions from several watercolor books on washes. I sketched the Zazen Cats, fun images I come … Continue reading →

Posted in art, art journal, Buddha, color, creativity, gods and goddesses, graphite, journal, painting, pen & ink, pencil, process, sketchbook, watercolor | Tagged Aquabee Super Deluxe Journal, Beta Journal, buddha, buddhist, Cat, Daniel Smith watercolors, meditating cat, Pentalic 2B woodless pencil, Pentel Brush Pen, Platinum Carbon pen, QoR watercolors, Stillman & Birn, sun, watercolor, zazen, zen, zen cat | Leave a comment

USk: Kiva Tearoom, NW Portland

Posted on February 8, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

I braved another day of sketching with the intention to sketch people in a crowded place. There were few people in today — what? — Saturday in Portland? This post is a big deal for me because I am posting … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, journal, painting, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, urban sketchers, watercolor | Tagged Alphabet District Portland, art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, Delta journal, journal, KIVA tearoom, NW Industrial Sanctuary Portland, NW Portland, Platinum Carbon pen, Portland Oregon, QoR watercolors, Strathmore journal, urban sketchers, Urban Sketchers Portland, USk, watercolor | 7 Comments

Happy Imbolc

Posted on February 2, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

The groundhog saw his shadow; more snow, which is a GOOD thing. Prayers to Brigit should be said at sunset. Brigit is the patroness of poetry, blacksmithing, cattle, sacred wells, and the arrival of early spring May I become at … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, pen & ink, sketchbook, watercolor | Tagged Aquabee Super Deluxe Journal, art journal, bridge, Brigit, buddha, buddhist, Dalai Llama, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Groundhog Day, Hero pen, Imbolc, Platinum Carbon pen, watercolor | 17 Comments

USk: Drawing Around Portland

Posted on February 1, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

I haven’t had much time to paint anything this week but found moments in the car. Being back in a city is overwhelming in terms of the cacophony of lines and layers, rhythms and patterns. (Yes I spelled that wrong … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, creativity, journal, painting, sketchbook, urban sketchers, watercolor | Tagged bridge, bridgetown, Daniel Smith watercolors, I-5, Interstate, Noodlers ink, Platinum Preppy pen, Portland Oregon, Strathmore journal, struggle, Swan Island, urban sketcher, urban sketchers, Urban Sketchers Portland, USk, watercolor | 8 Comments

Mimi and Pa’s Ranch

Posted on January 28, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

I wish my grandfather had not sold their ranch in California. I have all good memories there of family and being a kid and critters and holidays and making things and first riding a horse and shooting a rifle and … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, history, journal, memory, painting, sketchbook, watercolor, writing | Tagged california hills, family, Grass Valley, Native Californian, Oregon House, ranch | 21 Comments

Honu Turtle Doodle

Posted on January 27, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

Just a doodle. My grandma loved turtles and I love sea turtles. BTW, some of my turtles are for sale in my Redbubble shop! Aquabee Super Deluxe 9×9-inch journal with a Platinum Preppy fountain pen, Noodler’s Heart of Darkness ink … Continue reading →

Posted in art, art journal, drawing, pen & ink, watercolor | Tagged Aquabee Super Deluxe Journal, art journal, doodle, full moon, Honu, moon, ocean, Platinum Preppy pen, sea turtles, watercolor | 7 Comments

USk: Palm Motor Hotel

Posted on January 24, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

Whenever I drive by the Palm Motor Hotel I get a little surge of home energy. It looks like motels I remember staying in when visiting Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. I’ve always loved these Mid-Century Modern signs. Today I … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art, art journal, drawing, journal, painting, pencil, sketchbook, urban sketchers, watercolor | Tagged art journal, caput mortem, MCM, Mid-Century Modern, motor hotels, Noodlers ink, palm, Palm Motor Hotel, palm sign, Portland Oregon, Strathmore journal, urban sketchers, Urban Sketchers Portland, watercolor | 2 Comments

My “Business” Sketchbook: Chippendale Conservation

Posted on January 23, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

Above, Mitchell thinking about the various things he has to do to this family heirloom in order to resurrect it from the broken state. The Chippendale sofa’s arm was broken and sagging, leg broken, parts of the frame broken, and … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, furniture, journal, making a living, painting, pen & ink, pencil, sketchbook, urban sketchers, watercolor | Tagged art journal, Chippendale, Daniel Smith watercolors, Delta journal, MPF Conservation, Noodlers ink, Platinum Preppy pen, Polar Brown Noodlers ink, Portland Oregon, sofa, Stillman & Birn, Urban Sketchers Portland, watercolor | 13 Comments

My “Business” Sketchbook: Mattress Ranch

Posted on January 22, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

I’ve had this finished a long time and almost didn’t post it. There really is a Mattress Ranch on the way to Olympia Washington. It was the source of much amusement as we drove up in the morning to work … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, drawing, furniture, journal, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, urban sketchers, watercolor | Tagged art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, Delta journal, Mattress Ranch, Noodlers ink, Olympia Washington, Platinum Preppy pen, Polar Brown Noodlers ink, Stillman & Birn, urban sketchers, Urban Sketchers Portland, watercolor | 7 Comments

My “Business” Sketchbook: Aesthetics Movement Pieces

Posted on January 20, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

You may remember these sketches; they started me thinking about how many beautiful objects we see daily. I decided to dedicate one of my new Stillman & Birn sketchbooks to our business. My first two watercolor sketches were in the … Continue reading →

Posted in art, art journal, drawing, furniture, journal, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, watercolor | Tagged aesthetic, American, art journal, bustle chair, captains chair, Daniel Smith watercolors, Delta journal, MPF Conservation, satinwood, settee, Stillman & Birn, Urban Sketchers Portland, walnut | 3 Comments

USk: Multnomah Sketchcrawl in the Pouring Rain

Posted on January 18, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

My first sketchcrawl with other people, the Portland Urban Sketchers; I’ve crawled around a lot by myself urban sketching! Mitchell was the bravest, being new to sketching and now going today as well. It wasn’t raining, it was POURING — … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, drawing, memory, sketchbook, sketchcrawl, urban sketchers, watercolor | Tagged art journal, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, Multnomah Village, Platinum Preppy pen, Polar Brown Noodlers ink, Portland Oregon, Portland Urban Sketchers, Strathmore journal, Urban Sketchcrawl, Urban Sketchers Portland, USk | 7 Comments

Art Journal: Black and White

Posted on January 17, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

Middle of the night, can’t sleep, found shells on the dresser. Drawn in an Stillman & Birn Alpha journal with Noodler’s Heart of Darkness ink. I agree to Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 4.0 International License, which you can learn more … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, challenge, drawing, journal, sketchbook, waterbrush | Tagged black & white, Heart of Darkness, Noodlers ink, shells, Stillman & Birn | 4 Comments

USk: Smith Tower, Vancouver, Washington

Posted on January 16, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

I had lunch with my niece yesterday and went an hour early to find an interesting building or scene to sketch. As I was driving into the city of Vancouver I remembered the “beer can” building, looking glum and peachy … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, history, painting, pen & ink, pencil, sketchbook, timed painting, urban sketchers, watercolor | Tagged art journal, Caran D'Ache, Daniel Smith watercolors, Platinum Preppy pen, Polar Brown Noodlers ink, Portland Oregon, Portland Urban Sketchers, Primatek, Smith Tower, urban sketchers, Urban Sketchers Portland, USk, Vancouver Washington, watercolor | 6 Comments

Art Journaling: Miscellaneous Picks

Posted on January 15, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

Random sketches from my journal, continuing to play with the watercolors is the point. My confidence is growing; I am dropping into my best drawing habits from my teens and twenties. While sketching my favorite coffee cup, I realized why … Continue reading →

Posted in art, art journal, challenge, drawing, journal, painting, pen & ink, pencil, sketchbook, urban sketchers, watercolor | Tagged Caydanlik, coffee, cup, Daniel Smith watercolors, La Gabbianella, La Poet Laval, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, palm, Portland Oregon, QoR watercolors, St. John's Wort, Stillman & Birn, tangerine, urban sketchers, Urban Sketchers Portland, USk, watercolor | 17 Comments

Art Journal: Memories

Posted on January 9, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

A friend has laid out a great challenge to kick off 2015. When I can, I am taking her cues because she’s created a great list. Thoughtful, they are evoking memories in most who are playing along. A challenge shouldn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in art, art journal, drawing, journal, memory, painting, process, sketchbook, watercolor | Tagged art journal, brother, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, Daniel Smith watercolors, fortune cookie, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, Platinum Preppy pen, Portland Oregon, Stillman & Birn, watercolor | 10 Comments

My “Business” Sketchbook: Webbing Stretchers

Posted on January 3, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

My commitment to documenting the upholstery studio is ongoing; a challenge prompted this watercolor sketch. I said no more challenges but this list is too much fun. I chose Mitchell’s webbing stretchers because they happened to be setting on his … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, challenge, drawing, furniture, journal, making a living, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, urban sketchers, watercolor | Tagged art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, Delta journal, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, MPF Conservation, Platinum Preppy pen, Portland Oregon, Stillman & Birn, upholstery tools, Urban Sketchers Portland, USk, watercolor, webbing stretchers | 6 Comments

Recipe Watercolor: Chicken Curry

Posted on December 31, 2014 by D. Katie Powell

I’ve been so busy I haven’t sketched recipes in a long time! During the holiday I made this leftover dish and enjoyed the curry colors! Yummy recipe using leftovers posted on Katwritesfood! Soon I will post my first lesson on … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, painting, recipe, sketchbook, watercolor | Tagged Aquabee Super Deluxe Journal, art journal, chicken, Daniel Smith watercolors, Holbein, journal, Polar Brown Noodlers ink, Portland Oregon, Primatek, QoR watercolors, Sennelier, watercolor | 9 Comments

Emotional Moonth Art Journal(Reposting)

Posted on December 27, 2014 by D. Katie Powell

This is one of the older posts from my other blog that I wanted here on D.Katie Powell Art. It was a pivotal moment regarding various choices to teach in cyberspace. It happened in November, and so is a bit … Continue reading →