Category Archives: challenge

VSW: Anacapa Lighthouse, California

Posted on March 1, 2018 by D. Katie Powell

I grew up bewitched by the islands I watched the sun set into from home. I read and reread Island of the Blue Dolphins in grade school. I never remember seeing a lighthouse! I struggled with this image; I am … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, challenge, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged #artjournal, #lighthouse, #nautical, Anacapa, architecture, art journal, California, Da Vinci Watercolors, Daniel Smith watercolors, Holbein, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, M.Graham, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, Sennelier, sketchbook, Stillman & Birn, Super5 ink, virtual sketchwalk, watercolor | 4 Comments

VSW: Dry Tortugas Lighthouse, Florida

Posted on February 21, 2018 by D. Katie Powell

I fell in love with this image from Wikipedia a year ago… it lead to this month of lighthouses we are sketching as a group. No pencil this time, went in fast and was done within a half hour watercolor … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, challenge, ink painting, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged #artjournal, #floridalighthouses, #lighthouse, #nautical, architecture, Daniel Smith watercolors, Holbein, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, M.Graham, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, Sennelier, sketchbook, Stillman & Birn, Super5 ink, virtual sketchwalk, watercolor | Leave a comment

VSW: Tacking Point Lighthouse, Australia

Posted on February 19, 2018 by D. Katie Powell

I almost always use a light watercolor pencil to give me guidelines before I ink! I cannot imagine why anyone would tell anyone NOT to do so unless you only have a couple of minutes to get an image down… … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, challenge, ink painting, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged #artjournal, #austrailianlighthouses, #lighthouse, #nautical, #tackingpoint, architecture, art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, Holbein, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, M.Graham, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, Sennelier, sketchbook, Stillman & Birn, Super5 ink, virtual sketchwalk, watercolor | Leave a comment

VSW: Gardens by the Bay Singapore

Posted on December 16, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

December we had two choices in the Virtual Sketchwalk group *though this group goes rogue regularly 🙂 but the rules of the group are “as long as it is drawn from a photograph”* and one of them were the Gardens … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, challenge, pen & ink, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged #danielsmithwatercolors, #davinciwatercolors, #ferriswheel, #GardensbytheBay, #PilotMetropolitan, architecture, art journal, Da Vinci Watercolors, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Holbein, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen, Platinum Preppy pen, Sennelier, Singapore, Super5 ink, virtual sketchwalk, watercolor | 2 Comments

VSW: Flash Mob in Hartford, Connecticut

Posted on November 30, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

Last images of Hartford Connecticut this month. I love Flash Mobs, the surprise and delight! When I found one in Hartford I decided to try sketching from it. Still keeping with the very fast sketches! LAST images in the Fabriano…. … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, challenge, pen & ink, virtual sketching, waterbrush, watercolor | Tagged #Connecticut, #flashmob, #Lamy, architecture, art journal, De Atramentis Document ink, Hartford, Lamy Al-Star, Lamy LX, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, Platinum Preppy pen, Super5 ink, virtual sketchwalk, watercolor | 2 Comments

VSW: Genius of Connecticut

Posted on November 29, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

She is called the “Genius of Connecticut” located in the Connecticut State Capitol Building. Keeping with quick studies, I used DeAtramentis Document Brown for line. I began a slow buildup of DEA Doc Brown ink (brunaille) in a waterbrush to … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, challenge, pen & ink, virtual sketching | Tagged #geniusstatue, architecture, art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Hartford, Holbein, Lamy Joy, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, Platinum Carbon pen, Platinum Preppy pen, Primatek, Sennelier, Super5 ink, virtual sketchwalk, watercolor | 4 Comments

VSW: Hartford, Connecticut

Posted on November 27, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

Sketchwalk is in Hartford Connecticut this month. For one thing, let me tell you that this dyslexic has a hard time remembering the order of the letters in Conn-ect-i-cut. I have the dang word hand-written to the side all over … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, challenge, pen & ink, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged #Connecticut, architecture, art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Hartford, Holbein, Lamy LX, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, Platinum Preppy pen, Sennelier, Super5 ink, virtual sketchwalk, watercolor | 2 Comments

USk World-wide Sketchout: Autumn at the Studio

Posted on November 12, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

Yesterday was a worldwide USk sketchout, and I am swamped. But the trees outside the studio had not lost their leaves YET (starting) so into freezing car and parked down the block and looked up at the studio. My finish … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, challenge, landscape, sketchbook, sketchcrawl, urban sketchers, watercolor | Tagged #danielsmithwatercolors, #davinciwatercolors, #nwindustrialsanctuary, #nwportland, #urbansketching, #USkGlobal24hrSketchwalk, art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Holbein, Jinhao, Portland Oregon, Portland Urban Sketchers, Primatek, urban sketcher, urban sketchers, Urban Sketchers Portland, USk, watercolor | 10 Comments

Inktober, 21 Galley Sunflower

Posted on October 21, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

We had Sunflowers whose stems were not standing up tall. I popped them into smaller vases and spread their cheer throughout the studio. One place was in front of the many-colored Fiesta-ware plates in our studio galley. Middle-of-the-night. To hear … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, challenge, creativity, drawing, ink painting, process, review, sketchbook, tools, virtual sketching | Tagged #danielsmithwatercolors, #davinciwatercolors, #Hahnemühle, #inktober, #inktober2017, #nostalgiejournal, art journal, Da Vinci Watercolors, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, flower, grisaille, Hahnemuhle Nostalgie Sketchbook, Holbein, Lamy Al-Star, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, Platinum Carbon pen, Sunflowers | 3 Comments

Inktober, 19 Workers

Posted on October 19, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

Diamine Ancient Copper ink sketch out the studio window… They seem to be always working and never getting anything done… For years! To hear about classes, follow me on Facebook or check out my new and improved dkatiepowellart.com and sign … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, challenge, ink painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, urban sketchers | Tagged #ancientcopperink, #diamineink, #inktober, #inktober2017, #mpfconservation, #nwportland, #urbansketcher, art journal, Diamine Ancient Copper Ink, Fabriano Watercolor journal, Lamy Al-Star, USk | Leave a comment

Inktober, 18 Berkey & Gay Chair

Posted on October 18, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

This is a detail from a Berkey & Gay chair, once part of the historic Hahn House. My challenge was to paint the chair detail in ink only — for Inktober — and I did, using two of my favorites, … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, challenge, pen & ink, virtual sketching | Tagged #deatramentisink, #diamineink, #inktober, #inktober2017, #mpfconservation, #portlandhistory, art journal, Berkey & Gay, De Atramentis Tobacco ink, Diamine Ancient Copper Ink, Fabriano Watercolor journal, Hahn House, Lamy Al-Star, Primatek, virtual sketchwalk, watercolor | 4 Comments

Inktober, Cherished Blogfest 2017

Posted on October 16, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

I’ve been remiss about the Cherished Blogfest this year but it must have been in the air because I have company! It has been extended, and so, here is my entry… AND YOU HAVE TIME TO WRITE ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, Buddha, challenge, journal, tonglen, writing | Tagged #CBF17, #ChogyamTrungpa, #PemaChodron, art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, Holbein, Lamy Al-Star, lojong, Okina Journals, Platinum Carbon pen, Sennelier, Super5 ink, tonglen, watercolor | 16 Comments

Inktober, 16 Four Sunflowers

Posted on October 16, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

Sunflowers make me sooo happy. They follow the sun, turning their faces upward and twisting to watch it. They are strong, never needing man-made support, a testimony to evolution. Their colors are brilliant and clear. Strength, clarity, ever hopeful, focusing … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, challenge, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, virtual sketching | Tagged #Hahnemühle, #inktober, #inktober2017, #middleofthenight, #nostalgiejournal, art journal, Nostalgie Sketch Book Journal, Platinum Carbon pen, sunflower | 6 Comments

Inktober, 13 DeNoble Farms

Posted on October 14, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

Dancing light started this watercolor on top of the inked drawing on this page of sketches. I had to add lavender for her. This little stack of pennies on the edge of a stoop I could not get out of … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, challenge, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, pen & ink, process, sketchbook | Tagged #davinciwatercolors, #inktober, #inktober2017, #organicfarming, #pennystack, #portlandurbansketcher, #psufarmersmarket, #urbansketcher, art journal, Da Vinci Watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, DeNoble Farms, Fabriano Watercolor journal, Holbein, Matteo Grilli, Platinum Carbon pen, USk | Leave a comment

Inktober, Dancing Light Lavender

Posted on October 13, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

She makes a great lip balm and essential oil. Passing her is always happy because her stall smells amazing and she is happy. I had to color her. It was essential! To hear about classes, follow me on Facebook or … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, challenge, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, virtual sketching | Tagged #davinciwatercolors, #holbeinwatercolor, #inktober, #inktober2017, #lavender, #portlandurbansketcher, #psufarmersmarket, #urbansketcher, art journal, Dancing Light Ranch, Fabriano Watercolor journal, Holbein, Matteo Grilli, Platinum Carbon pen, USk | Leave a comment

Inktober, 12 Tie-Dye Drummer

Posted on October 12, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

This metal drum makes great sounds! He is always in some colorful tie-dye and has a look of a pirate! Maybe I need to come back and color these… To hear about classes, follow me on Facebook or check out … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, challenge, drawing, journal, pen & ink, sketchbook | Tagged #inktober, #inktober2017, #Portlandfarmersmarket, #portlandurbansketcher, #psufarmersmarket, #PSUOutdoorMarket, #urbansketcher, art journal, drummer, Fabriano Watercolor journal, Platinum Carbon pen, PSU Outdoor Market, USk | 6 Comments

Inktober, 11 Student Cellist

Posted on October 11, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

People are not my forte, but I keep doing them. Years of doing the graphic people in architectural drawings! I’ve taken to sketching buskers in the park. This is a student out to make a buck on the weekend. To … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, challenge, creativity, drawing, pen & ink, process, sketchbook | Tagged #buskar, #cello, #inktober, #inktober2017, #portlandurbansketcher, #psufarmersmarket, #urbansketcher, art journal, Fabriano Watercolor journal, Platinum Carbon pen, USk | Leave a comment

Inktober, 10 Sunflower

Posted on October 10, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

I thought to add watercolor but may not… I like the linework! (Though the contrast of bright yellow and cobalt blue is enticing….). To hear about classes, follow me on Facebook or check out my new, improved dkatiepowellart.com “Memory is … Continue reading →