Category Archives: challenge

Thursday Doors, USk: Grimm and Impact on 26th

Posted on July 21, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

26th Avenue, two doors within throwing distance of our studio. Above, on the historic American Canning Company, which then became the Multnomah County Medical Examiners offices (and then, how apropos) became the door to Grimm’s studio costuming annex. (Sitting across … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, challenge, pen & ink, sketchbook, urban sketchers, watercolor | Tagged #thursdaydoors, #WorldWatercolorMonth, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, De Atramentis Tobacco ink, doors, green door, Grimm, Impact Jiu Jitzu, pan watercolors, Pentalic Aqua Journal, Platinum Carbon pen, Portland Urban Sketchers, Sennelier, urban sketchers, Urban Sketchers Portland, USk, watercolor | 8 Comments

Mimi’s Coin Purse

Posted on July 20, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

I have these odd things of my grandmothers. Her dime bank, and this, her coin purse. She was a simple woman and the simple items I have from her are precious memories. Pentalic Aqua Journal, Platinum Carbon pen, and Sennelier, … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, challenge, memory, pen & ink, sketchbook, watercolor | Tagged #WorldWatercolorMonth, coinpurse, Daniel Smith watercolors, pan watercolors, Pentalic Aqua Journal, Platinum Carbon pen, Sennelier, watercolor | 6 Comments

USk: PSU Saturday Market and Oregon Berry Festival

Posted on July 19, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Memory of a lovely day with Mitchell. Started with the Pen Show, then on to the more normal Saturday activity for us: Going to the Portland Saturday Market for peaches and squash and other yummy things. We also happened upon … Continue reading →

Posted in art, art journal, challenge, journal, landscape, pen & ink, sketchbook, urban sketchers, watercolor | Tagged #WorldWatercolorMonth, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Fabriano Watercolor journal, Fineline masking fluid, Nineteen27 S'mores, Oregon Berry Festival, Platinum Carbon pen, Portland Urban Sketchers, PSU Outdoor Market, Saturday Market, Urban Sketchcrawl, urban sketcher, Urban Sketchers Portland, USk | 4 Comments

First Pen Show

Posted on July 18, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

No longer a Pen Show Virgin. I’ve been to our little Portland Pen Show. It was fun being in that geeky collecting environment. Dealers were friendlier than I thought they would be, and it was so cool to be able … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, challenge, pen & ink, sketchbook, watercolor | Tagged #WorldWatercolorMonth, Bleeding Heart, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Diamine Ink, Jinhao, Pentalic Aqua Journal, Portland Pen Show, Sennelier, watercolor | 6 Comments

Raku Giraffe

Posted on July 16, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

My Zen brother gave me my raku giraffe. I think of him as my painterly Zenny Oriental giraffe, a cool dude. He is a cherished object, but not THE cherished object. To find out what object I cherish more than … Continue reading →

Posted in animals, art journal, challenge, memory, sketchbook, watercolor | Tagged #WorldWatercolorMonth, Daniel Smith watercolors, giraffe, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, M.Graham watercolors, Noodlers ink, Pentalic Aqua Journal, Platinum Preppy pen, QoR watercolors, Sennelier, watercolor | Leave a comment

Indian Paintbrush

Posted on July 15, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

California wildflowers are deeply connected to memories of my childhood. Until World Watercolor Month I had only a fleeting understanding of that, but the more I choose to paint California wildflowers, the more I am aware! Somehow, when you draw … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, challenge, journal, memory, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged #WorldWatercolorMonth, California wildflower, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, floral, flower, Indian paintbrush, Lamy Joy, Pentalic Aqua Journal, Platinum Carbon pen, Sennelier, watercolor | 2 Comments

Thursday Doors: Monastery of the Precious Blood

Posted on July 14, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Okay, I had to pull up an old sketch for Thursday Doors! A wonky urban sketch of the side doors, which is nicer than the front doors, of the Monastery of the Precious Blood in the Mount Tabor neighborhood of … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, challenge, sketchbook, urban sketchers, watercolor | Tagged #thursdaydoors, art journal, circulation, marble, Noodlers ink, Platinum Preppy, Stillman & Birn, Thursday Doors, urban sketchers, Washington State Capitol Justice Building | 13 Comments

Bleeding Hearts

Posted on July 14, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Bleeding Hearts As of today this reminds me not only of family, but of this incredibly awful political season and the vitriol among people on the “same side.” I am told I am a bleedin’ heart liberal. I wear it … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, challenge, journal, landscape, memory, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged #WorldWatercolorMonth, Bleeding Heart, California wildflower, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, floral, flower, Lamy Al-Star, Noodlers ink, pan watercolors, Pentalic Aqua Journal, Platinum Carbon pen, Sennelier, virtual sketching, virtual sketchwalk, watercolor | 16 Comments

Gratitude: My Red Bike at the Haskell Street Barn

Posted on July 13, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

*alert: vampire child face, oops* I had a good childhood, raised by a single mom with an alcoholic dad who skipped, and three much older brothers who loved me dearly. I am GRATEFUL because I wasn’t around JD (what they … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, challenge, journal, memory, pen & ink, portrait, series, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged #WorldWatercolorMonth, apricot, babysitter, bike, Daniel Smith watercolors, Encino California, George Puttnam, ghosts, gratitude, Haskell Ave, Holbein, journal, memory, Moleskin Watercolor journal, pen & ink, Platinum Carbon pen, red barn, red bike, selfie, sketchbook, the Haunting, watercolor, watercolor art journal | 18 Comments

Are you going to post for Cherished Blogfest?

Posted on July 12, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

I’ve been asking myself, “What object do I cherish the most? What object has the most memories attached? What is my most useful object no, irreplaceable object? If I could only take one thing (not including loved ones) with me … Continue reading →

Posted in challenge | Tagged #CBF16, #cherishedblogfest | 2 Comments

Two Hooks

Posted on July 11, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

I did these in tandem, so will post them in tandem. Still working with the DeA tobacco ink, and loving it. Pentalic Aqua Journal, Lamy Al-Star, De Atramentis Tobacco ink, and Sennelier, Holbein, QoR and Daniel Smith watercolors. ©D. Katie … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, challenge, journal, memory, pen & ink, sketchbook, watercolor | Tagged #WorldWatercolorMonth, De Atramentis Tobacco ink, Fineline masking fluid, froggie, frogs, hook, Lamy Al-Star, M.Graham watercolors, palm, palm trees, Pentalic Aqua Journal, QoR, watercolor | 2 Comments

Sweetpeas

Posted on July 7, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

I was called Sweetpea by my brother growing up; I didn’t see a wild sweetpea until I moved to Oregon, and now they greet me in early summer and sometimes have a second blooming in autumn. I hear my brother … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, challenge, drawing, journal, memory, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, watercolor | Tagged #WorldWatercolorMonth, De Atramentis Document ink, Fineline masking fluid, floral, flower, Lamy Al-Star, pan watercolors, Pentalic Aqua Journal, Platinum Carbon pen, QoR, sweetpea, watercolor, wild sweetpeas | 6 Comments

VSW: Beach Palm Brazil and One-Liner Wednesday

Posted on July 6, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Skies as expressive as a tropical ocean. Deep calm. Pentalic Aqua Journal, Platinum Carbon pen, De Atramentis Document black ink; Holbein and Daniel Smith watercolors. Photograph by Murilo Romeiro of a beach in Brazil. I started a Facebook group page … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, challenge, pen & ink, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged #1linerWeds, #WorldWatercolorMonth, beach, Brazil, De Atramentis Document ink, ink and wash, palm trees, Pentalic Aqua Journal, Platinum Carbon pen, Sennelier, virtual sketching, virtual sketchwalk, watercolor | 2 Comments

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

Thursday Doors: The Doe Library’s Leather Doors

Posted on May 26, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

My sketch, above of the unpainted and beautiful doors in the Doe Library. The Doe Library in Berkeley still has the solid redwood doors, covered in thick hides with brass details. We were hired to assess the doors, and explain … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, challenge, journal, memory, painting, pen & ink, urban sketchers, watercolor | Tagged #thursdaydoors, art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, Doe Library, Holbein, leather doors, Platinum Preppy, Platinum Preppy pen, Polar Brown Noodlers ink, QoR, Sennelier, Stillman & Birn, urban sketchers | 9 Comments

More Trains: Portland Union Station and more

Posted on May 22, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Part two of the response to a friend’s request to post for National Train Day! Part one here! (Go visit him here if you love trains and that will lead you to others who are posting, and the logo also … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, challenge, history, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, urban sketchers, watercolor | Tagged architecture, Daniel Smith watercolors, details, Fabriano Watercolor journal, industrial age, NW Portland, Pearl District, Platinum Carbon pen, Portland Union Station, Portland Urban Sketchers, Primatek, train station, trains, Urban Sketchcrawl, urban sketcher, Urban Sketchers Portland, USk | 20 Comments

USk: Art Gallery Door, Alphabet District

Posted on May 19, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

There is this amazing rusty metal door going into the art gallery on Raleigh. It is a wild thing, all twisted and colorful and rough and organic. I did my best; but gads, what a door. It pops out of … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, challenge, pen & ink, urban sketchers, watercolor | Tagged #thursdaydoors, Alphabet District Portland, Daniel Smith watercolors, Greenleaf & Blueberry Watercolors, NW Portland, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Platinum Carbon pen, Portland Urban Sketchers, Primatek, Raleigh, Strathmore journal, Urban Sketchcrawl, urban sketcher, Urban Sketchers Portland, USk | 7 Comments

VSW: Capetown South Africa Beachwalk, 1

Posted on May 15, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

I haven’t much time this week. Necessity is making my goal for this sketchwalk to capture the essence of the view, let go of details. What stands out about the view? the buildings? the beach? the sky? the mountain? Capture … Continue reading →