Category Archives: creativity

Tools: Watercolor Palettes, Updated

There is not much I buy that thrills me like a new paint color to play with!  To those who say “true artists” mix colors and have a simple palette of 3 cool primaries, 3 warm primaries, + white, I … Continue reading

Posted in art journal, color, creativity, drawing, journal, painting, process, sketchbook, watercolor, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Blocked; a Friend Saves the Day

I don’t remember feeling this hopeless, and yet here I am. I hesitate to call it depressed because depression feels like a vague feeling, as in when you are not quite sure why, and I KNOW WHY: I feel hopeless … Continue reading

Posted in art journal, creativity, direct watercolor, painting, pen & ink, process, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Two Wonderful Videos

I enjoyed them — they speak of another time, and in my opinion, a gentler, more exciting and friendlier time in our country. .  

Posted in architecture, art journal, creativity, direct watercolor, drawing, gouache, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, virtual sketching, waterbrush, watercolor, writing | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

VSW: Palms is Where I Wanna Be

On the last day of one of the worst years, 2024, I looked to a Virtual Sketchwalk palm-tree-and-beach image from Vietnam to lift my spirits, and said prayers, partly because I knew where our country was headed in 2025. I … Continue reading

Posted in art journal, creativity, drawing, journal, painting, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

USk: Dogwood Blossoms

The only thing good about my trip to the dentist were the Dogwoods in bloom. Pink and white blossoms everywhere, and this year the blossoms are heavy in the trees. They remind me of trips to visit Mimi and Pa … Continue reading

Posted in architecture, art journal, creativity, direct watercolor, drawing, gouache, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, virtual sketching, waterbrush, watercolor, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

I Prefer Painting Over Virtual Artwork

I read a mundane op-ed in the NYTimes this morning from a writer I rarely read — and I won’t mention it because he’s a dweeb and I don’t want to be sued.  But the upshot is that he believes … Continue reading

Posted in acrylic, art, art journal, creativity, direct watercolor, gouache, ink painting, oil paint, painting, pen & ink, ritual, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

When a Creative is Cut Off from Social Media

I was recently banned from Instagram (hereafter known as IG). I had posted comments on several political posts and I basically just copied my original post and pasted it instead of writing it over and over again.  IG didn’t like … Continue reading

Posted in art journal, commission, creativity, painting, pen & ink, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , | 13 Comments

How Do I Use My Journals? What Do I Write About?

Facebook recently alerted me to an anniversary of 10 years using watercolors in a sketchbook.  As a result a friend asked me how many sketchbooks have I gone through in ten years.  After counting, I found it is between 6-8 … Continue reading

Posted in art journal, commentary, creativity, gouache, journal, loss, meditation, painting, pen & ink, ritual, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

VSW: Fremantle AU Boys School

From our Virtual Sketchwalk group on Facebook, Fremantle Austrailia; images offered were mostly by Debi Taylor. We do a different place each month! Info from Wikipedia: The Fremantle Boys’ School is a heritage building on the Register of National Estate … Continue reading

Posted in art journal, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, watercolor, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

When a Creative is Cut Off from Social Media

This is a journal entry edited and expanded for you all to read; I edited it for readability. Instagram, and Facebook too, have been a game changer for me. I work full-time and run a business with Mitchell restoring/conserving various … Continue reading

Posted in art journal, commission, creativity, painting, pen & ink, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Beyond Depressed: Social Media

When I first was starting out as an artist I had a studio and time to explore what I wanted to do as an artist, mostly in acrylics, sometimes in oils.  I painted alone in a large barn converted as … Continue reading

Posted in art, art journal, commentary, creativity, journal, memory, painting, pen & ink, process | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Tools: New Watercolor, a Test Palette

I’ve been a little depressed lately, some for “good” reasons but some because I-don’t-know.  The world has gone mad, and I’ve been journaling about it to get to the truth of it.  I think talking about it helps others and … Continue reading

Posted in art journal, color, creativity, drawing, journal, painting, process, sketchbook, watercolor, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Crow in the Snow

We feed the birds on the loading dock deck (which we can look down on from our studio) and among the many birds who come to dine daily are the crows.  They are the pigs of the bird world, but … Continue reading

Posted in animals, art journal, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, memory, painting, pen & ink, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

VSW: Sunflowers South of France

Direct watercolor. No lines, just wet paint. It is really so hard for me not to use lines! It isn’t that I don’t like my linework images — I do. But I also like what happens when I manage not … Continue reading

Posted in art journal, creativity, direct watercolor, flowers, journal, landscape, painting, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

VSW: Christmas Tree Montpellier

From the Virtual Sketchwalk group on Facebook, We walked Montpellier, France, and in one of the malls was this Christmas Tree many stories high. So festive and lively, I tried it two different ways. I don’t know what the gold … Continue reading

Posted in art journal, color, creativity, drawing, flowers, journal, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

USk: Falling Snow

I gave it a shot, painting the snow falling under the light from the window in our studio. Everything was sooo dark, but the falling snow popped. To hear about classes, follow me on Instagram, Facebook or check out my … Continue reading

Posted in art journal, creativity, journal, landscape, memory, painting, sketchbook, urban sketchers, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

VSW: Rosebowl Parade

THIS SHOWS HOW LONG SINCE I’VE HAD TIME TO POST! Okay, too, after working (our biz) I’ve had a cold and was too tuckered out. During the Rose Bowl Parade this one float caught my eye. The bear did nothing … Continue reading

Posted in art journal, creativity, drawing, journal, memory, painting, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

VSW: French Country House

. Playing on our FaceBook group Virtual Sketchwalk, I loved this image — woudl want to live here in teh South of France! To hear about classes, follow me on Instagram, Facebook or check out my new, improved dkatiepowellart.com “Memory … Continue reading

Posted in art journal, creativity, drawing, flowers, journal, landscape, painting, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment