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Category Archives: creativity
VSW: Buffalo the Town, 1
I want to play with color in unexpected ways. And loosening up, always trying to loosen up. Moleskin A4 Watercolor Journal, Lamy Al-Star with De Atramentis Document Black ink, Platinum Carbon Pen with waterproof cartridges, Sennelier and Daniel Smith Watercolors. … Continue reading
Posted in architecture, art journal, color, creativity, drawing, pen & ink, sketchbook, virtual sketching, waterbrush
Tagged art journal, buffalo, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Lamy Al-Star, Moleskin Watercolor journal, New York State, Platinum Carbon pen, Sennelier, virtual sketchwalk, watercolor
2 Comments
Restore Oregon Endangered Places 2016
The series for Restore Oregon Endangered Places 2016, is now on one page. Restore Oregon is a cause I can support. Drawing old buildings is always fun for me, as I began life as an architect. Restoration is my passion, … Continue reading
Posted in architecture, commission, creativity, urban sketchers, virtual sketching, watercolor
Tagged architecture, commission, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Demuro Award, Lamy Al-Star, Lamy Joy, Oregon, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Pilot Parallel pen, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, QoR watercolors, Restore Oregon, Sennelier, virtual sketchwalk, watercolor
2 Comments
VSW: San Antonio Zoo’s Dragon
This is part of an older virtual sketchwalk (see below) and I kept meaning to get to it. I love this gorgeous dragon/ I saw it painted in Daniel Smith Serpentine Primatek! *how perfect is that name?* One of my … Continue reading
Posted in animals, architecture, art journal, creativity, drawing, painting, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, tools, virtual sketching, watercolor
Tagged #inktober, art journal, carousel, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, dragon, Fineline masking fluid, Holbein, Moleskin Watercolor journal, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Pilot Parallel pen, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, QoR watercolors, quinophthalone yellow, Riverwalk, San Antonio, Sennelier, serpentine primatek, virtual sketchwalk, zoo
6 Comments
Tools: Favorite Fountain Pens
NOTE: UPDATED 1/2018!With Inktober arriving in a week, pens are an appropriate tool to review! (BTW, yes I am doing the challenge — I love it — but I don’t use the prompts. I just draw every day in ink!) … Continue reading
Posted in art journal, creativity, pen & ink, tools
Tagged De Atramentis Document ink, Diamine Ancient Copper Ink, Fabriano Watercolor journal, Goulet nibs, Jinhao, Lamy Al-Star, Lamy Joy, Noodler's Ahab pen, Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen, Pilot Parallel pen, Platinum Carbon pen, Platinum Preppy pen, review, Super5 ink
28 Comments
Janzten Beach Carousel 1, Chinese Water Serpent
I am a lover of carousels; this set was a pleasure to paint! Jantzen Beach Carousel has so many gorgeous carousel horses! I wanted to set up a series whereby someone could buy the set or just one, and they … Continue reading
Posted in animals, architecture, creativity, drawing, memory, painting, pen & ink, pencil, virtual sketching, watercolor
Tagged amusement park, architecture, commission, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Fineline Masking, grisaille, grisaille underpainting, Holbein, horses, Jantzen Beach Carousel, Lamy Al-Star, M.Graham, Oregon, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Pilot Parallel pen, Platinum Carbon pen, Portland, Primatek, QoR watercolors, Sennelier, virtual sketchwalk, watercolor, White Uniball Signo pen
9 Comments
Working on Commission: How to Connect with a Subject
I am almost completed with my commitment to painting many of Oregon’s Most Endangered Places for Restore Oregon. They will auction the images at the Restoration Celebration dinner to raise monies to further the cause of restoration and saving pieces … Continue reading
Posted in architecture, art, art journal, creativity, history, memory, painting, process
Tagged commission, connection, inspiration, process, Restore Oregon
5 Comments
Creative Life
(Image by Dan Antion, with permission; his blog is No Facilities.) A dialogue with a friend yesterday about perfection in his painting (he is learning gouache) reminded me that perfection freezes us. Also, NO artist is objective about their work … Continue reading
Posted in art journal, creativity, landscape, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor
Tagged Daniel Smith watercolors, fog, grisaille, grisaille underpainting, Holbein, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, morning, No Facilities, Pentalic Aqua Journal, Platinum Carbon pen, Sennelier, Sunflowers
19 Comments
Sketchpack Project: Week 4
Shunyata… Buddha. Sacred tobacco roll and broken Buddha head (we set his head on our altar — he was a garden Buddha who disintegrated!) Jai Jai Ganapati (crazy or annoyed??? WILD EYED!) Mei Fa Buddha Style! Annoyed Cat Buddha! Just … Continue reading
Posted in art journal, Buddha, challenge, creativity, drawing, pen & ink, waterbrush
Tagged #Sketchpack, Artsauce, August Challenge, buddha, buddha face, Capetown, cat buddha, De Atramentis Document ink, De Atramentis Tobacco ink, Diamine Ink, fish, folded jurnal, Ganesha, Jinhao, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, Mei Fa Hairstix, Platinum Carbon pen, Sketchpack Project, tobacco, waterbrush, zen
4 Comments
Uppertown Net Loft, Astoria, Oregon
The barn red on the lovely blue Columbia River was my initial attraction. I did a few fast sketches, and this one I like so will donate…. An image of the building from the hilltops is here. Uppertown Net … Continue reading
Posted in architecture, art, creativity, drawing, history, landscape, painting, pen & ink, process, virtual sketching, watercolor
Tagged architecture, Astoria, Columbia River, commission, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, De Atramentis Tobacco ink, Fineline Masking, Holbein, M.Graham, Oregon, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, QoR watercolors, Sennelier, Uppertown Net Loft, virtual sketchwalk, watercolor, White Uniball Signo pen
20 Comments
I’ve got a Patreon Page!
I’m getting ready to begin teaching, and so, drumroll…. I launched my Patreon page! Yes, here I am asking for your support and money… I support two artists, one on Patreon. For the cost of a coffee out, I contribute … Continue reading
A post from Scrimbles: Must visit!
How to Get Better at Drawing Fast: “Do these funny drawings every day” “Keep drawing. The more you draw, the better you’ll get at drawing.” So a friend said to me when I explained that I feel like all my drawings … Continue reading
Posted in creativity
2 Comments
Wong Laundry Building, Portland, Oregon
Wong’s Chinese Laundry resided in the Wong Laundry Building on NW 3d St, an area currently under constant demolition for high rises, many of poor design quality. It was designed by Alexander Ewart in 1908, and has had many businesses in … Continue reading
Posted in architecture, art, creativity, history, landscape, painting, pen & ink, urban sketchers, virtual sketching, watercolor
Tagged architecture, Chinatown, commission, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Fineline Masking, grisaille, grisaille underpainting, Holbein, Japantown, Lamy Al-Star, M.Graham, NW Portland, Oregon, Pearl District Portland, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, QoR watercolors, Sennelier, virtual sketchwalk, watercolor, White Uniball Signo pen, Wong Laundry Building, Wong's Chinese Laundry
39 Comments
Working Toward a Goal
I’ve rarely worked toward a goal/deadline in my painting life. (I do it all the time in my working life, above.) That is, there is a desired result at the end for a “client,” here, as. I am creating a … Continue reading
Posted in architecture, art, creativity, drawing, history, landscape, painting, pen & ink, process, watercolor
Tagged architecture, commission, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, De Atramentis Tobacco ink, Holbein, M.Graham, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Pilot Parallel pen, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, QoR watercolors, Sennelier, Upper Sandy Guard Station Cabin, virtual sketchwalk, watercolor
20 Comments
Johnny Jump-ups
So cheery! So life affirming — Happy little faces that pop up year after year. Edible, they are lovely tossed onto the top of a summer salad; Surprise! So many variations in color, from pale white with a tinge of … Continue reading
Posted in art journal, challenge, creativity, memory, pencil, sketchbook, watercolor
Tagged #WorldWatercolorMonth, Daniel Smith watercolors, floral, flowers, Holbein, Johnnie jump-ups, johnny jump-ups, M.Graham, Pentalic Aqua Journal, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, QoR watercolors, Sennelier, violets, watercolor
24 Comments
2016 World Watercolor Month: Last Day
My last entry for World Watercolor Month! My entire month! Next year, I’ll do them both again! ©D. Katie Powell. My images/blog posts may be reposted; please link back to dkatiepowellart.
Posted in animals, architecture, art journal, Buddha, challenge, color, creativity, drawing, gods and goddesses, journal, landscape, memory, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, urban sketchers, virtual sketching, watercolor
Tagged #WorldWatercolorMonth, Alphabet District Portland, architecture, art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Diamine Ancient Copper Ink, Fineline masking fluid, Holbein, Lamy Al-Star, Lamy Joy, Moleskin Watercolor journal, Noodlers ink, NW Portland, Pentalic Aqua Journal, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Platinum Carbon pen, Platinum Preppy pen, Portland Urban Sketchers, Primatek, QoR watercolors, Sennelier, Strathmore journal, urban sketcher, Urban Sketchers Portland, USk, virtual sketchwalk, watercolor
9 Comments
Artist Influences and Copyleft
As I am ahead in this crazy World Watercolor challenge, I am spending two days posting about other issues. One is Copyleft or Creative Commons, or Un-copyright (which is discussed in depth on this page, including links to Gwenn Seemel’s … Continue reading
Posted in art, copyleft, creativity
Tagged artist influences, copyleft, Copyright, Gwenn Seemel, stealing, styles
8 Comments
California Lupines
Lupines are a wild California flower — hillsides in Southern California turn deep violet with hues of magenta-purple vetch running through them. Both remind me of my grandparents. My grandfather used to tell me not to feed the horses vetch. … Continue reading
Posted in art journal, creativity, journal, memory, pen & ink, sketchbook, watercolor
Tagged #WorldWatercolorMonth, California wildflower, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, floral, flower, Lamy Al-Star, lupine, Pentalic Aqua Journal, Platinum Carbon pen, purple, Sennelier, watercolor
7 Comments
D.Katie Powell Art 
Motherwell, Must Read
Two years ago, for the first time, I steeped myself in learning technique as a shortcut
with watercolor. My editor soon became in charge of my paintbrush.
When I first wanted to paint, over breakfast at the West Beach Cafe I asked
Billy Al Bengston whether I should go back to school for a MFA. He said, “Do you want to paint or teach?” and advised me to take the money I’d spend on college and take the
time off and buy cheap paint and canvas and go to it. I took his advice at 29.
Now at 60 it is time to unlearn and go back to my own screwy sense of whatever I want to play with and not think about being technically correct. It took me two years to undo what technical drawing did to me as a artist. Let’s hope this time I remember the path. Continue reading →