Category Archives: creativity

Creative Blocks

Posted on February 22, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

This is a journal entry I like — it caught the look and feel of my grandparent’s ranch. There have been lots of questions swirling about that all point back to one: How to be creative — keep an art … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, creativity, process | Tagged block, creativity, critic | 18 Comments

A Walk in the Haight

Posted on February 19, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

I agree to Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 4.0 International License, which you can learn more about by visiting the site, or, visit my web page for a more user-friendly summary on my terms. My images/blog posts may be reposted; please link back to dkatiepowellart.

Posted in architecture, art journal, creativity, pen & ink, pencil, process | Tagged art journal, California, Haight-Ashbury, Moleskin Watercolor journal, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Platinum Carbon pen, virtual sketchwalk, watercolor | 4 Comments

Loving his work: Pavel Filgas

Posted on February 4, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Loving his work: Pavel Filgas Drawing with pen, water and coffee! Who says you have to have fancy anything to make art?

Posted in creativity | Tagged coffee | 2 Comments

Full Moon Prayers

Posted on January 26, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

This last SuperMoon I set the day aside to look at intentions and directions. Too many opportunities are not always good, and can dilute the path. Making choices are important, even if you change your mind. The boat can’t be … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, Booby Gurl, creativity, gods and goddesses, journal, lunar cycle, meditation, painting, pen & ink, pencil, watercolor, writing | Tagged Aquabee Super Deluxe, art journal, Booby Gurl, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, full moon, Holbein, intuition, meditation, Noodlers ink, palm, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Pentalic Nature Sketch Journal, Platinum Carbon pen, Platinum Preppy pen, Primatek, Super5 ink, Tathagatagarbha, watercolor | 12 Comments

VSW: Alberobello, Italy, 2, Blocking the Trulli Homes

Posted on January 10, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Presenting how I SEE a scene, from both the perspective and detail aspects, might be interesting. I drew on the google image for you, not that I do this, but to show you where my eyes go — studying before … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art, art journal, challenge, creativity, drawing, painting, pen & ink, pencil, process, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged Alberobello, architecture, art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Greenleaf & Blueberry Watercolors, grisaille, Holbein, Italy, Moleskin Watercolor journal, Noodlers ink, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Platinum Carbon pen, Super5 ink, Trulli, virtual sketchwalk, watercolor | 2 Comments

My Secret Journal: Ten, Sammy on a Sofa

Posted on January 1, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Note: I am writing a story/journal that I don’t want to show before it is published in full. These are some of the illustrated pages in the sketchbook for the story. Sammy lounging as he is allowed to do occasionally … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, challenge, creativity, drawing, making a living, memory, painting, pen & ink, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged cats, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Greenleaf & Blueberry Watercolors, Hero pen, Holbein, Moleskin Watercolor journal, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Platinum Carbon pen, Sammy, upholstery, White Uniball Signo | 4 Comments

Reflecting on an Anniversary: Watercolor Sketching

Posted on December 28, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

Two years ago I started moving away from large acrylics on canvas (above left) or small acrylics on my hand-made paper (above right). I wanted to paint again, in a smaller space, and so, thought to try watercolors and shellac … Continue reading →

Posted in art, art journal, Booby Gurl, Buddha, creativity, gods and goddesses, journal, memory, painting, pen & ink, pencil, process, sketchbook, urban sketchers, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged anniversary | 11 Comments

Restoration Oregon Celebration Dinner, Photographs to Layout

Posted on November 29, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

Mitchell and I attended the Restoration Celebration to raise money for the the 2016 Most Endangered Places, and to hear the winners of the 2015 Demuro Awards, as the guest of one of our clients, Karla Pearlstein of Restoring History. … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, creativity, drawing, journal, memory, pen & ink, pencil, process, sketchbook, virtual sketching | Tagged art journal, Arthur Demuro, buildings, Demuro Award, MPF Conservation, musician, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Platinum Carbon pen, Portland Oregon, preservation, Restore Oregon, watercolor | 2 Comments

Sketching Memories of Our Staycation, 4 Studio is Best

Posted on November 5, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

The best coffee is made in our presspot, by Mitchell. Organic French or Italian roast, he grinds it Turkish, so fine it is like espresso. Thin sliced organic ginger (way more than you’d think) and dark brown organic sugar added … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, creativity, journal, memory, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged art journal, Cat, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Delta journal, Fiesta Ware, Holbein, MPF Conservation, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Pilot Parallel pen, Platinum Carbon pen, Platinum Japanese Art Pocket Brush Pen, QoR watercolors, staycation, Stillman & Birn, Super5 ink, watercolor | 6 Comments

Sketching Memories of Our Staycation, 1

Posted on October 24, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

I love sketching in journals because I love making our memories come to life. Mitchell and I are staying in Portland for our vacation; I am told the hip thing to call it is a “staycation.” Mostly we are working … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, cards, creativity, journal, making a living, memory, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, urban sketchers, watercolor, writing | Tagged #inktober, art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Delta journal, Lamy Safari pen, MPF Conservation, Noodlers ink, NW Portland, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Platinum Carbon pen, Portland planning issues, staycation, Stillman & Birn, Super5 ink, Urban Sketchers Portland, USk, watercolor | 15 Comments

VSW: #2 Haight-Ashbury, San Francisco

Posted on October 5, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

The inspiration for this virtual walk came from a Preservation Leadership blog on Early San Fransisco Parking Garages. I love funky old buildings, and these are anonymously designed (in some cases) and I don’t want them torn down! As usual, … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, challenge, creativity, drawing, pen & ink, sketchbook, sketchcrawl, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged California, Haight-Ashbury, parking garages, San Francisco, virtual sketching, virtual sketchwalk | 4 Comments

My Secret Journal: Three

Posted on September 24, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

Note: I am writing a story/journal that I don’t want to show before it is published in full. These are some of the illustrated pages in the sketchbook for the story. Preparing pages to tell a hand-written story is a … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, creativity, journal, memory, pen & ink, watercolor, writing | Tagged art journal, clock, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Moleskin Watercolor journal, Noodlers ink, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Platinum Carbon pen, Sunflowers, Super5 ink, watercolor | 2 Comments

VSW: #1 A Short Walk in Laguna Beach, California

Posted on August 16, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

My home town seemed a good place to start our walks. This will be a very short walk up about three blocks on the Pacific Coast Highway, starting at the historic Main Beach Lifeguard Tower, shown in black on the … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, class, creativity, drawing, pen & ink, process, series, virtual sketching | Tagged beach, California, Laguna Beach, virtual sketch, virtual sketchwalk | 83 Comments

VSW (Short for Virtual Sketch Walk): Amsterdam

Posted on August 4, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

A virtual sketch walk is one in which you never leave your chair. The opposite of urban sketchers, which is all about sketching your environment from real life, as a virtual sketcher you are sketching from your own, another person’s … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, creativity, drawing, graphite, pen & ink, pencil, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged Amsterdam, architecture, Oude kerk, virtual sketchwalk, Zeedijk | 107 Comments

Gratitude Journal: Discovering New Tools and My Old Nature

Posted on August 1, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

My fascination with pen and ink goes way beyond addiction to art supplies. Not that I can’t be pulled in that direction. I have used mostly acrylics for my 30 years painting as an adult. I loved them, and love … Continue reading →

Posted in calligraphy, creativity, drawing, journal, pen & ink, review, sketchbook, tools | Tagged Faber-Castel; Pitt pens, Lamy Safari pen, Metropolitan pen, Noodlers ink, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Pilot Parallel pen, Platinum Carbon pen, Platinum Felttip pen, Platinum Preppy pen, Uniball Vision Elite, Uniball Vision Signo, white pens | 15 Comments

Gratitude Journal: Ink!

Posted on July 25, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

By chance I am keeping a gratitude journal — and the last two entries are about objects I LOVE — and this weekend the Cherished Blogfest 2015 is happening! So will share with that in mind. I cherish color! I … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, color, creativity, pen & ink, sketchbook | Tagged #cherishedblogfest, Cherished Blogfest, De Atramentis Document ink, Noodlers ink, Super5 ink | 12 Comments

The Healing Journal

Posted on July 9, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

Note: The Healing Journal in its entirety has been mostly removed with just a few images left. This journal started out as a journal to record positive uplifting thoughts to speed my healing on what was to be a five … Continue reading →

Posted in art, art journal, creativity, drawing, journal, lojong, meditation, memory, watercolor | Tagged art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, diagnostics, Kidney Stones, medical problems, Noodlers ink, pain, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Platinum Carbon pen, prescription drugs, Primatek, QoR watercolors, Super5 ink, urologists, watercolor | 25 Comments

Publishing the Darker Artwork

Posted on June 22, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

This post is a dialogue with other artists, and two other bloggers. Many people do not think of art as a dialogue and commentary. I hope they will not mind me co-opting a few lines from their blogs; I encourage … Continue reading →