Category Archives: graphite

IFJM 9: Home, Palazzo Della Pilotta

9 April 2015 “Palazzo Della Pilotta [River side or Front]” 9:30am From my Journal: “Today we are going to see E’s home as it might have been in the 17th century.  The renderings this page are of her home . … Continue reading

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IFJM 4: Watercolors In Their Own Time

4 April 2015 5:15am “Yesterday I made a change in my thinking.  I am playing it safe and being lazy!  I am uncomfortable carrying all the tools I need but I need to  WATERCOLORS!  I need to push beyond the … Continue reading

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IFJM 3: Elephant, Isis, and Pizza

3 April 2015 We got up and were out the door, grabbing an espresso and assuming we’d find food beyond the fruit from yesterday:  “Santa Maria Sofra Minerva (above Minerva).  Built on top of the ruins of a temple to … Continue reading

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Ganesha

Ganesha is calling again.  Maybe it is spring, new beginning? If you want to know how far you can get by regularly practicing watercolor, take a look at my favorite small resin Ganesha in February 2014 and in July 2014! … Continue reading

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USk: Glisan’s Painted Ladies

I drive by these painted ladies several times a week, always thinking I should give them a go.  The complicated details and the colors were a challenge for me to do loosely and not too “architectural.”   I wanted them to … Continue reading

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USk: Montavilla Sewing Center and DEQ

Mitchell sews on machines; I do not.  I used to follow him around for a while at the sewing centers and drive him crazy behaving like a five-year-old, then go sit with the husbands waiting for their wives. Now I … Continue reading

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Garuda with Washes, Three

On this final (for now) Garuda, here is the story of Mitchell’s Garuda. Mitchell and I were buying statues from a Tibetan man in Nepal (long story, another time) and had never met him nor spoken with him. An anthropologist … Continue reading

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Garuda with Washes, Second

I am really happy with the Garuda above! I wanted him to come alive, and not be a statue on a dais as he is shown in my post from earlier this week. I began with a pencil sketch in … Continue reading

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Zen Cats and Watercolor Washes

After my frustration at Kiva Tearoom, I decided I needed to go back and just play with washes.  Middle of the night I read suggestions from several watercolor books on washes.  I sketched the Zazen Cats, fun images I come … Continue reading

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From My Earliest Art Journals on Design

I came across my old architectural journals the other day. Way way back in time I practiced architecture — in another life! Back in the old days we didn’t call it art journaling, it was just what many of us … Continue reading

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My “Business” Sketchbook: Selfie in the Senate Hallway

I tend to lay down to get ceiling shots. I also tend to take my shoes off anywhere I can. Mitchell caught me taking a picture of the chandelier on my back on the Senate Hallway floor. I have on … Continue reading

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Sketching Eames House of Cards

Charles Eames House of Cards, above, bought in NYC at the Whitney, I think, in 1973; I bought them on my first traveling assignment as a young architect, to management school at IBM in New York. I chose them as … Continue reading

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Line, Color, Shadow

Some of you know I am doing a year-long study of Weeping Buddha along with the lojong postings on my other blog.  Thanksgiving, the first was a simple line drawing of Weeping Buddha. Now all color, pale wood colors and … Continue reading

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Quick Studies

I haven’t done these kinds of formal studies since college, drawing shapes for buildings in the abstract.  BTW, USC taught me nothing about drawing. Ed “Big Daddy” Bowen from Laguna Beach High School drafting classes taught me everything I used … Continue reading

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The Secret of Drawing from the BBC: Videos

I am posting these as much for me as to share with you! Apparently this week I am becoming a vlog site!  I have not had time to review but they looked so interesting . . .   “This four part … Continue reading

Posted in animation, art, creativity, drawing, graphite, pencil | 6 Comments

Selfies, a Challenge

Argh, a week of selfies. What don’t I like about this challenge?  Realism. I found it harder to screw around with my own image, especially when I was supposed to draw myself like you are. Okay, I’ve bitched, now getting … Continue reading

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Full Moon Puja, Anniversay Prayers

Mitchel and I met, had our first date, and married within a week in May, with a few years between meeting and wedding.  We celebrate it as a weekly event. On the full moon this year Mitchell and I went … Continue reading

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Process: Sunday Palms!

Working on mastering this medium enough that I can move away from realism and make art that moves me. Today I finally just moved away — playing with palm trees and deep color and texture. I experimented with watercolor graphite, … Continue reading

Posted in color, creativity, graphite, journal, painting, sketchbook, watercolor | Tagged | 6 Comments