Category Archives: painting

Restore Oregon Celebration Dinner, Process

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, drawing, painting, pen & ink, process, series, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Sketching Memories of Our Staycation, 10 Jai is Sick

My beloved Jai has been ill.  Terrible diarrhea and finally diagnosed with IBS — irritable bowel syndrome. This is a TERRIBLE ordeal for the little guy — Montezuma’s revenge 8-12 times a day, always hungry (it masks as hunger), losing … Continue reading

Posted in animals, art journal, drawing, journal, memory, painting, pen & ink, pencil, series, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Sketching Memories of Our Staycation, 6 Crows

A lot of my journal about our time off are simple pages that form a background for my journaling; many are private, but some are like this, simple sweet memories of us watching the crows fly home at night. Inked … Continue reading

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Tools: Painting with Ink, Disasters

I’ve been experimenting painting with inks, waterproof inks as underlayers with watercolors (below left) and all sorts of inks on entire pieces of art with no watercolors below right). In these cases I was playing it pretty safe, and using … Continue reading

Posted in dunno, painting, pen & ink, process, tools | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

VSW: Angra do Heroísmo, 4

Our Virtual Sketching group was led this month by Toni, who took us to the island of Angra do Heroísmo. I went back to push the boundaries of using inks and watercolors, wanting to sketch impressions of Angra do Heroísmo. … Continue reading

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VSW: Angra do Heroísmo, 3

Our Virtual Sketching group was led this month by Toni, who took us to the island of Angra do Heroísmo. This new way of creating layouts works better on this page, with the tree dividing and blending the three images. … Continue reading

Posted in architecture, art journal, challenge, gods and goddesses, landscape, painting, pen & ink, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

VSW: Angra do Heroísmo, 2

Our Virtual Sketching group was led this month by Toni, who took us to the island of Angra do Heroísmo. I tried a new layout this time, trying an overlapping, more relaxed look. Not that I don’t love a grid.  … Continue reading

Posted in architecture, art journal, challenge, drawing, landscape, painting, pen & ink, pencil, process, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Sketching Memories of Our Staycation, 5 Yellow Truck

Is there anything cooler than an old truck? It brings back memories of my baby brother’s blue truck, of my grandparents ranch and their Grange friends, of riding in the back of my middle brother’s truck with my arms around … Continue reading

Posted in art journal, drawing, journal, memory, painting, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, virtual sketching | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Sketching Memories of Our Staycation, 4 Studio is Best

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

My Secret Journal: Seven, Graffiti

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. Graffiti which used to be on a building in … Continue reading

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Sketching Memories of Our Staycation, 2 Work Happens

Small business owners rarely get to really take time off.  You can’t ignore a new client (or they may go elsewhere) and you can’t ignore the absolutely only time for a delivery, in our case.  Crater Lake is one of … Continue reading

Posted in art journal, color, drawing, furniture, journal, landscape, making a living, memory, painting, pen & ink, pencil, process, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Sketching Memories of Our Staycation, 1

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

My Secret Journal: Six, Goat-Milk Ice Cream

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. Home-made organic goat milk ice cream became a possibility … Continue reading

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VSW: Haight-Ashbury, San Francisco

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

Posted in architecture, art journal, challenge, commentary, drawing, painting, pen & ink, pencil, process, sketchcrawl, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 25 Comments

Tools: Water-Brushes and Pigmented Brushes

I don’t use water brushes except in two places — I keep them by the side of the bed (I am an insomniac, so also have a sketch pad and travel watercolors) and when in the field. Don’t forget, these … Continue reading

Posted in art journal, Booby Gurl, india ink, paint brush, painting, review, sketchbook, waterbrush, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

My Secret Journal: Four, Shellac Tip-ins

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. Because of the business we are in we end … Continue reading

Posted in art journal, furniture, india ink, journal, memory, painting, pen & ink, shellac, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Finally, a Travel Box

I have a couple of small travel boxes made from old tins, but none of them have adequate mixing areas.  I have been looking for a good travel box, and unfortunately, been unhappy with this or that — and this … Continue reading

Posted in color, painting, urban sketchers, waterbrush, watercolor | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Sketchpack Project: Week Four

ABOUT SKETCHPACK: The project began in 2011. The original idea was to get folks to draw daily. The Sketchpack is a small zigzag journal with two usable sides, allowing one to sketch on both sides of 15 ‘pages’ to complete … Continue reading

Posted in art journal, challenge, drawing, making a living, painting, pen & ink, series, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments