Category Archives: painting

Commission: Dan

Posted on August 29, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

I was commissioned to create a portrait for a local man, Dan, who has been a great friend to many, going beyond the call of duty, and has a sweet soul. His friend (and mine) wanted it as a retirement … Continue reading →

Posted in animals, making a living, painting, process, watercolor | Tagged commission, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Holbein, Noodlers ink, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Portland Oregon, portrait, QoR watercolors, sheep, Super5 ink, watercolor | 12 Comments

Sketchpack Project: Week Three

Posted on August 21, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

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, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, tools, watercolor | Tagged Daniel Smith watercolors, MPF Conservation, pincushion, Platinum Carbon pen, Sketchpack Project | 3 Comments

Gratitude Journal: My New Chop

Posted on August 20, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

Last week was tough, for reasons I’ll not discuss. . . . Leave it behind! I give thanks for the little and not so little things. Mitchell. A not so little thing! And the sunflowers Mitchell brought me, so gorgeous … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, color, drawing, gods and goddesses, journal, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, watercolor | Tagged art journal, Chop, Daniel Smith watercolors, gratitude, Kannon, Kwan Yin, Moleskin Watercolor journal, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Quan Yin, Sunflowers, Super5 ink, watercolor | 9 Comments

Gratitude Journal: Mei Fa Hairstyx

Posted on August 15, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

Mei Fa Hairstyx have been with me for my entire adult life. If an article of clothing (which these are, as they adorn the hair) can be imbued with one’s personality, they are a huge part of who I have … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, Buddha, journal, memory, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, watercolor | Tagged architect, art journal, buddha, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, growing older, hair sticks, long hair, Mei Fa Hairstix, Moleskin Watercolor journal, Noodlers ink, romantic, sexy, Super5 ink | 18 Comments

Sketchpack Project: Week Two

Posted on August 13, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

Posted in art journal, challenge, making a living, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, watercolor | Tagged art journal, August Challenge, Capetown, chalk chuck, challenge, cotton, De Atramentis Document ink, folded jurnal, furniture, guitar, leather punch, linen, making a living, MPF Conservation, Noodlers ink, painting, Passementerie, pen & ink, Platinum Carbon pen, regulating needle, sanding sticks, sewing gauge, silk, sinew, sketchbook, Sketchpack Project, Super5 ink, thread, upholstery tacks | 6 Comments

USk: Slabtown New Seasons Opening!

Posted on August 12, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

We are so happy to have New Seasons blocks from our studio! No more driving all around for groceries! YAY! We went opening day before we opened the studio. Mostly they were setting up and greeting their new customers, and … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, drawing, graphite, journal, painting, pen & ink, pencil, sketchbook, urban sketchers, watercolor | Tagged Alphabet District Portland, art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, Holbein, New Seasons, Noodlers ink, NW Industrial Sanctuary Portland, NW Portland, organic, Portland, Primatek, QoR watercolors, Slabtown, Strathmore journal, urban sketcher, urban sketchers, Urban Sketchers Portland, USk, watercolor | 2 Comments

Sketchpack Project: Week One

Posted on August 5, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

Posted in art journal, challenge, furniture, making a living, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, watercolor | Tagged Artsauce, August Challenge, aum, beeswax, Berry's, bostitch, Capetown, folded jurnal, Grex, Houles gimp trim, Houles Tassel, MPF Conservation, om, Passementerie, Platinum Carbon pen, Sketchpack Project, staple remover, Staplegun, upholstery tacks | 10 Comments

USk: St. Patrick’s Church in the Alphabet District of Portland

Posted on August 2, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

I love Saint Patrick’s Church in NW Portland. I drive by it all the time as it sits across from our bank. The Beaux-Arts church looks like it belongs in Italy, set into cobbled streets surrounded by a park and … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, drawing, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, urban sketchers, watercolor | Tagged Alphabet District Portland, art journal, Catholic church, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, NW Industrial Sanctuary Portland, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Platinum Carbon pen, QoR watercolors, St. Patrick's Church, Strathmore journal, Super5 ink, urban sketcher, urban sketchers, Urban Sketchers Portland, USk, watercolor | 6 Comments

USk: Meriwether’s Restaurant NW Portland

Posted on July 26, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

Meriwether’s Restaurant looks like a nice house on a commercial street, but for the riot of bright yellow echinacea that bloom every summer in front of lavender and blue hydrangea. Walking between the building and the flowers you might forget … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, drawing, journal, memory, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, urban sketchers, watercolor | Tagged Alphabet District Portland, Daniel Smith watercolors, Meriwether's Restaurant, NW Industrial Sanctuary Portland, NW Portland, Portland Oregon, Strathmore journal, Super5 ink, urban sketchers, USk, watercolor | Leave a comment

Palace Cakes

Posted on July 20, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

Good coffee. Not Espresso but good coffee. Cake and coffee can do a lot to change your world! A bad day saved by Palace Cakes in Portland! Drawn in an Strathmore Mixed Media journal with Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Platinum … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, drawing, journal, memory, painting, sketchbook, urban sketchers, watercolor | Tagged art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, NW Portland, Palace Cakes, Platinum Carbon pen, Portland Oregon, Strathmore journal, Urban Sketchers Portland, USk | 2 Comments

Gratitude Journal: Music, Ice Cream, Pema Chodron & K.D. Lang

Posted on July 19, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

I missed Ani Pema Chodron’s talk with K.D.Lang due to the medical debacle. I kept praying that they would allow us to go back and see it. YAY! Sound’s True reposted it! I sketched while listening to it. I was … Continue reading →

Posted in art, art journal, drawing, journal, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, watercolor | Tagged art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, K.D.Lang, Moleskin Watercolor journal, Pema Chodron, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Platinum Carbon pen, Portland Oregon, Primatek, Super5 ink, watercolor | 2 Comments

USk: Pyramid Juices + Schoolhouse Electric

Posted on July 15, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

Schoolhouse Electric is on Nicolai St. It’s been revitalized with a barista and a great home furnishing and lighting store. It was a hot day to sketch. Pyramid Juices was once made in Ashland Oregon before it was bought out … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, drawing, journal, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, urban sketchers, watercolor | Tagged Alphabet District Portland, art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, industrial, Nicolaides, NW Industrial Sanctuary Portland, NW Portland, Platinum Carbon pen, Pyramid Juices, QoR watercolors, Schoolhouse Electric, Strathmore journal, urban sketchers, Urban Sketchers Portland, USk, watercolor | 2 Comments

Gratitude Journal: Summer Bounty

Posted on July 14, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

Summer suddenly appeared after my medical hibernation! Being on drugs for months is like hibernating . . . the world goes on and you are unaware! When I “woke” it was summer and Portland was in that lovely state of … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, drawing, journal, painting, pen & ink, watercolor | Tagged art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, gratitude, ice cream, Moleskin Watercolor journal, Platinum Carbon pen, Portland Oregon, Primatek, Saturday Market, Three Twins, watercolor | 15 Comments

USk: MPF Conservation’s NW Neighborhood

Posted on July 13, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

I haven’t sketched outdoors much lately. I wondered what I might make of our buildings. Our studio is in an industrial area in NW Portland. This is the approach from the freeway. We share space in the building with Portland … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, drawing, journal, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, urban sketchers, watercolor | Tagged Alphabet District Portland, art journal, Calbag, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Grimm, MPF Conservation, Nicolai St, NW Industrial Sanctuary Portland, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Platinum Carbon pen, Platinum Preppy pen, Portland Opera, Portland Oregon, Primatek, QoR watercolors, Rejuvenation, Strathmore journal, urban sketchers, Urban Sketchers Portland, USk, watercolor | 4 Comments

Gratitude Journal: One

Posted on July 12, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

Now that I have published the Healing Journal I can move on to happier things, or at least a different reality than the awfulness of the first quarter of this year! Mitchell brought me beautiful sunflowers, my favorite. The card … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, drawing, journal, memory, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, watercolor | Tagged art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Healing, Holbein, Moleskin Watercolor journal, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, QoR watercolors, Sunflowers, Super5 ink, watercolor | 2 Comments

Challenges Saved My Sanity

Posted on June 29, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

During this medical debacle, challenges saved my sanity. When you just can’t think of anything to draw and you are stuck looking at the same things day in and out, challenges can prompt giving you a drawing to do without … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, calligraphy, challenge, drawing, memory, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, watercolor | Tagged Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Holbein, Noodlers ink, palm, Pentalic Field Book, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, QoR watercolors, Sennelier, Super5 ink, watercolor | 14 Comments

June Challenge, First Week

Posted on June 5, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

I’m participating in another keeping-me-sane while recouping challenge! This months prompts are really good, and I am working small and fast. Selfie started it, and this is one from an image we use in the business. Shell game was next. … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, challenge, drawing, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, watercolor | Tagged art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Holbein, Noodlers ink, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, watercolor | 12 Comments

May Sketches: Heading Into Surgery

Posted on May 12, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

Tough week, as I head into my LAST surgery for kidney stones. At a client meeting in Washington, I painted a bit with my feet up. The moon looked full out our window early morning. We have names for our … Continue reading →