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Category Archives: pencil
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
Posted in art, art journal, Buddha, color, creativity, gods and goddesses, graphite, journal, painting, pen & ink, pencil, process, sketchbook, watercolor
Tagged Aquabee Super Deluxe Journal, Beta Journal, buddha, buddhist, Cat, Daniel Smith watercolors, meditating cat, Pentalic 2B woodless pencil, Pentel Brush Pen, Platinum Carbon pen, QoR watercolors, Stillman & Birn, sun, watercolor, zazen, zen, zen cat
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USk: Palm Motor Hotel
Whenever I drive by the Palm Motor Hotel I get a little surge of home energy. It looks like motels I remember staying in when visiting Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. I’ve always loved these Mid-Century Modern signs. Today I … Continue reading
Posted in architecture, art, art journal, drawing, journal, painting, pencil, sketchbook, urban sketchers, watercolor
Tagged art journal, caput mortem, MCM, Mid-Century Modern, motor hotels, Noodlers ink, palm, Palm Motor Hotel, palm sign, Portland Oregon, Strathmore journal, urban sketchers, Urban Sketchers Portland, watercolor
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My “Business” Sketchbook: Chippendale Conservation
Above, Mitchell thinking about the various things he has to do to this family heirloom in order to resurrect it from the broken state. The Chippendale sofa’s arm was broken and sagging, leg broken, parts of the frame broken, and … Continue reading
Posted in art journal, furniture, journal, making a living, painting, pen & ink, pencil, sketchbook, urban sketchers, watercolor
Tagged art journal, Chippendale, Daniel Smith watercolors, Delta journal, MPF Conservation, Noodlers ink, Platinum Preppy pen, Polar Brown Noodlers ink, Portland Oregon, sofa, Stillman & Birn, Urban Sketchers Portland, watercolor
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USk: Smith Tower, Vancouver, Washington
I had lunch with my niece yesterday and went an hour early to find an interesting building or scene to sketch. As I was driving into the city of Vancouver I remembered the “beer can” building, looking glum and peachy … Continue reading
Posted in architecture, art journal, history, painting, pen & ink, pencil, sketchbook, timed painting, urban sketchers, watercolor
Tagged art journal, Caran D'Ache, Daniel Smith watercolors, Platinum Preppy pen, Polar Brown Noodlers ink, Portland Oregon, Portland Urban Sketchers, Primatek, Smith Tower, urban sketchers, Urban Sketchers Portland, USk, Vancouver Washington, watercolor
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Art Journaling: Miscellaneous Picks
Random sketches from my journal, continuing to play with the watercolors is the point. My confidence is growing; I am dropping into my best drawing habits from my teens and twenties. While sketching my favorite coffee cup, I realized why … Continue reading
Posted in art, art journal, challenge, drawing, journal, painting, pen & ink, pencil, sketchbook, urban sketchers, watercolor
Tagged Caydanlik, coffee, cup, Daniel Smith watercolors, La Gabbianella, La Poet Laval, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, palm, Portland Oregon, QoR watercolors, St. John's Wort, Stillman & Birn, tangerine, urban sketchers, Urban Sketchers Portland, USk, watercolor
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Monastery of the Precious Blood Portland Oregon
Drawn on site in Mount Tabor, this is such a pretty building. Reminds me of Southern California, home home home . . . Had almost no time! Drawn in an Stillman & Birn Alpha journal on site with Caran D’ache … Continue reading
Posted in architecture, drawing, painting, pen & ink, pencil, sketchbook, timed painting, urban sketchers, watercolor
Tagged architect, art journal, Catholic, Daniel Smith watercolors, guidelines, Polar Brown Noodlers ink, QoR watercolors, Spanish Revival, Stillman & Birn, Urban Sketchers Portland, watercolor
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Architects Have Techniques in Common
I’m taking an online course right now from another architect turned artist. This artist is quite protective about her coursework staying within students, so I hesitate to discuss her by name. As our drawing styles are similar, I am taking … Continue reading
My “Business” Sketchbook: The Lion Torchéres
At the end of our last day working in the Senate Offices of the Legislative Building on the Washington State Capitol Campus, we crossed the grass in the pouring rain to the Justice Building. As you walk into the building … Continue reading
Posted in architecture, art, color, drawing, journal, painting, pen & ink, pencil, process, sketchbook, urban sketchers, watercolor
Tagged art journal, Caran D'Ache, Delta journal, lamps, Lamy Safari pen, lions, Platinum Preppy, Polar Brown Noodlers ink, QoR watercolors, Stillman & Birn, torchére, urban sketchers, USk, Washington State Capitol Justice Building
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Watercolor Pencils, Ho-Hum
I was challenged to use a tool I have but am not fond of for a week, and to figure out why I never reach for it; mine was watercolor pencils. I have a mess of them that I bought … Continue reading
Posted in art journal, color, drawing, painting, pencil, sketchbook, waterbrush, watercolor
Tagged Caran D'Ache, journal, Neocolor II, sketching, watercolor pencils
6 Comments
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
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God/dess Series: The “Thinker” and “Sitting Woman” of Hamangia
Most of my research for these two figures originally came through Marija Gimbutas (link to wiki.) I was introduced to her through the University of California, Los Angeles. She wrote two wonderful books I’ve used as references when painting my goddesses and gods, … Continue reading
Posted in acrylic, art, painting, pencil, series
Tagged god, GOD/DESS SERIES, goddess, Hamangia, moon, My Family series, romania, sun
10 Comments
Process: Painting With Artist’s Prompts
Today I played with artists from Community Thrive, painting their way. I didn’t like all that I did, but will show you the “failures” too. The thing about classes is two-fold, assuming you are pretty good at making art: I … Continue reading
Posted in acrylic, art, challenge, class, color, creativity, painting, pencil, process, watercolor
Tagged birds, faces, horses
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T is for Texture: A-to-Z Challenge
Where would we be without texture? Click on the details and look at the texture, not the color. I am now agreeing to the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 4.0 International License, which you can learn more about by visiting the … Continue reading
E is for Environmentally Friendly: A-to-Z Challenge
I’m talking toxicity versus environmentally friendly and how to read labels. Above are three labels: Golden’s “AP Nontoxic”, Gamblin’s information label stated clearly, and an older tube of Cotman Cadmiun Red that shows a Health Label requiring no labeling (again, … Continue reading
D.Katie Powell Art 