Category Archives: process

HBG: The Back Story

I am sure there are hundreds of amazing and honest foster parents in the world, but ours wasn’t one of them.  Because of her lies and antics, our guys cost us roughly a thousand dollars more than they “should” have … Continue reading

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Nostalgie Book 2017

I did more experimentation in this book than any other to date. I also went back to my 40-year-old habit of writing and sketching… Been doing that since boring architectural history classes. I am sorry but had to leave a … Continue reading

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Tools: Wrap-up on Hahnemuhle Nostalgie Sketchbook,

So another experiment. I’ve been softening my ink and liquid watercolors by diluting them with water, and decided to see what happened when I used them almost full strength. AAACK! Above, when the full-strength are softened with water…  After the … Continue reading

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Nostalgie: Laundry

Susan posted a lovely image of red laundry hanging on a line, and the image swirled around in my head, and got me thinking about how much an image can evoke. That single image brought back the smell of summer … Continue reading

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VSW: Doolin

When I was a child my mom kissed the palms of my hand each night at bedtime and told me this prayer.  It has a special place in my heart. Images are from Doolin, courtesy Joyce, who did a grand … Continue reading

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Ram Dass

Ram Dass has the cutest face. When I saw Julie’s picture of him I knew eventually I had to give it a go! Sketch was fast and loose, which is how Ram Dass likes it. If she leaves him alone … Continue reading

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Sammy Irritated

Sammy is not a happy cat, because I am in bed alone with him and he lives for his daddy.  Lives. For. Daddy. Having to catch that expression so very fast! Scowling face, and he wears it so well! I … Continue reading

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Single Parrot Tulip

Mitchell gave me some amazing parrot tulips this year — the colors were gorgeous even as they were drying and fading into burnished golds. I had no time to paint then, but did take pics and made sketches. Finished color … Continue reading

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VSW: Constance Lloyd

Constance Lloyd married Wilde man, and bore his children. That was not all she was — feminist, adventurer, leader. Well bred, well read, an author of children’s stories. Deceptively strong, though she died at forty from a complication of surgery, … Continue reading

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VSW: Dublin Black-and-White

It started with the Monkey King tile from Christ Church in Dublin… And then I had to draw the one next to it… And then I found more… And more. They marched along the bottom of the open pages. They … Continue reading

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Revisiting Palms

I repeatedly draw certain images.  I am not sure why, and I don’t look too closely at why.  Maybe I am superstitious about creativity and don’t want to question it too much. Maybe I just want to trust my Muse … Continue reading

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SoCS: Dentist

Because I  journal and do morning stream of consciousness exercises, I am again trying to participate in Linda Hill’s Stream of Consciousness Saturday.  I write to a timer, 15 minutes, no editing except spelling, and of course I add my … Continue reading

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Mitchell on the Louis XVI Sofa

I like doing full images more than a hundred… THAT’S what I learned from #oneweek100people. I did this from a picture of Mitchell laying on a fully re-tied spring set. I’m happy with the way it turned out, and wish … Continue reading

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My Lino101 Book

I usually make study books, and this one was made in a little block print book that Tracey gave me — purr-fect for a block print memory of my first dive into the medium! This little book is a wrap-up … Continue reading

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Lino 101: First Day Out

I am taking Tracey Fletcher King’s Lino Printing 101. Today was my first day to play — I watched the videos through my fuzzy-headed cold/flu thang, and finally gave the carving a go in bed over a tray! Mitchell puts up … Continue reading

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VSW: Max’s Car, 2

NOW I’m getting somewhere!  From Max Vanderwyst’s car images! Again I used grisaille to shadow, the Super5 Frankfurt ink in a water-brush. I should go back and add a bit of shadow to the columns… Very fast watercolor, middle of … Continue reading

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VSW: Max’s Car, 1

Max Vanderwyst offered his lovely car images and I still went first for the building image. What can I say? Old habits die hard.  But I’d like to do some cars, so…. It was a lovely building to draw, and … Continue reading

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Baaaad Drawing of Pat

Maybe I should stay away from portraits altogether. For one thing, they HAVE to look like the person or they are just crap! So personal!  However, I post them all, good bad or the worst. I reworked this bad sketch … Continue reading

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