Category Archives: sketchbook

He was MAD

Posted on January 5, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

I told you I was journaling more personally, because I am an avid writer who works through things on paper. How does one get to inner peace?  H0-boy. A family member (NOT Mitchell) was mad and has yet to work … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, creativity, ink painting, journal, loss, memory, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, watercolor, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Mitchell’s Broken Deb Babcock Cup

Posted on January 3, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

Over the years, Mitchell and I have gifted ourselves with a few pieces of Deb Babcock’s lovely funny colorful pottery. Each has a custom water cup we use at our desk, with symbols we chose. Mitchell’s was retired to live … Continue reading →

Posted in animals, art journal, journal, loss, memory, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Tools: Nostalgie Sketchbook by Hahnemühle

Posted on January 1, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

Happy New Year! And here is to the Hahnemühle company, whose journals may be my new go-to journal! There are several journals made by Hahnemühle, and I have four to try. Full disclosure is they asked me to test them … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, creativity, ink painting, journal, pen & ink, process, review, sketchbook, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Endings and Beginnings

Posted on December 29, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

I started my new Nostalgie Sketch book. It is named Endings and Beginnings. I don’t usually name my sketchbooks but this one cried out to me. I started it during the dark of the moon. We just were making the … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, Buddha, creativity, ink painting, journal, meditation, memory, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Shiatsu Quilt Backtalk Kitty

Posted on December 27, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

RIP… Okay, you will need a bit more.  We had to put her down December 23d because she didn’t respond to any of the meds for overactive thyroid. Her little heart was [pumping to hard, she was becoming more anxious, … Continue reading →

Posted in animals, art journal, creativity, ink painting, journal, memory, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Merry Christmas!

Posted on December 25, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Our tree is eclectic, having a history of Jewish Buddhist Catholic Vedic ornaments, and a serious Santa Claus ornament collection. This year we are opting for restive… Family out of town, we are frankly exhausted, and so, ordered in, a … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, color, creativity, ink painting, journal, pen & ink, process, sketchbook | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Using up my Falling-apart Pentallic

Posted on December 23, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Pentalic replaced this falling apart journal, and I am trying to get through it because it continues to break open at new places.  I want the new year to be free of breaking journals! Middle of the night QUICK sketches… … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, drawing, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Random thoughts about architectural school

Posted on December 20, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Musings today. And continuing to finish off this breaking apart Pentalic! Being a student in a great architectural school prior to the advent of CAD, and exposed to some amazing and innovative thinkers was a huge gift. Los Angeles was … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, creativity, drawing, journal, pen & ink, process, sketchbook | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

VSW: Squirrel stole Dan’s Breakfast!

Posted on December 16, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Brave, definitely squirrelly behavior stealing and running madly for his life! Dan Antion caught him in action!  Inked the sketch, masked areas, laid down grisaille, added various other inks, and then watercolors. ☾ Pentalic Aqua Journal, with a Pentalic 2B … Continue reading →

Posted in animals, art journal, ink painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, virtual sketching | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Pentalic: Grisaille Peek-a-boo Sheep

Posted on December 12, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Dan Antion provided a compelling image for middle of the night insomnia painting. I love his peeking-at-you sheep.  Next to the bed, I had two mark-making items and frankly it was pretty cold, and I didn’t want to get out … Continue reading →

Posted in animals, art journal, color, ink painting, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, virtual sketching, waterbrush | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

VSW: Alamo, a Fast Study

Posted on December 9, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

In an effort to begin to discuss how I look at buildings in order to begin to draw them, I took an image of the Alamo and dissected it.  Most of this I do by simply looking, but what helps … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, class, drawing, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, timed painting, urban sketchers, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

VSW: Cheryl’s Turtles

Posted on December 8, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Okay, not Cheryl‘s pet turtles but she fed them and they recognized a kindred spirit! Inked (with a healthy splat) then painted with grisaille, followed by watercolors. ☾ Pentalic Aqua Journal, with a Pentalic 2B woodless pencil, Fineline Masking Fluid, … Continue reading →

Posted in animals, art journal, ink painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, virtual sketching | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Karla’s Chair after Treatment

Posted on December 6, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Shared the before picture of Sammy on Karla’s chair yesterday… We (MPF Conservation) took the lovely old chair apart, repaired the frame joints, rebuilt the innards using the original parts, and reupholstered it in the loveliest fabric. Sammy was not … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, furniture, journal, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, virtual sketching | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Sammy on Karla’s Chair

Posted on December 5, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Sammy is allowed to curl into the chairs from cat lovers before we begin restoration (with permission from cat-loving clients). They travel back and forth from home to studio depending upon what is in the studio. This is Karla’s before … Continue reading →

Posted in animals, art journal, furniture, journal, pen & ink, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Tools: Favorite Journals

Posted on November 27, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

NOTE: This is about my preferences and why. Other artists will have other preferences, so reading what they like and what they say about this or that journal is good. The only negatives I will write are very bad experiences…. … Continue reading →

Posted in acrylic, art journal, color, journal, paper, sketchbook, tools | Tagged , , , , | 16 Comments

VSW: Buffalo the Town, 1

Posted on November 21, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

I want to play with color in unexpected ways. And loosening up, always trying to loosen up. Moleskin A4 Watercolor Journal, Lamy Al-Star with De Atramentis Document Black ink, Platinum Carbon Pen with waterproof cartridges, Sennelier and Daniel Smith Watercolors. … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, color, creativity, drawing, pen & ink, sketchbook, virtual sketching, waterbrush | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Tools: Hand•Book Journal Trav•e•logue series Review

Posted on November 20, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Sketchers whose work I admire love the Hand•Book Journal Trav•e•logue series… A few hate it.  I’m many pages in as I took it on our trip to So Cal, So think I can safely review it now… Okay, how can … Continue reading →

Posted in paper, review, sketchbook, tools | Tagged , , , | 13 Comments

Thursday Doors, a day late….

Posted on November 18, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

I took a moment yesterday late to draw the door itself in this beautiful building that reminds me so of the Brentwood area of Southern California.  I am finishing up images of this building that I will post later, but … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, drawing, ink painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, timed painting, urban sketchers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments