Category Archives: sketchbook

NW Portland Industrial Sanctuary

Our studio sits in the NW Industrial Sanctuary.  When most think of a sanctuary they think of preserving bird and wildlife habitats, but there are other kinds of sanctuaries. Once this was a gorgeous waterway and lake , used for … Continue reading

Posted in architecture, art journal, commentary, history, making a living, pen & ink, sketchbook, urban sketchers, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Kamala Notices I Have Pen In Hand

Kamala is the most difficult cat, so smart, and does not want her image captured.  She seems to know when I am studying her for a sketch, and moves away into a cozy box. I have to use a photo … Continue reading

Posted in animals, art journal, journal, pen & ink, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

VSW: Burano, Italy, 3

Rounded out my pages with teeny watercolors. The top one I like a lot. I rarely use my fat Pitt White pen, but did on the water. Happy with that outcome too. The other was a big impatient experiment and … Continue reading

Posted in architecture, art journal, challenge, drawing, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

VSW: Burano, Italy, 2

I turn away from the church (above) and head toward the canals in Burano Italy; The color begins in the shops along the way! My process below, from guidelines to sketch to ink grisaille to watercolor. I was asked, and … Continue reading

Posted in architecture, art journal, challenge, drawing, painting, pen & ink, pencil, process, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

VSW: Burano, Italy, 1

New month, new virtual sketchwalk with Facebook group page, to Burano Italy, an amazingly colorful island town in Venice. Starting in Chiesa di San Marino Piazza, my process below, from guidelines to sketch to ink grisaille to watercolor. Map below! … Continue reading

Posted in architecture, art journal, challenge, drawing, pen & ink, pencil, process, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Russell Stutler’s Book About Sketching

I found Russell Stutler’s Book About Sketching this morning in my early early early in-the-dark  wishing-for-coffee (M makes ours) and joyful-that-taxes-were-done meanderings. Not all “free” books are decent.  While there are dated links, Stutler’s his material is fresh.  I recommend … Continue reading

Posted in art journal, class, process, review, sketchbook, watercolor | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Taxes, the Push Toward the Full Moon

I hate taxes.  That is all.  In a foul mood. Full Moon Coming, my deadline. And I made fudge for Mitchell. Aquabee Super Deluxe Journal, with a new loverly Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen in Retro Pop Orange with Private Reserve … Continue reading

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

VSW: Alberobello, Italy, 4, Silliness

You’ve seen the sketches of the Trulli homes as they really look, below, but there was a good deal of discussion on our FaceBook page about how white the town was (yes, grey roofs and white walls), sooooo, I sketched … Continue reading

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

Sketching Memories of our Staycation: Ever Hopeful

I didn’t fill our Staycation sketchbook, so am continuing it with sketches on our days off. Jai is doing better with his IBS (carrageenan in wet cat food), but there are changes that will be with him as long as … Continue reading

Posted in animals, art journal, drawing, journal, memory, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Organic Fudge: From my other blog!

Posted first on my other blog, katwritesfood.  I stopped making fudge at Christmas because we stopped eating anything with GMOs, and so many recipes for things like fudge were full of very nasty things.  But I discovered organic Sweetened Condensed … Continue reading

Posted in art journal, challenge, drawing, painting, pen & ink, recipe, sketchbook, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Gratitude Journal: Our Winter Traditions

2015 was a pretty horrible year…  I’ve heard this from lots of people; maybe it was in the stars? Surgery, bad urologist, fear, pain, stress, craziness, burdens. Not all bad, and some incredible gifts came our way, but a year … Continue reading

Posted in art, art journal, color, journal, memory, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Reflecting on an Anniversary: Watercolor Sketching

Two years ago I started moving away from large acrylics on canvas (above left) or small acrylics on my hand-made paper (above right). I wanted to paint again, in a smaller space, and so, thought to try watercolors and shellac … Continue reading

Posted in art, art journal, Booby Gurl, Buddha, creativity, gods and goddesses, journal, memory, painting, pen & ink, pencil, process, sketchbook, urban sketchers, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged | 11 Comments

My Secret Journal: Eight, Monterey Furniture

Note:  I am writing a story/journal that I don’t want to show before it’s published in full.  These are some of the illustrated pages in the sketchbook for the story. Oh gads, not quite right. I look a bit like … Continue reading

Posted in art journal, color, drawing, furniture, journal, memory, painting, pen & ink, pencil, sketchbook, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Restore Oregon Endangered Places 2016, Painting the First Set

This is part of a series for Restore Oregon. Thanks to Drew Nasto, Craig Powell, and for the various locations for allowing me to use historic images to place into sketch format to commemorate the projects! This post shows the … Continue reading

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

Restore Oregon Endangered Places 2016, Drawing the First Set

This is part of a series for Restore Oregon. Thanks to photographers Drew Nasto and Craig Powell, and for the various locations for allowing me to use historic images to place into sketch format to commemorate the projects! I hope … Continue reading

Posted in architecture, art journal, furniture, history, memory, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, virtual sketching | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Restore Oregon Celebration Dinner, The Event

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, journal, memory, painting, pen & ink, pencil, series, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Restoration Oregon Celebration Dinner, Photographs to Layout

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, creativity, drawing, journal, memory, pen & ink, pencil, process, sketchbook, virtual sketching | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Sketching Memories of Our Staycation, 9 Kamala

Kamala is her daddy’s girl.  She’d like to see me gone, and makes that known. She also has a huge fascination with my sketch bag, and sticks her head in it whenever she can. I’m not happy with the overall … Continue reading

Posted in animals, drawing, journal, memory, pen & ink, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments