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Category Archives: sketchbook
Full Moon Puja, Anniversay Prayers
Mitchel and I met, had our first date, and married within a week in May, with a few years between meeting and wedding. We celebrate it as a weekly event. On the full moon this year Mitchell and I went … Continue reading
Posted in art, drawing, graphite, journal, painting, sketchbook, watercolor
Tagged anniversary, Astoria, Cannon Beach, Columbia River, Ecola Park, full moon, Oregon Coast, Pacific Ocean, puja
5 Comments
Process: Watercolors, Mountains and Laguna Beach
I started with an iconic view of my hometown, Laguna Beach, from the cliffs to the north. I really went for saturation this time, trying to move lots of color onto a piece. Not what I saw in my mind’s … Continue reading
Posted in art, painting, process, sketchbook, watercolor, writing
Tagged california hills, Daniel Smith watercolors, Laguna Beach, ocean, palm, Primatek, sunset
3 Comments
Process: English Birdie House
I finished up Jeannette House’s sweet bird. Realism is not my thang, but practicing watercolors in this way makes me learn the mixing and the wet/dry work of watercolor. I am still very frustrated by it — colors too dark, … Continue reading
Tapestry: Timed Sketch
Gina Rossi’s sprout for the week was to paint from an embroidered piece this week. I had no embroidery in sight, though when I finished my timed sketch Mitchell reminded me of several wonderful fabric samples we have: oops. I … Continue reading
Posted in challenge, creativity, journal, painting, sketchbook, timed painting, watercolor
Tagged tapestry
4 Comments
Mug of Hope: Mix-it Monthly Challenge
Pia Rom’s prompt this month for her challenge grabbed me immediately, though the colors for this month are not me at all! We collect coffee mugs! Mitchell and I have names for them — Our Happy Mug (white roosters stamped … Continue reading
Posted in art, challenge, creativity, drawing, india ink, journal, painting, shellac, sketchbook, writing
Tagged Blue Sky Pottery, coffee, cup, cuppa joe, Deb Babcock, journal, Mix-it Monthly, morning, poetry
15 Comments
Process: Sunday Palms!
Working on mastering this medium enough that I can move away from realism and make art that moves me. Today I finally just moved away — playing with palm trees and deep color and texture. I experimented with watercolor graphite, … Continue reading
Posted in color, creativity, graphite, journal, painting, sketchbook, watercolor
Tagged palm
6 Comments
Journal: Trip to Southern Oregon
We have a guy that is our beloved pal, and he is getting old. He is driving us nuts, because he somehow thinks that he has earned the right to boss us, and have everything the way he wants it. … Continue reading
Posted in art, color, journal, memory, sketchbook, watercolor
Tagged blood moon, Cat, chinkapin, dogwood, grape hyacynth, green, hawthorn, Oregon Caves NM
15 Comments
S is for Little Folded Sketchbook: A-to-Z Challenge
Cathy Johnson is a wonderful source of classes and inspiration. She is part of the Artist Journal Workshop: “28 ARTISTS & JOURNALISTS their work and words, interviews, blogs, images, hints, tips, websites and more…” And product reviews. Saved me money! … Continue reading
Posted in art, class, journal, sketchbook, watercolor
Tagged art journal, Cathy Johnson, folding journal
4 Comments
Prayer Flags in the Wind
Originally posted on zenkatwrites. Prayer flags begin as we do, bright colors, full of the promise, like wishes on a dandelion. People notice them, cheered by their vibrancy. They oh-so-quickly fade, and begin to tatter here and there. Many people … Continue reading
Posted in art, journal, memory, sketchbook, watercolor
Tagged birds, prayer flags, squirrel
15 Comments
P is for Pastels: A-to-Z-Challenge
I’ve never liked pastels, and for some reason, when people used to give me art supplies, they always gave me pastels. Because I was a glitzy Southern Californian beach gurl, they gave me shimmery pastels! I find them clumsy, thick, … Continue reading
N is for Nicolaides: A-to-Z Challenge
Continuing on with the technique I learned from Gwenn Seemel, I am still very uncomfortable and yet excited by it. I get lost in it. It allows me to SEE better –through my fingers attached to a pen — or to … Continue reading
Posted in art, drawing, painting, process, sketchbook
Tagged alala, crow, drawing, Natural Way to Draw, Nicolaides, Pitt pens, sketching, Tombow pens
4 Comments
L is for Lines: A-to-Z-Challenge
Not the lines a guy gives you at a bar. Not the ones in the script you read for when you thought you wanted to be a movie star. Doodles are lines. Cartoons are linear. Architects communicate with line drawings. … Continue reading
J is for Art Journal: A-to-Z Challenge
I had to make a change. Running and working in our business means I don’t have the time to set up for painting at an easel and painting with acrylics, which in my case means canvases and 4 oz tubs … Continue reading
Posted in art, creativity, drawing, journal, painting, sketchbook, watercolor
Tagged art journal, journal
12 Comments
D is for Drawing Pens: A-to-Z Challenge
My favorite drawing pens are Faber Castell Pitt Artist Pens, shown right as the top three pens with their caps off. I love them because they are wonderfully waterproofed India ink, and work best of all the pens on shellacked … Continue reading
Posted in art, creativity, drawing, journal, painting, process, shellac, sketchbook, watercolor
Tagged Cocoiro pens, drawing pens, painting with pens, Pitt pens, Tombow pens
19 Comments
B is for Brush Pens! A-to-A Challenge
I am just learning to use brush pens, as I move to smaller formats and water colors to work my artistic ways. Brush pens are these super devices where the water is carried in tube which attaches to the watercolor … Continue reading
Posted in art, creativity, journal, painting, process, sketchbook, watercolor
Tagged brush pens, Neocolor II, watercolor pencils
5 Comments
Working With Watercolors in My Journal: Paint Party Friday
I know that the best way to get over fear-of-watercolor-mistakes is to make a lot of them. So I finally dove into my journals, coloring sketches and moving graphite with water. the sketch above was partly made on-site; then colored … Continue reading
Posted in art, creativity, drawing, graphite, journal, painting, sketchbook, watercolor
Tagged Blacksmith, Cherry Grove Forge, Jamison Square, Portland Oregon
9 Comments
Process: Struggling with Watercolors
I was able to carve out a day to play with my new watercolors from Daniel Smith. Having good watercolors makes a huge difference in my finished product, the viability and brilliance of the colors and the way they lay … Continue reading
Posted in art, color, sketchbook, watercolor
Tagged California missions, Daniel Smith watercolors, San Gabriel Mission
6 Comments
Garuda Sketch: Paint Party Friday
Paint Party Friday’s post this week is about Mitchell’s Garuda statue. Mitchell went to a friend’s home and they were drumming. The drumming was meant to further visions, for which Mitchell had no experience. He achieved a trance-like state, closed … Continue reading
Posted in art, drawing, painting, sketchbook, watercolor
Tagged bronze statue, buddha, buddhist, Garuda, hindu, nepal, paint party friday, vedic
7 Comments
D.Katie Powell Art 