Category Archives: watercolor

USk: Frank Ching, Gail Wong Workshop

Posted on October 1, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

I had the opportunity to meet the man who taught me more than most professors in college, and influenced my drawing style as a free-hand sketcher of the built environment: Frank Ching. Architecture: Form Space and Order made sense out … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, class, drawing, journal, memory, pen & ink, sketchbook, urban sketchers, watercolor | Tagged 11th Avenue Portland, 8th Avenue Portland, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Director's Park Portland, Frank Ching, Gail Wong, Holbein, Noodlers ink, OE sketchbook, Pearl District Portland, Platinum Carbon pen, Platinum Preppy pen, Portland Oregon, Portland Urban Sketchers, Stillman & Birn, urban sketchers, USk | 6 Comments

My Secret Journal: Four, Shellac Tip-ins

Posted on September 26, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

Note: I am writing a story/journal that I don’t want to show before it is published in full. These are some of the illustrated pages in the sketchbook for the story. Because of the business we are in we end … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, furniture, india ink, journal, memory, painting, pen & ink, shellac, watercolor | Tagged De Atramentis Document ink, Noodlers ink, OE sketchbook, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Pitt pens, Platinum Carbon pen, shellac, Super5 ink | 10 Comments

My Secret Journal: Three

Posted on September 24, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

Note: I am writing a story/journal that I don’t want to show before it is published in full. These are some of the illustrated pages in the sketchbook for the story. Preparing pages to tell a hand-written story is a … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, creativity, journal, memory, pen & ink, watercolor, writing | Tagged art journal, clock, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Moleskin Watercolor journal, Noodlers ink, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Platinum Carbon pen, Sunflowers, Super5 ink, watercolor | 2 Comments

Finally, a Travel Box

Posted on September 13, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

I have a couple of small travel boxes made from old tins, but none of them have adequate mixing areas. I have been looking for a good travel box, and unfortunately, been unhappy with this or that — and this … Continue reading →

Posted in color, painting, urban sketchers, waterbrush, watercolor | Tagged plein air, Prang, travel palette | 2 Comments

Gratitude Journal: Back to Studio Work!

Posted on September 4, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

It is good to be back in my finish studio working on paying conservation projects. I have a NPS project due this month. Historic Mason Monterey paper and iron “chandeliers” for the Chateau need to be reproduced. The original historic … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, furniture, handmade paper, making a living, paper, pastel, process, shellac, sketchbook, urban sketchers, watercolor | Tagged De Atramentis Document ink, Diamine Ancient Copper Ink, hemp, Holbein, kochi mashi paper, Kozo, lampshades, Lamy Safari pen, Mason Monterey, Moleskin Watercolor journal, MPF Conservation, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Sheaffer calligraphy pen, Urban Sketchers Portland | 28 Comments

Sketchpack Project: Week Four

Posted on August 31, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

ABOUT SKETCHPACK: The project began in 2011. The original idea was to get folks to draw daily. The Sketchpack is a small zigzag journal with two usable sides, allowing one to sketch on both sides of 15 ‘pages’ to complete … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, challenge, drawing, making a living, painting, pen & ink, series, watercolor | Tagged anvil, art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Dritz, Houles Tassel, leather strap cutter, Lie-Nielsen, Noodlers ink, pincer, Platinum Carbon pen, Sketchpack Project, sony camra, Super5 ink, watercolor | 8 Comments

Commission: Dan

Posted on August 29, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

I was commissioned to create a portrait for a local man, Dan, who has been a great friend to many, going beyond the call of duty, and has a sweet soul. His friend (and mine) wanted it as a retirement … Continue reading →

Posted in animals, making a living, painting, process, watercolor | Tagged commission, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Holbein, Noodlers ink, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Portland Oregon, portrait, QoR watercolors, sheep, Super5 ink, watercolor | 12 Comments

VSW: Laguna Beach, California from Lifeguard Tower to Wyland’s

Posted on August 25, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

Note: To see the images I drew from, click here. This was all about things not going well and forging ahead. And the difference between what you want to do (personal goals) and what happens when you are not looking! … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, drawing, pen & ink, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged art journal, California, De Atramentis Document ink, home, Hotel Laguna, Laguna Beach, Lifeguard Tower, Moleskin Watercolor journal, Noodlers ink, PCH, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Platinum Preppy, Platinum Preppy pen, Super5 ink, urban sketchers, virtual sketchwalk, watercolor, Wyland's | 8 Comments

Sketchpack Project: Week Three

Posted on August 21, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

Posted in art journal, challenge, drawing, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, tools, watercolor | Tagged Daniel Smith watercolors, MPF Conservation, pincushion, Platinum Carbon pen, Sketchpack Project | 3 Comments

Gratitude Journal: My New Chop

Posted on August 20, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

Last week was tough, for reasons I’ll not discuss. . . . Leave it behind! I give thanks for the little and not so little things. Mitchell. A not so little thing! And the sunflowers Mitchell brought me, so gorgeous … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, color, drawing, gods and goddesses, journal, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, watercolor | Tagged art journal, Chop, Daniel Smith watercolors, gratitude, Kannon, Kwan Yin, Moleskin Watercolor journal, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Quan Yin, Sunflowers, Super5 ink, watercolor | 9 Comments

Brenda Swenson’s Sketching Trip

Posted on August 18, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

Love this video — Brenda is an amazing water-colorist!

Posted in dunno, urban sketchers, watercolor | Tagged Brenda Swenson, California | 2 Comments

Gratitude Journal: Mei Fa Hairstyx

Posted on August 15, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

Mei Fa Hairstyx have been with me for my entire adult life. If an article of clothing (which these are, as they adorn the hair) can be imbued with one’s personality, they are a huge part of who I have … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, Buddha, journal, memory, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, watercolor | Tagged architect, art journal, buddha, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, growing older, hair sticks, long hair, Mei Fa Hairstix, Moleskin Watercolor journal, Noodlers ink, romantic, sexy, Super5 ink | 18 Comments

Sketchpack Project: Week Two

Posted on August 13, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

Posted in art journal, challenge, making a living, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, watercolor | Tagged art journal, August Challenge, Capetown, chalk chuck, challenge, cotton, De Atramentis Document ink, folded jurnal, furniture, guitar, leather punch, linen, making a living, MPF Conservation, Noodlers ink, painting, Passementerie, pen & ink, Platinum Carbon pen, regulating needle, sanding sticks, sewing gauge, silk, sinew, sketchbook, Sketchpack Project, Super5 ink, thread, upholstery tacks | 6 Comments

USk: Slabtown New Seasons Opening!

Posted on August 12, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

We are so happy to have New Seasons blocks from our studio! No more driving all around for groceries! YAY! We went opening day before we opened the studio. Mostly they were setting up and greeting their new customers, and … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, drawing, graphite, journal, painting, pen & ink, pencil, sketchbook, urban sketchers, watercolor | Tagged Alphabet District Portland, art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, Holbein, New Seasons, Noodlers ink, NW Industrial Sanctuary Portland, NW Portland, organic, Portland, Primatek, QoR watercolors, Slabtown, Strathmore journal, urban sketcher, urban sketchers, Urban Sketchers Portland, USk, watercolor | 2 Comments

Sketchpack Project: Week One

Posted on August 5, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

Posted in art journal, challenge, furniture, making a living, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, watercolor | Tagged Artsauce, August Challenge, aum, beeswax, Berry's, bostitch, Capetown, folded jurnal, Grex, Houles gimp trim, Houles Tassel, MPF Conservation, om, Passementerie, Platinum Carbon pen, Sketchpack Project, staple remover, Staplegun, upholstery tacks | 10 Comments

VSW (Short for Virtual Sketch Walk): Amsterdam

Posted on August 4, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

A virtual sketch walk is one in which you never leave your chair. The opposite of urban sketchers, which is all about sketching your environment from real life, as a virtual sketcher you are sketching from your own, another person’s … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, creativity, drawing, graphite, pen & ink, pencil, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged Amsterdam, architecture, Oude kerk, virtual sketchwalk, Zeedijk | 107 Comments

USk: St. Patrick’s Church in the Alphabet District of Portland

Posted on August 2, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

I love Saint Patrick’s Church in NW Portland. I drive by it all the time as it sits across from our bank. The Beaux-Arts church looks like it belongs in Italy, set into cobbled streets surrounded by a park and … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, drawing, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, urban sketchers, watercolor | Tagged Alphabet District Portland, art journal, Catholic church, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, NW Industrial Sanctuary Portland, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Platinum Carbon pen, QoR watercolors, St. Patrick's Church, Strathmore journal, Super5 ink, urban sketcher, urban sketchers, Urban Sketchers Portland, USk, watercolor | 6 Comments

USk: Meriwether’s Restaurant NW Portland

Posted on July 26, 2015 by D. Katie Powell

Meriwether’s Restaurant looks like a nice house on a commercial street, but for the riot of bright yellow echinacea that bloom every summer in front of lavender and blue hydrangea. Walking between the building and the flowers you might forget … Continue reading →