Category Archives: watercolor

VSW: Direct Watercolor vs My old Style

These paintings are from the Shanghai walk in Virtual Sketchbook… I am showing them together because it show two different approaches to similar images. Above, how I start the two images tells where they are going. On the left, I … Continue reading

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VSW: Shanghai Temple

When sitting waiting, I also take a couple images from our Virtual Sketchwalk group along in case the view is boring… This one from our Shanghai walk! What is one the facing page? My quick recipe i wrote in the … Continue reading

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Cat Fort

We build cat forts for the cats to play in… Elaborate or simple play area that sometimes use their travel carriers, which makes them love their carriers too. Long packing paper is woven through the carriers, and they love the … Continue reading

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30 Posies: Sunflowers with Barn

While I have been participating in Direct Watercolor, secretly… I have been drawing sunflowers… I have been inking sunflowers… This one and more… I love them, my very favorite flower! Of course, they are not just inked, but watercolors in … Continue reading

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30 Posies: Flowering Quince

I discovered Flowering Quince when I moved to the Pacific Northwest, now it is a favorite flower/bush.  Below, stages as I worked it toward the finished product. ☾ To hear about classes, follow me on Instagram, Facebook or check out … Continue reading

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USk: BOOM!

We weren’t at work long when we heard and felt a boom or crack, that is as close to the experience I imagine a bomb going off feels like.  It nearly knocked me off my feet. The cats shot out … Continue reading

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VSW: Porto Gate

Detail of a gate in Porto Portugal, which was so so charming I hung onto it until I could sketch it. To hear about classes, follow me on Instagram, Facebook or check out my new, improved dkatiepowellart.com “Memory is more … Continue reading

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Tools: Sparkling Paints

I bought these handmade paints by KJ Design by Karen from Etsy. This is not a glowing review of the seller, tho’ the paints are okay. Unboxing, the paints were not wrapped individually; bits of colors had transferred onto other … Continue reading

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Tools: Gouache

I’ve not given gouache a real chance to woo me, so I decided to play with some very old gouache before I purchased better quality tubes.  When I moved into watercolors, I enjoyed them for their transparent washes, so gouache, … Continue reading

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Keeping an Art Journal

I’ve kept a journal with sketches since college… I started using lined journals I bought in Chinatown in San Francisco, above, for architectural notes, and every page has drawings made during lectures or tours or just thought about what I … Continue reading

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1950 Ford F-1

Love me an old truck! Platinum carbon ink with diluted waterproof grey ink as shadows. Watercolor to finish. ☾ To hear about classes, follow me on Facebook or check out my new, improved dkatiepowellart.com “Memory is more indelible than ink.” … Continue reading

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VSW: Porto Blue Tiled Cat

How can I NOT paint a building that has a GIANT BLUE TILED CAT on the wall of the  alley? Lotta lotta sketching then paint! Middle of the night images of Porto, from Virtual Sketchwalk on FB. And my quickie … Continue reading

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VSW: Walk to New Seasons

We sometimes walk to New Seasons Market in NW Portland from our studio. Snapped some images of our walk and sketched this layout across two pages. Before I started the watercolors, I used a diluted grey waterproof ink to place … Continue reading

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Inky Entries

I am playing with ll my grey inks this month… Some inks call themselves grey and are not (see above).  Greys seem to lean purple or blue or red… Graphite and Grey Lux are lovely inks, though the strong smell … Continue reading

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Lifting Paint

I’ve heard of lifting paint but never tried it. I didn’t like the looks of the heavy gouache on the nose of the Pinto Pony, and so I thought I’d give it a try. I carefully and gently used a … Continue reading

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20th Anniversary

Why is it harder to sketch when the subject is “important”? We were married 20 years ago in a sweet colorful ceremony. When I wanted to draw our ceremony I am afraid my poor people drawing skills kicked in and … Continue reading

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VSW: Porto

The colors and textures of the buildings drew me to the image. Middle of the night from images of Porto, from Virtual Sketchwalk on FB. Omigoddess I have never overworked any image like I did this one… I just kept … Continue reading

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VSW: Galway Blue

The deep blue of the water drew me to the image in the middle of the night when I couldn’t sleep.  Fast sketch in the middle of the night from images from Virtual Ribble on FB. Hahnemühle 100# Cotton Watercolour … Continue reading

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