Category Archives: writing

World Watercolor Month: Sweet Peas / Creative Block

Posted on July 14, 2021 by D. Katie Powell

I am in a creative slump. I’ve been in this stuck place for weeks and pushed myself to sketch posies — which usually works — but nothing is working. Painting these flowers has been like slogging through mud. I told … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, challenge, commentary, creativity, drawing, journal, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor, writing | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #beingstuck, #cadicjournal, #creativity, #danielsmithprimateks, #danielsmithwatercolors, #floral, #flowers, #Hahnemühle, #HahnemühleNostalgie, #holbeinwatercolor, #makearteveryday, #Moonmanpen, #nostalgiejournal, #nostaliesketchbook, #PlatinumCarbonPen, #sennelierwatercolors, #sweetpeas, #WorldWatercolorMonth, watercolor #30posies | 2 Comments

I hate the 4th of July

Posted on July 13, 2021 by D. Katie Powell

I hate the Fourth of July. There, I’ve said it. Not popular, and I’d like it if it didn’t threaten our livelihood in this stupid city. Every year we have to pack up our computers and such, and sit in … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, writing | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #birminghaminks, #Hahnemühle, #inkpainting, #lovethestub, #middleofthenight, #nostalgiejournal, #PlatinumCarbonPen, #twsbieco, #twsbilove, art journal, Lamy Al-Star, Nostalgie Sketch Book Journal, Platinum Carbon pen, TWSBI ECO 1.1stub | 2 Comments

Inky Thots: Robert Oster Graphite

Posted on July 10, 2021 by D. Katie Powell

Robert Oster Graphite is one of five of my favorite greys, leaning into deep purple and blues when touched with water. I am on my third bottle. Above, a wet circle is ringed with Graphite, and left to dry on … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, process, review, sketchbook, writing | Tagged #architecturalsketching, #artjournal, #artjournaling, #graphiteink, #greyink, #gulygus, #Hahnemühle, #HahnemühleNostalgie, #HahnemühleWatercolourBook, #himalayan, #inkpainting, #inkreview, #inkygoodness, #lovethestub, #middleofthenight, #newinkday, #NID, #nostalgiejournal, #reviewink, #robertosterink, #robertostersignatureink, #ultraflexnib | 2 Comments

World Watercolor Month: Dan’s Purple Flower

Posted on July 4, 2021 by D. Katie Powell

Flower from an image by Dan Antion, a good photographer and writer-blogger, met through blogging and he is a friend who also lets me steal his images from which to paint. I love that I am starting this new book … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, challenge, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor, writing | Tagged #30posies, #artjournal, #artjournaling, #danielsmithprimateks, #danielsmithwatercolors, #deatramentisdocumentblack, #deatramentisdocumentink, #floral, #flowers, #flowersfightdepression, #Hahnemühle, #holbeinwatercolor, #Lamy, #lovethestub, #makearteveryday, #middleofthenight, #nostalgiejournal, #PlatinumCarbonPen, #sennelierwatercolors, #twsbieco, #WorldWatercolorMonth, Fineline masking fluid, Lamy Joy, watercolor | 5 Comments

World Watercolor Month: Coffee Ritual

Posted on July 3, 2021 by D. Katie Powell

We have a coffee ritual. Mitchell makes the coffee. I slice the fresh ginger for him. Beautiful cups, and sliced fresh ginger, brown sugar and milk make a heavenly coffee. Mitchell puts his finger in it for extra sweetness. I’ve … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, challenge, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, watercolor, writing | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #coffecups, #coffeeritual, #danielsmithprimateks, #danielsmithwatercolors, #deatramentisdocumentink, #Hahnemühle, #holbeinwatercolor, #Lamy, #lovethestub, #makearteveryday, #middleofthenight, #nostalgiejournal, #nostaliesketchbook, #PlatinumCarbonPen, #WorldWatercolorMonth, Lamy Joy, Platinum Carbon pen, watercolor | 6 Comments

Inky Thots: Birmingham Tarnished Nickel

Posted on July 3, 2021 by D. Katie Powell

Taking a break from posting World Watercolor Month images for a review of a great grey ink from Birmingham. NOTE: I just realized this ink is nowhere in their new colors, and so, I apologize. I picked up one of … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, creativity, drawing, graphite, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, portrait, process, review, sketchbook, writing | Tagged #1week100people, #artjournal, #artjournaling, #birminghaminks, #gcmurphyco, #greyink, #gulygus, #himalayan, #inkreview, #lovethestub, #portraits, #sktchyimages, #tarnishednickel, #twsbieco, #ultraflexnib, art journal | Leave a comment

Grrr

Posted on June 30, 2021 by D. Katie Powell

Not happy with this company. Fought with them over their technicians stripping all the bolts during installation, 2 years ago (how would we know until we wanted to move it?). Weeks of fighting. They tried not to deal with it. … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, commentary, drawing, furniture, journal, painting, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, urban sketchers, watercolor, writing | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #Hahnemühle, #journalyourfrustrations, #lovethestub, #middleofthenight, #nostalgiejournal, #PlatinumCarbonPen, art journal, De Atramentis Document ink, Lamy Al-Star, Lamy Joy | 8 Comments

Pandemic Recipes: At the Beginning, A Prayer

Posted on June 21, 2021 by D. Katie Powell

I am creating a new cookbook, gathering the recipes we relied upon in the last year of this crazy pandemic. I am using a journal I am unfamiliar with, created from heavy unfinished and rough paper from India, a Kadhi … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, creativity, drawing, gods and goddesses, ink painting, journal, memory, painting, pen & ink, process, recipe, ritual, sketchbook, watercolor, writing | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #beansandrice, #danielsmithwatercolors, #elephantgod, #ganesha, #holbeinwatercolor, #khadijournal, #lovethestub, #MGrahamwatercolors, #middleofthenight, #pandemicpainting, #pandemicrecipe, #PlatinumCarbonPen, #ranchogordo, #ranchogordobeans, #recipebook, #recipepainting, #vegetarianrecipe, art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Fineline masking fluid, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, watercolor | 7 Comments

Posies: Cynthia’s Sedum

Posted on June 18, 2021 by D. Katie Powell

You n ever know how you change someone… I have a friend who is an artist and also has an amazing garden. Cynthia shares her whimsical garden with us daily, and also lets me sketch from her flowers. This morning … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, color, creativity, drawing, journal, memory, painting, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, waterbrush, watercolor, writing | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #Hahnemühle, #lovethestub, #nostalgiejournal, #nostaliesketchbook, #pinkflower, #pinkposie, #PlatinumCarbonPen, #posie, #sedum, art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Lamy Joy, Nostalgie Sketch Book Journal, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, watercolor | Leave a comment

Inky Thots: Birmingham Polar Bear

Posted on June 14, 2021 by D. Katie Powell

Birmingham Polar Bear ink is named in honor of the Polar Bears at the Highland Park Zoo in Pittsburgh. I am disappointed that they do nto put this on the bottles anymore as they used to… It was a distinctive … Continue reading →

Posted in animals, art journal, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, process, review, sketchbook, watercolor, writing | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #Birmingham Pen Company, #birminghaminks, #birminghampens, #blueink, #grayink, #highlandparkzoo, #polarbear, #polarbearink | 6 Comments

Woodshed Pen gets a New Ink!

Posted on June 12, 2021 by D. Katie Powell

Mitchell bought my Woodshed pen from Mike Allen: since following him on IG I have grown to love him even more as he is a dog lover, taking in strays that show up at his door and either giving them … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, ink painting, journal, memory, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, writing | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #blueink, #Hahnemühle, #Handmadefountainpens, #lovethestub, #middleofthenight, #newinkday, #NID, #nostalgiejournal, #polarbearink, #woodshepenco, art journal, Nostalgie Sketch Book Journal | Leave a comment

In Memory of My Brother

Posted on June 7, 2021 by D. Katie Powell

Oh I’ve had him on my mind…. Nine years gone, and I miss him more than I’ve ever missed anyone I’ve lost. He was a man who connected and cared, reached out and made sure you were thought of in … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, drawing, ink painting, journal, memory, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, watercolor, writing | Tagged #anniversarydeath, #artjournal, #artjournaling, #charcoalink, #dennispatrickbeck, #flexnib, #fountainpenrevolution, #Hahnemühle, #middleofthenight, #nostalgiejournal, #rip, #robertosterink, art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, Nostalgie Sketch Book Journal, watercolor | 4 Comments

Some people….

Posted on June 4, 2021 by D. Katie Powell

This is about all I have to say… and… Sir Billy Connolly – Fuck Off: A Video To hear about classes, follow me on Instagram, Facebook or check out my new, improved dkatiepowellart.com “Memory is more indelible than ink.” Anita … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, commentary, journal, memory, pen & ink, sketchbook, writing | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #Hahnemühle, #lovethestub, #middleofthenight, #nostalgiejournal, #rantingishealthy, #twsbieco, #twsbilove, art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, Lamy Joy, Primatek, watercolor | 6 Comments

Inky Thots: Robert Oster Green at Night

Posted on June 1, 2021 by D. Katie Powell

I love the name of this Robert Oster ink, Green at Night! It is a moody dark green that, when washed, brightens! The forest scene above was drawn over a light wash of Robert Oster’s Green at Night. with a … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, writing | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #austrailianink, #greenatnight, #greenink, #inkpainting, #inkreview, #lovethestub, #reviewink, #robertosterink, #twsbieco, Green at Night | 4 Comments

Inky Thots: Birmingham Everlasting Inks

Posted on May 27, 2021 by D. Katie Powell

Birmingham has a new lineup of beautiful water-resistant inks, their Everlasting Inks. These inks are quite water-resistant (not 100% waterPROOF) and excellent for writing precious documents. For sketching or use with watercolors or other fluid mediums over the top, I … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, drawing, ink painting, journal, pen & ink, review, sketchbook, writing | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #Birmingham Pen Company, #birminghaminks, #birminghampens, #blackink, #bluegrey, #blueink, #everlastinginks, #grayink, #greengrey, #greenink, #greyink, #HahnemühleNostalgie, #HahnemühleWatercolourBook, #warmgrey, #waterproofinks, #waterresistant, art journal | 2 Comments

Inky Thots: Krishna Pencil

Posted on May 24, 2021 by D. Katie Powell

Remember that others review these inks just for writing; I am also interested in how they are used for ink-painting! I love this oddball ink. It looks mauvish then can also look biscuit grey, and I have no idea why … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, color, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, pen & ink, pencil, process, review, sketchbook, writing | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #greyink, #jinhaoshark, #krishnaink, #lovethestub, #mauveink, #pencilink, #scallopshell, art journal | Leave a comment

Pillows

Posted on May 22, 2021 by D. Katie Powell

It’s been ages since I have pulled out my watercolors for anything more than a splash. You know that I don’t artists criticizing their work, but in this case, I am sharing with you a process of my own, as … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, creativity, drawing, furniture, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, urban sketchers, waterbrush, watercolor, writing | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #Hahnemühle, #HahnemühleWatercolourBook, #Lamy, #lovethestub, #middleofthenight, #pillows, #PlatinumCarbonPen, #process, #watercolorjournal, art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, watercolor | 12 Comments

No Time

Posted on May 21, 2021 by D. Katie Powell

For 2-3 weeks I have been wearing my fingers to the bone hand-stitching on a project for our actual business. These are pillows to go with two French Louis XIV Settees, and a longer French Empire Sofa, both from the … Continue reading →