I Prefer Painting Over Virtual Artwork

Posted on April 19, 2025 by D. Katie Powell

I read a mundane op-ed in the NYTimes this morning from a writer I rarely read — and I won’t mention it because he’s a dweeb and I don’t want to be sued. But the upshot is that he believes virtual or electronic activities are overtaking physical activities in most walks of life for various reasons, among them being easy access at all hours of the day and low risk in terms of exposure, and that someday real life activities could be replaced to a great degree by virtual or electronic activities.

Some of his editorial was surprisingly sound, and if it comes to pass that he is right then I am glad I am older and in the last third of my life and happily married. (It seems virtual dating doesn’t work, big surprise there… fewer lasting relationships statistically.)

It got me thinking about why I never gravitated to iPad art, not in terms of making it nor in what I’ve seen of it in the hands of artists I admire. In the making of it, I am talking in my case about drawing (pen and ink), watercolor, acrylic, shown below right, and oil on canvas, the latter I now prefer over acrylic.

So here goes, my thoughts today, off-the-cuff!

First, I love the physicality of it. Painting engages my whole body, not just my right-hand clicking parts or wand or finger. Even more so when I have the opportunity to paint BIG on canvas, such as the family series I did, shown right. It challenges me to remember to balance relaxing and holding the brush tight for painting tiny details. I have to get up and stretch, move around, step back.

Watercolors are the most difficult medium for me, and also my favorite. They are endlessly challenging, can be carried everywhere so always available, and I always have them with me. I’ve been writing about why I keep a sketchbook, and a lot of it is for emotional reasons, as in memories.

I am challenged when creating a wash for a sky, making enough wash color, and applying it. Or adding layers without overworking a piece.

I continue to forget ahead of time to choose the right paper, very important in watercolor. I start an image in a smooth-textured sketchbook and am sorry when I decide the image is going to need washes of color, which are better on thicker textured paper. I am lazy about switching out to a watercolor sketchbook or pad.

Watercolors show me a lot about my personality!

The physical challenges are varied and keep me engaged and paying attention. No computer does that for me. I could, in FACT, fall asleep on a keyboard.

Test on silk

Mixing colors…

Oil paint on a previously stripped (damaged) chair.

The senses, especially smell, though not so much with watercolor (though I can smell the difference between Daniel Smith and M.Graham, especially when it is fresh out of the tube).

I LOVE the smell of Gamblin oil paints, and thankfully their mineral spirits are odorless! I was introduced to them in our business, through the projects shown above, and have since continued to experiment with them on small boards and thick paper.

And then there is the memory of the lovely smell of this field of posies… I had to slow down and enjoy that moment, which was lovely.

Spontaneity, which means I can record life-moments in real time, and along with those moments comes the many emotions that I might or might not remember. Painting and sketching them makes them real and keeps them alive — there is something about the physical act that embeds them in my mind.

When we moved my mom out of her house, which was the beginning of the end of her life, I made a small folding watercolor journal for the trip, and recorded my impressions of a drive I’ve taken many many times, shown above.

During the Portland riots, which were frightening, an image so strong came up, and it has said it all to me in the years that have followed. Seeing it brings up the memories of that time, including staying in the studio until very late listening with fear to the sounds of anger in the city.

Getting lost in my work is the best part, and I cannot get lost in any creative act on the computer. In fact, when I am writing, and I do a great deal of writing on the computer, I have to jump start my creative process through hand-writing first, then after a certain time I can take it to the computer until I get stuck again.

W21 6 5 NOST USK NW WILSON PORTLAND-9824

W20 4 25 HMGRY RONA WATERCOLOR PLAY-7546

Hahnemühle Watercolor

W20 4 25 HMGRY RONA WATERCOLOR PLAY-7551

Hahnemühle Watercolor

Finally, I love the tools of the trade, including amazing color you do not get in a virtual image, shown above! Wet glistening paints on a page are the absolute best. If I am stuck sometimes just playing with the colors will move me toward creativity.

Pens, beautiful and fascinating and endless varieties! Right is a cheap but beautiful vintage Pelikan P20 Twist. I had to have it — it has PARROTS on it!

And below, my beautiful Benu pens… collectible but pricey, so I have to have a reason to use them!

I had to get this out… it was hurting my heart to think
about my processes and how I would be heartbroken
if I could not get my hands on paint and brushes!

☾

©D. Katie Powell.
My images/blog posts may be reposted; please link back to dkatiepowellart.
Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

To hear about classes, follow me on Instagram and Facebook.
Note: I was banned from IG until October for political postings.

Posted in acrylic, art, art journal, creativity, direct watercolor, gouache, ink painting, oil paint, painting, pen & ink, ritual, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #danielsmithprimateks, #danielsmithwatercolors, #directwatercolor, #flexnib, #fountainpenrevolution, #HahnemühleNostalgie, #HahnemühleWatercolourBook, #himalyapen, #holbeinwatercolors, #platinumcarbonink, #PlatinumCarbonPen, #Portlandoregon, #robertosterink, #robertostersignatureink, #sennelierwatercolors, #ultraflexnib, #waterproofinks | 2 Comments

LaLaLand Fires

Posted on April 15, 2025 by D. Katie Powell

(Note: Posted late, long after the fires are finally contained…
I am running behind on posts and images shared.)

How is it that something so destructive and terrifying
inspired me to produce a beautiful ink painting?

And yet, it did.
Watching places I lived, ate, socialized, and worked burn broke my heart.
I could not look away, could not turn it off.
I had to know what was happening, and lost days of work.

A quote I wrote down during the watching,
“Climate change will manifest as a series of disasters viewed through phones with footage that gets closer and closer to where you live until you’re the one filming it.”

That quote got me in the gut.

In the end I found my brushstrokes with the ink beautiful, detailed images below.
This was direct painting with inks, browns and oranges and yellows,
from Robert Oster and Birmingham.

The image above was based loosely upon a video of one of the streets;
I captured the image in a still screen shot.

My journal entries, if you want to try and read them:

Mark Peter (photographer) posted an image he took of a neighborhood
that burned, and it inspired the sketch below.

Having lived through a Malibu fire, I was struck back then by
what burned and what was left untouched.
Of course, the blue VW Bus amidst the char and rubble says it all.
The van belongs to Preston Martin.

I hope Mark Peter does not find it and want me to take it down.
I tried to get a hold of him for permission, but no response.

This one was sketched loosely in ink, then I used inks and watercolors.

☾

Hahnemühle Nostalgie Sketchbook,
TWSBI Eco 1.1 with Robert Oster Aussie Brown ink,
TWSBI Eco 1.1 with Robert Oster Toffee Ink, Birmingham inks, Robert Oster Inks ,
Pentel Aquash waterbrushes with diluted De Atramentis Urban Grey ink,
Sennelier, Holbein, DS Primatek watercolors, and Daniel Smith Watercolors.

☾

©D. Katie Powell.
My images/blog posts may be reposted; please link back to dkatiepowellart.
Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Follow me on Instagram and Facebook.
Note: I was banned from IG until October for political postings.

Posted in art journal, current events, direct watercolor, ink painting, memory, painting, pen & ink, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #birminghampencompany, #brownink, #danielsmithwatercolors, #directwatercolor, #fires, #grayink, #greyink, #HahnemühleNostalgie, #holbeinwatercolors, #losangeles, #losangelesonfire, #Malibu, #pacificpalisades, #platinumcarbonink, #PlatinumCarbonPen, #robertosterink, #robertostersignatureink, #sennelierwatercolors, #twsbieco, #virtualsketching, fire | 2 Comments

USk: Cherry Blossoms Alphabet District

Posted on April 10, 2025 by D. Katie Powell

My trip to New Seasons yesterday was glorious with the pink
and white and yellow blossoms everywhere… Cherry and dogwood (just starting) and forsythia and dandelions and daffodils and those teeny white flowers in the grass!
I took a moment on the way and pulled over on 26th or 27th and
was startled by the brilliant pinks contrasting with an unreal green lawn!

90% was done on site; I had to add the electric green lawn when I got back to the studio!

☾

Hahnemühle Nostalgie Sketchbook,
Platinum Carbon pen with Platinum Carbon ink waterproof cartridges,
Sennelier, Holbein and Daniel Smith Watercolors.

©D. Katie Powell.
My images/blog posts may be reposted; please link back to dkatiepowellart.

Posted in art journal, drawing, journal, landscape, urban sketchers, watercolor | Tagged #alphabetdistrict, #cherryblossoms, #HahnemühleNostalgie, #nwportland, #urbansketching, #urbansketchingportland, #usk, #uskportland, spring. | 2 Comments

VSW: Vietnam End of 2024

Posted on April 9, 2025 by D. Katie Powell

I used my A4 Hahnemühle 100# Cotton Watercolour Book which I rarely use,
because I prefer to work in the A5 size. But here I took several photographic images
from our Virtual Sketchwalk group, and created a montage:
a family walking to the beach; a grouping of palms, and a large statue.

I began with line-work with a Platinum Carbon pen with Platinum Carbon ink, shown far left above and below. To that I added shadows with a watered down version of
De Atramentis Document Urban Grey ink in Pentel Aquash waterbrushes, shown middle above. The last layer was all watercolor, shown far right above and top.

☾

Hahnemühle 100# Cotton Watercolour Book,
De Atramentis Document Urban Grey ink in Pentel Aquash waterbrushes,
Platinum Carbon pen with Platinum Carbon ink waterproof cartridges,
Sennelier, Holbein, DS Primatek watercolors, and Daniel Smith Watercolors.

☾

©D. Katie Powell.
My images/blog posts may be reposted; please link back to dkatiepowellart.
Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

To hear about classes, follow me on Instagram and Facebook.
Note: I was banned from IG until October for political postings.

Posted in art journal, journal, landscape, painting, pen & ink, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #beach, #buddha, #danielsmithprimateks, #danielsmithwatercolors, #goddess, #HahnemühleWatercolourBook, #holbeinwatercolors, #lakshmi, #palmtrees, #platinumcarbonink, #PlatinumCarbonPen, #sennelierwatercolors, #vietnam, #virtualsketching, #virtualsketchwalk | Leave a comment

VSW: Hawaii, a Friend, and Sea Turtles

Posted on April 6, 2025 by D. Katie Powell

A friend recently moved away
from Hawaii after many years;
she allowed us to create a virtual walk
from her many images.

Right, her lovely face.

BTW, if you want to try virtual walks
join “Virtual Sketchwalk” on Facebook.

My spread went across
the entire watercolor journal.

It had many of my favorite things to paint:
palms, water, sea turtles, ocean, flowers;
I created a collage of these items.

I am homesick for many things,
but palms and seeing the ocean are most missed.

I started with sketches, before moving to watercolor.
One thing that is hard is when I love an ink sketch
and have to decide whether to move forward with watercolors.
Thank the goddess for my iPhone!

☾

Hahnemühle 100# Cotton Watercolour Book,
De Atramentis Document Urban Grey ink in Pentel Aquash waterbrushes,
Platinum Carbon pen with Platinum Carbon ink waterproof cartridges,
Sennelier, DS Primatek watercolors, and Daniel Smith Watercolors.

©D. Katie Powell.
My images/blog posts may be reposted; please link back to dkatiepowellart.
Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

To hear about classes, follow me on Instagram and Facebook.
Note: I was banned from IG until October for political postings.

Posted in art journal, painting, pen & ink, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #danielsmithprimateks, #danielsmithwatercolors, #flowers, #grayink, #greyink, #HahnemühleWatercolourBook, #inksketches, #maui, #ocean, #pacificocean, #palmtrees, #platinumcarbonink, #PlatinumCarbonPen, #sea turtle, #sennelierwatercolors, #sketchbookcotton, #virtualsketching, #virtualsketchwalk, #watercolourbookcotton, #waterproofinks, Hawaii, palms | Leave a comment

When Jimmy Carter Died

Posted on April 6, 2025 by D. Katie Powell

December 29 2024

Jimmy Carter Died today, at 100 years old, and thankfully, in his own bed. The man deserved a good death. I cried, the only time I ever cried for a politician when they died.

I am glad he is not going to see the shitshow or the new regime. I am gleeful that , because a President’s death is honored with 30 days of the American flag flying at half-mast, it will be so at the regimes inauguration, which will certainly piss off Cheeto.

Carter was my first vote, and I was able to see him when he came to USC.
He had the wrong campus for Democrats, and the turnout was poor.

He was one of the few politicians I ever trusted, respected, and even admired, along with Jeff Merkley and Bernie Sanders. He is a dying breed. Part of his legacy (along with Rosalynn) is Habitat for Humanity. I notice that few other presidents do a damn thing after they leave office, even to step up to fight for our country.

BTW, I don’t do many portraits so am going to try to sketch more people. Not in a crowd, but like this, as a portraiture… I figure it is the only way to get better at it!

From an article on Habitat for Humanity.

☾

Hahnemühle Nostalgie Sketchbook,
De Atramentis Document Urban Grey ink in Pentel Aquash waterbrushes,
TWSBI ECO 1.1stub with De Atramentis Document Black ink,
Platinum Carbon pen with Platinum Carbon ink waterproof cartridges,
Sennelier, Holbein, and Daniel Smith Watercolors.

☾

©D. Katie Powell.
My images/blog posts may be reposted; please link back to dkatiepowellart.
Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

To hear about classes, follow me on Instagram and Facebook.
Note: I was banned from IG until October for political postings.

Posted in art journal, current events, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #danielsmithwatercolors, #grayink, #greyink, #HahnemühleNostalgie, #holbeinwatercolors, #jimmycarter, #platinumcarbonink, #PlatinumCarbonPen, #sennelierwatercolors, #twsbieco, #virtualsketching, portrait | Leave a comment

Curry Chicken: Good Food is Good Medicine

Posted on April 4, 2025 by D. Katie Powell

One thing that is still available to us during this crazy time is cooking.
Good food is good medicine. I think I made that up but who knows?

Curry Roasted Chicken, YUM.

Place chicken upside down in glass roasting pan. Garlic Salt, pepper, Curry powder, applied LIBERALLY on the bottom of the bird. Roast at 365-degres for a 26 minutes.

Turn over, season the top of the bird the same way, back in for another 26 minutes. Check to make sure it is fully done by wiggling the legs (Mitchell is my tester).

If you can stand to let it set for 10 minutes before cutting, do this — good eats.

Cooking good meals has been my anti-depressant during this regime.
And my gateway back into making art, apparently, because I like this curry chicken image I made while waiting the ten minutes! Ink-painting!

(Colors on the side below)

☾

Hahnemühle Nostalgie Sketchbook,
Benu Pen with Robert Oster Hickory Aflame ink, Pilot Yu-Yake ink,
Holbein, DS Primatek watercolors, and Daniel Smith Watercolors.

☾

©D. Katie Powell.
My images/blog posts may be reposted; please link back to dkatiepowellart.
Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

To hear about classes, follow me on Instagram and Facebook.
Note: I was banned from IG until October for political postings.

Posted in art journal, painting, pen & ink, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #benupen, #currychicken, #danielsmithwatercolors, #directwatercolor, #goodfoodisgoodmedicine, #HahnemühleNostalgie, #holbeinwatercolors, #nwportland, #pilotyuyakeink, #Portlandoregon, #regimefatigue, #roastedchicken, #robertosterink, #robertostersignatureink, #sketchbookcotton, #urbansketcher, #urbansketching, #waterproofinks | Leave a comment

Distress

Posted on April 3, 2025 by D. Katie Powell

(This was written the middle of February, when I finally wrote
about how I was reeling from the horrific action of the new regime…
In the beginning I was frozen, then finally, slowly, I decided I had
to step it up, get my life back on track, do what could be done.)

Quotes that moved me , taught me, and guided me during
the beginning of this disaster of a regime:

“Grief burnout is real, and it can show up as
losing interest in things you once loved, constant headaches,
restless nights, anxiety, feeling scattered and mood swings.”
~ Good Morning Podcast

I had all of the above except radical mood swings —
my “mood” has been consistent… consistently depressed.
NO sketching or reading (except news) for weeks.
But after many MANY weeks in that place I am pushing to get beyond it,
to reclaim my life in the midst of this mess.

I never saw myself as patriotic, so never knew how much
I loved my country until it was threatened.
That is not a personality trait, rather,
I think, I grew up with the USA as my constant
and never considered it to be in danger.

I’ve begun to consciously meditate again, and
even found myself praying to whom I am not sure.
It isn’t that I don’t believe, but at some point I simply
did not find it useful to think that way.
The immigrants being sent back hurts my heart;
Please, I say aloud, keep them safe, keep the children with their parents.

I pray it many times a day as if it is a mantra.

“You write to change the world, knowing perfectly well you can’t.
The world changes according to the way people see it.
If you alter, even by a millimeter, the way a person looks at
or people look at reality, then you can change it.”
~ James Baldwin

BTW, several political persons have talked about keeping a journal of these times,
because then we are documenting the history of how it was effecting us.
Hopefully this will counter the whitewashing that the regime will promote..

☾

Hahnemühle Nostalgie Sketchbook, Birmingham Coking Coal ink,
De Atramentis Document Urban Grey ink in Pentel Aquash waterbrushes
(so I could paint over it and not move the dark grey),
Robert Oster Australian Sky Blue, Nemosine Aeolis Palus Red ink,
Platinum Carbon pen with Platinum Carbon ink waterproof cartridges,

☾

©D. Katie Powell.
My images/blog posts may be reposted; please link back to dkatiepowellart.
Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

To hear about classes, follow me on Instagram and Facebook.
Note: I was banned from IG until October for political postings.

Posted in art journal, painting, pen & ink, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #birminghaminks, #birminghampencompany, #grayink, #greyink, #HahnemühleNostalgie, #platinumcarbonink, #PlatinumCarbonPen, #robertosterink, #robertostersignatureink, #virtualsketching, #waterproofinks | Leave a comment

Benu Talisman Buddha Lotus Blossom Pen

Posted on March 30, 2025 by D. Katie Powell

I was thrilled when Benu brought out the Buddha-Lotus Blossom Talisman pen,
and it also gave me the opportunity to try out their NEW steel flex nib.

I haven’t bought a new pen
in a long time. My pen collection now is such that
I know what I love, and
have “enough” pens,
frankly, so now it was a question of what might
I like to collect.
Talisman fits my hand perfectly, not too big,
not to small. I can write
for hours with them.

I tried several models of Benu before landing on Talisman. The Euphoria was a bit big for my small hands, though I have bought the other Buddha pen in that model (I’ll review it later). I love the little Ambrosia to slip into my small purse (top of row).

Benu is my favorite high-end pen (still affordable, don’t get me wrong, but not a $35 pen) because of the lovely nib action. Always smooth, good flow.

All my Benus are inked up and sitting next to my bed, where I use them the most.

My other Talismans lined up for their portrait, right!

The Buddha-Lotus
Talisman has a brilliant sparkling copper colored body, shown below,
with a deep wine banding
and beautiful painted
Buddha holding a lotus blossom with lovely embellishments
all around the pen.

I had a terrible time photographing it’s color!

I filled it with Diamine Ancient Copper, my first ink, and one I have not had in any pen for a long time. It is perfect for it! Eventually, I think I am going to find a deep wine red ink in my stash for the refill, which would match the lovely trim pieces and nib body.

How does the steel flex nib write?

Not like a gold flex nib, which I knew going on, but I can get some variation in line width
if I try. It was a good test for me deciding whether to switch out my nibs in my other Benu’s, and I think not. I will buy the flex nib going forward, and am happy with what I have in my other pens, ranging from fine to broad.

I do wish they’d do a stub, though.
Hint-hint if anyone from Benu is reading this!

☾

Hahnemühle Nostalgie Sketchbook, Benu Pen with Diamine Ancient Copper ink.

©D. Katie Powell.
My images/blog posts may be reposted; please link back to dkatiepowellart.
Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

To hear about classes, follow me on Instagram and Facebook.
Note: I was banned from IG until October for political postings.

Posted in architecture, art journal, pen & ink, review, tools | Tagged #benupen, #brownink, #buddha, #coppercoloredpen, #diamineancientcopperink, #diamineink, #flexnib, #HahnemühleNostalgie, #lotusblossom, #penreview, #robertosterink, #robertostersignatureink, #talisman, Benu | Leave a comment

When a Creative is Cut Off from Social Media

Posted on March 30, 2025 by D. Katie Powell

I was recently banned from Instagram
(hereafter known as IG). I had posted comments on several political posts and I basically just copied my original post and pasted it instead of writing it over and over again. IG didn’t like that, or possibly a Trump/Musk supporter reported it – I’m not sure which – but they cut me off from posting for 6 months. SIX MONTHS!

I was not using profanity, just stating
my strong opinions that the current regime is not good for our country.

It has been a bummer, to be sure, though I have more free time. But the bigger issue is IG is where many people sell their creative items: books, art, classes, etc., including myself. I could not longer tell a larger audience that I had a new blog post up. This ability to just pull the rug out from under us for whatever reason is not okay, and should be regulated.

There was a way back, and I started to fill out th forms and state my truth but here is the thing – suddenly they were asking me for far more information than they should know about me, and I could not see the purpose for the request. Because of the state of our country right now, I was reluctant to give them all that information.

Being creative is something you have to make space for. You invite the muse in and sometimes it involves being quiet and still and receptive.
But it also is nice to share, and this stopped me in my tracks,
I’ve been upset and possibly depressed about the way things are going,
and this was the icing on the cake, so to speak.

I stopped sketching for a long time. Nothing.

When I was doing the larger pieces – I wasn’t working for a few years – I could sketch then drop into painting canvases or large sheets for a long time without sharing, sometimes creating a series, like my family portraits, above, all 3×4 feet.
I got a little lost when I was doing these large canvases, in a good way.

I can’t see that happening right now.

Further, it appears they erased my information, and I have no way to tell
my actual friends who for all I know think I am dead. Mitchell told people,
but there are a lot of artist friends who don’t know him.

Anyhow, I am going to start posting on my blog, and see where it takes me.
I have a lot of things I’ve not posted, and perhaps this interaction will spur me on.
Yes, I am still depressed, but I think that if you aren’t feeling some of that with what is going on then you are nto paying attention, because this is not bout sane Republicans, but crazy crazy taking over our country. Really frightening, IMO.

What are your thoughts? (I hope this is a safe place as I’m not tagging any of these companies, so as not to get the “Eye of Sauron” on this post!)

☾

©D. Katie Powell.
My images/blog posts may be reposted; please link back to dkatiepowellart.
Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

To hear about classes, follow me on Instagram and Facebook.
Note: I was banned from IG until October for political postings.

Posted in art journal, commission, creativity, painting, pen & ink, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #oilpaint, #robertostersignatureink, #watercolors, acrylic, creativity | 13 Comments

DEQ

Posted on February 6, 2025 by D. Katie Powell

Gads I am glad I took my sketchbook with me when I last had our car smogged.

The boredom and tedium of sitting, trying to be alert so I would move forward when they told me to was lifted a bit by a sketch.

I added most of the color back home.

Hahnemühle Nostalgie Sketchbook,
De Atramentis Document Urban Grey ink and De Atramentis Document Brown ink in Pentel Aquash waterbrushes,
Platinum Carbon pen with Platinum Carbon ink waterproof cartridges, DS Primatek watercolors, and Daniel Smith Watercolors.

☾

©D. Katie Powell.
My images/blog posts may be reposted; please link back to dkatiepowellart.
Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Posted in art journal, painting, pen & ink, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #brownink, #danielsmithprimateks, #danielsmithwatercolors, #grayink, #greyink, #HahnemühleNostalgie, #nwportland, #pacificnorthwest, #platinumcarbonink, #PlatinumCarbonPen, #Portlandoregon, #urbansketcher, #urbansketching | Leave a comment

Yaman the HelperCat

Posted on January 24, 2025 by D. Katie Powell

Yaman is his Daddy’s best friend.

Where Mitchell is, Yaman is. If I can’t find Mitchell in the studio I look for our panther-cat to be sitting outside a closed door, waiting impatiently to be let in. There is jealousy and rivalry between he and I, on his part, not mine, though it can be irritating when it kicks in… When we are talking, unless Yaman is on Mitchell’s lap, Yaman circles us and yeowls, “me me ME!”

He is an excellent shop-cat, except for his tendency to want to steal shiny objects, which is where he got his nickname, CrowCat, not from his black fur, as some imagine. In this image you can see him on top of cattle-tail and horse hair in the upholstery studio, where Mitchell had begun stitching the hair into place with spring twine. He is considering the spring twine, but he has his paw on the 5-inch curved needle. His paw says, “Mine!” There will be a small tussle getting it away from him, and of course Mitchell will win.

Then for a bit he is banned from being a HelperCat, and has to sit on the high swivel chair and watch from a distance. This never lasts… The minute Mitchell steps out of the upholstery studio he goes back to his spot on the settee.

A couple of things to note:

The cats are not allowed in the studio unless our clients have cats as well, because of allergies.
All cats get their nails clipped weekly. While they are good about using scratching pads (we have them EVERYWHERE), we don’t give them the opportunity. Wednesday night is beauty night, and they all have their nails clipped and a good combin’!
The cats travel from home to studio with us daily, only occasionally staying in the studio or at home without us. It is a lot of work but it is worth it! Their company, and their antics, relieves the long hours we spend working.

PROCESS

Pencil sketch first. Sometimes I erase my sketch lines but I didn’t on this image. I have gotten better at sketching the cats, and always work from a photo. I cannot imagine trying to sketch them in motion. Even if they are asleep, they have a sixth sense that tells them when I am sketching them and then disappear. They apparently think we will capture their soul!

I started laying in color with the backgrounds, above: wall, settee, hair and spring twine. I finished the settee, below.

Usually I use waterproof inks for some of the under-shadows, but this time I stuck to watercolors only. I am happy I experimented, but they moved too much. I wanted to influence Yaman’s fur, which is nearly blue-black with white tips in some areas as he has gotten older. The under-shadows pretty much disappeared into the watercolor layers.

Because I paint the cats so much, long ago I mixed a palette just for them, shown right. I have two colors mixed for Yaman’s fur, and several greys for the tabbies. Savitri, his sister, looks like a Siamese, and she has three custom mixes. Then there are the nose, ear and eye colors, pinks and greens.

I layered the final fur watercolors, left and below.

A thin white Uniball pen gave him his whiskers.

I used a white Prismacolor pencil for the tips of his fur. This white-tipped fur came on as he approached his fifth year.

Below, completion. I am so pleased with Yaman’s portrait. I have had such trouble capturing him and this is the first time I feel good about the watercolors!

Do you enjoy the stories of cat antics?
Do tell in comments, and follow for more!

Unknown Hahnemuhle paper (oops),
Pentalic HB woodless pencil, white Prismacolor pencil, White Uniball Signo,
Sennelier, Holbein and Daniel Smith Watercolors.

☾

©D. Katie Powell.
My images/blog posts may be reposted; please link back
to dkatiepowellart and drop me a note @dkatiepowell @aol.com.

Posted in animals, art journal, Cat, drawing, journal, memory, painting, process, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #blackcat, #blackcatsaregoodluck, #catantics, #danielsmithwatercolors, #HahnemuhlePaper, #holbeinwatercolors, #mpfconservation, #panthercat, #Portlandoregon, #sennelierwatercolors, #shopcat, #Siamese, #Siamesecat, #studiocat, #virtualsketching | 3 Comments

2025 1 20 Rump

Posted on January 21, 2025 by D. Katie Powell

IMO the flag should be flown upside down and at half-mast for the next four years because we are in distress as a nation. I won’t be stopping these rants anytime soon and if I do, then you should all be really worried. Someone has me gagged and tied.

I read something two nights ago that someone attributed to
“Good Morning Podcast” which I never heard of:
“Grief burnout is real, and it can show up as losing interest in things you once loved, constant headaches, restless nights, anxiety, feeling scattered and mood swings.”

I have had all those things for several months, after # not-my-president somehow ended up being deemed our President. I say this because of the missing votes (is anyone even looking for them), and maybe because if he really won fair and square then I’d be truly shattered, because how is that possible? I would have to consider that a slight majority of those that voted actually wanted him.

And BTW, I will NEVER FORGIVE those that did not vote, nor the students who decided not to vote. I think you should not be allowed to vote ever again. Forfeit.

Yes, I am mad, still.

“You write to change the world, knowing perfectly well you can’t… The world changes according to the way people see it. If you alter, even by a millimeter, the way a person looks at reality, then you can change it.” ~James Baldwin

And I’m heartbroken. I did not know I loved my country this much. I knew I loved the land, but I didn’t think about how much I love the actual laws that we have lived with for so many decades. Perhaps it is because I took them for granted, and now I am seeing that we might lose them forever.

I have had the covers metaphorically pulled over my head for a few weeks, hoping this was all a bad dream. I’ve been worried about lalaland, my home town, and if they would get funding from # not-my-president. I have not made any art for weeks except a couple of burning images of the Palisades. I have stayed away from the news other than about that one issue.

He will never be my President, and by that I mean I won’t call him that, and I will not look to him for any guidance about our country because he will do nothing to make American great. He will never unify. He will never give a rats ass about anyone but billionaires who are also his maggots. He will not help a blue state in the middle of the first huge climate crisis (also happens to be my home town), nor does he believe in the science of that, nor any blue state, nor support women’s issues, nor anyone with disabilities, nor gays/lesbians, trans, immigrants, etc etc. He will start wars if he likes, just to show us how big his member is not.

So now I have to find a way forward. I need to do what I do, make marks about what is going on in our country, and how it is hurting us. I will, as an art teacher said, “Do it when you are crying. Do it when you are mad. Do it when you are tired.”

I will publish more on finding a path forward when I feel I have found it, but one thing I can say now is my art journal is my clearing ground, where everything that is happening to me of importance finds a place (unless no time!). It is even more important now, because when I get my thought on paper they tend to lessen their hold on my psyche, The act of writing it all down let’s my soul feel heard. So, the pages are filled with writing and art, often not shared because besides being an artist i also am a businesswoman.

PS: I wrote to the NYTimes this morning and asked them if they were going to publish his lies without calling them out for the trash they are… I am referring to the BLATANT lies, and he has already started. If they are unwilling then they are going to be dumped from my inbox, along with any publication that does not tell the truth about him.

PS. I still have to decide about Meta, and being on FaceBook and Instagram. On one hand, I want nothing to do with the ass-kissing weenie, but on the other, as friends pointed out, it is the best place to counter every damn lie that is going down, if I have the stomach for it.

Anyone else feel this way? How are you dealing with the upset?

☾

Hahnemühle Nostalgie Sketchbook,
Pentel Aquash waterbrushes with diluted De Atramentis Urban Grey ink,
Robert Oster inks, Birmingham inks,
Platinum Carbon pen with Platinum Carbon ink waterproof cartridges,
White Uniball Signo, Platinum Japanese Art Pocket Brush Pen+.

☾

©D. Katie Powell
My images/blog posts may be reposted; please link back
to dkatiepowellart and drop me a note @dkatiepowell @aol.com.

Posted in art journal, commentary, painting, pen & ink, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #danielsmithprimateks, #danielsmithwatercolors, #directwatercolor, #fouryears, #grayink, #greyink, #HahnemühleNostalgie, #HahnemühleWatercolourBook, #holbeinwatercolors, #inkpainting, #platinumcarbonink, #Portlandoregon, #robertosterink, #robertostersignatureink, #rump, #sennelierwatercolors, #super5ink, #twsbieco, #ultraflexnib, #virtualsketching, #virtualsketchwalk, #watercolourbookcotton, #waterproofinks | 2 Comments

Home is Burning

Posted on January 20, 2025 by D. Katie Powell

Los Angeles is where I was born, at a hospital in Hollywood.
I have two places I call home, the West side, which is burning, and Laguna Beach.
I have been everywhere that is on fire, and have friends, and an estranged brother, that has been touched by this fire. It has gutted me.

I cannot image how they will come back from this,
especially with the news of what is now in the topsoil.
These fires are more than the loss of a home, which is devastating;
they leave behind a toxic wasteland.

The images above (and details below) were
based on a still shot from a video.

The image above was loosely on the image here taken
by Associated Press photographer Mark Terrill. It stayed with me and haunted me.

Below, click to see my entire journal pages.
Good luck on reading my scrawl!

☾

Hahnemühle Nostalgie Sketchbook,
Platinum Carbon pen with Platinum Carbon ink waterproof cartridges,
De Atramentis Document Urban Grey ink in Pentel Aquash waterbrushes,
White Uniball Signo, Holbein, DS Primatek watercolors, and Daniel Smith Watercolors.

☾

©D. Katie Powell
My images/blog posts may be reposted; please link back
to dkatiepowellart and drop me a note @dkatiepowell @aol.com.
Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Follow me on Instagram and Facebook.

Posted in art journal, current events, landscape, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #brownink, #californiafire, #climatechange, #danielsmithprimateks, #danielsmithwatercolors, #grayink, #greyink, #HahnemühleNostalgie, #HahnemühleWatercolourBook, #losangeles, #platinumcarbonink, #PlatinumCarbonPen, #virtualsketching, fire | 2 Comments

Inky Thots: Robert Oster’s GHOST

Posted on September 18, 2024 by D. Katie Powell

Ghost ink, a blacker shimmer!

Sterling Silver, which is a brighter shimmer.

I am not usually a shimmer gurl, but I’ve found one that is soon
to have its own pen! I love Robert Oster Signature’s shimmer, GHOST!
It has a silver-black shimmer, then goes grey leaning into
purple-grey, and then into turquoise blue when touched with water, shown right.

I compare it above to Sterling Silver, which is a clear bright silver shimmer.

In the meantime, I used a bent-nibbed
dip pen, the Sailor 12-0138-710
Fountain Pen Nib Pen Hocoro.

I had to draw an image of its
namesake, a sceeeery ghost, right?
(Shown left, actually.)

Remember that others review these inks just for writing; I am also interested in how they are used for ink-painting!

Properties of Robert Oster’s Ghost:

This ink is well-behaved, and
doesn’t feather on any of the papers
I normally use, even Post-its.
It is not water resistant.
No smearing using a calligraphy dip pen. When hit with water it moves easily
with no resistance or ghosting.
I consider it a medium ink,
neither wet nor dry, and in normal
writing it evaporates quickly.

In the large amounts where I painted
with it, shown right, it went on as if it were completely black! I was concerned I had not turned it upside down enough to disperse
the sparkling bits. Nope, look at the shimmer it had after it dried!

On smooth Hahnemühle Nostalgie
paper I created a fast sketch of
row houses in Portland, above.

Below, showing Ghost next to several Robert Oster greys for comparison.

W20 1 24 ROBERT OSTER OPAL GREY INK-3868

W23 6 26 RO MAJESTIC BLACK ANNIVERSARY-0725

Other Robert Oster Inks reviewed in this manner to date can be seen here.

RO is experimenting and testing lightfast properties… MOST water soluble ink companies do not yet pay attention to these properties because most artists who use ink are making prints of their work.

His non-toxic inks come in 50ml plastic bottles that are environmentally friendly, using recycled plastic. They can be tippy, so I usually put them in a more solid container to decant. The ink bottle mouth is wide, and all my pens fit easily into the bottle opening to fill.

To hear about classes, follow me on Instagram, Facebook.

“Memory is more indelible than ink.”
Anita Loos, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.
“I think not….”
Me… why I journal!

Posted in architecture, art journal, pen & ink, review | Tagged #grayink, #greyink, #HahnemühleNostalgie, #inkreview, #purpleink, #robertosterink, #robertostersignatureink, #sailorpens, #shimmerink, #silverink | Leave a comment

How Do I Use My Journals? What Do I Write About?

Posted on September 6, 2024 by D. Katie Powell

Facebook recently alerted me to an anniversary of 10 years using watercolors in a sketchbook. As a result a friend asked me how many sketchbooks have I gone through in ten years. After counting, I found it is between 6-8 /year!

I wrote about this in my last post:
How Many Sketchbooks in a Year?

(Left, the last pages in my sketchbook, where I place my ink list and notes.)

Remember, IMO you need to feel that your journal is a safe place to explore whatever is in your heart and mind. You don’t want to have to edit! If you have nosy people in your home who won’t respect your privacy find a good hiding spot!

I am reminded of a Raymond episode where he finds out his parents have gone through his journal every night! He feels betrayed, of course. He discusses this with his brother only to find out his brother knew they would invade their space, and kept his in a safety deposit box. He had a fake journal for his mom to find.

Now I’ve been asked: “What do you write about?“

Everything, though a couple of my journals are dedicated to a particular subject:

my recipes,
two accordion journals filled with hearts,
an accodeon journal filled with memories of my home, Laguna Beach, and
two on books I am writing (nope, I won’t discuss!)

I sketch in all my journals. I often create watercolors for my recipes, shown right. Some writers might not think they can sketch, but they also may be surprised, and sketching just for you in your own journal might be a place to safely begin to play. And if you don’t sketch, you can glue photos, notes, maps, stickers and receipts from your days.

When My Daily Journal Shifted

I began to hate having a separate journal. I worked in my sketchbooks every night, and this is where I began to realize I should just journal in my sketchbook. My Nostalgie Sketchbook is where I do 99% of my daily journalling. I love that now I can see what I was walking through emotionally or what was on my mind during the approximate time I was choosing to sketch various images.

Most of the time I journal on the left-facing page and sketch on the right-facing page, shown below. Once in a blue moon I journal for several pages using both sides! There are no rules, only my needs at the time. I love quotes, and place those on the left-facing edge of my “journal” page. With 80 pages of blank 70 lb natural white sketch paper, I think Hahnemühle Nostalgie Sketchbook is the best. I used to use a black lined paper underneath to make straight lines, but then I stopped caring, and now my life and journals are a free-for-all!

I write about:

my emotional day,
what happened to me,
happenings with Mitchell,
things that are making me joy-full or pissing me off,

neighborhood critters,
the cats who own us,
people who have come into my life,
passages,
heartbreak,

interesting work I am doing,
things that frighten me,
injustices (this topic is getting a lot of attention recently),
family, friends, and rarely, clients,
happenings in the neighborhood,

inks, pens, paper, or the medium involved in my art practice,
artists who inspire,
authors/books I am reading,
a piece of art I am struggling with,
how frustrated I am trying to find time to sketch!

We also have this great card packet — Angel Cards — which were a gift. We don’t use them in any of the ways the creators talk about and we don’t associate them with angels or spiritual guides. They have words on them, and we often draw one in the morning and we look for that word’s influence during the day, and talk about it at bedtime. I write about it if it is interesting.

We made a few of our own because we thought they needed help. They say things like “Go make art!” or “Play hookee!”

Recently I made a discovery about myself. I need to write more about how happy Mitchell makes me. I came across an old box of journals from my previous marriage (he died). I had a moving box filled with Cadic journals about how pissed off I was with him! Difficult marriage to say the least, though I loved him a lot. We were not compatible, and he lied and cheated on me. I was actually thinking divorce when he died. Looking down into a box of angry journals which is twice as much as I’ve written about my very good marriage of two decades, it occurred to me that it is easier or more compelling to write a lot about anger — for me at least — than it is to write about how happy I am.

The more I reflected on this I realized I write to work through issues.

Writing things down is cathartic. If I have something swirling around in my psyche writing it down frees me of the repetitive nagging thoughts. It is almost as if I feel I’ve heard myself, and can then move on to part two of the issue or to something else entirely. Mitchell finds this to be true for him also. How about you?

I have made many accordion heart journals and that is all about how happy I am. Hard to paint a joyful heart when you are not happy! How do you say you are in love without saying you are in love? Make heart journals!

What do you journal about?
I’d love to hear your topics. Give me ideas!

Hahnemühle 100# Cotton Watercolour Book or
Hahnemuhle Akademie Watercolor Paper Book, Hahnemühle‘s ZigZag books,
Hahnemühle Nostalgie Sketchbook, and Handbook Square journal.

☾

©D. Katie Powell
My images/blog posts may be reposted; please link back
to dkatiepowellart and drop me a note at dkatiepowell @aol.com.
Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Follow me on Instagram and Facebook.

Posted in art journal, commentary, creativity, gouache, journal, loss, meditation, painting, pen & ink, ritual, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor, writing | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #dailyjournal, #diary, #foldingjournal, #foldingsketchbook, #HahnemühleNostalgie, #journaltopics, #journalyourlife, #nwportland, #pacificnorthwest, #platinumcarbonink, #PlatinumCarbonPen, #Portlandoregon, #robertostersignatureink, #watercolorsketch, #watercolourbookcotton, #waterproofinks, #writeitdown | Leave a comment

How Many Sketchbooks in a Year?

Posted on September 5, 2024 by D. Katie Powell

Facebook recently alerted me to 10
years using watercolors in a sketchbook.
I had to share that anniversary — it surprised me — and as a result I was
asked how many sketchbooks have I gone through in ten years. I guess between
6-8 /year!

Some are packed up tight, but I have a couple of plastic boxes I am filling as I finish journals. I recently found this bin, left, a hodgepodge of odd journals as well as what I typically use.

I both sketch/watercolor in these books, but many years back I also added journaling to them. I hated having a separate journal, when in fact I liked to pick up my sketchbooks more often. So I started journalling on the left-facing page, and making art on the right-facing page. More on that below!

Gibbs is inspecting the A5 Hahnemühle Nostalgie Sketchbook, with two Hahnemühle watercolour journals (A5 and A4) below it, right.

History & What I Want in a Journal

I started with Moleskins, which it seemed everybody used. Unfortunately Moleskin changed their paper, and did not change
it for the better. I did not get the info until AFTER an order of six A4s, sadly (they are not cheap!) What I have done with those “bad” Moleskins is use them for swatching inks, and for this they’re fine.

I tried Strathmore, Canson (both ringbound), Pentallic, Clairefontaine, Handbook, Etchr and Arches; finally deciding upon Hahnemühle, and so happy I did. Two of them were just too expensive for my wallet, though they were lovely! So they had to be affordable.

Issues with the others:
I did not want ringbound; trying the others was good for me.
I didn’t like the feel of Strathmore in my hands, though Liz Steele famously swears by them.

Pentalic was a jumping off point early on, and I loved the folding journals, but they really didn’t have a good watercolor paper. I am just finishing up a few of their accordion books, which I have used for challenges like the Sketchpack Project, shown left.

Now, I always buy Hahnemühle!

Paper is everything! It has to be supportive of both ink and watercolor/gouache (more later on the two different journals I use). I want a hardbound cover, and it has to take a beating and not become unbound. No Hahnemühle journal has never broken even when dropped!

A ribbon marker is important (all theirs do), and having a closure band on the watercolor sketchbooks is so nice. I like having a folder at the back to pop ideas in, though I add that to my Nostalgie Journal, shown above, and usually dedicate the back of the last page to testing various mediums.

I have two different needs in a sketchbook.

In the Nostalgie Sketchbook, I am truly sketching / experimenting using light watercolor/inks, and journaling. For a long time I kept my journaling separate, but years ago I realized the folly in that. I reach for my sketchbooks most often and so why not use them as a journal, so I can also see what i am thinking during the times I am sketching whatever subjects catch my interest?

Now I journal on the left-facing page, and sketch on the right-facing page, shown right and below. With 80 pages of 70 lb (190 gsm) natural white sketch paper Hahnemühle Nostalgie Sketchbook is the best.

In the others I am mostly using watercolors and inks to create art, with little or no journaling, and want strong watercolor paper for these images. I use Hahnemühle Akademie Watercolor Paper Journal or the Hahnemühle 100% Cotton Watercolor Books to handle the layers of watercolor. 60 pages of natural-white 90 lb (200gsm) paper, and a bit more for the 100% cotton! Sometimes I paint both sides of a page, sometimes I only paint the right-facing side.

I tend to swatch the colors of the medium I am using on the left-facing side, and name them so I remember, shown in the Hahnemühle watercolor journal, images 1 and 2 below. Occasionally I do it right on the page with my art, as shown in image 3.

Hahnemühle Nostalgie

Hahnemühle Watercolor

Left is waxed paper added to the margin edge of my page. Early on my journal got wet; I had colors transfer to the opposite side. From then on I began gluing waxed paper into my journals. I run a bead of white glue; set the precut waxed paper into the glue, flatten the glue with a flat object like a pen cap, and allow it to set. I cut several A5 and A4 inserts at a time and they are stored in my journal.

Size Matters!

I switched from the A4 size long ago, shown above and in the big image below. I always have a couple in rotation for art projects that do not leave my studio, such as illustrations for a book I’m writing, and so finish maybe one a year. The A4 is not my main sketch book as it is too big to lug around, and at nearly two feet wide when open, I can’t just find an easy perch!

A6 is too small for me, above, and shown in brown below. I feel cramped trying to sketch a scene in the little itty-bitty book! But I was given some so I use them for challenges. (BTW, the brown A6 Hahnemühle below has cream-colored paper in it for sketching.)

Hahnemühle A6, A5 and A4 journal above.

And just like Goldilocks, A5 is just right! Fits in my purse, I can balance almost anywhere, is discreet if I am sketching a person on the sly, but is big enough to actually paint a nice watercolor.

Notice I use stickers of my own artwork (I also sell them on Redbubble) to decorate my books.

I like Hahnemühle‘s ZigZag books — their square version of an accordion journal, shown right. I was given a tiny one and a large one, and since have bought more of the large size, about 5-inches. I usually finish 1-2 a year in challenges.

Based on finishing on average seven A5s a year, I guess the number in the decade is 70! Add my A4’s and other types of sketchbooks and possibly 80/year.

I make 90% of my sketches at night, because we have a business and it is a 60-hour-a-week commitment. Imagine the number if I was not working full time… yes, I am looking forward to retirement!

If you haven’t tried them yet, do!
They are the best and I have tried them all!

(BTW, a list of tags follow where you can see the various medium brands I prefer tagged.)

Hahnemühle 100# Cotton Watercolour Book or
Hahnemuhle Akademie Watercolor Paper Book, Hahnemühle‘s ZigZag books,
Hahnemühle Nostalgie Sketchbook, and Handbook Square journal.

☾

Posted in art journal, commentary, gouache, journal, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, urban sketchers, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #danielsmithprimateks, #danielsmithwatercolors, #foldingjournal, #foldingsketchbook, #HahnemühleNostalgie, #HahnemühleWatercolourBook, #holbeingouache, #holbeinwatercolors, #journal, #nwindustrialsanctuary, #nwportland, #pacificnorthwest, #platinumcarbonink, #PlatinumCarbonPen, #Portlandoregon, #robertostersignatureink, #sennelierwatercolors, #sketchbookcotton, #sketching, #urbansketcher, #watercolorsketch, #watercolourbookcotton, #waterproofinks, #zigzagjournal, USk | 3 Comments

VSW: Fremantle AU Boys School

Posted on August 18, 2024 by D. Katie Powell

From our Virtual Sketchwalk group on Facebook, Fremantle Austrailia;
images offered were mostly by Debi Taylor.
We do a different place each month!

Info from Wikipedia: The Fremantle Boys’ School is a heritage building on
the Register of National Estate (1972) with an interim listing on the State register (1992). Located at 92 Adelaide Street, Fremantle, it was built to house the Fremantle School (1854) and was later renamed the Fremantle Boys’ School. Designed by William
Ayshford Sanford in the Victorian Tudor Style, it was constructed using convict labor.
Made of limestone, the roof has Dutch gables with shingle covering.
In 1910 additions were made by the Public Works Department. It is also known
by the name of its later occupants, the Film and Television Institute.

W24 6 18 VSW H100 FREMANTLE BOYS SCHOOL-3629

W24 6 18 VSW H100 FREMANTLE BOYS SCHOOL-3633

I don’t know what came over me. Instead of simply sketching my building visually, I went back in time and used a vanishing point. The point was placed across on the other page, above left, lines were drawn — something I did a thousand times as an architect. Good goddess, what a mess. It would have been so much easier, faster, with a better result if I had just eyeballed it.