SoCS: Anti-Social

Posted on June 15, 2019 by D. Katie Powell

I  journal and do morning stream of consciousness exercises, and
I’m again participating in Linda Hill’s Stream of Consciousness Saturday. 
I write to a timer, 15-20 minutes, no editing except spelling, and of course I add my art!
You can do it too!
The Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “social.” Write about the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the word “social.”

When I first heard the word for today, I thought of social media, and was going to write about how it is not making us more social, but maybe ill-mannered and righteous.

Then this morning I read news while waking, which I almost never do.

So here is the thing, my opinion.

The USA is a giant narcissistic antisocial two-year-old who cannot deal with facts
(many scientific ideas about global warming, for instance, including memory of normal weather, but no real scientist that is saying it is not happening),
and even if they did, does not care about the welfare of their children,
their grandchildren, and so I say, the worst kind of narcissistic child ever.  EVER.

This is non-partisan.  Maybe more Dems discuss it, but wait,
in the last election the Democratic candidate give it a bit of lip service but was unconvincing because she was unconvinced of its importance,
and the other one is the poster boy for the narcissistic two year old.
*I am over apologizing to Trump supporters…
I mean, come on: Megalomaniac crazy man.  You picked the wrong child.*
Obama talked about having this or that done by 2020 and here we are…
I guess they thought we had time despite what scientists said.
Nothing done, not really.

I mean, we have to get moving, each and every one of us.

The USA does more damage than any other Western society,
as they live in homes sized for their activity and family size,
drive less, waste less, use less fossil fuel…
Our war machine, which is not necessary, is a huge culprit;
this is what made me skip writing about social media this morning
and focus on our general stupidity as a nation.
It is not that the two year old is stupid, but two year olds grow up
in the face of peers who don’t like them, facts,
and being shunned by parents who say “go to your room.”
If they don’t, they become dangerous madpersons..

I don’t see us growing up.

Sine qua non.
Without this, nothing.

For the rules, go to Linda’s blog;  feel free to join the fun!

To hear about classes, follow me on Facebook
or check out my new, improved dkatiepowellart.com

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

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

☾

W14 4 27 WC PALMS PAT SQAs my Patreon supporter, you will have
access to some content not on this website,
sneak previews, goodies, discounts on classes.

I teach architectural sketching,
art journaling (art+writing), creativity, watercolors.
That annoying loud-mouth editor/critic in your head?  GONE!  How great would that be?

Posted in art journal, creativity, journal, pen & ink, sketchbook, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Bottles!

Posted on June 14, 2019 by D. Katie Powell

Bottles matter!

The right bottle helps sell your ink!
A nice shape, brown preferably because it helps protect the ink inside.
A not too tall bottle or pear shaped is ideal so it doesn’t tip.

And of course, a beautiful bottle is amazing.

I am not sure why Diamine changed their old bottle, as it was lovely.
Simple, nice shape, proportional, and the lid was a nice lid that fit well
and looked as if it belonged to the bottle, not borrowed from another bottle.
The new bottle is not bad, a bit taller proportionally.
But, it has an ugly gold lid that doesn’t work!


The older bottle, above, of Diamine Ancient Copper ink.

The top, and the way the
top seals is critical because
if the bottle tips with the top on tight and ink spills,
you lose ink, you stain things, and no one likes to clean up ink…  But there is more —
If you have your top screwed on tight and it leaks then
air is also getting into the bottle which means it is evaporating… And this is exactly what the new gold
tops from Diamine do,
they leak even when on tight.  Right, the leakage with the
top screwed on TIGHT…

The newer bottle, below, of Diamine Havasu Turquoise ink.

Understand, I LOVE Diamine inks. 
I just don’t love the new bottles…

To hear about classes, follow me on Facebook
or check out my new, improved dkatiepowellart.com

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

 Hahnemühle journal,  Pentel Aquash waterbrush,
Lamy Al-Star with Diamine Ancient Copper ink,
Lamy Al-Star with Diamine Havasu Turquoise ink.

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

☾

W14 4 27 WC PALMS PAT SQAs my Patreon supporter, you will have
access to some content not on this website,
sneak previews, goodies, discounts on classes.

I teach architectural sketching,
art journaling (art+writing), creativity, watercolors.
That annoying loud-mouth editor/critic in your head?  GONE!  How great would that be?

Posted in art journal, drawing, ink painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

VSW: Tuileries, Paris

Posted on June 13, 2019 by D. Katie Powell


Tuileries, from an image
by Demi Kalfa for
Virtual Sketchwalk.

Robert Oster’s Green at
Night is new to me,
on sale at Vanness in
Grandpa’s Basement.
*I shouldn’t tell you about Grandpa’s basement
because, more for me.*

It has rich undertones of
black and also touches of
warm yellow, though it is hard
to see in the washes above.

I have been told that the way an artist crops an image changes the way the piece feels.
Maybe that is why I like playing with cropping after the fact…
Included in this cropping is the banner above (if you can see it on your phones.)
But I’m not sure about this.  I think it is line or brush stroke and color.

What say you?

*meanwhile, these french words are driving my dyslexia insane…
i double check spelling and still! u,e,i,l… i mix hem up when writing!*

To hear about classes, follow me on Facebook
or check out my new, improved dkatiepowellart.com

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

Hahnemühle Nostalgie Sketchbook,
TWSBI Eco 1.1 with Robert Oster Green at Night ink,
Pentel Aquash waterbrush.

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

☾

W14 4 27 WC PALMS PAT SQAs my Patreon supporter, you will have
access to some content not on this website,
sneak previews, goodies, discounts on classes.

I teach architectural sketching,
art journaling (art+writing), creativity, watercolors.
That annoying loud-mouth editor/critic in your head?  GONE!  How great would that be?

Posted in architecture, art journal, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Puppy Postcards

Posted on June 12, 2019 by D. Katie Powell

And the showdown, water color versus ink!

Okay, we know that watercolors, good ones, have light-fast ratings.
This is a huge plus for sending postcards that someone might stick on a wall…
PBeaux (left) should last longer than Poppy (right)
especially the bright orange bowl he is sitting in.

Inks are much harder to paint with, they bloom much more easily than watercolors
Still, I love them!


He was a pup when this picture was taken…
Platinum Carbon pen and ink with watercolors.


He was a pup too, that fit in a Fiesta Bowl…
I had intended to borrow images from @muchofiesta (IG) for his lovely colorful bowls,
but look who caught my eye… his new Boston Terrier.

I do commissions!

To hear about classes, follow me on Facebook
or check out my new, improved dkatiepowellart.com

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

Hahnemühle Post Cards,
Noodler’s Lexington Grey Ink in Pentel Aquash waterbrushes,
TWSBI Eco 1.1 with Robert Oster Aussie Brown ink,
Lamy Vista with Diamine Pumpkin ink,
Jinhao 750 with JoWo nib and Super5 Darmstadt ink,
Platinum Carbon Pen with Platinum Carbon ink waterproof cartridges,
Da Vinci, DS Primatek and Daniel Smith watercolors.

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

☾

W14 4 27 WC PALMS PAT SQAs my Patreon supporter, you will have
access to some content not on this website,
sneak previews, goodies, discounts on classes.

I teach architectural sketching,
art journaling (art+writing), creativity, watercolors.
That annoying loud-mouth editor/critic in your head?  GONE!  How great would that be?

Posted in animals, creativity, drawing, ink painting, painting, pen & ink, portrait, watercolor, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

VSW: Palais Bourban, Paris

Posted on June 11, 2019 by D. Katie Powell


Trying to participate in my Virtual Sketchwalk group more again…
Even quick sketches keep my hand in the game.

Palais Bourban, Paris, in a Jinhao 750 with JoWo nib and Super5 Darmstadt ink.
*Darmstadt is not an easy work for a dyslexic who regularly spells dharma…
I keep wanting two work an H in there!*

To hear about classes, follow me on Facebook
or check out my new, improved dkatiepowellart.com

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

Hahnemühle Nostalgie Sketchbook,
I used pens to dip my waterbrush into so I had wet ink!
Noodler’s Lexington Grey Ink (grisaille) in a Pentel Aquash waterbrushe
and Jinhao 750 with JoWo nib and Super5 Darmstadt ink.

w16-9-22-pentalic-laguna-beach-days-of-yore-05-sq w15-10-haight-sq w16-4-1-newberry-library-sq w16-9-22-pentalic-laguna-beach-days-of-yore-04-sq

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

☾

W14 4 27 WC PALMS PAT SQAs my Patreon supporter, you will have
access to some content not on this website,
sneak previews, goodies, discounts on classes.

I teach architectural sketching,
art journaling (art+writing), creativity, watercolors.
That annoying loud-mouth editor/critic in your head?  GONE!  How great would that be?

Posted in architecture, art journal, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Patriotic Jumper in Grey

Posted on June 9, 2019 by D. Katie Powell


The Patriotic Jumper is actually white.  He is huge, almost the size of a horse, and he is one of my favorites.

He ended up grey because
I had to save a perfectly good drawing which I messed up.
I reached for waterbrush
pens I had never tried and OOPS! they pretty well ruined a drawing with good linework in Birmingham’s Tarnished Nickel.  This is when he became a grey horse…
to save the drawing!

To hear about classes, follow me on Facebook
or check out my new, improved dkatiepowellart.com

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

Hahnemühle Watercolour Journal

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

☾

W14 4 27 WC PALMS PAT SQAs my Patreon supporter, you will have
access to some content not on this website,
sneak previews, goodies, discounts on classes.

I teach architectural sketching,
art journaling (art+writing), creativity, watercolors.
That annoying loud-mouth editor/critic in your head?  GONE!  How great would that be?

Posted in art journal, challenge, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, virtual sketching | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

SoCS: Grace

Posted on June 7, 2019 by D. Katie Powell

I  journal and do morning stream of consciousness exercises, and
I’m again participating in Linda Hill’s Stream of Consciousness Saturday. 
I write to a timer, 15-20 minutes, no editing except spelling, and of course I add my art!
You can do it too!
Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “open book, point, write.” Pick up the closest book to you when you sit down to write your post. Close your eyes, open the book, and place your finger on the page. Whatever word or phrase your finger lands on, write about it. Enjoy!

A note after, wow this is long… I wrote longer than the timer!

Oddly enough, the only book next to my desk is my calendar
and I wrote a bit about grace yesterday and
had the word grace in a dozen places and grace is what it landed on.
Not “the”, which I thought would be very funny!

I took the time to look it up — just curious —
and the oddest thing is that the dictionary is SO Christian!!!
Their definition (of the type of grace of which I am thinking) is this:
“the free and unmerited favor of God” but then they wax on about Christian notions.
It assumes so much without owning that it does…
The Christian Dictionary is owning it.

God gives you a lovely path to walk if you are good?

That God controls destiny (which is not even what I was taught as a Catholic
when I argued with the nuns which btw got me kicked out of catechism at 5
because I wanted to know if God was so dang powerful why not just
STOP the devil from doing all this bad stuff like starving children?)
“Mrs. Beck, She is disrupting class again.”
I was right… You can’t have it both ways, so “free will” is present
and then the chips begin to fall where they may which is one reasons
why I switch teams and now bat for the Buddhists because, frankly,
without even considering god or no god, is more consistent and logical.

Okay this was not where I was heading before the detour of the dictionary,
which really should be non-denominational and tell us all religions ideas on “grace”
or leave off the overtly religious attitudes.

When I think of grace I think a bit of being in the flow.
Coming to the suchness of the situations and wrapping your attitude around it
and working with it when it is not what you thought you wanted.
So often what you didn’t want is actually some part of your path.
I never know what to say about the terrible stuff but I will tell you that when my former husband died I thought it was one of the worst things to happen to me but it brought Mitchell into my life, and honestly, I had a pretty bad marriage before, very disconnected and distant and I put up with all of it because I had not fully imagined THIS…
not consciously, anyway, to be lovers and best friends.

The Great Recession wiped us out and I am not sure where the trajectory will land us
(the story is not over)
but I will say that seeing the tsunami that was about to hit us and
moving into the wave to take whatever control over what happened
instead of fighting and denying it allowed us to survive with our business intact.
Friends did not recover, and no one wants to acknowledge the horrid things that good hardworking Americans have walked through in the last few decades.
They lost their business or job and went to live with their kids and never found a job.
We are not wealthy and we struggled (who didn’t)
and frankly are working much harder than we should at our age
and have not “recovered” what we lost
BUT BUT BUT but we are here and we work with each other and we are doing our craft.  We get to have out cats at work, how great is that?
We are not working separately at horrid jobs
(I worked taking payments at night for a bit to tide us over while he held down
the business and we were miserable BUT a great project saved us.)
There is grace in our lives.

So grace is being at one with, moving into the wave so it doesn’t knock you over, and getting back up if you slip and fall on your butt.  Reading the tea leaves as best you can.

AND BEING GRATEFUL.
IF I DID NOT PRACTICE DAILY GRATEFULNESS
I AM SURE I WOULD NOT HAVE MADE IT.

Below, Tsunami image… Acrylic, from 1995.

For the rules, go to Linda’s blog;  feel free to join the fun!

To hear about classes, follow me on Facebook
or check out my new, improved dkatiepowellart.com

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

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

☾

W14 4 27 WC PALMS PAT SQAs my Patreon supporter, you will have
access to some content not on this website,
sneak previews, goodies, discounts on classes.

I teach architectural sketching,
art journaling (art+writing), creativity, watercolors.
That annoying loud-mouth editor/critic in your head?  GONE!  How great would that be?

Posted in art journal, creativity, journal, pen & ink, sketchbook, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

30×30 Direct, Week 1, Finito

Posted on June 7, 2019 by D. Katie Powell


Okay why did I try this again?
Because I love Marc Holmes as a teacher (follow his blog artists)
and he is very gung ho on this.  I used inks not watercolors.

But a week later I still hate it.
Of course, I overworked the first one of Église Saint Germain l’Auxerrois!

Turns out I really really love my pen, the feel of ink on paper!


The Chicago USk event is on this week and
I did the Bean as a tribute to them.

I kinda had fun with this one..


I switched to flowers on Hahnemuhle Postcards
and had fun with this….


But not as much fun as this and
that is not direct watercolor!
See all those sexy sexy lines?  FUN!


Again for Virtual Sketchwalk I tried the Madonna at the Église Saint Germain l’Auxerrois.
Not to bad, but not fun.  Belabored.  Does it show?


Layered inks of the Tuileries, Paris.  Postcard.

So I think I am done with
the direct watercolor challenge.
I have already sketched several other images
but the key is I had fun, dammit, with a PEN!

To hear about classes, follow me on Facebook or
check out my new and improved dkatiepowellart.com
and sign up for my newsletter!

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

Hahnemühle Post Cards, Hahnemühle Nostalgie Sketchbook,
amny inks, mostly Robert Oster, Super5, Diamine, and J.Herbin.

W16 7 14 PENTALIC INDIAN PAINTBRUSH 03 SQ

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

☾

W14 4 27 WC PALMS PAT SQAs my Patreon supporter, you will have
access to some content not on this website,
sneak previews, goodies, discounts on classes.

I teach architectural sketching,
art journaling (art+writing), creativity, watercolors.
That annoying loud-mouth editor/critic in your head?  GONE!  How great would that be?

Posted in creativity, drawing, ink painting, painting, pen & ink, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Sunflower

Posted on June 4, 2019 by D. Katie Powell


Mitchell brought me early sunflowers to cheer me;
I love sketching their cheery faces!

To hear about classes, follow me on Facebook
or check out my new, improved dkatiepowellart.com

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

Hahnemühle Nostalgie Sketchbook,
Jinhao with Goulet 1.1 stub nib and Super5 Frankfurt ink,
Da Vinci, MGraham, and Daniel Smith watercolors.

  w15-6-27-gratitude-journal-003-sq

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

☾

W14 4 27 WC PALMS PAT SQAs my Patreon supporter, you will have
access to some content not on this website,
sneak previews, goodies, discounts on classes.

I teach architectural sketching,
art journaling (art+writing), creativity, watercolors.
That annoying loud-mouth editor/critic in your head?  GONE!  How great would that be?

Posted in art journal, color, journal, process, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Wolf Spider

Posted on June 4, 2019 by D. Katie Powell

Stared with linework then tried to switch to a wet brush
using Robert Oster Heart of Gold ink.
Spiders scare me badly; I’ve done a lot of work on them.
I don’t kill them anymore unless they crawl out from under my keyboard
or some such nonsense then I figure they were committing suicide.

I am not a shimmer-fangurl but oh my gawd look at this!

.

To hear about classes, follow me on Facebook
or check out my new, improved dkatiepowellart.com

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

Hahnemühle Nostalgie Sketchbook,
Jinhao 750 with JoWo nib with Robert Oster Heart of Gold ink.

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

☾

W14 4 27 WC PALMS PAT SQAs my Patreon supporter, you will have
access to some content not on this website,
sneak previews, goodies, discounts on classes.

I teach architectural sketching,
art journaling (art+writing), creativity, watercolors.
That annoying loud-mouth editor/critic in your head?  GONE!  How great would that be?

Posted in art journal, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Pain

Posted on June 3, 2019 by D. Katie Powell


It showed up Tuesday morning, pain so bad I could barely move…
Seriously, I’ve dealt with pain all my life (dancer injury)
But I said to Mitchell, Shoot me NOW!”

I had pain killers and muscle relaxers and used them —
I was quite loopy so did things on the laptop that I could do —
NO running numbers, but editing and dropping in images.

Did I say I couldn’t use the stairs?
Working in BED!


I began to move like a sumo wrestler, a wide stance that grounded
and helped me to feel I would not tip over.
Day two the pain lessened by half.

It is likely that the deli changed a recipe.
I am terribly allergic to potatoes — ever since I took the shingles vaccine at 50.
Until then I had no arthritis and my only (mild) food allergy was to avocados…
After the shingles vaccine I stepped into bad arthritis and one of the trigger foods is potatoes.  I ate them my whole life with no issue, and now even one potato chip sends
me into excruciating pain.  I am careful about potato flour, which so many are
using now in “gluten-free” meals.  I ask and stay far away.  But perhaps they
changed the recipe on something I checked out long ago and so I learned my lesson —
Always ask even on foods you’ve eaten before!

I tried some direct watercolor though.  That was only somewhat annoying!
And as I go to publish this I am going to climb the stairs to work tomorrow.
Knee still hurts but omi not by comparison…

To hear about classes, follow me on Facebook
or check out my new, improved dkatiepowellart.com

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

Hahnemühle Nostalgie Sketchbook,
Note: now you can get Super5 inks in the states from Blue Rooster:
Support them so we always have it, as Amazon comes and goes!
Noodler’s Lexington Grey Ink in Pentel Aquash waterbrushes,
TWSBI Eco 1.1 with J.Herbin Rose Cyclamen ink,
TWSBI Eco 1.1 with Robert Oster Green at Night ink,
TWSBI Eco 1.1 with Robert Oster Australian Sky Blue,
Edison Nouveau 1.1 stub nib with KWZ Grapefruit ink,
Diplomat Aero with Robert Oster Fire Engine Red ink,
Lamy Al-Star with Robert Oster Jade ink,
Lamy Al-Star with Robert Oster Graphite,
Lamy Al-Star with Pilot Yama-Budo,
Lamy Al-Star with Pilot Asa-Gao,
Jinhao 750 with JoWo nib and Super5 Darmstadt ink,
FPR Himalayan with Birmingham Tarnished Nickel ink,
FPR Himalayan with Robert Oster Melon Tea.

  w15-6-27-gratitude-journal-003-sq

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

☾

W14 4 27 WC PALMS PAT SQAs my Patreon supporter, you will have
access to some content not on this website,
sneak previews, goodies, discounts on classes.

I teach architectural sketching,
art journaling (art+writing), creativity, watercolors.
That annoying loud-mouth editor/critic in your head?  GONE!  How great would that be?

Posted in art journal, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, watercolor, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

VSW: Église Saint Germain l’Auxerrois, Paris

Posted on June 2, 2019 by D. Katie Powell

A comparison, direct watercolor versus linework….


I’m struglling with the 30×30 Direct Watercolor Challenge.
I’m doing it because marc Holmes is such an amazing teacher —
I learn things from him all the time and his work is so exciting —
So I want to trust him and go along on this ride.

BUT…

I miss lines.
Above, grisaille then color… no lines.


Oh give me lines lotsa lines under starry skies above,
Don’t fence me in (with your non-linear stuff)!

Listen they are both fast because I has to be because I couldn’t sit easily
due to the bursa but I got so much more pleasure out of the lines and
water touching lines and watching the lines move into a body of something…

I’ll keep at it until next Friday and see how I feel about it.
Nothing ventured and all that.

To hear about classes, follow me on Facebook
or check out my new, improved dkatiepowellart.com

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

Hahnemühle Nostalgie Sketchbook,
I used pens to dip my waterbrush into so I had wet ink!
Noodler’s Lexington Grey Ink (grisaille) and
De Atramentis Document Brown ink in Pentel Aquash waterbrushes,
Lamy Al-Star with Platinum Citrus Black ink,
Diplomat Aero with Robert Oster Fire Engine Red ink,
Lamy Al-Star with Robert Oster Jade ink,
Lamy Al-Star with Diamine Havasu Turquoise ink,
Lamy Al-Star with Pilot Asa-Gao,
Lamy Vista with Robert Oster African Gold ink,
Lamy Vista with Diamine Pumpkin ink,
and then I drew with
FPR Himalayan with Robert Oster Melon Tea ink.

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

☾

W14 4 27 WC PALMS PAT SQAs my Patreon supporter, you will have
access to some content not on this website,
sneak previews, goodies, discounts on classes.

I teach architectural sketching,
art journaling (art+writing), creativity, watercolors.
That annoying loud-mouth editor/critic in your head?  GONE!  How great would that be?

Posted in architecture, art journal, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

SoCS: New Moon Silence

Posted on June 1, 2019 by D. Katie Powell

I  journal and do morning stream of consciousness exercises, and
I’m again participating in Linda Hill’s Stream of Consciousness Saturday. 
I write to a timer, 15-20 minutes, no editing except spelling, and of course I add my art!
You can do it too!
The Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “silent/silence.” Write about the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the word “silent/silence.”

Hmmm favorite activity…

Because I am talkative people can’t believe I love to go into silence.
It is a tradition that we try to observe silence at the New Moon.
It is a natural time to be quiet, to go within, to reset your body/mind
from a cycle of doing, rushing, activity-ing…
When I do it, I can feel the calm and the feeling of being in sync with the world.
When work just won’t allow the New Moon ritual,
I feel tired and cranky, a baby that doesn’t get that needed nap!

It is a time to be dreamy, think about where you are and
where you want to be or not think at all, just dream.
Around our house, we don’t observe complete no-talking,
but just keep the chatter down, and keep the tele off, unplug from electronics.
Slice of heaven.  We are in fact entering the Dark-of-the-Moon right now,
and oh I would love to take this week end off and be silent!
But especially because of being hurt this week, we can’t… deadline time.

For those that don’t know, I have a bursa issue;
I was on serious pain killers for a few days.
Coming off them now.

For the rules, go to Linda’s blog;  feel free to join the fun!

To hear about classes, follow me on Facebook
or check out my new, improved dkatiepowellart.com

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

 

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

☾

W14 4 27 WC PALMS PAT SQAs my Patreon supporter, you will have
access to some content not on this website,
sneak previews, goodies, discounts on classes.

I teach architectural sketching,
art journaling (art+writing), creativity, watercolors.
That annoying loud-mouth editor/critic in your head?  GONE!  How great would that be?

Posted in art journal, creativity, journal, pen & ink, sketchbook, watercolor, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Coyote Cries

Posted on May 31, 2019 by D. Katie Powell

*warning… sad angry political post*

I love coyotes.  I love animals period.

The feds are going to allow them to be hunted for sport and are even making a game out of it.  I wept.  I am so over the top disgusted by these people.  DISGUSTED.


And I really hate hunting for sport —
as in, kill it for no good earthly reason except the joy of KILLING????
Crap, you are not going to eat the animal.
There is a family story where my brother Patrick was young
and out on the ranch with his gun and killed a porcupine.
My grandma made him strip it so they could eat it…
hard to do, they haven’t much on them, and her conversation with him
about it as he was trying to clean it taught him everything.
She cried.  He cried.  He never hunted for sport.
I grew up with very careful hunters who played by strict rules of engagement.
They only shot what they could eat, watched what was in short supply,
and for sport, cans on the fence, not live animals.

I see this as a prayer that the USA SOMEDAY MIGHT CHOOSE SANITY.
I see this killing-coyotes-for-sport as an war on the feminine.
May not be logical.  But there it is.

I am not holding my breath.
We are a mean vicious stupid people… Only by admitting it can you change it.


To hear about classes, follow me on Facebook
or check out my new, improved dkatiepowellart.com

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

Hahnemühle Nostalgie Sketchbook,
FPR Himalayan with Robert Oster Melon Tea.

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

☾

W14 4 27 WC PALMS PAT SQAs my Patreon supporter, you will have
access to some content not on this website,
sneak previews, goodies, discounts on classes.

I teach architectural sketching,
art journaling (art+writing), creativity, watercolors.
That annoying loud-mouth editor/critic in your head?  GONE!  How great would that be?

Posted in art journal, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Inky Thots: Robert Oster Jade

Posted on May 30, 2019 by D. Katie Powell

 From Robert Oster’s website:
“My great interest in fountain pen inks – and by extension inks
that combine many creative applications – began with the birth
of my love of fountain pens in 1989.  The contents and packaging of my Inks are all nature friendly and
the colours a genuine inventory of the Australian palette.“

His bottles are not the most beautiful, but I am happy
they are environmentally friendly bottles, created from recycled chemical waste!  His inks are non-toxic. This matters to me;
I started with fountain pens to stop the plastic pen trash.

I have more Robert Oster inks than any other brand.
Why?  Because no other brand has the spectacular
mix of pigments within a color, which gives even his simplest inks
such beauty that it is a shame to waste them on writing!

This love affair with ink pigments began with brushing wet ink on paper
(below) and watching the colors move and separate… pure color, floating on paper!
Yes, I CAN watch ink dry!  It is beautiful, art-full, and I take no credit for it!

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 Jade:
Well behaved, for me this means neither dry nor wet,
and has enough body that it does not feather on the papers I use unless the paper is wet…
For the writers, I use it in my journal and on Post-its with no feathering issues.
Bleed-through is more about the paper than the ink!

Jade has no sheen, though when I tried to produce it by thickly
laying ink on the paper it I found the halo to be nearly black!
I will have to find a way to use that in my art… think the Black Forest in Germany!

Watercolor
Watercolor

*Above, four watercolors from Daniel Smith.*

When the ink is dispersed on paper towel and water added, the electric yellow come through stronger!

When the edge is touched with water it moves easily with no resistance into yellow and rust tones. Looking at watercolor comparisons, the colors range from Sap or Green Apatite to Serpentine or Green Gold and a touch of Phthalo.  In watercolors that puts the pigments in the  Munsell ranges: P7, PO49, PG36, PY129, PY150, and Py3.

*For more info on the munsell system, go to this page.  Knowing the pigments can help you not to duplicate watercolors made of the same pigments.*

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

 
I drew Hotei Buddha on my test page with a
Lamy Al-Star 1.1 stub on cold press watercolor paper,
and touched the lines with water using a Pentel Aquash waterbrush.
This was a fifteen minute sketch…
The lines do not stay visible but quickly lose themselves in wet color;
if linework is wanted it has to be added back in after the water moves the ink.
Compare the Hotei above with the one below, which was carefully layered.
See how the beads float into the edges of his robe?

In my journal I tried a second image, as Jade is not a color I’ve used by itself:

On smooth  Hahnemühle paper (my Nostalgie journal)
I sketched a second Hotei Buddha.


Penciled lightly with a watercolor pencil.
Sketched the loose lines of Hotei Buddha in Robert Oster Jade ink.
Erased most of the lines.


This time I slowed down when touching the waterbrush to the lines
in order to develop the layers.
I was careful to wet select areas at one time so wet ink did not migrate too far.
I started with the beads and his feet and part of his face first…
Separating these gave me a little bit of control,
but the lines still disappeared in many places.
Next I did the pillow, the rest of his face, soem folds on the robe
and his body and hands, letting those dry.
Finally I placed water on the robe layers.
Letting watery ink dry between layers takes about an hour on a 5×8 sketch.

I like it like this and sometimes stop here,
as I did above in the smaller cold press version.


Finally I come back and selectively add lines again.
I am not trying to go over the lines I did the first time
(that tends to come off stilted not flowing or spontaneous)
but just find my new way with the folds and details of his body.

If you want to know why I am doing this series, read yesterday’s post.
I will also do some videos to accompany the sketches.

Disclosure, this ink was a gift… what an amazing gift!
It was not given to me to review, however, just a gift.

To hear about classes, follow me on Facebook
or check out my new, improved dkatiepowellart.com

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

 Hahnemühle journal,
Pentel Aquash waterbrush,
Lamy Al-Star with Robert Oster Jade ink.

 

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

☾

W14 4 27 WC PALMS PAT SQAs my Patreon supporter, you will have
access to some content not on this website,
sneak previews, goodies, discounts on classes.

I teach architectural sketching,
art journaling (art+writing), creativity, watercolors.
That annoying loud-mouth editor/critic in your head?  GONE!  How great would that be?

Posted in art journal, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, watercolor, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Inky Thots: Sharing My Enthusiasm

Posted on May 29, 2019 by D. Katie Powell

This year I fell in love
with ink painting.

I’ve painted with inks for a time, and moved them about with water,
but this year my heart really flipped over inks.


Years ago I began with a swatch book of the watercolors and inks I owned;
most of the inks are in little sample vials.
At that time I wanted to compare color, and to test for
water PROOF or water resistant qualities (much more on this later),
as my focus was on using them with watercolors.
I tested and mixed and played in what started as a neat book of squares,
coming back and dropping water in the center to see if the ink moved.
You see the dots above?  Most inks moved a lot!
I liked using a bound book better than flash cards
because it sat neatly on my shelf right next to finished sketchbooks;
though it does mean I can’t reshuffle the order of the colors!


Since the beginning of the year, I’ve painted more with inks,
and acquired many new bottles…  to test, I began dropping a lot of ink
in one corner of my journal then drawing it down with water after it dried.
I’m fascinated by how they move and had a life of their own —
even more than watercolors, which you can have some “control” over.

I haven’t figured out the whole light-fast thang, but I adore using them in my journals,
and of course, there it barely matters; journals are closed except when viewed!

All this lead me to find another way to test my inks… specifically for artists…
that is what I am going to be doing over the next few months, sharing my experiments with each ink I own, exploring how it will work for ink painting.
I will put all the inks I play with in depth on pages under my banner, above.

Tomorrow, first ink up:Robert Oster Jade!

I don’t know where this is going…
I just know I have to share my enthusiasm!

To hear about classes, follow me on Facebook
or check out my new, improved dkatiepowellart.com

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

 

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

☾

W14 4 27 WC PALMS PAT SQAs my Patreon supporter, you will have
access to some content not on this website,
sneak previews, goodies, discounts on classes.

I teach architectural sketching,
art journaling (art+writing), creativity, watercolors.
That annoying loud-mouth editor/critic in your head?  GONE!  How great would that be?

Posted in art journal, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Memorial Weekend

Posted on May 28, 2019 by D. Katie Powell


The bliss of having several days unplugged from the business:
The ability to do a personal check-in with my psyche.
It is hard to process tragedies when you are swamped at work.

To sleep in — Omi, so nice, and the neighborhood cooperated in quiet!
To binge watch a couple of things with Mitchell.

To drop into my creative places without running-out-of-time over my head…
I may know where I am heading just a bit now
but whatever way this art thang is headed,
I was able to drop into it and listen with my heart…

Where do I want to go next?

To allow myself to review priorities and understand that just because
a client has a false need for a deadline (and that is the usual, as
rarely are they necessary).  If something comes up and we can’t make a deadline, we feel badly about it — but it does happen.  If we can’t, we can’t.
That is the nature of a small two-person business… I can’t let them get to me.
It makes the process of working on their project completely horrid…
and I think that energy goes into the piece.
You can’t push finishes to dry or ignore the dry rot in a piece.
We try to define that up front, but some people do not listen.

Letting go, or trying to, of STRESS.


While I support those that died for us
— AND BY THE WAY, THAT MEANS VOTING TO SUPPORT OUR VETS
EVEN WHEN I DON’T SUPPORT THE WARS ––
I personally have known no one who ever faced combat, unless it was an great-uncle.
My grandfather was missing a leg, and while we had police and sheriffs in our family,
no one died protecting us nor saw action in a war.  That is a lucky thing.


We also took the time to cook favorite time-consuming things to eat.
Fried Chicken (I make the best) and grilled veggies, and hot pepper shrimp,
and French Toast (Mitchell’s job) with fruit salad…

We did not eat them all at one meal!

To hear about classes, follow me on Facebook
or check out my new, improved dkatiepowellart.com

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

Hahnemühle Nostalgie Sketchbook,
Jinhao 750 with JoWo nib and Super5 Darmstadt ink,
FPR Mufti with Birmingham Allegheny Observatory Celestial Blue ink,
Diplomat Aero with Robert Oster Fire Engine Red ink,
FPR Himalayan with Robert Oster Melon Tea,
Lamy Vista with Diamine Pumpkin ink,
and bits and bobs of who knows what…

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

☾

W14 4 27 WC PALMS PAT SQAs my Patreon supporter, you will have
access to some content not on this website,
sneak previews, goodies, discounts on classes.

I teach architectural sketching,
art journaling (art+writing), creativity, watercolors.
That annoying loud-mouth editor/critic in your head?  GONE!  How great would that be?

Posted in art journal, ink painting, journal, making a living, memory, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

VSW: Paris Street

Posted on May 27, 2019 by D. Katie Powell


Paris walk in Virtual Sketchwalk… this image from Joyce Harbin Cole.
As I remember Paris, colorful and crowded in an intimate way.
Ink painting… I am loving using inks in my sketchbook!
Quick, not thinking too much, middle-of-the-night.

To hear about classes, follow me on Facebook
or check out my new, improved dkatiepowellart.com

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

Hahnemühle Nostalgie Sketchbook,
Jinhao 750 with JoWo nib and Super5 Darmstadt ink,
Note: now you can get Super5 inks in the states from Blue Rooster:
Support them so we always have it, as Amazon comes and goes!
Diplomat Aero with Robert Oster Fire Engine Red ink,
Lamy Al-Star with Robert Oster Charcoal,
Lamy Al-Star with Diamine Ancient Copper ink,
Lamy Al-Star with Diamine Havasu Turquoise ink,
Lamy Al-Star with Pilot Yama-Budo,
Lamy Al-Star with Pilot Asa-Gao,
Lamy Vista with Robert Oster Thunderstorm ink,
FPR Himalayan with Robert Oster Melon Tea,
FPR Muft with Robert Oster Graphite ink,
Noodler’s Lexington Grey Ink in Pentel Aquash waterbrushes.

NELIPOT IFJM NELIPOT IFJM NELIPOT IFJM

I started a Facebook group page (you must join to view) to allow everyone to share their virtual sketches, and also where we will, from time to time, take virtual sketch walks together.  Come join us On Facebook if you are inclined!
If you want to know more about what a virtual sketchwalk is review my first post.
There are a few more notes/pointers on our first walk through Laguna Beach, California.

I also created an accompanying Flickr group!

☾

NELIPOT IFJM NELIPOT IFJM NELIPOT IFJM

I agree to Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 4.0 International License, which you can learn more about by visiting the site, or,
visit my web page for a more user-friendly summary on my terms.
My images/blog posts may be reposted; please link back to dkatiepowellart.

☾

W14 4 27 WC PALMS PAT SQAs my Patreon supporter, you will have
access to some content not on this website,
sneak previews, goodies, discounts on classes.

I teach architectural sketching,
art journaling (art+writing), creativity, watercolors.
That annoying loud-mouth editor/critic in your head?  GONE!  How great would that be?

Posted in architecture, art journal, challenge, drawing, ink painting, pen & ink, virtual sketching | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment