Watercolor, Ink and Stamps Handbook Watercolor Sketchbook 17" x 3.5

This was fun! I very much enjoyed creating this double spread. First, I really love the long format and second, I've finally found a way to work with the paper of this particular sketchbook. I've been working in this sketchbook since October. The paper has given me a fit from day one. I've tried working with various tools, ink, and watercolors. It wasn't until recently, that I remembered one of my old rules*—get in, get it down, get out!

What does that mean? You've only got one chance so make it count! The paint sits up on the paper. Very little soaks in, so if you try for a second wash, chances are very good you're going to have a mess on your hands. Such was the case in this image. The red of the boot gave me fits! So, I pulled out another one of my old rules*—add penwork to de-emphasis the watercolor.

It never fails to amaze me how much pen will change a watercolor from a painting to a graphic image or a sketch. In this case, I used that to my advantage. Before the pen was added it was very obvious the washes were blotchy and uneven. With the pen, they're still blotchy and uneven, but it's less noticeable now.

*I say rules, but they're guidelines that have worked well for me over the years working with watercolors. Your results, should you try these "rules" on for size, will vary wildly as you are a different artist than I am! I have been using this sketchbook as a place to practice getting in, get the pigment down in a heavy-enough wash the first time, and getting out—so I don't have to go in a second time!

Not only is Spring finally getting underway, the Spring Schedule for Imaginary Trips has been posted!

We'll be going on "An Imaginary Visit to the Garden!" starting Thursday, April 14th and the Artful Journaling classes, Foundations and Explorations are starting on Tuesday, April 19th!

Come join in the fun! For more information, you can visit the links above or visit the i•Trav•e•logue here.

Day Pretty Watercolor, ink & stamps 3.5" x 8.5"

I've long wondered why day lilies were not called "day pretties," as the blooms only last for a day. My aunt and uncle grew day pretties for years. I went and took some photos, but I don't think I realized what a happy dose of sunshine they truly were/are until recently!

Again, I've been playing in my neighbor's garden. He's retired and spends most of his days in his yard and it is the prettiest on the block.

I liked the flower once it was complete, but it seemed lacking. Not the flower so much as the background.

I didn't want to repeat the text background that I did in the amaryllis piece, so I decided stripes would do the trick. They didn't. So I add the black pen line stripes. Still didn't like it. Added a second black pen line. Nope. Not doing it.

Then I happen to digging around my studio and happened up on some swirly stamps....and a light bulb lit. I decided to give it a go as I didn't like the page anyway.

And here is my latest installment in the Handbook Watercolor Journal. If I were to do it over, I'd do some things differently. Still, I had fun and that's what counts!

Amaryllis Watercolor and Ink Handbook Watercolor Sketchbook 3.5 x 8.5 inches

Something happens to my brain when I start to add text in outline form....I forget how to spell.

I guess because I'm seeing shapes and not letters. Still nursing my headache from the weekend, I decided I needed some color. Lots of fun, bright, bold, obnoxious color.

My neighbor's amaryllis are blooming with lots of vibrant reds. Since they were so handy, I decided they would do the trick. I went with a gray outline of J. Herbin's gray ink to begin with. After splashing color around, the gray didn't quite show up as much as I had hoped.

Then I decided to add the word "Amaryllis" at the bottom. Despite having looked the word up (just to be sure) and having it displayed on the computer monitor as I was adding it (just to be sure), I misspelled it. I had "Amam" down before I realized my mistake. What's with the brain freeze?!

So then I was going to feature it with the word "Amam-oops." Didn't like that. I thought I could lift the gray as it's not permanent ink.

It didn't lift. Not completely.

Decided "oh, well." Got out the black marker and outlined everything including the proper spelling on the word "amaryllis." Yes, the mistake is still there in all it's glory but is slightly less noticeable.

Hubby looks at it and says "Shouldn't that be a 'y' instead of a 'v'?"

Time to turn the page. Next......

UPDATE: As of this morning, Tuesday morning, I am headache free! Yay! Thanks everyone for your concern!

Woodpecker—anyone recognize what kind?

Red Stags and Doe (Stags are still in full velvet)

I had the opportunity to tag along on a wild boar hunt this past Saturday. My camera and I were quite busy with all the various creatures to be seen.....

Sweet Fawns (Safety in numbers!)

Wild Boar Piglets

I thought I would get in more sketching, but it was not to be. Once again, I am reminded of how quickly animals move. Especially skittish ones. The page above shows a combination of deer and pigs. The numbered sketches are the pigs. Most of these sketches are an "amalgamation" of several different animals or from memory as these critters were not still more than several seconds at any one time.

Watercolor and graphite sketches in Handbook Watercolor Sketchbook 3.5" x 8.5"

I quickly realized if I was going to get any watercolor sketching done, I was going to have to find something that didn't move quite so fast. I finally settled on these tree stumps as more my speed. They primped and posed ever so kindly for me and for as long as I needed. In fact, they're probably still standing there primping and preening.

The top stump was about 4 feet tall and had been drilled repeatedly for bugs and other delicacies. The second stump was nearly 30 feet tall, but as you can see, the bottom is being chewed away, then another section above that and finally, the actually width of the tree. It will most likely fall with the next good blow we have.

The two fawns at the bottom are part of the group from above. The littlest one kept behind the others and would peek over their backs to see what was going on as her curiosity would get the better of her fear.

I came home with a massive headache bordering on a migraine, a sunburn, and many photos to play and practice from. Hopefully, you'll be seeing a little more work based on those images soon.

More info on Wild Boar can be found here.

Watercolor and WC Pencil on recycled paper with Gel Ink for the text 4" x 6"

I went otter hunting again yesterday.

I didn't find any. I'm not sure if I expected to see one or not.

I was extremely fortunate to have seen the otter last Saturday. After doing a little research on them, I found they can have a territory range of up to 50 miles! He may also be a little put off from this particular location as well since he was so annoyed at me for disturbing him. Not likely, but possible. This particular area is a riddle of creeks, rivers, ponds, and puddles so he has much to choose from.

However, other gifts were waiting.

I went to the otter's creek early yesterday morning and as I stood watching, I heard something hit the water. As I turned my head to see what it was I caught a flash of something speeding towards the top of the tallest pine tree just north of the creek. Try as I might, I could not make out a distinct ID.

I had the long lens on the camera and I tried to focus in on the bird, but there were too many branches fluttering in the breeze and the I couldn't bring anything into focus.

Time was running short as I was meeting a friend for a day-long outing so I abandoned the watch and headed out.

Late in the afternoon, I decided to go back by the otter hole and see if maybe, just maybe, that sweet whiskered face would show itself.

No luck.

However, there was the sweetest breeze blowing, bees buzzed and butterflies floated by, a peaceful symphony reigned....a gift in itself to just stand there and take in the beautiful "silence."

The water was dappled with sun...I watched as seemingly lazy fish would swim in and out of the sun spots until they spotted some bug hitting on the surface of the water. They would shoot up like a rocket, leaving nothing more than a rolling of water as they swam back to the bottom. Silent ripples spread across the water.

Once again, a flash caught my attention.

Looking in the direction of the flash.....nothing.

Just as I started to turn away, another flash....maybe 6 or 7 feet above the water and no more than 10 feet away from me, almost at eye level, then straight up, fast as a bullet....again to the tallest pine, this time on the south side.

Ah, but this time I had a positive ID, a male Belted Kingfisher!!

I stayed south-facing and within 4 or 5 minutes, I saw him leave his perch and high above me, fly north, for parts unknown.

Nature seldom disappoints if we are open to receiving the gifts offered rather than the ones we came seeking.....

Corned beef and cabbage, Guinness and green beer, wearing of the green, kissing the blarney stone!

Let the festivities begin—Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Chris and I had dinner with my parents a week ago and my mother gave me these two drawings she had found in the very back of a closet in my old bedroom! I was stunned to see them....because I didn't recognize either of them.
Unfortunately, I have little recollection of either and since I didn't date either one, I have no idea how old I was when I created them. I know there mine though, at least the top one, because it has my initials on it. Talk about a blast from the past.

And humbled to see where I was and how far I've traveled.

It surprises me as well that I have little memory of doing these...not the thoughts behind them, why I chose to create a mouse or a cowboy, why I chose to use graphite and colored pencil, nothing.

I expected some flood of memories to come back, but there was none. I suspect the top one is from my years in art school—a long time ago. The bottom one is on notebook paper. High school or early days at college? Dunno. It definitely appears to be done by a younger me.

What I do recognize is a beginning. Tentative maybe, grasping certainly, but a beginning.

People are pigs. Nasty, filthy pigs.*  Does that statement shock you? Does it come across with every ounce of viciousness I can summon? It should.…because it also contains anger, nay, fury at the stupidity of of some people. And what might be driving this fury and viciousness you wonder?

This.

Please click to enlarge

This is a no-name creek where Chris and I went to sketch Saturday morning. In case you can't tell what this is an image of, I've added captions to the various items in the creek. Please enlarge to see for yourself.

And this.

Old carpet padding, old paint cans rusted through, empty motor oil cans/bottles, a clothes detergent bottle, an old frilly nightgown, broken glass of every make, color and kind, beer bottles, soda cans, styrofoam cups, plastic bags, and more. We counted 3 televisions/computer monitors and a full size mattress IN THE WATER. The box springs was up underneath the foundation of the bridge. The next good rain and it will be in the creek as well.

Are you disgusted yet?

How would you feel if you knew this little guy lived in this creek?

Memory Sketch Created with J. Herbin ink and Fountain Pen in my Handbook Watercolor Sketchbook

"Go away and get outta my creek!" Memory Sketch Black gel ink and watercolors in my Handbook Watercolor Sketchbook

Mind you, I live in a county that provides a drop off areas at various places for paint, mattresses, old TVs, computer equipment and the like. For FREE. You don't even have to show ID. There is NO reason, none, for this trash to be in this creek. None that I'll have. Other than some human beings don't deserve to walk upright.

*(I apologize to all pig lovers and do not mean to malign pigs in anyway.)

Okay rant over. For now.

The two images of the otter were done much later in the day as the whole encounter with that sweet face lasted less than a minute! The otter was none too pleased that we interrupted his romp. I was thoroughly scolded with an annoyed bark as he disappeared down the creek. Looking to see if we could see where he went, we encountered that pile of trash....and my heart broke.

The top image of the otter does not quite capture his agitation and annoyance at the intrusion. The bottom one comes much closer. And if we humans are responsible for the deplorable shape of his creek, who can blame him?