shells

                       9x12

Oyster shells and a mussel shell. I drew these loosely with a brush ... Hadn't planned: the shells and the paints were just there.

Never have thought about painting mussel shells before but they're actually interesting: more color than I at first thought-- blue, some underlying brown, a lovely silvery black-- and very pretty, delicate striations.

travel kit

Next week going to see my brother and my good friend of long standing; they live about 1 hour apart in FL. There'll be kayaking, swimming in the Gulf, eating and drinking. And of course some art making.

Here's my little selection of stuff: 6x8" waterproof packall pouch, clips, pencil sharpener, palette knife, water brush, white ink pen, water soluble black marker, permanent black marker, fude sailor pen, water soluble pencil, lead pencil, bamboo dip pen, wristband to dab brush on (thanks to John Muir Laws for this idea), kneaded eraser, little pans of sepia and Payne's gray paint, little piece of charcoal and wax crayon, black crayon, travel brushes, a fat soft Lyra pencil, water soluble walnut brown pencil, art toolkit palette and ziplock bag to keep it in.

This kit shows me how often, when I'm out, I sketch more than paint. I think it's a good development: in my case anyway maybe if helps me be more present with less anxiety about creating a painting.

Went to a pottery sale at a nearby art league yesterday.

These are only two of the eight pieces I bought, but they may be my favorites. I'm crazy for fluting.

Was hoping to buy pots for plants, but there wasn't a single one!

I may have to get back into pottery: I see a niche market.

classwork

                      9x12

                       10x7

Painted these in an online class with Megan Swoyer.

Megan's classes always help me loosen up a little, and she's got a great group of students.

Overworked my marsh scene a bit, I think. So I quickly did another, smaller version, below.

.                     6x8

still life

                       8x10

Fell off my reference-photo-day wagon. Not happy about it-- I hate to lose momentum: too much work to do, too much crap to take care of around the house ... Sometimes I wish I were back in an apartment and could call the super.

Met up with a friend for 2 hours of still life painting yesterday.

These aren't what I envisioned ... But oh well.

Used a paper recommended by an Urban Sketcher. 50% cotton, light, nice smooth surface. But you can't really push the paint around on it, not can you get a smooth wash. So good for sketching, but not for watercolor effects.

classwork

                      8x12

A scene in Cornwall painted in an Artefacto class on seascapes with R. Thorn.

The lesson was in two parts, and it really was a process of adding layers to refine shapes and values. A lesson I need.

I didn't always let it dry enough between layers, which led to some muddiness.

But all in all. I enjoyed it. And now want to add Cornwall to my next Scotland trip.

Just give me that whole northwestern shoreline!

ref photo

                      7x10

Another Scotland scene. I think I would enjoy painting Scotland every day.

But, for the sake of my challenge, I'll move on to another topic Sunday.

classwork

                     14x10

                     10x10

Marsh scenes painted in a class with Megan Swoyer at Greenbush Media. I enjoy painting with Megan and her group; always relaxing and fun.

ref photo

                         7x10

Back to Scotland. Water, rocks, grasses ... What could be better.

$2 bouquet

                         8x10

Didn't get to my ref photo painting yesterday.

But I went out to get some heat-tolerant herbs at NoFrills farm, a family owned farm that's been here for generations.

Got some beautiful and delightful smelling lemon verbena and some delicious Jersey peaches.

And this $2 bouquet.

ref photo

                       8x8

Another from my Scotland refs. I think this is outside Mallaig, but I'm not sure.

Very wet so I decided to just stop.

gulls

                     7x9

Unfortunately my front gull looks like he has a broken back-- the result of me trying to convey wind-ruffled feathers.

I may do another as I do like the subject.

ref photo

                       6x8

Another from a photo I took in Scotland last spring. I developed a fetish for chimneypots.

I think this was Nairn, chimneypot heaven.

I was thinking of adding a window ... Decided against it.

There's still a danger I may add some seagulls though.

ref photo

Today's reference photo painting. Wish I were back in the Highlands.

ref photos

.                      6x8ish
The 2nd and 3rd day of my challenge to do something with a reference photo from Scotland every day this week.

These are freehand studies in my sketchbook.

sketchbook

Someone online recommended this book, published in 1997 and I was able to get a used copy. I like the author's style and attempted a few copies-- which I hasten to say do not do his thoughful, subtle paintings justice ... But which were fun for me to do iny sketchbook on a rainy day.

ref photos

.                     7x9

A couple of friends and I were complaining the other day that we all have so many ref photos but we never paint them.

So I challenged us to use one a day... Can be small or large, finished or not, a painting or a drawing.

I decided for my first week I'll do a photo from Scotland every day.

Starting with this picture of lambs--I fell in love with lambs in Scotland ... And goats, and cows...

10 minutes

Have been admiring the sweep of this geranium. This morning I made an exercise of painting it: no drawing, except the vase!; paint loose and quick.

shells

A couple of shells. This is multimedia paper; I think they come out better on watercolor paper.

burchams farm

                        6x12

No plein air class yesterday due to the ongoing extreme heat. I painted this from a photo.

Also started a painting of the farmhouse, which I am going to try to keep light and loose.

.                      7x10

hosta

Hostas starting to flower!

And some lavender for a friend.

burchams' farm

                8x5 sketchbook

                   8x10 block

.                       5x12

Second outing at the farm.

There were amazing cloudy, changeable skies but for some reason I focused on the land! Those dark tree shapes compelled me.

I started with small sketches to try to figure out what went where.

Then small watercolor sketches where the idea was to simplify shapes and develop a plan for the greens--neither of which I did.

Then, finally, unhappy with the watercolor sketches, I started something that may work out!

My first little sketch, at the top of the sketchbook, was the best thing I did all day.

classwork

.                    10x12ish

A couple of paintings I did in a Birgit O'Connor class on waterfalls. It's a good class: very freeing.

I'm not sure if these paintings are overdone or underdone!

bike-friendly plein air kit

Rene PleinAir expressed an interest in seeing what I bring when I go out to sketch on my bike. Here you go, Rene!

This looks like a lot of stuff! But it all fits in a 5x7 zippered bag and I think gives me a lot of options:

a small watercolor pan set

a few Derwent inktense pencils

travel brushes 

a mechanical pencil 

a sepia watercolor pencil

a permanent ink marker

a Tombow water soluble marker

a water brush

a wax crayon

a couple of clips

a little pot of Paynes gray

a few Derwent blocks ( new to me--great for covering larger areas and being bold)

a Sailor fountain pen

a plastic tube for sucking up water (forgot what it's called!)

a bamboo dip pen, used to draw or scratch

And two of the sketchbooks I've been bringing on my bike: a 4.5x9" handmade book and an 8x8 Ranger-brand sketchbook.

I put the sketchbooks and my little pouch in a larger bag--with water, sometimes a hat, a scrap of an old towel, and a small tarp to sit on--that fits in my bike basket.

I filled an 8.5x12.5 Moleskine sketchbook, which I really liked. It wasn't watercolor paper but you could do some painting in it:

But I thought the Moleskine cost too much ... Which began my long and even more costly search for a sketchbook that would be as good, or, more accurately, would suit my needs.

I'll do a post on my larger plein air kit soon.

beginnings

Beginnings of exploring two ideas I have.

1. To do a series of panoramic views of the Delaware Bay at low tide. This one is on sketch paper... And not "panoramic" enough: I need to pull out further.

2. To do a series of oyster shells. I have a good pile of them, most picked up on the beach, a few from oysters I've eaten.

Some of my collection

daylilies

In order, the day Lily sketches I did yesterday. All about 11x15.

I feel like I could've maybe gone bigger.

The daylilies aren't done. So maybe