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 Today I’m showing a page from my sketchbook that has drawings from two different days. At the top is a drawing of a dead sunflower head I did on Jan. 25th, on a very snowy, cold day! You can read what I wrote on the page about that. I was trying out my new Graphitint Color Pencils, this one is ‘cocoa’. After I sketched it, I used a waterbrush (brush with water stored in it) to pull the color out and create graded values of tone. Then I worked back into the dark areas to push the value range further and define the flower’s shape.
Today I found a green caterpillar when I picked up some bricks that were piled by my driveway, it was tucked in some rotting leaves and snow. I can’t imagine how caterpillars survive the winter like this. But he looked as fresh as springtime! Umm…so if you knew me, you’d already know I took him inside to draw and study!
The picture shows him lying on my sketchbook page. 1st I did a pencil sketch with the ‘outliner’ pencil that comes with the Inktense color pencils. I drew it at actual size then made an enlarged drawing that looks like he’s under a magnifying glass. The shadow and the magnifying glass make it look more real. Then I drew him again (small) and tried to add a cast shadow. This didn’t work out too well at this tiny size so I pulled the ink black color all around it to ‘fix’ it. I also show a picture of the sanding block I use to sharpen my colorpencils. I don’t keep a very long point on them because they are more prone to breaking then graphite. Click on the pictures to see enlarged views and read my notes on my sketchbook. 
 Today I just had to get outside for some sketching! I have a new sketchbook to try out and new Graphitint Derwendt water soluable color pencils. I bought three shades from ASW (Art Supply Warehouse) and can’t wait to play. Colors are Warm Grey, Chestnut, and Cocoa, just love those browns! So I grabbed a small bag to put my stuff in, a Royal Traveler by Samsonite. The reason I like this bag is I can sling it over my head and shoulder, flip the cover open and get at all my supplies in the pockets. I like this when I’m out walking and need to stick brushes or pencils in while I’m drawing. The sketchbook btw is “Raffine” 5.5″x 8.5″ from ASW. I’m trying it out because the paper is heavier than typical sketch paper and I do a lot with watercolor washes and ink. Let me tell you, I LOVE it!! I want to order a bigger one now.
I had to put my gloves in the picture just to show what I was wearing on my hands while attempting to draw in the FREEZING cold barn!! It took me awhile to thaw out my fingers and toes when I was done 😉
 
Enjoy my sketchbook pages, click on them to see better and read my notes. Do you see the chicken standing on one leg? It reminded me of a fairy tale about the cook who made a succulent roast goose for the king, then ate one huge leg because it looked and smelled so good. The King was furious…the cook, a fast thinker, took the King to see the geese by the lake. He pointed out to the King how they all had just one leg! (of course you and I know they were keeping one tucked up to keep warm under their feathers!) The King didn’t see the trickery of the cook and showed him how to shoo the geese and make them put their feet down. NO more ONE legged geese for dinner!! hahah…. I should illustrate this story, it’s cute.
 This is from my trip to the Buffalo Botanical Gardens on Jan. 11, 2008. I’m working from a photo of a stem with pink and green leaves, I still have to find out what kind of plant it is. It’s very pretty!
I’m working in an 8″x10″ sketch book, first I did a sketch with a mechanical pencil. I tried to scan my progress with the color pencils in stages. I’m working with my new Coloursoft Color Pencils from Derwendt and a few Prismacolor Color Pencils.
The bottom twig tip I outlined with a very fine point sharpie marker, then worked the CP in. I’m still not sure how I’ll approach the branch, I might do a watercolor wash then CP but the paper is pretty thin and it might not work too great. We’ll see!
 
 Me painting with sketchbook and watercolor palette in one hand. I decided to put that little travel watercolor palette to test. I picked up a gorgeous iris and lily yesterday, sketched it out and started the first stages of painting. My objective here was really to test out the palette, watercup arrangement and holding the light board all in one hand. I want to see if I can use it like this in the field without an easel for little studies. You can click on any picture to see enlarged views.
 My travel watercolor palette with watercups attached I show a close up of the arrangement so you can see the watercups; they are actually for holding mediums for oil painting, designed to hold the liquid even when tipped slightly on a hand held palette. They worked fantastic! I had to get over the habit of looking for my watercup on the table! You can see the ‘sticky tack’ or ‘blue tack’ in my palette. Yesterdays blog explained that better, so they get tested today and it worked wonderfully! Yay..two experiments that worked.My hand got a bit tired from holding the board and palette but this set up is supposed to be for quick studies, I worked on it longer than I would in the field.
The pictures are to show the stages of my painting, start to finish.
 Iris pencil sketch  starting to lay in some colors  Putting on the blues, make sure yellow is dry first  Adding more details now, layering on more blues  Adding final details and darker values  Finished! Click here to see Note Cards of this painting,
and Click here for magnets in my shop!
This is a watercolor I did of an iris that I approached spontaneously. No sketch, just direct painting with the brush, I did it rather quickly in a regular sketchbook (thin paper). I’ll have to get my chinese brushes out and ‘brush up’ with them, I used to paint everything with them!
This is a watercolor I did of the same iris as the previous post, but this time I approached it more spontaneously. No sketch, just direct painting with the brush, I did it rather quickly in a regular sketchbook (thin paper). I’ll have to get my chinese brushes out and ‘brush up’ with them, I used to paint everything with them!
December 2007
This is a watercolor sketch I did from a photo of a sparrow. I used my small watercolor travel set for practice and did it while watching tv with my son. Trying to get artwork done at any time is a challenge so I practice when I can!
Click on any picture to view larger. (the photos of me working are compiments of Daniel M. Cox, thanks Dan!)
Here are some photos, so hard to pick from so many beautiful flowers and plants! Here’s a link to their home page: http://www.buffalogardens.com/
Today I went for a hike with my dog Ginger, the weather was so warm I couldn’t resist! I think the temperature today reached 66 degrees! It’s very breezy, clouds and patches of sun. So we wandered and I pretty much descibed things on my journal pages. Just click on the pics of my sketchbook to read my notes and see the small sketches. This first page I did a very quick sketch (7 minutes), click on it.
This is a photo of me and Ginger, I set my tiny Olympus FE 230 digital camera on top of the fence post and did an auto timer shot. I have my mud boots on, my small three legged stool over my shoulder, and an over-size fanny pack from LL Bean.
I wasn’t sure about wearing the fanny pack in front,because I thought it’d make my back hurt, but actually it was ok. It was nice to have it right in front of me to keep tucking my sketchpad and pens into as I walked. My cell phone is clipped to my belt loop.
Page 2 of the journal…I found this great moss…so green for such a dreary time of year. It was growing all over the bottoms of the trees, it’s very wet on my land.
 ‘Memory Lane’ is so flooded I didn’t dare go there with leaky boots! But it still looks beautiful, all that water reflecting the sky, dry grasses, great color.
Page 3…I was picking up some dried oak leaves to take back home with me and saw a small spider on one leaf. It was so cool, looked like a little seed if you look quick. I did three little quick studies of it. It keeps raining off and on and I don’t have my rain coat.
This is my three legged stool I bought at Walmart in the hunting/fishing dept. This stool is great but when the ground is wet…um, well you kind of sink in when you sit on it!
This is the back side of a fern stem, the tiny leaves are actually curled up and look like seeds. I think it’s a ‘Sensitive Fern’.
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Today I’m showing a page from my sketchbook that has drawings from two different days. At the top is a drawing of a dead sunflower head I did on Jan. 25th, on a very snowy, cold day! You can read what I wrote on the page about that. I was trying out my new Graphitint Color Pencils, this one is ‘cocoa’. After I sketched it, I used a waterbrush (brush with water stored in it) to pull the color out and create graded values of tone. Then I worked back into the dark areas to push the value range further and define the flower’s shape.
