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Well as my title alludes…I was in a car crash a few weeks ago, that’s why I haven’t posted. I was rolling right along preparing for my classes, going out hiking, getting ready to do plein air oil landscapes again when I got hit by someone who ran a stop sign! Sigh…well, thank God I wasn’t hurt worse, my car was totaled and I got out myself but I did take a ride in the ambulance to the hospital. I joked with the EMT’s that I guess you need to experience everything in your lifetime. I thought I’d be back to normal again right away but just as friends warned me, the pains and problems might show up later. Yup…they came! I won’t go into detail about all the pain and suffering, I’m trying to focus on the positive.
The killer is the weather turned absolutely gorgeous in my area of the world, and I just didn’t feel like going out to draw. What I did do was carry my sketchbook with me to the doctors offices, I’ve never ever been one to ‘waste’ time sitting around waiting.
I threw my field guide into my small field bag and my sketchbook, my inktense watercolor pencils and waterbrush. So…I nursed my interest in drawing along as I nursed my body and nerves. I even drew a chair while waiting for the Neurologist, chairs you know, are very good to practice drawing skills on. Think perspective!
I have a few pictures that show stages, with more to follow. If you take note of the dates, I did them about one week apart…wow I HATE moving so slow in my work, but I have to be patient everyone says. I am WAY behind on my drawing!  I will also upload on another entry about the wonderful two openings I was in at the Burchfield Nature and Art Center in West Seneca. Lots of great photos from those events. So for now…here’s some pages from my sketchbook, though unfinished still, please forgive my taking so long!
This last sketchbook page is from a butterfly field guide, it’s an Eastern Tailed Blue. I did do more work on it since this was scanned, I’ll upload it soon.
I hope to take you on a walk with me this Friday, I’m going exploring with a photographer friend of mine and I will post about it after.
 Today I couldn’t resist the sunshine, it was a ‘balmy’ 40 degrees so I took my field pack and told Ginger we’re going for a hike! She, of course could barely contain her excitement! If you click on any picture you can see the enlarged version, and read my actual notes. There were Red Winged Black birds calling from the tree tops and some Turkey Vultures sailing overhead silently. I sketched a tree with a hole that lookes perfect for something to have a nest in, I’ll have to watch this spring.
 The second page is further out, in “The Maze”, a place on my land where I cut all these paths that intersect. It’s a great place to explore. The sketch at the top of the page was done first with permanent marker then I used Derwendt Inktense watercolor pencils and a few Prismacolor wc pencils; I noted the colors used on the page. I noticed the buds on the trees coming forth…like pussy willows…all soft and grey, but smaller. I did some sketches on both pages, very small.
 The next two pictures show me holding my sketchbook. Now it’s impossible to take a picture of oneself while both hands are occupied, I told Ginger I wish she could take the picture! So, first picture shows my hand holding the pencils and sketchbook at the same time.
The second picture shows me drawing with the wc-pencil and holding the waterbrush at the same time. The small buds I painted using the watercolor pencils and a small watercolor brush. The waterbrush gets frustrating, it’s a bit large and the water amount is hard to control.
The next ‘cute’ picture is Ginger fetching a stick, she was bored while I was setting up my supplies for a picture so I had her play fetch.
The next picture is of my field bag with the contents laid out. I numbered them so I could describe what they are. 1)watercup attached to strap 2)sandpaper block 3)watercolor pencils 4)sketchbook 5)watercolor field set 6)natural sponge 7)paper towels 8)square magnifier 9)eraser 10) slide holder for composition 11)retractable knife 12)watercolor brushes 13)tiny tripod 14)pepper spray 15) various pencils, pens, waterbrush 16)palette watercup 17)biscuit treats for Ginger 19)garbage bag to sit on.
Then there’s a picture of the ice and bubbles, I had to stand in water to take it and YES, my boots leaked! Even with the plastic bags my sock got very wet and squishy! Oh the adventures of a Naturalist Artist! 
Then there’s a picture of a fern head …I love these things.  Then a picture of the ‘tools of the day’, my sketchbook, watercolor pencils, waterbrush, watercolor brush, and permanent ink pen.  The last picture is a Turkey Vulture that flew over, I know it was checking us out! It circled, riding the updrafts, and kept coming back over us. I’m really surprised I could catch a picture with my tiny camera.
I hope you enjoyed the walk with Ginger and I, “Come Walk With Me” again soon!
 Today I found myself at the mall, not usually where I find myself but I needed a haircut. So I decied to visit the pet shop because the last time I was there one of the employees had a gorgeous green boa snake wrapped around himself. I would love to paint it, but I learned he’s no longer there, along with the snake! I’ll have to go searching it seems for snakes. I remember when I was a zookeeper sometimes I’d get to walk around with a huge but tame boa constrictor wrapped around my waist. This was so people could touch it and I would talk to them about the boa. It was really cool.
So while I was there I pulled out my sketchpad and did some small drawings. Even with a nagging headache it gave me the idea that this would be fun on a day when I’m more in the mood! I thought it would be good to share with you all, it’s a great place to see lots of animals up close for free. The goldfish were a kick, their eyes are soooo weird, like blobs or half deflated balloons. The frog I drew at life size, it was so tiny! I did the sketches in pencil then at home I used a simple writing pen that when it is wet, will run. So I was able to make it like a wash.
 This morning, what can I say? It’s really cold outside and I’m not looking forward to going out to feed the chickens! Last night it dipped to -18 or -20 wind chill, now the sun is coming up to a cold but very clear morning.
I did a quick little impression of the sunrise, again by my coffee pot at the window. I used the Inktense color pencils so I could practice with them. If you click the pictures, you’ll be able to read the actual thoughts I had.
In the second picture I’m showing you how I held two pencils at a time to recreate how I sketched in the land area. I stroked side to side then did some zigzag marks up and down for quick tree impressions. When you wet it, it’s hard to control what happens, that’s why I’m practicing! The Inktense colors are very saturated, it takes a tiny bit to make a mark.
I also show the waterbrush (in the last picture) that I often talk about using in the field. I don’t watercolor with it, I prefer to carry a cup of water and use my own brushes for that. But for wetting watercolor pencils it’s great!
 inktense color pencil test I just bought a complete set of “Inktense Color Pencils” from Derwendt. I did some tests with them to get familiar with what they do when dry or wet. The inktense pencils are water-soluble but when they dry are permanent. I found the colors to be vibrant + fantastic!
First I lay down a very pale wash about an inch long and 1/4 inch wide. (the wash I did was a ‘dry wash’, this is a term that means a light layer or drawing with a light touch to add a light layer.) Then I added, with a progressively heavier touch, more to the strip going left. You can see it’s darker on the top left of each color swatch and lighter on the right. Then I used a ‘waterbrush’, that is a brush that holds it’s own supply of water for field work, to pull down color from the top. As I got to the darkest area, on every single color I was amazed at just how brilliant and beautiful each color was! Even the browns, neutrals and mustard color were lovely!
I’m really not used to using water soluble color pencils but I will make an effort to use these till I get the hang of it. My intent is to use them in the field when hiking, to lay down washes that may be worked over with ink or color pencil.
Let me know if you have used the inktense pencils and what you thought of them.
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I will also upload on another entry about the wonderful two openings I was in at the Burchfield Nature and Art Center in West Seneca. Lots of great photos from those events. So for now…here’s some pages from my sketchbook, though unfinished still, please forgive my taking so long!
