Well, I thought I’d give those colored flairs another try. I’m not as happy with them as I am just the black flair, but it’s fun trying to blend and smear the ink.
Category: Sketches
Pink Azaleas
Pink Flowers
My motto: when in doubt, paint flowers. I have some ideas I’m working on, but I find that if I go too long planning something, it’s like I’ve actually done the artwork. So, while those ideas are tumbling around in my head, I thought I’d throw in a watercolor of flowers. I don’t know what kind they are. I saw something like this group and did a small sketch some time ago. I painted them in my 6 X 8 sketchbook with Prang watercolors. I’ll try to remember to show the steps next time. I think it’s been awhile since I’ve done that.
Tags: Color, Flowers, Sketches, Watercolor
Bishi with a bow
This is my female Shih Tzu, Bishi. Earlier in this blog, I have a line drawing of Bishi and Pango (male). They are such gentle, loving dogs, I don’t know why I haven’t painted them more. They are gold and white, so the next painting will have to be in color. This is 4-1/2 X 6 in my sketchbook, using my usual flair with water wash.
This is the photo I used for the sketch. I see in the photo that her head was tilted more and I like that. I learn a lot from my rushing the drawings and making mistakes….or rather not making the best choices! Now, I’ll definitely mark the tilt before drawing next time.
Tags: Animals, black & white, dogs, pen & ink, pets, Sketches
When Life Gives You Lemons
There’s a saying…..”when life gives you lemons, make lemonade”. I’m posting my lemonade today.
As you saw in my coastal village sketch a couple of days ago (and I have lots of other
examples in my blog), I love sketching with a flair pen and then moving the ink around with water. Obviously non-permanent ink! In fact, you can’t always know in advance what color the wash will be….I suppose depending on how they mixed their black. I’ve had everything from pink to blue show up.
The other day I found a package of 12 flairs in 12 colors…….I imagined the fun I was going to have washing all those colors around. BUT, what I found was that only the black worked. The rest just sat there….and I expected to have a really bright sunflower scene again.
So, using the black flair here and there and mushing as much as I could, I came up with the drawing above. I’ll have to find another use for the other 11 flairs, but for today, they made lemonade!
Fishing Village
Well, I decided yesterday that I was letting too many things keep me from getting the important stuff done…..art. So, I’m going to try again to join the daily painters on Wet Canvas. Today, I posted this sketch done in my favorite sketching style using a flair pen (non-permanent ink) and then brushing water to push the ink around. This was done on my 5-1/2 X 8-/1/2 sketch pad. Just a lot of fun….which is my preferred way to start the day as well as end it.
Tags: black & white, buildings, pen & ink
My Dogs
My Dogs
5 X 7 pen & ink in my trusty sketchbook
I have two little “perfect posers” at home (Pango & Bishi), so I know I always have sketching subjects just waiting for the attention!
Tags: Animals, Bishi, dog, dogs, Pango, pen & ink, pets, Sketches
Birdhouse- A Process Study
Today, I did a quick sketch of a bird house in our back yard. I thought I’d show you how I work on the dining room table some times, esp. if the paper is small. This is my 5 X 7 sketchbook and my travel watercolor set .
And here is the finished sketch drawn in thin black ink and then colored with watercolor!
Brentwood Church
Well, here’s something different….while parked on San Vicente Blvd, waiting for my appointment time today, I sketched the church across the street…and quickly watercolored for reference. If I decide to do this as an actual painting, I will probably change the front (I’ll have to get closer to see what’s there) and remove the pinkish building to the left as it isn’t very interesting. We’ll see. Again, I used my 5 X 7 sketch book, black ink pen and watercolor.
Daffodils
I seem to be in a spring flower mood, although my daffodils finished blooming a couple of weeks ago. Right now, though I have beautiful purple iris blooming front and back along with yellow and red freesias. Hope you enjoy.
Miniature Bulldog
I found this photo of a miniature bulldog just lying there looking up with a longing expression and decided to see what I could do with it. I didn’t get the expression as well as I’d like. I may redo it tomorrow in color. They have such dopey-sweet faces! This was done with a flair pen then brushed with water. Size 4 X 5.
Tags: Animals, black & white, dogs, pen & ink, Sketches