Merry Christmas

Milo, Up and Away

Looks like Gus has lost Milo.......again.

Gus and Milo #2

Sometimes Milo wishes Gus would draw a little faster.

Meet Gus and Milo

Yesterday it rained all day but Gus and Milo were able to

stay dry under a huge umbrella they found on the deck.

Some Zens

I was signed up for a zen doodle class this weekend but unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), the instructor had to cancel so I went to the next best option - you tube. I didn't realize doodling had taken on a formal trade. Imagine that....I should have saved all my doodle work from my years of taking notes in school. Smack the word Zen in front of the doodle and it magically transforms into books you can purchase, designs you call your own and instructors getting paid to teach people how to..........doodle.

So I've started a Zen Doodle book to give it a try. Here are a few of what I did this weekend. What's nice about zen doodling is I can create while comfortably sitting on my couch half watching some boring tv show. It is quite relaxing and mind escaping so it works for me.

Hope Street - again

....because I'm giving the 1st one to my big Brother.

A Gift

This was a birthday gift to a friend.

Virtual Eureka!

I'm trying out something new.  A Virtual Sketch meet. It's not all new to me since I work virtually during the week but the idea is to pick a spot on the map from the given location and sketch it. If you get a chance, check out the blog called The Virtual Paintout (look down along the side and you'll find it). This months virtual site is Eureka, Ca.  I strolled around on the google map and found this quaint home.

I should have kept it as a ink only sketch since I'm not crazy about the colors I added. Cheap watercolors too; won't be using those again.

Metal Barn

Here's the finished picture, finally.  I have an endless supply of my photography to choose from to convert into sketches. Even though I enjoy the "on location" sketching being able to take my time to start and finish a drawing works for me too.

I've tried to remember where this shot was taken, what town or near enough to a town to count but my memory kept coming up blank for this shot. It would be around the Ramona area or Julian or somewhere else. It's definitely in southern California and that will have to do.

A Short Sketch in the Forest

There must of been a new hatching of some little bug going on by the stream. Little black flying insects were happening on Sunday; I'm surprised one didn't get incorporated (smashed) onto the page I was sketching.  The problems of being close to water. I'll probably add more details to this one on the next trip but for now......

THANKSGIVING - 2011

I have so much to be thankful for so the day was easy for me to enjoy. I loved all the cooking and everything turned out delicious and the timing was right on. This is my first time with drawing a person and who best to draw first than my 92 year old Dad. This is him, after eating today's feast.

Day Two of Fresh Air

I could do this every day but work gets in the way. Which is why I am enjoying every day of my time off from work. Back at Elfin Forest and instead of sitting by the creek I picked a spot on the trail with a view. I was still in hearing distance from the creek so I had three very soothing and calm hours of sketching and painting.

Outside in the Sunshine

It was totally a great day. During the week, parking at Dixon Lake is free so I found the perfect overlook spot and spent the afternoon painting.

I might have to do the same thing tomorrow.

Sketch Crawl #1 - Elfin Forest

I went to my first sketch crawl! Even though the weather, cold and with a chance of rain, kept a lot of the regulars away, I did meet up with one fabulous San Diego member. This was my first time out in the open sketching and painting with people walking around. Two hours into it and I had to say goodbye to the peaceful surroundings since the chill was starting to go into my bones. It was a great day sketching plus finding out that a beautiful reserve is right in my home town....priceless.

 It's not my best work....but it was fun and relaxing to sit out near the running stream.

Travels - Jerome, AZ

Something about this water color has missed it's mark for me and I'm not sure why. I even added some color pencil in some areas. Maybe that's it, it's too much or too dark. This is when a good critique would come in handy for me.

Jerome is an old mining town that is full of history. Today it's a tourist and art destination with many B&B's and over 30 galleries and studios.  This abandoned building is the of the first you see as you enter Jerome.

East Valley Empty Retail

It's always nice to finish up on a sketch. With the time changing it was light enough for me to add the water colors while my laundry was circling in the dryers.

Just like in any city today, there are quite a few empty retail type buildings in my town. This spot had a past life as a furniture store and it doesn't look like it's going to be used as anything soon other than a place to tape up posters for Mexican boxing events. 

Hope Street

I finally added the water colors this afternoon, after work....still have one to go but I have the whole weekend to sketch and paint.

Driving around Ramona one day I came across the line up of mail boxes and had to stop to take some photos. Then I noticed the road sign and knew I had found something special.  Little did I know that two years later I would be sketching and painting the same picture.

 

 

Travels

This is from a picture I took, traveling on Route 66 which is also called the Mother Road. We were on our way to Flagstaff and I had to stop to take this classic rt66 shot.

The Ingredients

Split Pea Soup and the first time using my Lamy fountain pen!

It's a totally hot pen.

Sitting In the Car

Early morning laundry day and it's too dark to finish up some other sketches I've started while sitting in this parking lot. Guess I'll have to wait for the time to change back. Instead, using my fine point sharpie, I thought I would do some sketching of the interior of my car. I could use the practice.

Passing Time again...

....I'm beginning to enjoy the waiting around at Dr's offices or in this case surgery centers. I was there today for my partner who was getting some eye surgery done. I hung out in the reception area and then when the temp warmed up some, there was a nice little patio area to explore and sketch. There was a lot of bamboo to draw and I got to use my water brush for the first time. Surgery was successful and I got in some sketching time.  win-win.

Passing Time...

...while in a Dr's office can be very productive as long as I have my Moleskine pocket cahler and my 4 in 1 Bic Pen with me.

In the Works

 I'm enjoying working in my 6X9 spiral book. The size is just right for me right now. I also picked up a two pack, fine Sharpie black pens. The shade was slightly lighter than the Microns that I have been using so I'm testing them out with these two sketches. (they passed the water pre-test).  I'll be adding the water colors at some point but for now, I'm enjoying this stage.

Gerda's World

My favorite place at my Cousin Gerda's home is in the back patio. She has different plants, a water pond and lots of cool trinkets to look at. Here's my attempt to capture some the patio. I also found out my sepia ink is not water proof. That will teach me to do some prior testing.

Ramona, Ca

This is from a photograph I had taken a while ago while riding around the Ramona area. I've always had an attraction to water towers of any shape, size, town labeled or in the middle of a field.

East Valley Series - #3

Unfinished and I think it has potential.
Early Monday am - Laundry day - start the wash, walk Harley (the dog), put the clothes in the dryers, draw/paint for 29 minutes and then fold the clothes. Either I draw faster, don't walk the dog or be ok with a to-be-continued unfinished piece. For now, I'll take the tbc. In the meantime, I'm checking out some UTube how to videos about using watercolors.  Works for me.