Book of Spirits #2

Some of my friends are donating their interesting bottles while others I will happily purchase for the sake of art (Tank). I have 5 pages left in my Stillman & Birn journal and then I'm going to really challenge the paper by doing the flip side.

Old Mill Tavern

Tavern by the rails in Rockaway, NJ.

Potbellys

Rockaway, NJ

Coney Island Beer

I'm having a good time with bottles.....especially when they're filled with something good to drink!

Weekend Van Gogh

I'm still having fun learning about Van Gogh,  copying his work and seeing how his style changed over the years with a lot of it depending upon his state of health. I have to say he's a very interesting character.   

I'm continuing using colored pencils as the medium of choice when I'm doing past artists work.  It's a much slower process than watercolors which allows me to appreciate the master's artwork even more so. I have a lot to learn about using these pencils, for instance I just found out about a blending pencil which should cut down some of the harsh lines. Anyway, I'm having a great experience and open to any suggestions too.

 And back to a water color....My oldest brother had requested a painting of this bottle so he could give it to his neighbor as a card for his upcoming birthday on the 19th.  I guess this is his favorite choice of drink. It gave me the idea of filling up my Stillman & Birn beta hardbound journal with nothing but bottles so maybe by the next to the last page I'll finally have more equal than slightly cockeyed sides to these bottles that is as long as I keep the bottles closed until the sketching has been completed.

Berries, Sponges and Abe

Abe's face is from a jigsaw puzzle box top showing the art work of Stephen Fishwick. If you get a free minute, google the name and you'll see the unusual painting technique that Fishwick uses. I stuck with my ink fountain pen and water brush to do my rendition.

I See Flowers

I have to say that I'm having fun with this one picture of potted flowers. Maybe it's the colors from the window or the striped wall paper, there's something about the picture that is enticing me to keep drawing and painting the same.
My framed painting turned out okay until I realized that watercolors should not be displayed like an oil painting. One badly aimed shot from the water bottle (the dog barking deterrent) and I could end up with a much different painting. LOL. Another lesson learned. 

Just Add Water...

75 Day Challenge - Day 16

The past two days I've done portraits of my dogs. I'm happy to say there's only one more dog to go because this is the first time in the past week or so that I've really missed being able to make corrections with an eraser. BUT....that's part of the challenge.

75 Day Challenge - Day 11

I think it's gotten to be a habit now and a good habit to keep going. I'm not worried about if I can finish all 75 days now and it's not like I'm going to run out of things to sketch either.  Yesterday I was running out of time to do my sketch so I picked my favorite pens to model for me.

75 Day Challenge - Day 9

The view outside the window.

75 Day Challenge - Day 7

The rest of my travel kit and it fits into a pencil case.

And I made it through the 1st week of not using a pencil or eraser. I'm on my way.

75 Day Challenge - Day 6

Coming up are some days filled with the stuff I'm currently using. Here's my ultra lightweight watercolor pallet that I made up from other peoples ideas on the internet. It's difficult finding a tin that does not have the impressions of the name stamped into the top lid. I found this vintage sucrets tin on ebay. I chose to use full pans on the primary colors and half pans on some of my other favorite colors. You could get up to 12 different colors by using all half pans but for now, this set up is working for me. Next time I just have to remember to wait long enough for the freshly squeezed paint to set. The yellow traveled around the tin on it's first outing. Live and learn right?.

75 Day Challenge - Day 4

Day 4 and I decided to keep this one totally inked, no watercolors. I like buildings.

I really missed not having the preliminary erasable pencil sketch on day 2 of The Gorilla and day 3 The Pink Truck but that's what this is all about, right?

Lamy pens and Noodler's ink.

The Korner Store

I spent about 90 minutes parked outside the Korner Market. I don't know how many times I've driven by the place and always thought it to be a good painting subject and finally. I think I'll be hitting up more of the little stores in town as well as some of the many tattoo shops.

Days of Ink

I haven't done a watercolor in a long while, in fact, since my Dad passed away but I'm still getting some ink on paper time. Here's some of the past daily doodles done in my mini moleskine. Some days show the weather, my pens - one which was a very leaky fountain pen!, a busy weekend, another state for marriage equality and other important matters like a good margarita. I hope to get back into the swing of water coloring but for now the mindless doodling is doing it's job. Cheers!

Running Across the Road

Wow....I can't believe I haven't posted in a while; nor have I sketched or water colored. I had so many plans of doing nothing but art work during my time off from work! I guess it happens to all of us. Today though, was different. I decided to go for a ride and look what crossed my path! I think this is the first one I've seen in the 6 years I've been back living in California. A stop off at a library to look up some pictures of the Roadrunner, a quick sketch and ta-da! or should I say beep-beep.

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.

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.

The Ingredients

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

It's a totally hot pen.