Sketchbook: re-purposed/renewed and easy to make.

Urban Sketchers Tacoma: Sketchbook: re-purposed/renewed and easy to make.: I made my 1st sketchbook on a whim last month. It was part of an effort for the Artist Way task. I am trying to romance my muse into getting back to work

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Slow start solstice

Strangely by now I have more than 20 paint studies under my belt but this year has been very different to where I have not been able to do plein air painting at all. After many failed attempts, to jump start the art I made a venture to a new lighthouse of which I have never painted before. It was a painful recovery but I managed to rip off the bandages, face the dragon and battle my way through this 9x12 study.

No Pear Tree

"Pear on Red"-9x7 oil

   The gypsy artist doesn't need no stinkin' holidays!  I spent my Christmas painting this pear... no partridge, no tree, just a pear on a red towel.

The Renascence Man.

12 x 12- conte'

   Took a trip up to Edmonds to draw the "Renascence Man" today. A great model but I was out of practice. Did this one in conte' which I have not done in 6 months and miss it.

Inkwell study

11x14 watercolor and ink

I did a short study of this black forest carved inkwell yesterday as a prompted exercise. Since I am not strong in watercolor I decided to use that medium with a little water soluble ink.

Return to the magic

Clothes line- 9x12 oil on gesso board

Wheel barrel- 9x12 oil on gesso board

Here are a few raw pieces from the plein air session at the Watrin farm this summer. There is never a lack of something paint worthy there and you can almost smell the fresh baked cinnamon rolls coming out of the oven. Such great energy this place has for me (and all those who visit) whenever I come to paint!

sunflowers on blue

Sunflowers on checkered cloth
5x7 Casein

   Trying to get a chance to work in Casein, I did this study on clayboard at the art fest in the demo tent. Although it is only my 3rd attempt to work in this medium, I don;t feel as though I have the understanding of how this works just yet. That and the weather was so hot (90s) that the paint was drying faster then I could lay it down. My favorite part was the refracted blue stripes inverted in the vase.

New medium... casin.

Not quite gouache, not quite acrylic, not water(color) and not oil... I'm trying Casin paints. Actually anybody who know me would say, " It's just another excuse to start a new sketchbook." I must admit... I was romanced by the paper (and format) before I took up the paints; the secret's out! This particular sketchbook I am doing quick studies of flowers- fun! Since this is my 2nd attempt to paint in the medium, the verdict is still out as to whether I plan to adopt this medium into my artistic arsenal.

Airport adventures

AV Fuel #1-4 x 8.5
gouache on watercolor moleskin paper

    Recently I have become more involved with the efforts of an artist named James Gurney. About a month ago I was gifted with a book about sketching that was written by him. I've always known who he was (visited his blog a few times)  but never delved too deeply in his artistic input. Then a week later I was directed to his blog on a post about a book he was reviewing that I have read twice. Days after that I was again directed by another friend to something else he was involved in and I thought, 'Okay 3x in 3 weeks, somebody is trying to tell me something,' so I took a deeper look.
   Longer story abbreviated, there was a challenge to paint in gouache of which he was showing many fine examples of realist artists who used this medium- I was intrigued. Then he threw out a theme for the gouache painting challenge (gas station) which got me inspired so I tried gouache for the 1st time in these two back to back studies... on the tarmac of the airport.

AV Fuel #2- 4 x 8.5 gouache on watercolor moleskin

Skansie Netshed 1st plain air of the season

Skansie Netshed paint study 6x8

   It was a rocky start to the 1st plein air event of the season but I simply "kept calm and painted on" as the cliche' goes for other instances. It was a local event but a good opportunity to shake off the bad habits of not painting regularly and get back to it. More travels for the gypsy artist through out the summer- stay tuned!