tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161083212024-03-07T01:13:29.473-05:00 In and Out of The StudioCatherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614772953402745061noreply@blogger.comBlogger772125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16108321.post-19821697181748316262020-05-15T13:52:00.000-05:002020-05-15T13:52:49.533-05:00Accordion Journal<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtF5xB7bjqpuCxGUwbsKmBw4Ye8_JqBSGbbnFo-8LZIWryCho2UibV-fmroTa8J2hVUkuW376uUYYtlMh1cvcsXc88l8lKMAUiHxMA3HCiw77k0zCtRo61SjyrdUWnWIqlzMRt/s1600/IMG_2456.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtF5xB7bjqpuCxGUwbsKmBw4Ye8_JqBSGbbnFo-8LZIWryCho2UibV-fmroTa8J2hVUkuW376uUYYtlMh1cvcsXc88l8lKMAUiHxMA3HCiw77k0zCtRo61SjyrdUWnWIqlzMRt/s640/IMG_2456.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A Sample of my Accordion Journal</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A few pages from my accordion journals that I'm keeping during this "stay at home" thing. Some days are just plain hard, and some not so hard - what's the difference - nothing changes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A very dense fog just rolled up from the Bay. This would all feel better with a little warmth and sunshine. The sketching and painting feel really good. It feels normal. Giving myself some goals makes me a little accountable, even if it's just to my journal, or the little peg-man I drag to the street on google street view.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Are you sketching?</span></div>
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Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614772953402745061noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16108321.post-22902416454847269522020-05-12T16:06:00.000-05:002020-05-13T08:46:22.473-05:00Checking In<span style="font-size: large;">I hope everyone is doing well in this crazy time of quarantine! Have you had some time on your hands to get some projects done? Have you been painting and sketching? </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Forty Days of Paintings</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Before Easter, I set myself a goal of painting a little 3X5 painting every day for forty days. I painted views out our windows, things around the house, and of course, food. I did them on pieces of Aquarius II watercolor paper because that is lighter weight than a 140 # paper, and I thought I might want to mount them in a sketchbook. So far I'm happy with them just bundled together and tied with a ribbon.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Forty Days #1</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Accordion Journal</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">By April 1st I decided </span><span style="font-size: large;">that I should be keeping a Quarantine journal. Instead of overthinking it and never getting started, I just folded a strip of watercolor paper (spliced to make it about 5" X 60") into an accordion fold. Using both sides of the paper, it gives me about a month's worth of space. Of course, now I had to start another one for May.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqkGZ82CrV8u12wYejMR91jwf49yOlAMHV0CdBZznJKahnvEEAA4NL5hgEa_pMaUfb7g1yoTP3j94O7cwBjghtaFuQGV0W-9NpuIJS2kdHDITy42ih12AAx3XJbVPRPNfpdsys/s1600/IMG_2437.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqkGZ82CrV8u12wYejMR91jwf49yOlAMHV0CdBZznJKahnvEEAA4NL5hgEa_pMaUfb7g1yoTP3j94O7cwBjghtaFuQGV0W-9NpuIJS2kdHDITy42ih12AAx3XJbVPRPNfpdsys/s640/IMG_2437.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Stay at Home Journal</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Google Street View</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">About this time of year I can't wait to get out and start sketching cottages and <span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">street</span> scenes. It has been very cold and there is no where to go. So - I've started sketching using Google Street View. These are just small, quick, scribbly, continuous-line drawings in ink. Such fun! I am stuck on the East Coast. Try Nantucket - it's great. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNTpN_f8cRKWl7OxtdH4dCkzt2Dd4AMUNwjj03HVC3WwBxGgi_nLPMPJPUlvSW6h_HYE-e4gh-fJWJoC4G1Eu18m1klmt_dOgvwelTPsSYdYYrIeMecc9W5ke0FjF1pJPzvGaM/s1600/IMG_2436.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNTpN_f8cRKWl7OxtdH4dCkzt2Dd4AMUNwjj03HVC3WwBxGgi_nLPMPJPUlvSW6h_HYE-e4gh-fJWJoC4G1Eu18m1klmt_dOgvwelTPsSYdYYrIeMecc9W5ke0FjF1pJPzvGaM/s400/IMG_2436.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Google Street View Nantucket</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614772953402745061noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16108321.post-87603396236176721942019-09-19T09:07:00.000-05:002019-09-19T09:07:04.189-05:00So Much Stuff<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrKX6d3E39hroeecGRsT-CDI2XDhSptGeVbJS6roQUa-Cw57YKem7bXeCqmzVHn3XsBYSialL4hNPGZZ-ll6hbNFz1rJWCplHCiNVYfytuMQepeh18WhDHSihy1dF4ajnwbD5a/s1600/0-4.jpeg" imageanchor="1"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuglJmHxmGYrQsHK5ntmCUGG57d4WGRtvsVv05lrAA_0nNJcUxmoCaScjhrDqIXvQFy-O12YTrg1SI4SI_LTARA1tSPzkTV8-bnyTm39kXjlhZOe3VgChDLutJFUZQyWN7ADHZ/s1600/0-5.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuglJmHxmGYrQsHK5ntmCUGG57d4WGRtvsVv05lrAA_0nNJcUxmoCaScjhrDqIXvQFy-O12YTrg1SI4SI_LTARA1tSPzkTV8-bnyTm39kXjlhZOe3VgChDLutJFUZQyWN7ADHZ/s640/0-5.jpeg" width="446" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">So Many Distractions</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I'm trying to get things straightened around for my classes to begin next week. There are so many distractions on my work tables - sketchbooks to work in, sketchbooks to work from, paintings to finish, paintings to start. There are stacks of sketchbooks, piles of paper, clipboards of upcoming class information, things I want to be able to get my hands on, things I don't know what to do with . . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If it sounds like I'm complaining, I'm not. I love this stuff, and I love the possibilities it all represents. I had intended to go out painting this morning, but it's raining. We'll try for this afternoon, and I'll try to get all of this "stuff" in some kind of order by then.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The sketchbook page at the bottom was done yesterday - very hot and sunny. The house is very complicated with many odd angles and at a difficult view point. To get it down, I just did a very quick continuous line drawing and didn't worry about what was what. I'm happy with it. It is <i>that house</i> to me. Don't forget - your sketchbook page is <i>your</i> sketchbook page, and that's all that matters.</span></div>
Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614772953402745061noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16108321.post-3010579479887708962019-09-16T12:52:00.000-05:002019-09-16T12:52:15.104-05:00Another Day Out Painting<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCZ0C2xG9BFaXVGRvHRK6dRI68iodHX_q_4JiF15B7ImXxapHsbtSyt6WMlbJkTla9WgSSqXvkGnbXM0LQEIEDzGHhJSbuIaREANwUtfsRceDPka5WYwuu6qoUgAFqZrSt6q0b/s1600/0-3.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCZ0C2xG9BFaXVGRvHRK6dRI68iodHX_q_4JiF15B7ImXxapHsbtSyt6WMlbJkTla9WgSSqXvkGnbXM0LQEIEDzGHhJSbuIaREANwUtfsRceDPka5WYwuu6qoUgAFqZrSt6q0b/s640/0-3.jpeg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">A Painting in my Sketchbook</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Trying to get in a few more sketchbook days before cooler weather sets in. This is a very sad looking cottage. I like the shape of it and wanted to brighten it up by leaving it white. It's actually a very flat/worn/dull shade of - something. Maybe dusty rose. Maybe mauve. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It looks lonely. If I were to buy this cottage, I'd paint it white, throw open the windows, turn up some music, and invite a bunch of friends for dinner. This place needs a party.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">That's what's fun about painting - you can make anything whatever you want it to be.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Are you getting in some outdoor painting days? </span></div>
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<br />Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614772953402745061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16108321.post-53009910671960050132019-08-31T11:12:00.001-05:002019-08-31T11:12:46.581-05:00New Brushes<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">House Shapes from my Sketchbook</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I took a workshop earlier this week from Sandra Strohschein. It was great - lots of information. She used these brushes and had them available to purchase, so now I'm obsessed and can't put them down.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This painting is about 7 X 11. These cottages are from my "collection" of simple house shapes in my sketch books. I love houses of any shape, size, or style, and often when I go to paint them, they don't always end up in their original settings. In real life, these are surrounded by many other cottages, but as I sketched them, I liked the way "the viewer" could, maybe, just walk over that ridge to the beach instead of more cottages and the highway.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Art is a control thing. You can make a subject anything you want!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Go out and sketch some cottages or houses in the city, country or by the beach - then put them in any setting you want. It's not about reality, it's about the composition.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Have fun with it!!!</span></div>
Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614772953402745061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16108321.post-56381517757566671742019-08-30T16:53:00.002-05:002019-08-30T16:53:38.524-05:00Another Porch <div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw6Cp1rht7e75J0-6eQZ_tXHJOVw7HNHqVfyjFMo_BTB8CtBPyk9J7dWNq0CpUnCFF7Y1fF-I1a2KU0JWLVt7LqrouNpZjHAVf6oRxvfs2EY3voFYNB23bUlPp6Kmq-urDn8Xq/s1600/IMG_2086.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw6Cp1rht7e75J0-6eQZ_tXHJOVw7HNHqVfyjFMo_BTB8CtBPyk9J7dWNq0CpUnCFF7Y1fF-I1a2KU0JWLVt7LqrouNpZjHAVf6oRxvfs2EY3voFYNB23bUlPp6Kmq-urDn8Xq/s640/IMG_2086.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Painting on Another Porch</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Painting with the Walloon Lake Group before having lunch on the porch overlooking the lake.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="mw_t_bc" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #303336; font-family: "open sans" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.20000000298023224px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Webster: "Porch - </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #303336; font-family: "open sans" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.20000000298023224px;">a covered area </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #303336; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.20000000298023224px;">adjoining</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #303336; font-family: "open sans" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.20000000298023224px;"> an</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #303336; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.20000000298023224px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #303336; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.20000000298023224px;">entrance</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #303336; font-family: "open sans" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.20000000298023224px;"> to a building and usually having a separate roof."</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #303336; font-family: "open sans" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.20000000298023224px;">And usually having coffee, tea, or lemonade, comfy chairs, a nice view, a vase of wildflowers, something good to read, a cat asleep in the sun . . . </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #303336; font-family: "open sans" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.20000000298023224px;">It's getting cooler now, and the walnuts are falling onto the porch roof and rolling down, dropping to the ground. A few leaves have turned. Mornings and evenings are much cooler. I'm really not a fan of much cooler.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #303336; font-family: "open sans" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.20000000298023224px;">I want to get in a lot more time of journaling and sketching outside. Have you taken your sketchbooks out for a stroll lately?</span></div>
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Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614772953402745061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16108321.post-83341002174131522342019-08-14T14:21:00.000-05:002019-08-17T15:09:12.461-05:00Finding a Breeze<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRxYXNa1Zn08Rg61n6PeFkrN_csxqI3tbULh2eGnE-iPLKW9qdVeAE-KUo9ovhLm1Rlnd9spCqrOsF68gJU1NXeEgyC-U7Oy_Pji1gOkQrzOtzKhGU-q2-vOJb9PyHQnk-bwQ5/s1600/IMG_2074.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRxYXNa1Zn08Rg61n6PeFkrN_csxqI3tbULh2eGnE-iPLKW9qdVeAE-KUo9ovhLm1Rlnd9spCqrOsF68gJU1NXeEgyC-U7Oy_Pji1gOkQrzOtzKhGU-q2-vOJb9PyHQnk-bwQ5/s640/IMG_2074.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">A Great Place to Paint on a Hot Day</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It's been pretty warm this summer in northern Michigan, but there is always a shady spot and almost always a breeze coming off the Bay.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We sat on the porch and painted, drank jasmine tea and ate green tea mochi ice cream. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Today I'm tearing up my garden - if you can even call it a garden. Everything is soooo out of control. It looks like one of those old gardens that was at one time very pretty, and then because of neglect, it just became overgrown and tangled - that's exactly what happened. So, I'm finding my way down to bare dirt, and we'll just see what happens when spring comes. If things come up again, I'll have to decide whether to let them grow or pull them out. If nothing comes up, I'll have to decide whether to replant or plant grass. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The tiger lilies were devoured by red lily bugs (REPULSIVE), and the day lilies and hostas were eaten by the deer. Maybe next year there won't be anything for the predators - that'll show 'em.</span></div>
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Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614772953402745061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16108321.post-1336622809934583672019-05-03T08:49:00.003-05:002019-05-03T08:52:57.539-05:00A Productive Weekend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH-WIYmEM7cb7i0ebYtKTdxtm62tFsmfJBe8vDrjY_KmoJ-1mvfeYvIFyuLNFQheOQv_vIx-VWjuy51V65YpALjZKRpdC5CY1fuJMdOas02rQ4CH0wF2bxpcdUMdLIujJg5kvP/s1600/IMG_1727+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH-WIYmEM7cb7i0ebYtKTdxtm62tFsmfJBe8vDrjY_KmoJ-1mvfeYvIFyuLNFQheOQv_vIx-VWjuy51V65YpALjZKRpdC5CY1fuJMdOas02rQ4CH0wF2bxpcdUMdLIujJg5kvP/s640/IMG_1727+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">A Fun and Productive Weekend</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Spiffing Up My Studio Classroom</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">With the help of our granddaughters, we finished installing a new ceiling, painted the walls, and painted and installed most of the </span><span style="font-size: large;">trim - in a very short time. Unlike us. Of course "a very short time" is relative, isn't it? Let's say less than two month's time, or less than a year. Seriously, we were able to get a lot done with the help of our teenage paint crew. We ate a lot of pizza and listened to </span><i><span style="font-size: large;">their</span></i><span style="font-size: large;"> music - not that bad!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia3cuxNJUZubn_sDbaIu8QWVQu6hSj6GQl-PHYrugklYsmr_zMAwDAXa_ceceeUoE_ooOt5QbSH-GJ8zKk8Fhc5uAwB4VYsFBMbNlU4Ga0Iz7bHPaPevBV8B-kcb6rSM2DDKkK/s1600/IMG_1651.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia3cuxNJUZubn_sDbaIu8QWVQu6hSj6GQl-PHYrugklYsmr_zMAwDAXa_ceceeUoE_ooOt5QbSH-GJ8zKk8Fhc5uAwB4VYsFBMbNlU4Ga0Iz7bHPaPevBV8B-kcb6rSM2DDKkK/s400/IMG_1651.jpg" width="358" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Then I spray painted the chandelier and covered the candle things with decorative paper. The paper does NOT touch the bulbs.</span></div>
Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614772953402745061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16108321.post-30832501649366457262019-04-03T16:13:00.001-05:002019-08-17T19:05:42.822-05:00More Journal Pages<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi1liA3SBcmTl-mSVMLaYVtUjczhE1YJoJq-ktsuWiGJWe0-dbTTZcYzOjPclTejGbOh3jXDRtUaw-RlB3prANLuLTAcgGpovyhQ9z5ouLrxgsfRH-fprqA1eaxce4wBAK68s7/s1600/0.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi1liA3SBcmTl-mSVMLaYVtUjczhE1YJoJq-ktsuWiGJWe0-dbTTZcYzOjPclTejGbOh3jXDRtUaw-RlB3prANLuLTAcgGpovyhQ9z5ouLrxgsfRH-fprqA1eaxce4wBAK68s7/s640/0.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Journal Pages</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A couple more journal pages from March. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It was very sunny part of the day today, and that is really a welcome sight now. I saw a few crocus leaves today along the edge of a big pile of snow in the back yard.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I'm putting lesson plans together for summer <a href="https://catherinestudio.blogspot.com/p/bay-view-watercolor-sketchbook.html"> Bay View Watercolor Sketch Book</a> classes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Crocus leaves and summer lesson plans! The winter doldrums are beginning to lift!</span></div>
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Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614772953402745061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16108321.post-70709529326879246792019-04-01T15:42:00.000-05:002019-04-01T15:42:51.873-05:00Journal Pages<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1V_f_FCKBmCu8kEIWtvVIc5WD0yvknsxGa4cwRGgZE5RekzSYXX3YTcj7fYaoIWHbII7soqlWSoR9bJeA8JO0rq38k0c6J0oJTaJPGaOU4I9Q5YOdEaFD930vMA0Tlh6Bim1F/s1600/0-2.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1V_f_FCKBmCu8kEIWtvVIc5WD0yvknsxGa4cwRGgZE5RekzSYXX3YTcj7fYaoIWHbII7soqlWSoR9bJeA8JO0rq38k0c6J0oJTaJPGaOU4I9Q5YOdEaFD930vMA0Tlh6Bim1F/s640/0-2.jpeg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">A Couple of Days in March</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Finally we are beginning to get some sunshine, the huge piles of snow are melting, and we can even see some grass. It's brown, but it's grass!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I've been trying to spend a little more time with my journal. In northern Michigan it will still be awhile before we can get out and sketch and paint. </span><span style="font-size: large;">My winter journal pages usually end up being about food. Some people ski in the winter - I eat.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We have a big house project going, and it is very very dirty. You know what dry wall dust is like - this is 120 year old plaster dust!!! We are tearing down and replacing an old ceiling. The dust is EVERYWHERE. Every single thing in the house is going to have to be washed, dusted and/or vacuumed. It's time for a good decluttering - then there won't be so much to clean. </span></div>
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<br />Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614772953402745061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16108321.post-21693038585557928562018-10-18T07:37:00.000-05:002018-10-18T07:37:00.388-05:00Still Life Value Study<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtQ2730p2MK7RNiXv3GeMRRbHMmIopJsLeWj7gz4AmP7AjHhAcuQCZJ0TQiGYlaXlkVP36USTKJ0EObz1mQljs63qhjJAVSrhjwOlxerZJSnUCxitLBfWGT_sSvPoDHjWxL2-5/s1600/IMG_1445.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtQ2730p2MK7RNiXv3GeMRRbHMmIopJsLeWj7gz4AmP7AjHhAcuQCZJ0TQiGYlaXlkVP36USTKJ0EObz1mQljs63qhjJAVSrhjwOlxerZJSnUCxitLBfWGT_sSvPoDHjWxL2-5/s640/IMG_1445.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Small Value Study and Painting</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I love doing quick little "thumbnail sketches", and especially like doing them on toned paper with chalk and charcoal as a value study.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A thumbnail sketch is a very small, quick sketch - 2 inches, 2 minutes. The purpose is to get your composition figured out before you even touch your watercolor paper. I start out drawing just the shapes - absolutely no detail. When I get the composition I like, I start working on the values (lights and darks, contrasts).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In class we played around with some thumbnail sketches, transferred the best ones to the brown paper, and worked out the values with the chalk as the lightest value, the paper as the medium, and the charcoal as the darkest. We then transferred our original small sketch to watercolor paper and did little paintings using the value sketch as a guide for our lights and darks. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It was a fun project and made us think about the process of planning a painting. It's hard for people to drop the detail and just do shapes in the step. I like to think of it as brain storming. Kind of like a few people sitting around a table having dinner and someone gets a bright idea and sketches it out on a napkin. No detail there. It's just the very first step toward a finished project.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Looks as if our days of painting out on location are over for the year. We have had high winds with some snow and sleet for a couple of days. It's time to snuggle in and work on compositions, still lifes, and maybe try something new and different. I'll have to give that some thought.</span></div>
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Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614772953402745061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16108321.post-26332079874892618892018-10-16T08:21:00.000-05:002018-10-16T08:21:13.649-05:00Fond Memories of Our Workshop<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">September 2018, Mackinac Island Book Binding and Watercolor Journaling</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbyCOM0kyqopEKe77J-ebLlv51eKPV9hyphenhyphenmJPlNp8ktoOhm6dsVKaTax7P17z2XEBCizfwBAunVjnKwBD1FAJ8mKrkxqNwl-nivDX1AGhCcNVmFBmhXjac4RRNU__JbsbrejNqi/s1600/47162311-98A8-4855-9885-540DA5B7941C.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbyCOM0kyqopEKe77J-ebLlv51eKPV9hyphenhyphenmJPlNp8ktoOhm6dsVKaTax7P17z2XEBCizfwBAunVjnKwBD1FAJ8mKrkxqNwl-nivDX1AGhCcNVmFBmhXjac4RRNU__JbsbrejNqi/s640/47162311-98A8-4855-9885-540DA5B7941C.JPG" width="457" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Sketchbooks Made by the Workshop Participants</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We took a little break from painting and arranged some of the sketchbooks on the boardwalk along the water's edge to admire them and take pictures. Aren't they beautiful?! We had a total of twenty-six colorful, beautifully made books. Such creative people! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My workshop partner, Cathy Cohen, teaches the bookbinding and I teach the watercolor journaling. We had such a fun bunch of people attending and they all took to each other like they were old friends. I miss them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyqEt_gYufblTSM3ZET2Vab1OOieSTWsx5d31ZSreDUZOT6cDcLQ8myFdoNT7c-YkkT2oDX6a1h8owine1fJFJOYGsIRgl6DK4h_4qAe0M5B2g4REjfUGYwaZzp5eYSq_IlsS9/s1600/IMG_1383.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyqEt_gYufblTSM3ZET2Vab1OOieSTWsx5d31ZSreDUZOT6cDcLQ8myFdoNT7c-YkkT2oDX6a1h8owine1fJFJOYGsIRgl6DK4h_4qAe0M5B2g4REjfUGYwaZzp5eYSq_IlsS9/s400/IMG_1383.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here we are, arranging the books for their photo op.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXJyWN4R1ZVqpcqBJgL4QEM9DbGLq-WHBRdTPmFUeIVh4FbNAayz7kayy1vn33b6TWoVmt1mtG7m_o2RnW-C5or0H5mbJNih6N-2kDR17Agav34NtjmhjN4IvpvShiuCyq5YpM/s1600/IMG_1430.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="624" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXJyWN4R1ZVqpcqBJgL4QEM9DbGLq-WHBRdTPmFUeIVh4FbNAayz7kayy1vn33b6TWoVmt1mtG7m_o2RnW-C5or0H5mbJNih6N-2kDR17Agav34NtjmhjN4IvpvShiuCyq5YpM/s640/IMG_1430.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Painting in Our New Books</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Chunky book at the top - the 3 cent stamp on the left was a gift from one of the students. She brought one to everyone to put in our journals. It seemed appropriate to put it on the facing page of my little light house sketch. From where we sat to sketch the light house, we could also see the Bridge.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We all sketched our keys - real live keys - not a card.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgElrAU4kPf6Mo1RrVxrswoYnckpiWSlPd5dOFAWTpJ6zhjcVkrZB6Cssfg9biUEx8Jhwf8BSRjdwx-5BCT2Fe-XuiBvEb02fn1Eq53xTyxJBpESWRcfm66QIgrHLzY2E04im5s/s1600/IMG_1380.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgElrAU4kPf6Mo1RrVxrswoYnckpiWSlPd5dOFAWTpJ6zhjcVkrZB6Cssfg9biUEx8Jhwf8BSRjdwx-5BCT2Fe-XuiBvEb02fn1Eq53xTyxJBpESWRcfm66QIgrHLzY2E04im5s/s640/IMG_1380.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Mackinac Island is Magical</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">One evening a few of us walked down toward the west a bit to see the sunset. As we turned to go back, this is what Main Street looked like.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Don't let the magical glow of the evening lights fool you.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> At 10pm they play taps at the fort, and then things really get ramped up out in the street. </span><span style="font-size: large;">It's noisy and crazy until about 2am. But it's Mackinac Island crazy, so that's okay. It lulls you to sleep :)</span></div>
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<br />Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614772953402745061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16108321.post-47420591454114658762017-10-30T12:17:00.000-05:002019-02-26T12:18:43.906-05:00Book Binding<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuHW3USYnzz0b7YaaVZxhhK0U-J8-R9B4iMxtPZifdda1LreKtpYDMhonD2AZRz9EkQwuooPbaBj3bXxKZSoWX5pF-Gz_barHAQ9rAn0XJxB3pKzp66BdvGuYdBnmXbrA5qjWx/s1600/IMG_20171030_105304.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuHW3USYnzz0b7YaaVZxhhK0U-J8-R9B4iMxtPZifdda1LreKtpYDMhonD2AZRz9EkQwuooPbaBj3bXxKZSoWX5pF-Gz_barHAQ9rAn0XJxB3pKzp66BdvGuYdBnmXbrA5qjWx/s640/IMG_20171030_105304.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">My New Journal </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">and a Page From Our Book Binding Workshop</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Last week we did a two day book binding workshop. It is so much fun to pick out the fabric and paper for the cover. I felt that the design of the fabric (on the left side of the book cover) needed to be broken up just a bit, so I cut out two shapes from the paper (on the right side of the book cover) and glued them on. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The shiny reflection on the book is the acetate cover we use to protect them. They take a beating - paint splashes, grass stains, pencil smudges . . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">One of the pages we did on day-two was "what I wore today", which is also the homework assignment for my Wednesday and Thursday classes this week.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The books made in the class were just beautiful, and the creative participants were such fun to spend two days with.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Today I'm watching dark and dramatic clouds over the Bay. The sun in and out of the clouds (mostly in) is doing some interesting things to the colors of the hills across the Bay and the surface of the water - a good day for some color swatches in my journal.</span></div>
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Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614772953402745061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16108321.post-54917181880730861572017-10-07T08:25:00.002-05:002017-10-07T08:25:50.526-05:00Museum buildings' steps<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwRMAfdffjf6W-e3s7zt1I8Eup5vjl9J-rX7emt1JHFc_1LktPEQ2zOSPRT2QnsMr8SF8vf8-rzIApb_9A7zfijw3ptUuyjNczB-PgpBRjjneH2mTy2IVoDAqaaCF_TpGrp9KW/s1600/museum+steps.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwRMAfdffjf6W-e3s7zt1I8Eup5vjl9J-rX7emt1JHFc_1LktPEQ2zOSPRT2QnsMr8SF8vf8-rzIApb_9A7zfijw3ptUuyjNczB-PgpBRjjneH2mTy2IVoDAqaaCF_TpGrp9KW/s640/museum+steps.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">The Steps in the Garden </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Behind the Woman's Council</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">This is one of my favorite places to paint in Bay View. The light is always changing and the garden is doing something different every time I go there. Move three feet one way or the other and the view and perspective of the quirky buildings change. Zoom in, zoom out . . . The garden is right behind the Woman's council building with a good view of the museum buildings just a few feet away.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I did this watercolor sketch at least a month ago, and now the sun and the garden have really changed. It's very dark and windy today. I'm all about comfort - I won't be going out painting.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Do you have any creative plans for the weekend?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614772953402745061noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16108321.post-74862337209080139862017-09-22T12:03:00.003-05:002017-09-22T12:03:58.449-05:00At the Waterfront <div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcLdGhLJN56rkzKHZZmOwXjI8wKUZneG45PL_LkJp5A3puWGhu-30pbbNdOc5-BzfcKy1Mg1U5WbUWLfvtWiaa0vZq-69YIJAIxbABTix9IpqCur4P5VvFBHBoGmDrErfNVpC2/s1600/Waterfront+sky.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcLdGhLJN56rkzKHZZmOwXjI8wKUZneG45PL_LkJp5A3puWGhu-30pbbNdOc5-BzfcKy1Mg1U5WbUWLfvtWiaa0vZq-69YIJAIxbABTix9IpqCur4P5VvFBHBoGmDrErfNVpC2/s640/Waterfront+sky.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A couple of evenings ago I went down to the waterfront to walk. I went east for about a half mile, and when I turned around to go back, this sky to the west just took my breath away. Look at the color of the water!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcLdGhLJN56rkzKHZZmOwXjI8wKUZneG45PL_LkJp5A3puWGhu-30pbbNdOc5-BzfcKy1Mg1U5WbUWLfvtWiaa0vZq-69YIJAIxbABTix9IpqCur4P5VvFBHBoGmDrErfNVpC2/s1600/Waterfront+sky.jpg" imageanchor="1"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir3wluGeLOAzRz8C6D2Gl_xhwcIasr5ZNjQkTFaIZ0DV4bcjq8Z92EDgySR_1h-DQdk1bGP1TIvdpLdTCl8KG_zX4_Wj6dloFBXI7PbxoUmyS9P9xSAj3ESs_OC6A8XT5PuZvS/s1600/cormorant.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir3wluGeLOAzRz8C6D2Gl_xhwcIasr5ZNjQkTFaIZ0DV4bcjq8Z92EDgySR_1h-DQdk1bGP1TIvdpLdTCl8KG_zX4_Wj6dloFBXI7PbxoUmyS9P9xSAj3ESs_OC6A8XT5PuZvS/s640/cormorant.jpg" width="404" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Last night there was this juvenile cormorant sitting on a rock right near the walkway. Some kids came down and sat on the rocks right near it. It didn't seem to mind that we were right there talking about it. That lone duck kept hanging around too. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">What is it about cormorants? They're a little creepy. Very creepy. But thrilling to see up close and personal. </span></div>
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Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614772953402745061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16108321.post-61085243153553589342017-09-20T10:59:00.001-05:002017-09-20T10:59:19.294-05:00Another Cottage<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghq3IfcKpIr1tlMfTlxfHSdvcuqrOSiGOis6eWous4oVG3ELBmaZb_F-VfwTERR1sQILmKOW5Y14XCZ5DcFHlqAmZj7ahPZhJsZs8NfHbHF1Cug0vs5bYeaH5l1EF5Y0pRACaR/s1600/House+on+Stephens.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghq3IfcKpIr1tlMfTlxfHSdvcuqrOSiGOis6eWous4oVG3ELBmaZb_F-VfwTERR1sQILmKOW5Y14XCZ5DcFHlqAmZj7ahPZhJsZs8NfHbHF1Cug0vs5bYeaH5l1EF5Y0pRACaR/s640/House+on+Stephens.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Early Fall Garden</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The flowers in front of this cottage are hanging in there - still colorful.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The little door on the left has always fascinated me. It looks like a regular paneled door, but on a much smaller scale. I think it must go to the basement.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Another warm week here. Nice! Last week was beautiful, and I went out sketching a few times. Now I need to buckle down a bit and get things ready for classes, but I'm sure I can get in a few more outdoor days.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">How has your September weather been? Have you been out sketching?</span></div>
Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614772953402745061noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16108321.post-54979072122638369052017-09-12T11:30:00.000-05:002017-09-12T11:30:36.407-05:00More Rooftops<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5XD3FAu5zaRkCWw32VbnSDGiITjydn-2_WUe7b8n3Ests_MXQuBpDF4j6nHAvPaPNYhJXeWgKdvKnuT8z0rwZ57ZYHE0UNxwCahsAgwMY32k7v71kNP0udGwnKTnDe-8EnhtY/s1600/more+rooftops+in+BV.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5XD3FAu5zaRkCWw32VbnSDGiITjydn-2_WUe7b8n3Ests_MXQuBpDF4j6nHAvPaPNYhJXeWgKdvKnuT8z0rwZ57ZYHE0UNxwCahsAgwMY32k7v71kNP0udGwnKTnDe-8EnhtY/s640/more+rooftops+in+BV.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Painting in the Evening</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It's getting late in the season to be painting in the evening. This is really not what was going on with the light. In fact, not much at all was going on with the light. Because of all the trees, the sun was a little too low to reach this location.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">On the way home we saw the most gorgeous sunset! We were hoping to see the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_flash"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">green flash</span></a>, but it didn't happen. I have only seen it a couple of times in my life. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Another beautiful day here today. I am heading down to the waterfront with my sketchbook. My plan is to take my sketchbook out every day this week. Day two.</span></div>
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Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614772953402745061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16108321.post-62086616596964353182017-09-10T07:39:00.000-05:002017-09-10T07:39:02.147-05:00Rooftops<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrgr6A3bl6YY8pFycHuFUyVN1o7UoZPrKLIoFWmykGxCFQSCRdLjI09ajvGFqo72LUg9gRulQGGbMuJwFLjpknF-VQXs_bsCKgkmrtMOnyuXbKoB-O2zgKK8aL2wEFUBqLazPf/s1600/rooftops+on+stephens+2.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrgr6A3bl6YY8pFycHuFUyVN1o7UoZPrKLIoFWmykGxCFQSCRdLjI09ajvGFqo72LUg9gRulQGGbMuJwFLjpknF-VQXs_bsCKgkmrtMOnyuXbKoB-O2zgKK8aL2wEFUBqLazPf/s640/rooftops+on+stephens+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Rooftops on Stephen's Lane</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It finally warmed up to about sixty degrees Friday, and there was some sun, so we headed out with our sketchbooks. With the sun so low in the sky now, it kept going behind the trees, and we had to keep moving to stay in the warmth of it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It is pretty quiet around here now, so we aren't as likely to get run over if we sit in the middle of the road to sketch in the sun. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Just checking the weather forecast and my calendar for next week. My goal is to get out every day and paint. The weather looks perfect and the calendar is pretty empty - perfect combination.</span></div>
Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614772953402745061noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16108321.post-17085407981294601322017-09-07T13:09:00.001-05:002017-09-07T13:15:54.640-05:00Julio In and Out of the Studio<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMCDMwWK1K5JnNLguQcOsCIlGHYMvA52Gy4thc3v0eLDUmWe6GbZM_Cc1eUIhbTbdaX1pKt9aL1lDB7uPEIujxYVhogrO1BCQLXSfPrk0584DwjR7_iEdx7sVidHOMh8flOU3t/s1600/Julio+on+a+stool.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMCDMwWK1K5JnNLguQcOsCIlGHYMvA52Gy4thc3v0eLDUmWe6GbZM_Cc1eUIhbTbdaX1pKt9aL1lDB7uPEIujxYVhogrO1BCQLXSfPrk0584DwjR7_iEdx7sVidHOMh8flOU3t/s640/Julio+on+a+stool.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">My Pal in the Studio</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Julio loves paper, pencils, pens, and paint brushes! I have to shut him out of the studio when I have a class because he tries to help everyone paint. He's not that helpful.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Today I'm really feeling the effects of summer's end. No more outdoor classes, no more open doors and windows, no more evening meals on the porch. Well, there may be a few, and there will be more days of sketchbook journaling out and about. Oh yeah, there's always that stuff to do in the yard. I think people who take good care of their yards call it "putting the garden to bed". I call it "cutting down all the overgrown stuff that has taken over". </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Really, all I have to do is switch gears to autumn mode - there are plenty of fun projects to get going on. I think instead of cutting down all that stuff in the yard, I'll go out to the farm market and get some fall produce. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I need to sketch something - I like paper, pencils, pens, and paint brushes too. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Are you sketching?!</span></div>
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Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614772953402745061noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16108321.post-12126734791549132822017-09-05T12:05:00.000-05:002017-09-20T11:01:10.931-05:00Soup Season<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCsd0jMJzr-qmHvyZKmpGv28QAdYJSJP-6YwT2MFggCZe9Esq_nbh5_gl1d3x5plTAo67PZv4qmVtTEkDEdysntLXq4LMBkrG_JWRbjg3RddfanoV_7siLfX7tyTIjHOmaEHNB/s1600/Stove+.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCsd0jMJzr-qmHvyZKmpGv28QAdYJSJP-6YwT2MFggCZe9Esq_nbh5_gl1d3x5plTAo67PZv4qmVtTEkDEdysntLXq4LMBkrG_JWRbjg3RddfanoV_7siLfX7tyTIjHOmaEHNB/s640/Stove+.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">My Favorite Spot in the House?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">When I did this watercolor sketch, the stove was new and it was soup season. It's the beginning of soup season again, so this seemed appropriate to post. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I have neglected this blog for at least two years. Short breaks sometimes have a way of turning into a long stretch of neglect. When I got back to my blog again, I was going to spiff it up and do all the "fancy" things other bloggers do - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, links to everything out there, moving parts . . . . That's not going to happen. I'm just moving on here, as is.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">It's the day after Labor Day, and it feels like someone flipped the "change seasons" button. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I have some summer sketchbook pages I'll be posting - maybe that will stretch summer out a little.</span><br />
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Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614772953402745061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16108321.post-2409738397629939462015-02-13T14:28:00.000-05:002015-02-13T14:28:02.197-05:00Colorful little paintings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj33x4i_qqnft_gby9D8XDANPB-2In76qg15g1RD94Qpx_aMy0iqL8cp0tjcEuejWC-AfQQqD9oitoj8ZuaxmJr0S-QZrvsdTHiQe6dFq12NAAvJY4T3jL9nsOPo-Ye9yJZj-lI/s1600/still+life+pot+and+oranges.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj33x4i_qqnft_gby9D8XDANPB-2In76qg15g1RD94Qpx_aMy0iqL8cp0tjcEuejWC-AfQQqD9oitoj8ZuaxmJr0S-QZrvsdTHiQe6dFq12NAAvJY4T3jL9nsOPo-Ye9yJZj-lI/s1600/still+life+pot+and+oranges.jpg" height="400" width="275" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Little thumbnail sketches</span></div>
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finished off with a couple of swipes of watercolor.</div>
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They are continuous line drawings done with a Uni-ball Vision pen with a fine tip. <span style="text-align: center;">They are each two inches square. </span><br />
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Thumbnails are not only a warm-up, but a way of planning out a composition. They should take about two minutes (without color) and contain no detail. The first step is to just put in shapes to see how they fit, and if you're happy with the fit, put in some very simple medium and dark values. Do one after another until you are happy with the composition.<br />
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Today I was looking over some of the objects that are on the classroom tables from this week's lessons. I occurred to me, as I was mentally matching up some of the things, that thumbnail sketches are the equivalent of stream of consciousness writing. I start out drawing the objects as they are, then just move along to the way they could be, until I get to the way I think they should be.<br />
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It's snowing here and the wind chill advisory for tonight is for 25 to 40 BELOW!!!! NOOOOOO!!!! That has to be a misprint. Please be a misprint?<br />
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<br />Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614772953402745061noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16108321.post-6255983192354996582015-02-11T15:38:00.000-05:002015-02-11T20:36:48.614-05:00Studio Still Life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our Assignment "Where I Paint"</span></div>
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This is a continuous line drawing in ink with watercolor</div>
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My classes will be working on still lifes over the winter. I think it is pretty easy to get bored with still life, so I'm trying to make it interesting by mixing things up a little. We'll be doing contour/continuous line, value patterns, negative shapes, crosshatching, ink, pencil, watercolor, various view points<b> . . . . </b><br />
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It is snowing like crazy right now - great weather to stay inside and sketch and paint. Are you more productive in the winter, or less productive? I always think I am going to get so much done, but I get a little lazy thinking I have all this "down time". I get a lot lazy.<br />
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<br />Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614772953402745061noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16108321.post-9872744846919430122014-11-12T15:16:00.000-05:002014-11-12T15:23:06.261-05:00View down Ready Street<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">View Down Ready Street and a Burger</span></div>
A couple of weeks ago we took a little trip up to the Marquette area. Marquette is a mining town on Lake Superior. Our son and his family are in the process of moving there. He is already living there with our middle granddaughter, and the rest of his family will follow at the end of this school year.<br />
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It seems like a long way away - like driving to another country. Well, actually, if we didn't make a left turn, we would be in Canada real soon. It is about an hour to the Mackinac Bridge, then five miles across that to the Upper Peninsula, then miles and miles through woods and little towns, and then 25 miles through TREES with no sign of a human being and no cell service, and then - wham - there's a big city ( by northern Michigan standards anyway). The terrain is different, the rocks are different, the buildings are different . . . Everything is about mining - even the iron colored dust in the air. I sound like I have never been out of town, don't I?<br />
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This little journal sketch is the view out of their dining room window. It's hilly there, and the area is full of spires and towers, and fortunately for Middle Granddaughter, it has a "Big Boy" restaurant. <br />
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We painted snow covered pine trees today in my class. We are trying to embrace the idea of snow. It is snowing as I write this, and there is a spotlight of sun on the buildings across the Bay. The sky is dark, and the bare trees look very black. I could sit all day and watch the light and colors change on the Bay, but I'd better not. I really need to get going on my Thanksgiving dinner list, although it does not change year to year. Some things you just don't mess with.<br />
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Our homework assignment for our journals this coming week is to paint/sketch a dish - maybe something you only get out at Thanksgiving. <br />
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<br />Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614772953402745061noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16108321.post-4828597723391307822014-10-31T08:23:00.003-05:002014-10-31T08:51:16.910-05:00Looking North<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">The View Out the Front Window</span></div>
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When I did this little watercolor sketch in my journal a few days ago, the Bay was actually this blue - a very Prussian blue. Today the view is softened by snow. I don't know if "softened" is the right word. "Softened" has kind of a positive connotation, and this is not feeling too positive to me.<br />
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Oh well. It is cozy and warm in here, I'm having my second cup of coffee, I have a sketch I'm working on, and I AM going to enjoy watching the snow fall. Right now out the front window, it looks just like this little painting with a piece of tracing paper or translucent vellum over it. Pretty.<br />
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Are you sketching?Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614772953402745061noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16108321.post-19288060847717282242014-06-13T09:05:00.001-05:002014-06-26T07:57:31.326-05:00Day Trip Page<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">A Page from my Journal</span></div>
The California kids are here, and we took a trip up beautiful highway 119 to Sturgeon Bay. The mosquitoes beat us to it. We actually ran, screaming, for the car. Well, some of us did. It was fun anyway - just being together!<br />
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I'm just getting used to the idea of summer. It was winter for soooo long, and then suddenly the kids are out of school. It's a little disorienting. <br />
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Okay - I'm going to go play with my sketchbook now. I have a couple of new pens and I want to try them out.<br />
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Are you sketching?<br />
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<br />Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09614772953402745061noreply@blogger.com3