Pizza My Heart

A Watercolor Sketch of Lunch on the First Day of June

and the first day of summer vacation

This was a fabulous pizza (aren't they all?)  -  green apple, sausage, bacon, pepperoni, green onion, and Gorgonzola!!!  The special of the day at Pizza My Heart in Willow Glenn, CA.

Every trip has to have something hysterically funny happen or it's not a real trip.  My husband put his money clip on a table and went in to take a shower.  The kids' huge collie chomped up the money, some cards including insurance cards and DRIVERS LICENSE!!!  He mercifully left the debit card intact, and we think the drivers license is intact enough to get back through security.  He really only ate $1 bill, so no harm done  -  well  -  maybe a little harm.

Now I 'm going to go sketch some of the beautiful herbs in my daughter's herb garden, and listen to the black phoebe sing.  It sits on the telephone wire and serenades us  -  black phoebe on a wire.  If anyone wants to steal that for a book title  -  go ahead,  I don't think I'm going to be using it.

Simplified Patterns and Designs

Watercolor Demonstration

In classes this week we were, once again, talking about simplifying. For me, it all comes down to simplifying.  I don't like doing detail  -  I really like things left a little to the imagination.  I think what this really means is "why am I painting this?".  If it is actually about rendering an object, that's another matter, but if the painting isn't ABOUT the pattern or the lettering, for example, then it is best to keep it simple.


Everyone in class seemed to have a lot of fun with these three objects.  They felt freed up from perfection and did a great job.

Think how much more individual your paintings are when you don't worry about detail.  You are free to express your own version of the object instead of a photographic rendering.

Sometimes I think it helps to do a few little studies of a subject for a painting.  The painting itself is not always the place to experiment or figure out how to do a previously untried technique.  There is something to be said for spontaneity, of course, but working out some problems or questions before starting the actual painting can save a lot of grief.

It's Friday.  I have a long to-do list, and there are some pretty fun things on it.  How does your weekend look?   Where are you taking your sketchbook this weekend?

Flowers in a Little Green Cup

Warm and Sunny

Just like summer!  It was a beautiful day to be outside.  We picked some little flowers and put them in a bright green cup, and painted them in our sketch books.  Then we made a bug catcher out of a plastic Coke bottle.  Then we just sat for awhile, very still, while a brown thrasher sang a few songs from his repertoire of 1,100 songs (so they say).

There has been a lot going on with the birds this weekend    -   the brown thrasher serenading,  a crow eating a mouse on the limb of a tree,  the starling father yelling at everyone, and a blue jay following all the other birds around as if he might miss something.  I think it was hoping for a taste of the mouse. Ick.

Right now it is 91 degrees.  That is very warm for Northern Michigan, and pretty much unheard of for this time of year.  Personally, I like this better than snow.  There is a nice breeze and the air smells like lilacs.  Also, it's too warm to clean out a closet and some drawers as I had planned  -  no one cleans closets in 90 degree weather!  I'm going to go back out on the porch and watch the bug catcher.

Katie Mac's Pansies

Pansies

One of my students brought these pansies in for us to paint.  This is a contour drawing (continuous line) with watercolor on Arches Cover Cream in my journal sketchbook.  Arches Cover is not watercolor paper, and "cream" is just that  -  cream colored.  It is very heavy, soft paper, not meant for watercolor at all, but I like the way it takes it  -  the colors stay pretty bright.

The pansies look like spring, and our lilacs are about to bloom, but I'm still wearing turtlenecks and layers.

I started this post a few days ago and didn't finish and post it.  I don't know why.  I seem to be moving very slowly and the rest of the world is rushing by.  I'll catch up.  Slow isn't always a bad thing, you know.

Cottages Along the Lane

A Cluster of Cottage Rooftops

This is a small demo from a recent class; another demonstration promoting simplicity.  Everyone always teases me about the "technical terms" I use.  In this lesson I was stressing "swooping"  -  as in " just swoop through with a medium blue for the sky, trees, and shadows, and then go back and green things up and get in a little detail.  Done."

I have a few things I'm working on as I  gear up for summer.  I have some deadlines, promotion for summer classes, house projects  .  .  .   I like to think of it as gearing up  -  not panicking.  Why does it all feel so immediate?  If it's on the calendar, it has a place in time, so what's the big deal?

The sun is shining today, and it is up to 50 degrees.  Maybe I'll just shuffle some stuff around on my calendar and do some outdoor work.  Nothing is written in stone.  That's the problem  -  too much shuffling.

Hope you're all having a good weekend!  Whatever you are doing, do you have your sketchbook with you?

First Class of a New Session

Watercolor Demo

This was a quick little watercolor sketch done in class this morning.  It's about 6.5 X 5.  I'm working on a summer cottage theme, using a porch from one cottage, a screen door from another etc.  The painting is more or less a sketch to see how my colors will balance.

In the top right corner is a thumbnail sketch that I was working from.  My students really fight the thumbnail sketch idea.  I keep telling them that once they have the composition and darks and lights planned out, the painting will just fall off their brushes.  The thumbnail should be no more than two inches and take no more than two minutes.  Easy, huh?  Of course, sometimes I have to do a million thumbnails before I can get to the painting.

It has been cold, rainy, snowy  -  yuck.  But the trees are beginning to bloom, the grass is very green, and the birds are singing.  We'll be okay.

We've been painting the quirky floor in our living room.  The whole house was completely disrupted by the stuff from that room being shoved into every available space all over the house.  Isn't it amazing how much stuff you can have in one room?!  I really got to liking my favorite chair in the kitchen.  I was beginning to feel like we were on an episode of the Hoarders.  We had a little corner of the dining room table to eat on, we could sit on the couch if we squeezed between stacks of stuff,  and if I sat in my comfy chair displaced to the kitchen, I had no place to put my feet.  Yesterday morning I was beginning to feel a little dazed and displaced myself.  In fact, when my husband left for work, instead of his usual "Love ya. See you tonight", he said, "Don't operate any heavy equipment."   The house is back together now, and so am I.

Blogger has changed its format, and the photo editing site I have used for years is going away tomorrow.  I'm cool with all that.  I can handle change. It'll be fine.  I don't care.

Cute

  © Brian Crane, dist. by The Washington Post Writers Group - All Rights Reserved.

My friend Marj. sent this, feeling that it's very appropriate after yesterday's post about "softening the edges".  Perfect.  I'm not sure how copyright works  -  hope it's just a matter of giving credit where credit is due  -  to Brian Crane and the Washington Post Writers Group, that is.  I don't think Marj. will care.

Blob and Smush

Blob and Smush Demo

I haven't been practicing what I preach; I haven't been letting my life inspire my art, and my art inspire my life.  I have been "grubbing" through things and painting walls, woodwork and trim.  That's about it.

This painting is a small demo done in class today.  Blob and smush (sounds like push) is all about softening the edges.  You "blob" on the color, and then "smush" it down by drawing a damp brush just under the color.  It keeps flowers from looking too much like "cut and paste"  I paint the bright color of the flowers first, soften the color down the paper a bit (smush), and then add some green  -  being careful not to let too much of the green run up into the red (a little red is okay to run into the green).

Now I think I'll go out into the world.  The sun is shining, but it is cold  -  41 degrees.  The grass is very green, the forsythia is blooming, and the Bay is very blue.  Nice. If I go out into the world, I should take my sketchbook  -  it hasn't been out in awhile.

Hope all is well with all of you.  Have you been painting?

Ice Cream Cones and Flowers

It Must be Summer

If we are eating ice cream cones at a little table on the street, and flowers are blooming in the yard  -  it must be summer, right?

This is quirky freaky weather and we are all lovin' it.  It was at least 80 degrees today, and normally we would be having a snow storm.  Even if we have cold weather and snow, it can't last long now.  Every freakishly warm day takes us that much closer to the real thing.

One of our adventures of the day was to run out of gas.  Now I know where "empty" really is on my gas gauge. We were more or less out in the middle of no-where, but with the help of some pretty big hills, we managed to limp/coast into a gas station on the southern-most edge of town.  No problem.  You know what I always  say  -  if you don't want a little adventure, you'd better just stay home.  We made it back, safe and sound, and cuddled up on the couch to eat crackers and cheese and watch Wallace and Gromet for the hundredth time.  Fun.

Basil, Ginger, and a White Bird

Project of the Day

Middle Granddaughter has been going to spiff up my herbs and spices for awhile now.  Yesterday she was off school, so that was the project of the day.  I love how they look  -   all the bottles are alike and the colors are so warm and earthy.  Nice.

There was a white bird flitting around the neighborhood yesterday and today.  It isn't unusual to see sea gulls here, but this had us stumped.  It had some black on the tips of its wings and a little rusty color on its underside. When it came close, it was obvious that it's a robin.  Of course I googled it and found pictures of robins that looked just like it.  Apparently it has a condition called leucism.  That means it is missing some pigment in some feathers.  It's not an albino.  So  -  there is my science lesson of the day.  If you aren't completely bored to death yet, and would like to know more and see a picture of a leucistic American robin, here you go.

For some reason, I keep thinking "the white bird flies at midnight".  Is that from a movie  or something  -  I can see someone like Peter Sellers or Leslie Nielsen saying it. Where did I get that?

The racoons were looking in the bedroom window in the wee hours of the morning.  I wish they wouldn't do that.

SNOW

A Very Snowy Saturday

We had about ten inches of snow over-night and it is still snowing off and on and blowing.   There are 26,000 households in our area without power. We are not one of them, but the power lines are very heavy with snow here in our neighborhood  -  makes me a little nervous.

It was predicted that a snowstorm would hit us about 5 p.m. yesterday, and a little after 4:30 it began to snow.  We haven't had much snow all winter, so everyone was pretty surprised that it actually happened.

What is it about a winter storm that allows you to give yourself permission to do nothing?  Even if you had only indoor things planned  -  no outside activities - you (or is it just ME) suddenly decide you don't have to do them.  It's okay to sit and watch it snow, read, watch a movie, eat eat eat   -  do anything other than what had seemed important to get done today.

Critter report.  It was a mouse.  A very small mouse.

Azalea

Azalea Watercolor Sketches

The top watercolor sketch, in my journal, was done last week.  My class this morning wanted to do some more with the azalea plant, because they were determined to keep it simple.  The bottom two are demonstrations I did for that class.  I know not everyone is interested in keeping it this simple, but I, personally, don't care for detail.  I don't like doing it, and I'm not crazy about seeing it.  I do appreciate the talent of  people who render a detailed painting, but it isn't my thing.

 Sometimes we think we ought to do that  - we aren't real artists unless we paint photographic realism.  And sometimes we just get caught up in the details of an object and don't know how to let go.  I think knowing what the object or subject is saying to us, knowing what we want to say about the subject, and using a large (no smaller than a #12 round) brush will all go a long way toward keeping it simple.

These were very quick little paintings zooming in, cropping, and trying to capture just what it was that caught my attention  -  in this case it was the straight bottom edge of the plant.

There are creepy noises in the house this afternoon.  Yesterday when I went to put on my boots,  I found about a half cup of cat food in one of them!  Do we have a critter lurking here???!!!

More Thumbnail Sketches

 Camellia Leaves

In class this week, we were doing thumbnail sketches, trying to pick up on what it is that attracts us to a subject.  I think we paint a subject  -  object or scene  -  not just for the subject itself, but because of something ABOUT the subject that attracts us.   It might be the shape, or the colors, or the way the light falls on it, or any number of reasons.  We have to recognize the reason and build on it.  

When I said it was the color of the camellia leaves that attracted me,  the class wanted to see how I would get that very dark, shiny green.  We experimented with a few different applications, such as mixing on the palette, mixing on the paper, a combination of  mixing on the paper and on the palette.  We tried different techniques for the highlights  -  lifting while the paint was still wet and painting around the highlight area, leaving the white of the paper.

Now I think I'll go play around a bit with some more thumbnail sketches.  I am intrigued by the very flat, horizontal bottom of an azalea plant I have.  I don't care for the color, and I'm not crazy about the floofy blossoms, but I really like the shape.  I had better get to it before Rudy the cat changes the shape of it.  Yesterday he ingested some of the leaves, and they seemed to give him super powers. He managed to open the basement door and almost opened the back doors into the garden (snow).  That's not possible for him without the use of the "azalea drug".  I googled it and it said it was mildly toxic and might make cats a little lethargic.  Rudy has re-written the book on all toxic plant ingestion. Yes, I put the plant where he can't get to it.  He's sleeping it off today.  He sleeps something off everyday.  How do you know when a cat is lethargic?

Composition Lesson

Still Life Composition Lesson and More Buttons

This morning in class we talked about the placement of objects on our paper.  Not the right or wrong placement of objects, but how they relate to one another spatially.

The lower left pencil drawing was just drawing things as they were  -  no arranging or composing.  We just drew what we saw, how we saw it.  We were trying to place things up and down the picture plane showing the volume of the objects  -  that is, making sure they would really fit where we put them.

The top left watercolor is just a very quick, three object still life, sketched only with watercolor  -  no preliminary drawing.  It was a salt shaker, a bottle of ink, and a spool of thread.  This exercise was to get the objects in place without fussing at all with any detail.

The buttons are just more buttons.  This is the beginning of a new session, and some of the students hadn't had a  chance to see the button demo or try it for themselves.  These buttons could become habit forming.

I see I am really behind with replies to comments.  I LOVE your comments, and I will get right at it!

Rose

A Peach Colored Rose
and a squirrel story 
 

I finally got around to painting one of the roses.  It was fun, and I'm pleased with the way it turned out.  I may have done the whole bunch, but I was a little (a lot) distracted by the squirrel in the attic. I had recently watched an episode of the Hoarders in which a homeless person was living in the hoarders' stuff, and they didn't even know it.  I swear that squirrel was moving things around up there.  He found his way from the attic down to the enclosed back porch (several times) and sat in the rafters or right on the window sill and watched me in the kitchen.  I went out the front door and went around the house to open the porch doors.  His friends were frantic  -  they were hanging on the house here and there and weren't afraid of me at all.  I must admit, I was afraid of them!

I determined from the looks of HIM (?) that he wasn't pregnant or nursing, so we were not dealing with a nest.  This was an accidental break-in, so why wouldn't he just walk out one of the open doors???!!! He obviously didn't want to be here, and his friends didn't want him in here either, so just leave already.  I was hoping that he was going to go out, and his friends weren't going to come in  -  I don't know how squirrels reason.

When my husband came home, he lowered the attic steps (they come down into the back porch) to make it easier for the squirrel to come down and go out the back door!!!   I was in stitches  -  that was the funniest (most ridiculous?)  thing I had ever heard of.  I guess not so ridiculous after all  -  the squirrel left then. Not exactly down the stairs, but it obviously encouraged him to get the heck out of there.

It was pretty quiet when he left.  A nice kind of quiet.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

Library Demonstration

Colored Pencils in a Mustard Pot

White Buttons

I have an exhibit of my paintings at our public library, and yesterday I did a reception/demonstration/book signing.   A really nice bunch of people showed up.  They asked a lot of great questions and were very enthusiastic.  To those of you reading this, that were there yesterday, thank you so much for coming!

As I sit here posting this, I'm watching it snow, and watching the temperature drop on the digital thermometer.  When I sat down to do this it was 16 degrees, and now a few minutes later, it is 14!  We live in a very old house with large windows, and I'm sitting here looking down the street, over the rooftops toward the Bay.  Yesterday the Bay was very blue  -  today it is completely obliterated by the snow.  There are cardinals in the forsythia and lilac bushes, and there are always people walking within sight  -  crisscrossing the street as it goes down the hill.

Okay  -  I could sit here all day watching the snow, birds, and people, but I do have a few other things I want to do  -  like eat something.

What are you sketching today?  I'm going to do those roses I keep talking about.

Using Cobalt Blue

Color Mixing in my Sketchbook

I have probably posted small geraniums a million times, but  .   .   .  here are some more.  I haven't used cobalt blue in a long time, and I think I've really been missing out.  In real life (as opposed to photographing and posting) the cobalt blue in these mixes really glows.

I used cobalt blue and quinacridone red on each of the geraniums and switched out the yellows - using New Gamboge, Hansa Yellow, and Quinacridone Gold. 

There are some beautiful roses on my work table just waiting to be painted.  They are kind of a cantaloupe color.  Gorgeous!  I guess I am a little intimidated by the color and I am not a rose painter, but they aren't going to last much longer.  What would happen if I failed?  We all know absolutely nothing would happen!  I would have had the fun of splashing around in paint.  I would have loved drawing them and looking at the lights and shadows of that wonderful color.  Just go do it.

What holds us back?

Ellie's Flowers

 

Contour Drawing Demo

These flowers have been around for awhile  -  going on three weeks.  I salvaged a few for my classes to do a very quick contour drawing and a fast swoop of color.  It doesn't take much to get an impression of an object.   I wish I had timed myself, so I could tell you exactly what " very quick" and "fast swoop" really mean.  Wednesday's class wanted me to set the timer for ten minutes when they started theirs, and they were finished in much less time than that.

It is dark and gray here again!  That's okay  -  I have some class promotion to do, I have a play-date with a friend, and Youngest Granddaughter will be here late this afternoon.  Of course I also have some laundry, grocery shopping, errands . . . . . I don't think I'll do that stuff.

It's Friday  -  plan a date with your sketchbook.

Beads

Paper Beads 

My latest obsession. 

For some reason I am really into paper beads right now.  I am not very good at getting a nice tight roll, or keeping it centered and even.  I'll either get better with practice, or move on to something else when I get sick of these.  Either way, I'm just having fun  -  I'm not going into the paper bead business.  In fact, I may never even string them  -  I love the way they look in this little white bowl.

The paper I used is book binding paper, scrap paper, and magazine pages.  It needs to be thin enough to roll, but thick enough to make a substantial bead.

Now if I can tear myself away from all the pretty paper, I need to get creative with some promotional material.  That sounds like it might be a little too taxing on the brain for a weekend, doesn't it?

Are you creating something this weekend?

Lunch at Jesperson's

Tomato Soup with Garlic Croutons

This wasn't our usual Wednesday tomato soup place.  The soup was nothing to write home about, but the croutons were delicious.  That was my second piece of cherry pie this week.  What's with that?  I don't even eat desserts  -  not because I'm virtuous  -  I just don't care for sweets.

This is a contour (continuous line drawing) done with my Noodler's pen with periwinkle Noodler's ink.

I am looking out the front window toward the Bay and it is gray gray gray  -  sky, water, trees, everything.  I guess I will just have to go do something colorful.  I have this urge to make paper beads in bright colors.  Maybe I should get dressed first.  Get ready for this afternoon's class.  Load the dishwasher .......  But those beads are calling me.  Here I go.

Do something creative today.  Anything!

Sunny and Cold

Up to 23 Degrees!

I'm not crazy about this paper.  I like the color, but not for winter.  We need to color coordinate our sketchbooks for the seasons, you know.  Blue would have been better  -  predictable, but better. I'm not really crazy about the texture of it either,  so I should just move on to the watercolor paper that I do like, and use this for lists and notes. 

I have a cold and my brain is feeling a little muddled, so I'm just sitting around eating cherry pie and drinking coffee.  That's what you do for a cold, right?

Ellie's Chili and a Cutie

A cutie in my sketchbook and the recipe for Ellie's chili

I love it that they call these little tangerine things cuties.  I like the boxes they come in.  I like the size of the cuties.  I like the way they peel so easily.  And, they are fun to sketch.

This was done with my Noodler's pen and Noodler's periwinkle ink on Mi Teint paper, which, in this case,  is actually quite green  -  you'd never know it here.  I used watercolor and white prismacolor pencil also.

On the right hand page is a recipe, more or less, for chili.  I say "more or less" because I didn't write down any amounts.  I was supposed to be teaching, not writing down recipes.  I don't know "grillin' beans", but I think they are in the Mexican food section.

We discussed a lot of life's problems in class today, and even got some painting done. Such a fun and supportive group!

Happy painting.  Keep those pencils, pens, and brushes moving!

Noodler Doodles

Doodles and Figures

First of all, I am happy to say that our son is home from Afghanistan, safe and sound! He looked pretty good walking through that door.  His wife and kids are pretty excited, we are very relieved, AND we all get another shot at Christmas this weekend.  Fun!


The doodles were done with a Noodler pen with periwinkle Noodler's ink. The pen nib has a flex to it that allows it to make thick and thin lines depending on the pressure used.  It's a lot of fun to doodle with, and I haven't tried any serious drawing with it yet.

The figures above the sketchbook page are little demonstrations that I did in class today.  They're fun and easy  -  just stick figures with a little more body.

It's all fun  -  Noodler's doodles, figures  -  whatever.  Even with your serious drawings, don't get too serious.  It's all about the journey, not the finished product -  that will usually take care of itself.

Buttons

Buttons and Clouds

This week in my classes our "warm-up" was painting a few small white buttons.  I can't take credit for an original idea here.  I saw buttons done in watercolor posted on Pinterest and followed  it back to the blog of Jane Minter. 

In yesterday's class, we each took a few buttons, sketched them, and started adding shadows and detail and background.  That's the one on the top right.  Today's class did the little paintings by painting a very wet wash without mixing the colors up too much, and leaving some white of the paper in a few spots.  We lifted some color here and there to leave some lighter spots for more buttons.  This is the one on the bottom right.  When the wash was dry we lightly drew some buttons, and then added a little detail and some darker shadows around the buttons.

The buttons at the top left were done in prismacolor pencils on Mi Teints paper in my sketchbook.
Bottom left -  everyone in the class is working on a different theme, and this was a little demonstration for one of the students doing clouds.

The buttons have me thinking that it might be fun to do a series of very small things grouped together  -  thumb tacks, sticks of pastels, pen nibs, corks, combs and barrettes, pretty stones .  .  .  what else?

I hope this will inspire you a bit.  I think we all need a little help this time of year to keep our creativity going and our brushes moving.

Snowy Afternoon

The One Blossom Christmas Cactus

This is the perfect afternoon to wind down the holidays.  We are getting a lot of snow, so maybe this won't be the end  -  maybe we'll be snowed in!

I have spent a lot of time this past week puttering around the house, and it really felt good.  I've been sorting through things in my studio, rearranging, spending time with the grandkids - one day they stayed in their jammies all day and played with modeling clay.

This afternoon my husband and I have both mentioned things we really should be doing, but we've been playing dominoes, listening to music, and watching it snow.

 WISHING YOU A HAPPY, HEALTHY, AND CREATIVE 2012!!!

Lights on my Shelves

On the Shelves In My Desk

It is quiet and dark here this morning.  There is a little snow falling.  Very peaceful.  BUT  -  I have to get going.  I still have a grocery run to make, some cooking to do, a table to set .  .  .  We are doing Christmas Eve Eve dinner tonight. It won't be peaceful for long : )  Last year we set the table with blue and white, but I think this year we will put holly in glass vases and use crystal candle sticks.  I know  -  you were dying to know that.

Okay.  My mind is on things other than blogging, but I did want to drop in here to wish you all a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!  Have a great Holiday.

Cafe Sante

Salt and Pepper Shakers at Cafe Sante

My dinner was not colorful, so the salt and pepper shakers will have to do. Yeah, I know, they aren't colorful either.  Of course I was hungry, and I am always the last one finished, so doing salt and pepper shakers before the meal comes works out well for me. My husband, brother, and sister-in-law are very patient people, but there is a limit.

I had chicken fricassee, and it was delicious! The place was very crowded, noisy, warm and cozy. Fun!

The paper I did this on is Canson Mi-Teintes in my hand bound sketchbook.  I think it is pastel paper, and this particular color is an olive-y green.  I did the drawing with a Gelly Roll pen, then used watercolor, and added white with a Prismacolor pencil.  Gelly Roll pens are permanent and archival, and an be found in scrap booking stores.  Prismacolor pencils can be purchased open stock in most art supply stores.

Now I'm going to go wrap a couple of Christmas presents.  I'm getting there.  How about you?

Salt and Pepper Shakers Again

Salad

I hadn't done this style salt shakers yet. They weren't exciting  -  just a little different than any in my "collection".

We went to the book store before dinner, and I found a book for my husband for Christmas.  When I told the girl at the counter that this was my first Christmas gift purchase, she acted shocked.  Come on - I was really pleased to be getting at it. Don't judge me.

Our Christmas tree is up!  The lights are on.  The cat has climbed it a couple of times. We are officially into the season.  This week we have a Christmas event with my husband's library board members, and two grade school concerts - among everyday things that at times can seem overwhelming. It's okay  -  'tis the season to be jolly  -  and we are!

How are your Christmas plans coming?  Are you taking a few minutes to sketch some of your activities, ingredients, illustrate your gift list?

A Theme for December

Measuring Spoons

I took a little blogging break, and now  -  where were we?  Themes?

Back in the November 29th post, I mentioned using a different theme for each month.  For December, I had listed dinner ingredients, labels, bottles and jars.  With a theme in mind it is pretty easy to jump-start an idea for a sketch.  I was getting out things to see what I need for holiday baking, and I was thinking about the labels on the can of cocoa and the bottle of vanilla. They weren't too interesting, but the measuring spoons caught my eye as a possible sketch.  I threw in the sprinkles as an "ingredient" from the theme list.

For fifty some Christmases my mother made a certain kind of cookie with nonpareils, or sprinkles, on them.  In November she would start to worry about the stores running out of them.  They never did that I know of, but maybe.  It does seem like a funny thing to worry about, but I must admit that I checked my supply a couple of weeks ago.


Do you have your sprinkles?  Are you going to paint them in your sketchbook?

Themes

 Simple Figures

 Often I will have my students choose a theme/topic/subject and work on it for several weeks.  They will work through the whole process of being inspired by a theme,  keeping their eyes open for their theme, sketching, working out the composition, planning the value pattern, and then, finally, getting right down to it and doing the painting.  By the time they get to the painting, they are pretty inspired, have a plan, and it comes together pretty easily.

In my post of November 28th, I mentioned a few themes. This week was the beginning of a new eight-week session, and I handed out a list of ideas or thought starters.  I don't want to bore you with the whole list, so here's the short version:
Passions
Light and shadow
A place
Every view from your porch
Figures
Tea, coffee, cups, pots, mugs, cafes
Interiors
Chairs of all kinds
Gates
Food and anything to do with food
Weather, nature

A few of the students have chosen to do portraits, some figures, one is doing "things around my house", another is doing "portals" such as doors, windows, gates, and another is doing landscapes.  Several are still undecided, but I'm sure once they start looking around and thinking about the possibilities, they'll have trouble narrowing it down.

This is more fun and more personal than painting still lifes all winter that I set up for them.

Wow  -  I made it through November blogging every day, and here it is December 1st.  Of course I'll keep blogging - don't think I'm going to keep quiet  -  but I really don't have anything interesting enough to blog every day.  Thanks for putting up with me throughout November.

Day Thirty

Alphabet Series

Continuing the series or theme idea, here is an example of the little alphabet sketches I did a couple of years ago.  As I mentioned in a previous post, I did the drawings from things I could actually look at.

It made me look at things in a different way.  I paid more attention to objects in my life, looking at everything to see if I wanted it for the series, and how I might place it in the very small format. 

Fun stuff like self-imposed challenges gets us going when we think we don't have anything to paint.  Don't get all hung up like I did on  how to put it on the page  - across  the page spread? Up and down in columns?  Just DO IT.

Day Twenty-nine

Collections
Sometimes in my journal classes, I'll have my students look around for certain objects that interest them and paint several.  It's a way of "collecting" things we like.  Some of the collections have been stones, flower containers, ginger bread trim on cottages, windows, flags  -  just to name a few.

I have been "collecting" salt and pepper shakers everywhere I go. I do them in restaurants, even if I have done them before, or they are identical to some others.  I guess I am collecting the experience more than the salt shakers. You'll find an even better variety in your friends' homes too.

If you're a little housebound (at least you're probably not out on the beach looking for stones) this time of year because of winter coming on,  there are always things around you that are colorful and fun to sketch.

For example:

January - chairs, interiors
February - fabric folds, lace, patterns, curtains, tablecloths
March - perspective, buildings, streets, doorways
April - trees
May - figures - people and pets
June - lawn chairs, window boxes, planters
July - gardens, gates and fences
August - produce, farm markets, sunflowers

September - clouds, landscape,

October - fall vegetables
November - dishes, silverware, glassware, tablescapes
December - dinner ingredients, labels, bottles and jars

If you have some prompts, themes, or a series you have done, we would love to hear about it.

Day Twenty-eight

 Themes and Prompts

Ooops - back on Day Fifteen I said we would talk about themes.  Sorry.

There are a few ways to use themes as thought starters  -  or painting starters  -  prompts. Themes can easily turn into a series.  If you're doing a series, you almost always have something in mind to paint.

• A few years ago in the winter I did some little sketches in my journal using the alphabet. The sketches were only about two inches square.  The self-imposed criteria was that the subject had to be something real  -  something I could look at and draw.
• Sometimes I have used a grid to set up some themes for a long weekend.  I would use ideas such as "simple pleasures", "light and shadows", "tastes", "just being here".   Art Escapes by Dory Kanter is where I read about this idea.
• For some reason a few years ago, in the back of one of my sketchbooks, I made a list of my 100 favorite things.  The list grew, of course.  It would make a pretty good reference for painting and journaling ideas.
• There are always the simple, quick sketches you can do in restaurants  -  the salt and pepper shakers everywhere you go, your water glass, your lunch.
• Then there are subjects such as gates, doors, gardens, figures, every view from your porch .  .  . 
• And the more obscure themes such as passions, random thoughts, gratitude, spiritual . . . 
• There is always that view from a window every day for a year  -  watching the seasons change.

 The possibilities are endless.

In the next day or two, I'll explain a little more about each of these and show some examples.  Creative writers use prompts, and I think they work well for visual artists too. 

Day Twenty-seven

Wrapping up Thanksgiving Weekend

This is a sampling of the day, sketched on a journal page.  

We did manage to get another lunch out of the leftovers, but we've hit bottom now.  Well, there are two pieces of pie left.  Tomorrow I will have to go to the grocery again.  Aren't you always amazed that you have to go to the grocery store a few days after Thanksgiving??!!  Planning, shopping, cooking  .  .  .  didn't you think that would take care of it for awhile?

I hope you're all set to start a new week.  Do you have some sketching plans lined up?  Maybe illustrate your to-do list?  Your shopping list? 

Tomorrow I'm going to post some ideas that I hope will inspire your journaling habit.

Day Twenty-six

My Little Studio Mannequin

I'm just doing things today like watering plants, putting away the silverware, gathering up the tablecloths. Things are in disarray in every room of the house, but I don't want to rush into anything.  I do have a couple of paintings buzzing around inside my head, and I don't want to lose that buzzing.

It was very dark and rainy today and felt nice and cozy inside.  We had enough leftovers for lunch, but I suppose I may have to come up with something for dinner.  Then, again, maybe not.  Wow  -  feeling so lazy!

I do have to mat some paintings, and I have to make space to do it, so that will get me going.  It will feel good to get back on track.  And my new classes start next week!

Day Twenty-five

My Kitchen Window Sill

I just thought I would show you a picture of where I have spent a lot of time in the past three days  -  and loved every minute of it.  We had a great family Thanksgiving!   We all grocery-shopped a lot, ate a LOT, cleaned up a lot . . . 

Now everyone has left, and it is pretty quiet here  -  except for the dishwasher running.

Maybe it's time to settle down and watch a movie.  I'll sketch something tomorrow.  Promise. 

Eating!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!

We have been eating ALL day. That bingo turkey was fabulous.

During dinner we Skyped with our son in Afghanistan.  Sooooo far away!

Sorry, no pictures today -  we need to get in a few more games of dominoes before bed-time. 
I hope everyone had a nice day.

Day Twenty-Three

Pumpkin Pie

I know I should have sketched this, but I have reached the limit of my creativity for today.  The local granddaughters and I have been to the grocery, made a salad, made two pumpkin pies, and set the table (very creatively, I might add) for Thanksgiving dinner.  And we threw in fixing burgers for dinner tonight, playing Mario Kart, making place cards for the table, and I think somebody watched a movie in there somewhere.  This has all been since about 4:30 this afternoon, and it is now almost 9:00.

I don't make the prettiest pie crust in the world, but I manage to get it in the pan, and it manages to hold the filling  -  and it is really pretty tasty.  Good enough for me.

Is everyone in the United States cooking tonight?

Day Twenty-two

Giverny, France, 1993

Yesterday I started a new sketchbook.  Starting a new book makes me think fondly of the ones that have gone before it, and this is the one that started it all.

It was a fabulous trip.  We painted in Monet's garden in the evenings after it closed.  We stayed in a rented house and did our own cooking and had to get groceries in the next town  -  we didn't have a car.  Once we hitched a ride on a vegetable truck.  A little old grandma lived downstairs, and sometimes she would come up to see us.  She always had a dog and two geese following along.  She didn't speak any English but somehow we managed to communicate.  One of her geese would make a bee-line to our pantry and pull out the bread.  I went with two artist friends and the house was full of artists coming and going.  We stayed about two and a half weeks  -  it was beginning to feel like home. Every spring I get a little homesick for the place.  I've never gone back.  It was one of those experiences that couldn't be duplicated.  Maybe because they wouldn't want those crazy Americans back in the neighborhood.

Okay  -  back to reality.  Back to cooking.  Back to digging out the table linens.

Day Twenty One

A New Orchid Blossom in a New Sketchbook

I thought I should sketch the orchid blossom, because somewhere along the line I'll want to know when it started to bloom again.

Last year when I received it in February, I did a couple of watercolor sketches of it.  It bloomed until July!  I had never had an orchid like this, and I was very surprised that they bloom for months!  When it was finished, I cut the stalks back, and a new one grew  -  and here we go  -  it's blooming again.

This is a contour drawing (continuous line) done mostly while looking at the subject, not the paper.  Although I do check the paper once in awhile to make sure I'm making the right connections.  A contour sketch does take some concentration, and I must admit, I was thinking more about  the grocery run I had to make in a few minutes.  But I say any line is better than no line.

Day Twenty

Apple Crisp

Could there be anything more colorless?  But it was pretty tasty!

This afternoon I have been getting things ready for Thanksgiving dinner.  I baked the sweet potatoes and the squash, fixed the fillings for two apples pies, and mixed up the crust for those and two pumpkin pies.  I put everything in freezer bags, and I'm that much ahead of the power curve.  In the middle of all this, I figured a few more apples sliced up into a pan for apple crisp was no big deal. 

Our son, in Afghanistan, says he'll be thinking of us on Thanksgiving trying to replicate his green bean casserole. Oh  -  you mean there's a trick to it?  A secret ingredient?  You can bet we will be thinking of him too  -  green bean casserole or not.

What did you sketch this weekend?

Day Nineteen

Lemons

I love lemons.  They are ridiculously expensive by the piece  -  something like 79 cents each. I think that is a lot for a couple of table spoons of juice.  A bag of seven was 2.99.  I put them in a big fat glass vase on the kitchen counter so I can see and smell them.  Before they go bad (I hope I'm paying attention) I'll squeeze them and freeze the juice and some of the zest.

I really have to get with it, and get things together for Thanksgiving.  I worked on my list today.  That's something, huh?  I cleaned the fridge. 

Who's cooking?  Are you ready?

Day Eighteen

A Pile of Paintings

I have a pile of paintings that need to be framed, so I ordered frames today, and will give the measurements to my husband so he can cut the mats and glass.  There's one thing off my to-do list. And onto his.

I also sent out and posted the information for upcoming classes.  Another thing off the list. 

And then I went to the grocery store.  That never really gets off the list,does it?  While I was standing in the check-out line, a customer came up to me and asked if I wanted the coupon she had for $4.50 off $55 worth of groceries.  Sure!  How nice.

My friend, Karen, called, laughing hysterically. She was at a fund raising bingo event and had won a turkey.  There is something pretty funny about playing bingo for a turkey  -  and winning.  I mean does anyone even play bingo anymore?  Well, I'm not knocking it  -  because she can't use the turkey, it is now in our fridge and will be coming here to dinner. I guess that should be AS dinner, not TO dinner.  Thanks, Karen!

Are you sketching?  Sketch some of the things you bring home from the grocery store, and some of the pretty dishes we all dig out of the cupboards this time of year.  It only takes a minute or two to do a contour drawing.

Day Seventeen

Salt and Pepper Shakers

My friend, Cathy, called this morning to say she was in town running errands  -  how about lunch?  Today is Thursday, so they weren't serving their fabulous tomato Gorgonzola soup, and their loaded potato soup looked like it might be loaded with everything I am trying not to eat  -  cheese, milk, cream, butter - Yum.  I ordered my favorite sandwich - hummus, roasted peppers, artichokes. . .so good!  It was warm and cozy in the restaurant and we could have stayed all day, but life goes on.

November 17th.  I just realized when I wrote the date in my sketchbook, today is the anniversary of the day my husband and I met.   Years and years ago.  He was in the Air Force, and when I met him, he was on his way from Key West to Omaha.  He was gone for another year and when he came home we decided to get married.  In the few months before our wedding, he worked nights and weekends and I worked days, so we still didn't see each other.  How well could we have possibly known each other?  Well enough, I'd say!  Tonight is spaghetti night.  I'll put candles on the table.

Day Sixteen

A Simplified View Along the Shoreline

11 X 15 Watercolor

When I did this painting, I kept in mind my reason for painting it.  It wasn't to render the cottage in detail, but to show the color of the cottage and the way it sets along the shoreline of the lake.  There was another cottage to the left that I had put in the sketch, but it really didn't add anything to the composition.  The simpler, the better.

If this had been a commission, it would have been another story.  I would have paid attention to the detail of the red cottage, and I would have done the setting differently.  In other words, I would have shown a bit of the cottage next door to give the red cottage a sense of place in the "neighborhood".

We had some snow and sleet late this afternoon  -  enough to stick on the rooftops.  It may still be there, but I'm not looking.  It's almost Thanksgiving, which means it will start snowing seriously any day now.  That's okay  -  we don't have hurricanes, earthquakes, floods .   .   .    A couple of years ago I did some winter landscapes.  That was fun.  Maybe I'll do some this year.  No, I don't do them on location.  I've said it before  -  I'm all about comfort.

Day Fifteen

Color Scheme

I am not really a color scheme kind of girl.  I don't like to be locked in to two or three colors in a room.  A little bit of everything feels more comfortable to me.

My husband and I saw a picture of a bedroom with a red door, and we have to have it.  I'll paint a little bed-side table the same color  -  WHEN I find it.  I don't love all reds, in fact I don't live with much red, so I'll know the perfect color when I see it.  Yesterday as I was leaving the flower shop after my volunteer flower arranging thing, I walked past the trash bin and there was this beautiful coral/red gerbera daisy.  Close.  Needs to be "rusted" just a touch, but not orange  .   .   .


This morning one of the members of one of the groups I teach in the summer called to plan out next year's schedule.  Fun.  It makes a Northern Michigan winter feel a lot less bleak when I'm planning summer lessons.  I know  -  live in the moment, but those moments are good planning moments.

How about thinking up some themes for winter sketching?  We'll talk about that tomorrow.
Carry your sketchbook. Open it. Sketch in it.