Janene Walkky

The Road Map

2012-01-20T11:16:00.000-08:00

I find it helpful, even essential, to make a road map of where I am going with a botanical painting. This is where I try out my composition ideas and do a tonal study. Here I can freely erase and rearrange without the fear of damaging the delicate surface of my watercolor paper. Once I am happy with the composition, I use my light box to transfer the main lines of the drawing to my watercolor paper. I refer back to my 'road map' drawing often as I paint the forms and shadows of my botanical painting.

I used to think of plants as being quite inert and stationary, but as I have studied specimens closely over time while doing my drawings, I realize that they are constantly in motion. The leaves and flowers continually make small adjustments according to the light and moisture in the environment, and as they develop and fade. At first I was confused and wondered how I could continually get my drawing so wrong, but it slowly dawned on me that the plant was moving so I needed to choose a spot for a given leaf and leave it there in the drawing even if the plant had moved on to a new position!

I find myself doing a lot of primping and even propping of my 'live model' to keep her happy and healthy for as long as possible, and roughly in position. She goes on breaks outside when she is not posing for me, and when she is posing, she gets spritzed and watered regularly. For this drawing I used a cut branch and affixed a florists vial filled with water to the end to keep it moisturized. I can understand why some botanical artists give their specimens nicknames--they become like well-known actors on a stage, even prima donnas, to be carefully tended to get the optimum performance. I have also found that reference photos are indispensable for when my model has passed her prime and is nearing retirement!

This drawing is of Cornus capitata for Assignment 8 in the SBA course I am taking. We are to depict a fruit. I wanted to include the twig and leaves not only because they say so much about the fruit but because the forms and colors complement one another so well. I'll give you an update on my progress before too long.

Lemon Curd

2011-12-16T10:57:00.001-08:00

We made lemon curd to give to friends this Christmas, which afforded me a great opportunity to try my hand at painting a lemon for the label. I didn't have much time to spend on it, but it felt good to be back at painting.

Here is the finished label. I put suggestions on the back: "Try it on English Muffins or Toast, Vanilla Ice Cream, or a Spoon". In case you are wondering, the spoon method is the best.

Btw, I am determined to put other things on hold and spend more time sketching and painting in the coming year, so I should be posting more often in the next months. Life is too short to let something I enjoy so much get crowded out...

Clematis tangutica 'Aureolin'

2011-10-10T12:48:00.001-07:00

This is my submission for Assign. 5 in the SBA course I am taking. Golden Clematis is one of my favorite vines so I was pleased to see that it had so many blossoms during September and October while I was working on this assignment.

I spent more time on composition and a tonal study than I did on the actual painting, and I am glad that I did because it is such a complex subject (at least for me as a beginner at botanical painting). The odd angles and twisting stems made it difficult to establish where everything was in relation to everything else.

I wanted to see if I could mix all of the colors from three primary pigments, in hopes that it would unify the overall painting. I spent one whole day just mixing colors, trying to match the actual plant as closely as possible!

I started with W&N Transparent Yellow, because that matched the flowers best of all of my yellows. Then I went to the color charts that I made earlier in the course and looked for greens that were close to the leaf color. Fortunately there was one in the Transparent Yellow column that was pretty close. So that led me to use W&N Winsor Blue (Green Shade). Next I decided on Permanent Rose for the red since the burgundy stem color seemed to lean in that direction. So all the colors in the painting are mixed from those three pigments.


Working on the composition in graphite.

A Handy Light Box

2011-10-01T09:56:00.000-07:00

I am working on a very detailed graphite drawing that I will soon need to transfer to my watercolor paper. This handy dandy light box will prove to be invaluable. The thick watercolor paper I use (so I don't need to stretch it) becomes as transparent as tissue paper when I lay it over my drawing on the light box. Technology--gotta love it!

This light box is only 3/4" thick and comes with a nice velvety storage bag. You can get them in several sizes but I thought 12" x 17" would serve my purposes best. It uses a halogen light bulb so should last many years.

Btw, I found mine way cheaper than the manufacturer's suggested price because of a special deal at Jerry's Artarama.

The Garden Island

2011-09-01T21:20:00.001-07:00

We spent some time on the Hawaiian island of Kauai this summer, and fell in love with the natural beauty of the island. One of my favorite memories is of our hike along an unspoiled beach.

In one area we could hear air wheezing up through cracks in the stone at our feet because the waves had worn away the base of the cliff. This fisherman was standing on an outcropping, which after I started sketching it, I realized looks like a dragon.

The ocean is an amazing bright turquoise color in Hawaii, especially close to the shore.

We saw many exotic tropical plants during our visit, one of which was this remarkable Ponytail Palm that I sketched at a botanical garden.

Blossoms of PNW Natives

2011-08-16T08:56:00.001-07:00

This is my fourth assignment in the Society of Botanical Art course that I am taking. We were supposed to depict blossoms of different shapes, colors and sizes (all life-size). The perspective should accurately describe the construction of the blossom, ie having a throat or a cup-shape. I chose to feature plants that are native or naturalized in the area where I live. It was a very challenging assignment but I learned a lot!

I found some of these growing in the fields around my house. Some were plants that I either regarded as weeds or hadn't noticed before, but after studying them for this assignment their beauty speaks to me in a new way when I see them on my rambles.

If you are interested, I posted the flowers individually on flickr.

Triteleia laxa

2011-07-20T20:36:00.001-07:00

I am trying to squeeze in some practice on blossoms before I start in earnest on my next assignment with the SBA course I am taking. This little flower is one of eighteen in an umbel so won't be suitable since all eighteen would have to be depicted. I just don't have time to tackle such complexity right now, and it would dominate the page of eight different blossoms too much anyway, but at least I got to try my hand at it. It was kinda fun. I look forward to devoting more time to the assignment...hopefully soon!

Btw, this is a flower from my garden.

Leaves of Pacific Northwest Natives

2011-06-26T22:27:00.001-07:00

This is my Assignment 3 from the Society of Botanical Artists course that I am currently taking. The assignment was to paint eight different leaves, two of which should be colored (other than green) and one should be of a monocotyledon. I found the assignment very challenging but learned a lot. I have a new appreciation for the complexity of leaves! I went with a theme of the early spring leaves of plants native to the Pacific Northwest where I live.

Here are the names of the plants from the top left, clockwise: Mahonia repens (Low Oregon Grape), Sedum oreganum (Oregon Stonecrop), Penstemon serrulatus (Cascade Penstemon), Maianthemum dilatatum (False Lily of the Valley), Vaccinium ovatum (Evergreen Huckleberry), Tolmiea menziesii (Piggy-back Plant), Veratrum californicum (California Corn Lily), and Oxalis oregana (Oregon Oxalis).

The Mahonia repens is transitioning from its bright red winter color to green spring and summer color. The new growth on the Sedum is flushed with red and the Vaccinium with orange. The Tolmiea has tiny hairs that emerge out of small divots in the leaf. The hairs can only be seen at a certain angle. They are visible in the original painting but may not be here. I have close-ups of each leaf on flickr if you are interested.

Longleaf Mahonia

2011-05-26T16:02:00.001-07:00

Longleaf Mahonia

Evergreen Huckleberry

I am doing some graphite values studies in preparation for my next SBA assignment, which is a selection of leaves in watercolor.

Longleaf Mahonia, Mahonia nervosa, is a low ground cover common in the forest under Douglas Firs. The evergreen leaves turn bright red in winter. Evergreen Huckleberry, Vaccineum ovatum, is a shrub that has black berries in autumn which make delicious jam. The new spring growth is bright coppery orange.

Bald Eagle Sighting

2011-05-05T20:55:00.001-07:00

You never know what you are gong to see around the neighborhood! On my walk the other day, I looked up and was mesmerized by the graceful birds circling overhead. Two of them swooped down and landed in a tree about 40 feet away from me. Much to my amazement--they were Bald Eagles!

One was a huge adult with a pure white head and the other looked like a juvenile with splotchy brown and white feathers. The splotchy one was considerably smaller. I was able to quietly walk closer to them as they sat at my eye level in a tree growing down the side of the steep hill. What an unforgettable experience!

We live in an urban neighborhood near a bluff that overlooks the Willamette River. The bluff is a natural area, populated by field mice, small rabbits and many birds--great hunting grounds for raptors. I often take a small camera and sketchbook on my walks but the day I saw the eagles, I didn't have them with me. I ran home and grabbed my camera, but by the time I got back to the spot, they were circling in the distance. I did this sketch based on the photo I took. Now I always go on my walks prepared!

Clouds

2011-04-25T22:35:00.001-07:00

Shadows painted wet in wet and the blue sky added later.

We have incredible cloudscapes here in the Pacific Northwest in the spring. Cumulus clouds billow dramatically, racing across the sky, changing shape by the minute. I have been wanting to try out various techniques for painting them, and as my husband says, there is plenty of opportunity here.

I used Gordon MacKenzie's book, The Complete Watercolorist's Essential Notebook, as a reference on how to achieve different effects. My hog bristle brush worked amazingly well at laying down the water for wet in wet, and for the colors too. It is very thirsty so you can really load it up. I can't wait to do some more experimenting!

The shadows fade out towards the top of the clouds.(click here)

The shadows and the blue sky painted wet in wet. (click here)

Trillium ovatum (Western Wake Robin)

2011-04-18T13:53:00.001-07:00

The crisp white blossoms of Trillium seem to promise brighter days to come as they bloom under the dark canopy of Douglas Firs in the forest. Our spring weather here in the Pacific Northwest is usually overcast, and the white blossoms seem to sparkle on the dark forest floor.

This is a graphite drawing I did for my second assignment in the Society of Botanical Art course I am taking. I found it challenging to depict the white flowers against the white paper, since the flowers are held high above the foliage so don't have a dark background, except when they are developing. I included various stages of development. First the flower emerges all wrapped up like an elegant gift, then the leaves slowly unfold as the flower opens up.
I am attempting to focus on plants native to the Pacific Northwest as I make my way through the course.

Some shading exercises were also part of the assignment.

Aladdin Theater

2011-03-21T10:57:00.001-07:00

The Aladdin Theater has gone through several big changes through the years, from a vaudeville house in the 20's to specializing in family movies in the 50's, then to X-rated movies in the 70's and 80's. In 1993 it was renovated and started a new life as a venue for live music, as it continues now. The sign has a certain charm for me as a familiar landmark, although I don't think I have ever been inside the theater.

I met up with our local urban sketching group for coffee, sketched, then met for lunch at the Twilight Cafe to chat and pass around our sketch books. I always enjoy seeing what others have been up to. The rain clouds threatened but withheld their store, and the sun even peeped out for a few minutes that day! It was great to sketch outside for a change.

A View into Esther Short Park

2011-03-01T09:57:00.001-08:00

This is the view from the coffee shop where we sat drinking coffee, reading and sketching on Sunday afternoon. What a luxury to be warm and dry, yet have such a lovely view into the park. This coffee shop has to become a regular!

This is done with my Lami Safari pen loaded with Noodler's Lexington Gray ink in my Moleskine watercolor sketchbook. I just ordered a couple of those fountain pens that Noodler's just came out with and can't wait until they arrive so I can give them a test run. I hear they give a nice variable line width and are a lot of fun to use.

Union Station

2011-02-25T06:47:00.001-08:00

I got out my 135 year old sketchbook (it used to be an autograph book) for this one. My goal is to dedicate the book to sketches of historic places in Portland. The paper is slightly yellowed and not at all absorbent so sketches turn out very differently. I think it gives the sketches an antique look.

Don't tell anyone but the tower is not in scale in this. I am determined to try again...as soon as the weather warms up a bit! I was dressed warmly but still got really chilled sitting on a lamppost base to sketch for almost an hour. It helped that I had my new lightweight foam pad to sit on though.

Brewer's Spruce

2011-02-16T20:48:00.001-08:00

This tree is another native of the Pacific Northwest. It is easily mistaken for a Douglas Fir from a distance because it also has drooping side branches, but on close inspection the cones and the needles are quite different.

My sweet husband used a pole pruner while standing on the garage roof to cut down these cones for me to draw. Why are the best ones always way up high??

This is just a quick little portrait/sketch. I couldn't flatten out my sketchbook on the scanner so that's why one side of the page is darker.

SBA Course, Assignment One

2011-02-14T15:31:00.001-08:00

This is a graphite drawing I did of a Douglas Fir cone, Pseudotsuga menzeisii, for the course I am taking from the Society of Botanical Artists. I chose this particular tree because it is native to the Pacific Northwest where I live, and besides who can resist the beautiful fringes that dangle from the cone? I felt like I was doing the portrait of an old friend, since I have seen and lived near Douglas Fir trees most of my life. One of my early childhood memories is of three firs that I could see in the distance from my house. I imagined that they were three sisters having a long intimate conversation. Maybe the way the wind in the branches makes a whispering sound suggested it to me.

I just finished my first assignment which had three parts. Part One was to produce a line drawing in pencil or ink. I decided I would play it safe and do it in pencil. The pencil lines were to be lightly drawn, as if for a preliminary drawing for a water color. We were supposed to chose a subject with a simple clean line, and include the supporting stem of the flower or leaf. I bought an Asiatic lily from the supermarket, and proceeded to carefully recreate it on paper. I didn't realize that one of its petals was missing until another bud opened up and--yikes! All of our drawings are supposed to be botanically correct, so this would have had a major affect on my evaluation. Fortunately, I had been accurate enough in my drawing, that I was able to simply fill in another petal where it should have been! Whew!

The second part was to make a small study of a single flower with leaf and stem, using stippling to give tonal variation and form. I chose a flower from a Yuletide Camellia, which had been in bloom outside my kitchen window all winter. (It is still in bloom!) I've never done stippling before, but surprisingly, rather than being tedious, making zillions of little dots turned out to be rather relaxing once I got into it. I used a Pigma Micron 005, and Pitt Artist XS and S pens.

Part Three of the assignment was to do a complete study with "continuous tone" with graphite. I did the Douglas Fir branchlet and cone at the top of the post. Also we were to make a tonal chart with a spectrum of pencil grades, to help evaluate whether we used a full range of tone in our drawing. I used Derwent Graphic pencils for this entire exercise. Making the chart increased my awareness of the characteristics of the various grades of pencils. I made the chart before I did the drawing, so found myself using more pencil grades in the Douglas Fir drawing than I ever have before.

My next assignment will be in monochrome as well and is due in mid-April--but more about that later! I have been feeling that I needed direction and discipline in my artistic endeavors, and this course has been very helpful to me already. I actually feel more motivated to be looser in my sketches (one of my many goals), since I have a way to get my perfectionist urges out now! But just remember that "loose" is a relative term!

Sarah Reading

2011-01-30T21:04:00.001-08:00

The three of us went out for a relaxing evening of coffee, reading and sketching. I love it when people are so absorbed in what they are doing that they don't notice me sketching them. I was almost done before Sarah caught on!

Lan Su Chinese Garden

2011-01-29T19:23:00.001-08:00

Portland's Chinese Garden is one of the most authentic Chinese Gardens outside of China. A well-known Chinese garden designer was intimately involved in the planning, and a crew of Chinese craftsmen worked for many months to build it, along with local workers.

I find the buildings very challenging to sketch because of the curved roofs, odd angles, and the intricate detail. I have resolved to visit the garden more often in an attempt to improve my rendering of it.

Fox Sparrow and Grasses

2011-01-25T20:18:00.001-08:00

On a recent walk, I noticed how the winter grasses all leaned in the same direction, creating a pleasingly graceful visual harmony despite their broken down condition.

I have been enjoying using Derwent Graphitint pencils on my pen and ink drawings lately. The graphitints are water soluable much like watercolor pencils but the colors are dusky and subtle--great for nature drawings and shading. The graphitints are soft, similar to a 2B pencil. I used Noodler's Beaver ink in my Lamy Safari pen, with Warm Grey Graphitint pencil for shading and for the bird's head.

A note added later: I just found out that graphitint pencils are not very lightfast. Roz did a thorough test on them and here are her results. I am disappointed!

Figure Drawing

2011-01-18T12:32:00.001-08:00

I spent the evening at The Canvas, an art bar in NW Portland, with my sketching buddies yesterday. The bar provides a clothed model for about 2 and a half hours, in several timed poses. We had a great time sketching, sipping wine, and snacking. This is the best of my timed sketches--as for the rest--let's just say that I need practice.

Lovejoy Bakery

2011-01-15T20:51:00.001-08:00

The steady drizzle today couldn't keep the Portland Urban Sketchers down. We met in a bakery in the Pearl district, then dispersed to sketch, gathering later at a pub for lunch. At least some of us dispersed...the bakery was warm and dry, with free refills on coffee, so why get wet? I spent a cozy morning gazing out the window, sketchbook and pen in hand.

Asiatic Lily

2011-01-15T20:20:00.001-08:00

I just started a 27-month course with the Society of Botanical Artists, and the first assignment was to make a simple line drawing of a flower, with the stem included. I used part of the line drawing as a basis for this little watercolor I did on my daughter-in-law's birthday card. I'll be posting more about the course soon.

St. Johns Bridge

2010-12-11T16:41:00.001-08:00

Here's another attempt at the beautiful St. Johns Bridge. The graceful cathedral-like structure with the misty, dark Douglas Fir-covered hills in the background make me want to sketch this scene every time I drive over the bridge. Of course, the other drivers wouldn't appreciate it if I stopped right then and there, so I found a little cafe nearby where I could stay warm and dry while I sketched away.

Cast Stone Building Ornament

2010-12-04T19:49:00.001-08:00

On our sketchcrawl at the Architectural Heritage Center I found someone to sketch who was guaranteed not to fidget or become embarrassed at my staring. She sat patiently while I studied her to my heart's content. I've been working mostly in pen and ink and watercolor recently, but graphite is hard to beat for a satisfying values study.

Ultrasound Portrait

2010-12-01T13:04:00.001-08:00

This is the second page of a sketchbook I am making to give to my new little granddaughter when she gets older. It tells the story of her first couple of years from my perspective. (The first page is here.) I remember how amazing it was to see her for the first time via ultrasound. This is her in the second trimester.

For this project, I am using one of the sketchbooks I made. What a luxury to have such sturdy paper (Fabriano Artistico 140 lb.) to work on! I think I am getting addicted to both using and making my own sketchbooks. I bought some more paper and cover materials yesterday, and am looking forward to making some more books soon!

(facing page)

Baby News

2010-11-26T10:23:00.000-08:00

This is a sketch of a special gift I got last February--a fun way my daughter-in-law and son told me some very happy news! Our little granddaughter has arrived now, and I thought it would be fun to do a sketchbook devoted to her first couple of years. More sketches to come!

Making a Sketch Book

2010-11-22T14:10:00.000-08:00

I finally got around to making my own sketchbooks, which I have been wanting to attempt for quite awhile now. The task seemed rather daunting so it took me awhile to work up the resolve to get started! Several weeks ago, I purchased my materials including two sheets of Fabriano Artistico cold press watercolor paper.

I then proceeded to make some initial cuts on my paper without taking into account that paper has a grain and the book fold should be along the grain. I realized my error and a fellow sketcher from our sketch group referred me to a great website, Roz Wound Up, that walked me through finding the grain of paper, and provided charts for tearing large sheets of watercolor paper in a way that used it efficiently, and even matching papers across the fold.

Following the chart for tearing paper.

Folding the signatures.

My sketching friend also referred me to some excellent You Tube videos on book binding by Sage Reynolds. He covers gluing basics; sewing signatures part one and two; tipping on end papers; making headbands and rounding off (though I purchased pre-made headbands); lining the spine, part one and two; making a case part one, and two; and the optional insetting a ribbon tie.

I watched the videos several times, and carefully followed Sage's instructions and viola, actually made my own hardcover books. I am pretty excited about how well they turned out, though I realize I have much room for improvement in my book binding skills. I included the links in case you want to attempt one yourself or to see how Sage and Roz approach the task.

Making a case for the book block.

Finished sketchbooks, one opened.

Finished sketchbooks.

Hollywood Theater

2010-11-12T12:27:00.001-08:00

This historic theater seems like a very glamorous but faded movie star who has fallen on hard times. I remember going there for the first time to see the futuristic movie, 2001, A Space Odyssey, in 1968. The interior was every bit as ornate as the exterior and I felt transported into a different world just by walking inside. The theater was built in 1926.

Our local Urban Sketcher group spent the morning sketching in the area, then we had lunch and passed around our sketchbooks. I had a marvelous time!

Paul Bunyan

2010-11-03T21:54:00.001-07:00

I drive past this statue several times a week, and it always takes me back to my childhood, when we rode down Interstate Avenue and across the bridge to Vancouver, Washington to visit my aunt. Someone in the car always cried out, "There's Paul Bunyan" as if he were an old friend. Today I saw on the plaque at his feet that he is now on the National Register of Historic Places. Boy, he has really come up in the world!

He was made in 1959 for the Oregon centennial celebration, in honor of the state's then booming logging industry. At 31 feet tall he towers above traffic on the corner of Denver and Interstate Avenue in the Kenton neighborhood, near where I live. I think he adds a lot pf personality to the neighborhood, besides being kinda cute!

Clouds & Trees

2010-11-01T13:40:00.001-07:00

On a recent road trip, I decided to try my hand at depicting the billowing cumulus clouds overhead in my little 3.5" x 5.5" moleskine. Wow--what a challenge! Here are my three little sketches done as we whizzed along down the freeway. Btw, not to worry, my husband was driving!

The maples along the forest edge were starting to change color and really stood out against the dark backdrop of the Douglas firs.

The Tacoma Dome is always impressive as it suddenly come into view around the curve. This time I was concentrating on the clouds, but it would be fun to do a sketch with more of the structure in it sometime. Btw, the cloud really did have an odd shape like that!

Lytle Lake at Rockaway, OR

2010-10-25T15:32:00.001-07:00

I sketched this scene of a lake near the beach last weekend. The house we were staying at had huge picture windows, so I got to sit on the couch in comfort while I painted. It almost seemed like cheating! The willows along the far shore were starting to change color and they glowed when the setting sun struck them.

I wasn't too happy with how my first attempt at sketching the lake came out (see the panoramic view below) so I tried it again later from a photo. This is from a different perspective and the scene is cropped. I like it a lot better (see above). I also used Canson cold press wc paper rather than my moleskine, which I think helped me achieve a better outcome. I had a lot of fun trying out painting cumulus clouds. (I used The Watercolorists Essential Notebook by Gordon MacKenzie as a reference.)

I am looking forward to using better quality wc paper for my sketches more often, if I can ever manage to get around to making my own sketch books. Getting started is the hardest part, since I have never done it before.

Ooops, I see I spelled "Lytle" wrong in the moleskine sketch, grrr!

Skidmore Fountain

2010-10-04T21:55:00.001-07:00

This is my first sketch in an antique autograph book I found at a used book store at the beach this summer. The book has 1776-1876 on the title page, so it was made to commemorate the nation's centennial. It has only one autograph, which I can't decipher, with the date 1880. The rest of the book is blank pages that have waited over 130 years to be filled!

The cover is falling off, so I hope to repair it soon. I've been researching methods, and got advice from a friend who is an expert so have some direction regarding how to do it. The paper is kind of yellowed around the edges, and fun to work on, though it took some getting used to. The watercolor stays right on the surface and lifts well, but it's hard to get a smooth wash.

My idea is to use it for sketches of historic or 'signature' spots around Portland. It was scary to do the first sketch but now that's under my belt, I'll feel more brave for the second one. I am looking forward to learning more about my city in the process.

For this sketch, I laid out the bare bones of the scene with pencil, then worked on the values of the fountain with watercolors. I finished the background at home. I used a little ink on the foreground woman. I met our local sketching group at the fountain, so had the pleasure of their company as I worked.

Quince Fruit

2010-09-28T16:41:00.001-07:00

I did some sketches of Quince blossoms in graphite and watercolor and in ink and watercolor last April, and had in mind to do the fruit this fall. I forgot about it until after we had picked most of the fruit off the tree, but fortunately there were a few left up high where we couldn't reach. This is my rendering of a couple of those lonely fellows!

It was interesting to me to look back at last spring's work, because I remember feeling frustrated and at loose ends at that point. I lacked direction and didn't know what tools suited me best or what style to develop. Although I am still at the beginning of my artistic journey, by comparison I can see that I have made some progress! For instance I am more confident with watercolors now. I realize that I really like doing a quick sketch with pencil as a basis for my watercolors. Also, I discovered that my sketching pen of choice is the Lamy Safari, with gray ink. The softer ink color doesn't overwhelm my watercolors as much as black does.

This sketch is watercolor over a quick pencil sketch. The writing is with a fountain pen (not the Lamy) with chestnut colored ink. Oh, in case you are interested, quinces are quite astringent, and barely edible. They do make good jelly though.

Esther Short Park

2010-09-26T08:57:00.001-07:00

Our sketch group met at a coffee shop, then spread out to sketch in and around this park in Vancouver, WA. The clock/bell tower chimes on the hour and makes quite an iconic statement at the entrance.

I found the gazebo quite difficult to sketch because of the odd angles, but it is a pretty little structure. The Victorian house in the background is the Slocum House and sits in one corner of the park. My husband and I have enjoyed community theater productions here on several occasions. The parlor is used as the foyer, and the dining room has been enlarged to accommodate a low stage and seating for about fifty. When the audience sits so close to a performance, it makes it a more personal experience for everyone.

Dorothy's House

2010-09-20T11:27:00.001-07:00

I live in a neighborhood of gardeners, not everyone, mind you, but enough of us putter and plant in our gardens that anyone strolling through the area has an interesting array of styles and plant preferences to enjoy. Perhaps the popularity of gardening in the neighborhood is due to a combination of our excellent sandy loam soil and mild maritime climate, which crowns even minimal gardening effort with flourishing success.

Dorothy, my dear neighbor of many years, was a dahlia enthusiast. The parking strip along one side of her corner lot is devoted to dahlia's of every form and color--big shaggy puff-balls and neat pinwheels in pink, purple, yellow, white and peach. Since Dorothy passed away a few years ago, her daughter moved in and now tends her garden. ( I am sure her daughter would agree that it will always be Dorothy's garden.) Across the street from Dorothy is Phyllis, who is a daylily enthusiast. Her garden is in the foreground of my first sketch. Her parking strips and garden are lush beyond description, but that is another story. The pencil sketch is of her Cardoon, which is also in the watercolor.

By the way, today is my first blogoversary! It's hard to believe that I started this blogging adventure only one year ago. I want to extend my thanks to all of those who have visited my blog in the past year. Many have left kind and encouraging comments for which I am grateful. Also, I have grown and learned more than I imagined possible by visiting the blogs of others. Thank you for sharing your artistic journey with me.

Rosa glauca

2010-09-11T22:11:00.001-07:00

I sketched this sweet little blossom a few months ago, and saved a spot on the page for the hips, which are just forming now. Rosa glauca has to be one of the most beautiful species roses, with its amazing purple/blue/gray/green leaves. I had trouble reproducing the color of the leaves in my sketch but my new scanner made them even greener than I painted them. Oh well, they do have a blush of pink on them anyway!

Opera in the Park

2010-09-11T14:09:00.001-07:00

We listened to a rehearsal of Pagliacci and Carmina Burana in Director Park downtown. The music was delightful, and I got some people sketching in too. Although I am much more comfortable sketching backs of heads, I ventured to try some 'fronts' this time as well.

Acorn Squash

2010-09-11T13:31:00.001-07:00

My daughter and I got a plot in a community garden for the first time this year. We were on the waiting list for several months, and finally got a plot early in July. The plot was a jungle of well established weeds, but with the help of my husband, we cleared it then amended the soil with compost, and got the veggie starts in by mid-July. Despite our late start, we are starting to harvest squash, cucumbers, and a few tomatoes. This is an acorn squash fresh from the garden.

I used pen and ink, and watercolors on Fabriano Artistico hot pressed paper because I am giving it a trial run to see if I want to use it in a hand-made sketch book. This is the paper that Nina Johansson uses in her hand-made sketch books and a video I watched on making your own sketch books said that Fabriano paper is less likely crack on a fold than Arches. I liked the Fabriano hot pressed paper for this little sketch because it was smooth enough for my fountain pen to glide over the surface, and took the watercolor really well. Also, it didn't buckle very much at all. It is a good candidate for my sketch book, if I ever do get around to making my own.

White Eagle Saloon

2010-09-05T08:31:00.001-07:00

White Eagle Saloon, originally uploaded by jswalkky.

This old tavern, built in 1905, is in the industrial part of town and has quite a checkered past. It is two blocks from a huge rail yard, and used to be frequented by very tough characters indeed but is now owned by McMenamins and has been beautifully restored. We spent a fun morning sketching the building, then headed inside to pass around our sketch books and get a bite to eat. Portland, OR, USA

Sea Foam and Waves

2010-08-17T21:29:00.000-07:00

Watercolor in Moleskine

I had some great chances to sketch

Watercolor in Moleskine

while we were at the Oregon coast last week. The first couple of days were pretty chilly so I took advantage of the view from our motel room to try to capture the look of the waves crashing on the rocks. The motel sits on a cliff so the view was pretty spectacular!

After a couple of days, the sun came out so I sat on the beach at Fogarty Creek State Park to make another attempt at waves breaking on rocks from a different vantage point. They were splashing up really high in the little cove around the bend. I am glad I wasn't sitting on that side! There were many other scenes that I wanted to try but they will have to wait for another visit. I can see why so many artists chose to live at the coast--it's very inspiring!

I relied heavily on The Watercolorist's Essential Notebook: Landscapes by Gordon MacKenzie for ideas on how to handle the waves and the spray. My favorite tip was to use masking fluid on a small piece of sponge to save the white for the sea foam. I didn't have any masking fluid with me on the beach so I just left that area blank until later and finished the sketch using a photo I took for reference.

View from University of Portland

2010-08-16T22:24:00.000-07:00

Watercolor and ink in Moleskine

I walked over to the the University of Portland the other day to sketch. The school sits on a bluff that overlooks the Willamette River and is easy walking distance from my house. Cranes were unloading ships docked at the industrial area called Swan Island at the base of the bluff. I liked the collection of 'towers' both in the foreground and in the background.

I want to go back to the school to draw again soon. It's pleasant to sit in the shade of the huge trees, especially now when the campus is so quiet during summer break.

Being Part of the Scenery in the North Park Blocks

2010-08-09T10:38:00.000-07:00

We sat around the park and sketched together today.

A few people have commented here about sketching in public. Some are comfortable with it and some not so much. Although I used to be a "closet sketcher" (no I didn't go so far as to sit in a closet to sketch but I definitely stashed them away where no one could see) I have become more comfortable with sharing my work lately.

One key to raising my comfort level has been sketching with a group. I have been participating in sketchcrawls around town for about a year now, and frankly, I don't really mind even sketching by myself in public anymore. It's not that I am utterly unselfconscious about my sketches, or that I am an outgoing person, quite the contrary. It's just that it is so much fun to sketch with others and to sketch outside, that it is worth taking a deep breath and plunging ahead.

When I am at it, I just think of myself as part of the scenery, like a shrub for instance, and focus on the subject I am trying to capture. Most people just stroll by and ignore me, but when someone glances over my shoulder, I pay no attention. I find that if I look up, it seems to make them uncomfortable. Sometimes they will murmur, "Pretty" or some other nice comment, but often they just walk away, which is fine. On the occasions that someone asks a question or strikes up a conversation, I always enjoy the interaction. What really rings my bells is when a child walks up to watch me draw and admire my sketch. Because I often sit on a little fold-out camp stool, I can talk with them at their eye level. Maybe they will even be inspired to go home and draw something.

Several speakers at the symposium brought out that sketching in public can be a community building activity. I hadn't thought about that too much before but it does make sense that getting out and mingling with people, being available to chat, relaxing and enjoying the sights of one's city would make it feel like a friendlier place in some way. Gabi Campanario encouraged us to be open about sketching, don't sit in a dark corner but be willing to share your sketches and to talk to people. If you sketch someone's business or house, show your work to them--they will be pleased! Ask someone if you can sketch them--most people don't mind at all. I haven't been so bold to do either of these yet but maybe someday. Isabel Fiadeiro talked about using sketching as a way to connect with the people of Mauritania even before she learned the language there. Very inspiring!

How about you, what are your thoughts about sketching in public? Btw, posting my sketches on the internet via my blog and flickr was much more daunting for me than sitting and sketching in a park. After all, what could be more public than the internet? Come to think of it, blogging has been another key step for me in 'coming out of the closet' as a sketcher. It has been a lot of fun too.

Frenchman's Bar Riverfront Park

2010-08-06T18:52:00.000-07:00

After the intensity of the symposium, I retreated to sketch at an out-of-the-way park in Clark County, WA, along a peaceful stretch of the Columbia River. Huge cargo ships moor in the river and we could see the farmlands of Sauvie Island in the distance.

We finally had to scurry off because of the clouds of mosquitoes that came out at dusk. We power-walked to the car, leap in our seats and slammed the doors--then had to spend some time smacking the buzzing critters that had followed us in!

USk 2010--The Tsunami

2010-08-04T10:26:00.000-07:00

Closing remarks, and sketchbooks on display.

I have been wondering how to describe the Urban Sketchers Symposium that I participated in last week. I think "a tsunami of creativity" sums it up well. I was inspired, challenged and overwhelmed. I met some wonderful talented interesting people from all over the world (10 countries were represented), learned a lot, and am still recovering. It was very intense. The creative energy was almost palpable in our gatherings, especially on the last day.


Getting some tips from Isabel. (Photo by Linda E.)

Each day we had two lectures and two three-hour sketching sessions around the city in small groups accompanied by an instructor. Like I say...intense. Each sketching session had a different emphasis, like Urban Line, People, Color, Nature and Architecture. The instructors were top notch, and most of the participants were already quite skilled. At the end, all the sketchbooks were put on display for everyone to enjoy--an amazing amount of talent, and a tremendous variety of styles was represented.

I felt like I was in over my head most of the time but everyone was patient with a sketching newby like me. I had a hard time getting into the groove on the first day, but by the last day I was much more pleased with my work, though I still have far to go! I am hoping to develop more speed and a sketchier more expressive style eventually. Our local sketching group is so jazzed--emails have been flying back and forth planning future sketching events and we have a lot of new members.

Here are some of the comments from instructors that I found helpful and memorable:
Frank Ching, Urban Architecture--"The strategy of a sketch is structure, tone, then detail." "When on the run, do several small sketches rather than partially finishing a big one." "Include foreground, middle ground and background. Bracket your focal point to give a sense of place." "The perceptual view is different than perspective. We always draw from memory, and it is hard to hold the shapes in ones mind, even when glancing down for a moment. Our ideal idea of a tree is fighting with what is really there."
Isabel Fiadeiro, Urban People--"Get the volume of the people, not the details. Record their position. When there are no people in the space, fill in the background and leave space for people for when they arrive. You can overlay people to suggest them coming and going."
Gabi Campanario, Urban Composition--"Find a focal point, start with the foreground, make the background fade away to suggest distance."
Tia Boom Sin, Urban Color--She had us begin with the shapes using watercolors, then add lines afterward. I usually work the opposite way but found this approach to be effective and interesting. She has this cool way of putting blobs of color on her paper in her studio, then composing her sketch on location to fit in this pre-made background. Her sketches were gorgeous (and colorful)!

There was much more but I just wanted to give you a taste of what we learned. Here are some of my sketches from the symposium outings. I did them mostly on-site, but added finishing touches back in my studio.

Street Scene in Rome

2010-07-28T08:53:00.000-07:00

I am very excited about the Urban Sketchers Symposium that starts tomorrow here in Portland. In an effort to get "warmed up" I did this sketch of a street scene in Rome from a photo I took last summer. I am hoping to improve my line quality and get looser with my sketches through what I learn from the symposium. I'll keep you posted!

Sketching at Cathedral Park

2010-07-19T12:17:00.000-07:00

We headed out to Cathedral Park for our regular Sunday afternoon sketching/reading session yesterday (I sketch, he reads). Lucky us, there was a jazz festival going on at the park that day! We sat at a distance from the concert to get away from the hustle and bustle of the crowd but could still hear the music just fine. This lady was sitting near us chatting with friends and listening to the music.

The park is under the beautiful St. Johns bridge, which has cathedral-like arches, both in the bridge itself and in the foundations. This is a photo of upper part of the bridge that I took last autumn. Beautiful, huh! I want to go back soon to sketch some more.

An Evening at Peninsula Park

2010-07-12T19:12:00.000-07:00

We spent a lovely evening yesterday at a park just a mile or so from our house. We sat in our lawn chairs as families strolled by on their way to a picnic, to wade in the pond, or just out for a walk. For most of the time, a group of drummers played in the bandstand, then they cleared away their gear and another group came for ballroom dancing.

This park was completed in 1913, and includes a gazebo-style bandstand overlooking a sunken rose garden with 8,900 roses arranged around a beautiful fountain and pond. The many 100 year old trees throughout the park provide ample cool, shady spots for relaxation and picnicking. The park used to be a tourist attraction but now is mostly used by folks from surrounding neighborhoods--lucky us!

These sketches were done with my Lamy Safari fountain pen and water color pencils. I didn't use any graphite at all--just went for it with indelible ink. Although I enjoy sketching with pencil, I tend to get eraser-happy, and my "quick sketches" turn into laborious drawing and erasing sessions so I have decided to go cold turkey and just use pen for awhile.

These sketches have some features that bug me, like the wavy pond edge and the roof not extending out far enough on the right side of the bandstand, and I would definitely fix them if I could but no can do and that's okay. Next time I will try to be more careful and patient at the layout stage. I was just too eager to get to the fun stuff like the sprouting water and the lacy grill work on top of the gazebo. Personally, I find the combination of accurate proportions but loose line work to be very pleasing in sketches, and that is my goal. I am curious, do you use pencil to lay out your sketches before moving to pen?

Back Again

2010-07-10T20:58:00.000-07:00

I managed to get in a few sketches in my tiny moleskine (3.5" x 5.5") on the drive up and back from a conference we attended in Seattle. It felt good to be sketching again after my long hiatus. I have been very busy with work in the last months, but have felt stymied in my artistic endeavors lately anyway. I think I got distracted by all of the possibilities, dismayed at my slow progress, and forgot that it was all just for fun anyways! Now I feel ready to jump back in again and am happy with simply dabbling here and there. I guess I just needed time to clear my head.

After experimenting with various dip pens and fountain pens, I followed Nina Johansson's recommendation and got a Lamy Safari fountain pen, and have been using Noodler's Lexington Gray Ink. I must say that I am delighted with my Lamy Safari. Thank you Nina!! For one thing, it doesn't have a scritchy scratchy nib like the other pens I've tried. The rounded tip just glides over the paper, and even allows for some line variation. Btw, I got an extra fine nib as Nina suggests. I added color to these sketches by dabbing the tips of watercolor pencils with a Kuretake water pen--a great way to avoid a lap full of messy watercolors and dirty water in a small car! I usually end up getting into my work in more ways than one in the best of circumstances so this worked well for me.

Coffee Shop Stealth

2010-06-06T22:02:00.000-07:00

We spent another Sunday afternoon at one of Portland's umpteen coffee shops--we'll never run out of new ones to try. Coffee shops are a great place to sketch people because they sit mesmerized in front of their laptops for hours and hardly even move except to take a sip of coffee. This young woman was on to me so I had to be very sneaky about drawing her. She finally whipped her head around and caught me looking right at her, then she got up and left. I guess not everyone likes being a subject!

EDiM #17 Musical Instrument

2010-05-24T15:33:00.000-07:00

The cello was fun to sketch but those fingers! I held the cello, tried to remember how to position my hand correctly, looked in the mirror, then sketched. I always have trouble with hands and this was no exception--but the practice is good for me, right? It's kind of like eating my spinach. (Good thing I like spinach.) Now I am on to the next challenge.

In case you are wondering, I took cello lessons for awhile but am taking an extended break right now. I think the cello likes having some peace and quiet after the rough time it had in my hands.

EDiM View From a Window and Leaves

2010-05-22T19:30:00.000-07:00

This dormer window looks out into the canopy of the Hawthorne street trees in front of our house. Hawthornes would not be my tree of choice because of their messy berries but they do attract a lot of birds and squirrels, so we have a ready source of entertainment in autumn and winter. Apparently, Hawthornes were popular street trees in the 20's and 30's when our neighborhood was built.

I used my new vintage fountain pen, a brush and ink for this, with watercolors for the leaves. I am finding the fountain pen difficult to use, but am not sure if it is the pen or the type of ink I have, or user error. Most likely its the latter! The ink is made by J. Herbin for fountain pens, and is a rich brown color, Lie de The. The ink was fun to paint with, and created interesting undertones as it dried.

EDiM #11 & 13

2010-05-19T12:41:00.000-07:00

I am still not caught up on the Every Day in May challenges but am on a roll now.

EDiM # 9 & 16 Organized Chaos and a Favorite Tool

2010-05-18T08:13:00.000-07:00

This was one of the most fun EDiM challenges yet. I have been wanting to sketch some worms for awhile now and here was my opportunity. I must confess that I am rather fond of my worms (there I said it). They do such an amazing job, along with the bacteria, fungi, protozoa and nematodes in my compost bin, of breaking down our kitchen scraps into wonderful rich brown compost. This hard working crew gets the job done, from fresh scraps to compost, in only about 2 weeks during spring, summer and autumn!

I try to deliver a steady supply of scraps in order to keep my worms well fed. When I spread the compost around the garden, hundreds of worms are in the mix, but there are always oodles of them left in the bin and they quickly replace the worms that have gone out into the world. I think of my compost as organized chaos because, well it looks like a mess, but in reality there is an amazingly complex system in play that is a well-designed, even elegant, organic machine.

While I was painting the worms, I realized why they look so creepy--they are flesh colored and have a fleshy texture too...and then there is the writhing...ugh! I used Myrna Wacknov's recipe for flesh tones, New Gamboge, Permanent Rose and Windsor Blue, and it seemed to capture their transparent quality well. I must say that I like my worms at a distance in the compost bin doing their job, but I get creeped out if I think about them too much!

I am participating in a challenge, organized by the talented Liz Steel, to do a sketch from a list of topics every day in May. I am behind so am doubling up when I can--that may be cheating but at least I am sketching more than usual.

World Wide Sketchcrawl

2010-05-17T08:40:00.000-07:00

Our Portland sketchcrawl group had a beautiful sunny day for the Worldwide Sketchcrawl on Saturday. We had twelve people participating--the most ever! I sat with several others on the pedestrian/bike path on the Morrison bridge and did this sketch of downtown. I started getting a serious sunburn and could only stay for part of the day anyway, so after getting a start on my sketch, I took a photo and finished it at home. My goal at future sketchcrawls is to take more of a 'quick sketch' approach.

It was a very fun day and the participants were most enjoyable to sketch with! Several of us sketched the same building, and a fellow sketchcrawler told me that it is the Dekum Building.

EDiM # 8 A Piece of Jewelry

2010-05-14T12:10:00.000-07:00

This agate necklace was made for my grandma by her uncle, I guess that makes him my great-great uncle. The necklace itself it not terribly valuable but I do like it and enjoy thinking of my grandma when I wear it. I have a photo of her as a young woman wearing it and a very fancy fur hat.

EDiM 4 & 12 Mug and Dinner

2010-05-12T15:40:00.000-07:00

Two more challenges down, and four more to go.

EDiM # 6 & 10 Favorite Object and My Hand

2010-05-12T11:44:00.000-07:00

Whew, I am galloping along trying to catch up with my Everyday in May sketching challenges. I still have six more to go in order to catch up. Do you think I will make it? We'll see!

I found this to be the hardest challenge yet--draw your hand. For some reason I find hands extraordinarily difficult, as hard or harder than faces. Obviously I need more practice with them.

EDiM #2 & 5 A Lamp and a Bed

2010-05-11T17:21:00.000-07:00

I bought this lamp many years ago at our neighbor's yard sale when we first moved into the neighborhood. I am not too big on antiques but the lamp gives a cozy feel to our guest room, and it reminds me of days gone by. It gives off a soft glow in the room, and has delicate hand painted flowers on the glass base. I like to have a few things around me to link me to the past.

EDiM # 1 & 3 Shoes and Purse

2010-05-11T08:02:00.000-07:00

I am participating in a challenge to do a sketch every day in May from a list of subjects. The challenge is called Every Day in May, and is from a group called Everyday Matters. Here is the list of subjects. I am starting late so have a lot of catching up to do, but here are my first entries. I plan to use a quill nib dip pen for my EDiM sketches in order to get more practice with it. I did a rough preliminary sketch in pencil, then did the ink line work, then the watercolor.

My daughter decided she wants these shoes for her birthday so I am in trouble now!

The Circus with a Quill Nib

2010-05-07T12:36:00.001-07:00

I followed Sarah's (Curious Crow) suggestion and tried a dip pen with a flexible crow quill nib in my quest for better line quality, and am having so much fun with it! As a way to give it a test run, I filled a page in my moleskin with images from the circus that we went to the other night.

I used India Ink, so was able to paint over my initial drawings without my colors getting muddy! Yay! I have been having trouble finding a pen that both delivered a variable line and came with indelible ink. Although I enjoy using the dip pen, I am a little worried about carrying an open bottle of ink around, so my next search is for an affordable fountain pen with a flexible nib. I've got some leads so I'll let you know what I find...

I used a video from the circus website for my drawings, since it corresponded to the acts that we saw. It was handy to be able to stop it to do a sketch and then let it move on to the next act. There is no way I could have sketched during the show because I couldn't take my eyes off the action for a second for fear I would miss something!

Portrait of My Mom

2010-05-04T22:37:00.000-07:00

Drawing Methods
I was inspired way back in January by a post in Jennifer Lawson's blog to try doing a sketch of my Mom using the upside-down method. The photo of her that I used was taken at college around 1945.

In the upside down method, both the reference photo and the sketch itself is upside down to trick your brain to look at shapes and shadows, rather than being distracted by preconceived notions of eyes, nose and ears. I found this approach helpful but I could tell something was a little off after laying out the drawing...actually several things...so my next step was to use the grid method to fine tune. I learned this method in a portraiture class I took from Myrna Wacknov. (I was in way over my head in this class but did manage to absorb a few things.) I used a clear plastic sheet (a cut open sheet cover) to put over my photo, then drew a grid on it. I put corresponding grid marks around the edge of my drawing. I was able to use it to check the relationships of the shapes and make some small adjustments which made a big difference in the outcome of my drawing. After my original inspiration from Jennifer's blog, it took me quite awhile to get started on this drawing, then I got too busy to finish it until recently. I really wasn't planning on posting it for Mother's Day but here we are in May and it's done so why not?

My Tribute
I found my mind wandering back to many precious memories of her as I drew. Growing up, I remember her happy excitement when friends would stop by to visit--she loved offering hospitality and would whip up something delicious out of whatever she had handy. Not only was she an excellent cook but was a talented seamstress as well. She thoroughly enjoyed being on the Timberline Lodge restoration team in the 1970's, when she appliqued native wildflower designs on hand woven fabric for curtains, pillows and bedspreads for guest rooms in the lodge.

I also remember how much her heart went out to people who were in difficult circumstances. She was the sort of person folks went to when they were in trouble or suffering because she always had time to listen. She could give sound advice when it was asked for, and had a discreet tongue, so was the perfect confidante. She wasn't all seriousness though--she loved to laugh and kid around. When Dad "retired", they headed off to Baja Mexico where they spent 18 years volunteering in an orphanage. They were grandma and grandpa to many kids during that time. She worked in the sewing room with other volunteers, making quilts, pajamas, curtains, and wedding dresses for the girls when they grew up. I think this was the most rewarding period of their lives. She was devoted to her family and to the Lord, and found great joy in serving others. I loved and admired her very much and she continues to inspire me every day. She passed away in 2007 at 80 years old and was lovely inside and out even into her old age.

More Quince Blossoms

2010-04-19T13:47:00.000-07:00

I used three different types of tools to sketch Quince blossoms during this last week. I thought if I treated the same subject in different ways, it might help me settle on one approach to concentrate on for awhile. I feel that I am always starting over and trying something new, which can be fun but now I want to delve deeper rather than always dabbling. The top one in this post is black Pitt Artist Pens with small and extra small tips and watercolor, the second one is a sepia Pentel Brush Pen and watercolor. See my graphite and watercolor example here. (I couldn't seem to get my scanner to pick up the subtle lines and even a photo left the color looking washed out but oh well.)

I think I lean towards the ink and watercolor combination but I haven't found just the right pen yet. The brush pens are great for getting a varying line weight, but the overall look is too heavy for me. I love my Kuretake #8 Brush Pen--it is so wonderfully responsive and you can get a very thin line if desired, but the ink is water soluble so I have to draw with pencil, do watercolor, then ink it last since I like to keep my ink lines crisp--too many steps. The fine tipped Pitt Artist Pens get a delicate line weight but it is too uniform. I am thinking of investing in a Rotring or Lamy Pen because I think the fountain pen type nib would be more responsive to pressure. I could get both a thin line and varying line weight. Plus you have the option of using an ink converter to try a variety of ink colors--I would love to have that flexibility!

I would be interested to know what others think of the three examples I have posted. Which do you like best? If anyone is knowledgeable about Rotring, Lamy or other fountain pens that are good for sketching, please let me know. Have you tried an ink converter with good results? Thanks in advance for any feedback.

Sketchcrawl on the Esplanade

2010-04-12T18:08:00.000-07:00

I met with our local sketchcrawl group on Saturday for an afternoon of sketching along the East Bank Esplanade that runs beside the Willamette River here in Portland. I got there late but at least I got one sketch done with the group. I always feel inspired by their work. Our group is amazingly talented so I am glad they let me tag along.

I had a hard time with the Hawthorne Bridge sketch so wanted to try something simpler next. This lamp post and shrub in front of the freeway and bridge supports seemed to fit the bill and I liked the contrast of the delicate against the massive.

As I was leaving I decided to do a quick pencil sketch and paint it at home since it was getting late. I have been wanting to learn more about how to depict water, so these boats moored at the dock seemed like a good opportunity to experiment. I used Gordon MacKenzie's book, The Watercolorist's Essential Notebook, Landscapes as a reference for how to do waves. He says to lay down a smooth graded wash, then lay in the wave marks when it is dry (or you can do this wet in wet). I am pretty happy with the results for a first attempt. I highly recommend MacKenzie's book, it is very thorough.

Quince Blossom

2010-04-09T09:45:00.001-07:00

We live in an urban neighborhood that was built in the 20's and 30's on land that was once an orchard. One of the trees on our property is an old Quince tree. It must be over 100 years old. This is not the more familiar Flowering Quince shrub, but a fruit tree with very odd pear-like fruit that is tart and as hard as a rock even when ripe. I wouldn't want to try to eat the fruit fresh but I made jelly with it one year and it turned out pretty good.

The tree trunk has become fluted and gnarled with age, and leans over so much it is almost horizontal with the ground. We pick the fruit off before it get too big so it doesn't weigh the tree down too much for fear it will topple over. I did a sketch of the tree last summer.

Beginning to Bloom

2010-04-05T14:43:00.001-07:00

A friend of mine inspired me to paint this rose. She has been through a lot, and is now going through the process of healing. She reminds me of a blossoming rose.

I hope that as I get a better feel for how to use watercolors, I can develop a more painterly style. For now I am concentrating on the basics of getting a fair representation of my subject down. I am finding that much depends on the amount of water, both on the brush and on the paper, and how the two interact. I used a photo I took awhile back as a reference for this rose.

The View from the Bluff

2010-03-24T19:55:00.000-07:00

I walk along the bluff overlooking the Willamette River several times a week, and this is one of my favorite views. I particularly enjoy it in late afternoon when the sunlight skims over the top of the distant hills and lights up the promontory. Right now the new grass makes the hillside a glowing lime green. Across the river is an industrial area, and on this side ships dock on Swan Island, although it is not really an island. I stopped to do this sketch in my little 3" x 5" moleskine on one of my recent walks. I did the original sketch in graphite, then added watercolors at home.

A Groggy Bumblebee

2010-03-22T12:33:00.000-07:00

I had a lot of fun with this sketch, though I felt sorry for the bumblebee whose nap I interrupted while I was gardening. Apparently it had been hibernating until I disturbed its cozy nook in the soil. At least I woke it up on a nice sunny day!

I did the sketch in pencil outside, then came inside to finish it from a photo I took. I did the yellow parts in watercolor then went to town with my brush pens. I have been wanting to try them out so here was my opportunity. I did the black parts with my Kuretake Brush Pen and the bits of gray with a Tombow Brush Pen. I love how the Kuretake pen works although the ink is water soluble so has to be applied last to keep the lines crisp when using watercolors. I have been searching the web to find a pen like the Kuretake that uses indelible ink. I'll let you know if I find one.

Maybe I'll sketch a nice big beetle or a worm next...

Robin and Snowdrops

2010-03-18T22:20:00.000-07:00

I think Robins are fine birds, with their sensible, matronly chirp, and determined tug of wars with those tenacious worms. Plus you really have to be special to lay sky blue eggs!

I sketched this scene of a robin a couple of weeks ago and painted the robin but didn't have time to finish the rest until today. I found the robin very difficult to sketch but easy to paint--the opposite of what I expected. Not only was he was moving around a lot but getting his proportions right was tricky. I finally took a photo and finished it in my studio. A note added later: Just to clarify-I did the robin and snowdrops in graphite from life but corrected the robin and painted him from a photo I took.

Waterlily

2010-03-16T20:40:00.001-07:00

I did this painting from a photo in conjunction with the botanical watercolor class I recently took. I did three versions of it and tried to learn from my mistakes as I went along. On this version (the third) I used cold press paper instead of hot press, and that helped a lot. I found that my paint 'traveled' a lot more on hot press and it was hard to get the gradation of color I wanted, even though I slanted the paper in hopes of using gravity to keep the paint thick where needed. For now I am going to stick to cold press paper. I'll chalk the first two versions up to experience!

Concordia Coffee Shop

2010-03-08T12:39:00.001-08:00

Portland has an endless supply of funky, hip, and/or quaint coffee shops. I think this one definitely fits in the funky (in the good sense) category! We had a relaxing evening of sketching and reading here yesterday.

Please note the "Tardis" masquerading as a British police call box which is positioned against the wall for the more adventurous patrons to use. (My husband explained to me that a Tardis is a time travel machine from the Dr Who sci fi shows.) I stayed well away from it because I am enjoying "now" way too much to want to trade it in for another time!

Sights on My Walks

2010-03-05T09:07:00.001-08:00

On my walks along the bluff, I get a great view of the tops of trees that are growing further down the hill. I did a quick sketch of these crows as they were roosting, silhouetted by the darkening sky. I was intrigued by the way they were all facing the same direction, and there were a lot of crows too!

On another day, I liked the contrast of the fresh looking pink camellias and gnarled old tree trunk so I did a quick sketch. I am enjoying my little 3.5" x 5.5" pad that fits in my pocket for quick sketches on walks.

Jamison Park

2010-03-01T14:37:00.001-08:00

Last Saturday was a World Wide Sketchcrawl, and we had a pretty good turnout here in Portland. We met and talked for awhile then spread out and sketched for a couple of hours then met again to share our sketches. I enjoy seeing the different styles and subjects that people choose to sketch.

Verbascum in a field

2010-02-25T18:50:00.001-08:00

I spent the afternoon sketching in a friends garden awhile back. In an area away from the main garden she lets the Verbascum reseed themselves, and I thought they were so pretty with the enormous Douglas Firs as a backdrop.

My Mascot

2010-02-23T19:41:00.000-08:00

This little guy lives in my studio on the window sill in a shell. I give him a bath (a soak in cool water) once a week and that's all the care he needs. What a perfect pet, huh!? (Btw, most people call this spidery plant an 'air plant' because they don't need soil. They grow up in trees in the tropics.)

This is a values study for the watercolor class I am taking--use the full spectrum of grays to black in a painting. He's also EDM # 257 Draw a houseplant. The pot below is also a values study for my class. I am finding these studies in gray help me understand the shapes of my subjects better, and hopefully will guide me when moving on to color.

Helleborus

2010-02-17T22:31:00.000-08:00

We had a fabulous sunny day today, and I met this little fellow on my walk around the neighborhood. He lives in a raised bed so I didn't have to lay on the ground to see his pretty face, thank heavens! I sat on the retaining wall and did a quick sketch. I added the color at home from a photo I took, trying to work quickly and letting the water colors have some space to do their own thing (I tend to micromanage them, which they don't like). Btw, the magenta/purple color inside the flower really was that intense!

Asiatic Lily

2010-02-16T22:22:00.000-08:00

I am taking a watercolor class from Rene Eisenbart, a local artist and botanical illustrator. She mentioned in class that one technique with watercolors is to use graphite for some of the shading, so I did that here as a way to ease myself into painting, since I am much more comfortable with graphite than paints.

I bought a bouquet of Asiatic lilies from the market and did the pencil drawing during the first class then did the watercolor at home, while holding my breath a lot! Today was the second class so I asked for her feedback, and she suggested that I darken some of the graphite outline in the shaded areas--that really helped bring the lily into 'focus'.

Valentine Pastry

2010-02-14T19:16:00.001-08:00

I had fun painting my breakfast pastry this morning before church (we meet at noon so I have time to dabble). I used water-soluble graphite for the fork--I think it is great for getting a metallic look.

Spring Tulips

2010-02-13T22:22:00.000-08:00

I did this little painting a few years ago and just ran across it again. I thought I would post it as a harbinger of spring--crocus and snowdrops just popped up here in the PNW, and tulips are just around the corner! Yay!

As I remember, I painted this from a nursery catalog. I am pretty sure it is a local one--we have an amazing array of nurseries here in the PNW because of our temperate climate and beautiful sunny summers.

Chocolate Detente

2010-02-08T21:55:00.000-08:00

I decided to give up trying to control my watercolors, at least not as hard as I had been, and let them do their own thing more. I feel we have a more peaceful relationship now. They surprised me with the shiny chocolates. I wasn't expecting the chocolates to come out so realistically but...viola! I guess my watercolors like me to give them more space, and in return they will treat me better.

I used one of Jeanne Dobie's 'recipes' for rich, dark, transparent browns--aureolin yellow, viridian and alizarin crimson. They are pure pigments so don't get muddy when mixed. I wish I had mixed pure pigments for the candy box too, instead of taking the short cut of burnt umber. I think pure pigments would have given me a more shiny clear look. I am learning a lot from Dobie's book, Making Color Sing.

Btw, I just celebrated a birthday and I got a good supply of you-know-what to add to my stash. I will dole them out to myself (but I do share...a little) over the next few months when I have a craving. That's the way to really savor chocolates--wait until you really want one...

Chinese teacup

2010-02-07T18:28:00.000-08:00

I am fond of this teacup because it reminds me of our trip to China in 2004. I bought the cup and the Oolong tea on our first day there. The teacup has a removable infuser that fits inside so it really is a cup and a teapot in one.

Liz's wonderful sketches of teapots and cups inspired me to give this subject a try, though I didn't come close to achieving her graceful, light touch and beautiful layouts. I am working on it though! Next week I am taking a watercolor class taught by a local artist and illustrator, Rene Eisenbart, who specializes in botanical subjects. I am looking forward to it (but am a little nervous about it too). I have been wondering...each medium has it's unique characteristics, when working with the medium of water color, what is the most crucial element to capture in a painting? I mean, besides the composition, etc. I plan to ask Rene what her thoughts are on it next week.

EDM #258 Closet

2010-02-04T22:05:00.000-08:00

This is a sketch of the beautiful Ash cabinet/closet that my husband built along one wall of our bedroom. I so enjoy the grain and warm tones of the wood, and his fine craftsmanship. Quite a project for him to take on in his spare time, huh!? This sketch is a challenge from Everyday Matters, an artsy online group that I have been enjoying participating in lately. (Ooops, I just checked with my husband and the wood is actually Beech--obviously he's the expert!)

More Backs of Heads

2010-01-31T17:15:00.000-08:00

I know sketches of backs of heads are not that interesting, but when you are in a crowd listening to lectures at a professional workshop, you can't really turn around to sketch peoples faces. Oh I know, I could have sketched the speakers faces but to be honest, I wasn't brave enough to try since I was working with an ink pen. So now you know the real reason for the boring sketches! But getting the volume of the skull, the placement of ears, and the stance of the shoulders is challenge enough for me right now. Maybe I'll try faces next time...with pencil.

High Altitude Seats

2010-01-28T09:18:00.000-08:00

So now you know why I look forward to sporting events--they're a great sketching opportunity! We were sitting up against the wall in the end zone this time. Going in, I actually got a little vertigo glancing back at the stairs I had just climbed. Note the tip of the flag hanging (I think from the ceiling) on the upper right. But we had a great time with family and friends nevertheless!
They have this floating car/balloon thing that they steer around by remote control above the audience, although it was below us. It is on the right making a turn.

Sketchcrawl In Laurelhurst

2010-01-23T22:41:00.001-08:00

We had a very fun day sketching in the Laurelhurst neighborhood today. These are my sketches of the Old Laurelhurst Church, built in 1923. After all the rain we've had lately, it felt so good to be out in the sunshine and warmth, although I did have long john's on and wool socks so that helped!

Everyone else got lots of sketches done, but I am so slow that I only got two partly finished--I added a bit more color after I got home. I did the first one with pencil and watercolors and the second was cold turkey with pen. I added color with watercolor pencils later. Being able to use an eraser while I am laying out the sketch is a great luxury, but it's nice to force myself to commit with pen sometimes too. I do like the pencil and watercolor sketch much better.

Magnolia Blossom

2010-01-20T22:52:00.000-08:00

I cropped a photo that John took of a Magnolia blossom awhile ago. Isn't the developing seed amazing? This is a values study in graphite, and I hope to do the drawing again in other mediums. I find backgrounds very difficult and am not too sure whether I like this one or not.

Quick Sketch

2010-01-20T22:48:00.000-08:00

This is a quickie I did while I was sitting on a porch waiting for someone--this was the house across the street.

Fox Squirrels

2010-01-12T12:41:00.000-08:00

I was inspired by Cathy Johnson's sketches of the birds at her feeder to try one of our squirrels. I referred to her book on Creating Nature in Watercolor, and also referred to Making Color Sing by Jeanne Dobie. Jeanne mixes pure pigments to get richer, clearer colors.

We are amused all winter by the antics of these squirrels!

Christmas Watercolors

2009-12-19T18:59:00.001-08:00

I've been wanting to experiment with shades of green and with lighting effects, so Christmas decorations seemed the perfect subject. I bought this wreath because of its nice array of colors and textures--it has Noble Fir, Western Red Cedar and Juniper branches.

Every year I look forward to putting up our Christmas tree because of the festive ambiance it creates in our living room. My all-time favorite Christmas tree is Grand Fir, not only because of its wonderful fragrance, but because of the lovely lacy effect of the lights shining on the silvery undersides of the leaves. I tried to capture the effect of light in this watercolor.

John Reading

2009-12-13T21:17:00.000-08:00

Colored Pencil and Graphite

2009-12-09T20:27:00.000-08:00

Here are some colored pencil and graphite drawings I did a few years ago. Unfortunately, I spelled Fuchsia wrong in the one drawing I gave away so by the time I noticed it, it was too late to correct it! Arrrgggh...

Hair Adventures

2009-12-08T20:37:00.000-08:00

Sarah's friend offered to trim her split ends, which evolved into a hairstyle make-over, as trims tend to do for us amateurs. Since this friend, who shall remain anonymous, (and is a very sweet person btw) had never cut bi-racial hair before, she soon realized that she was in over both of their heads. The shorter Sarah's hair got, the more voluminously curly! And as for cutting it evenly...well forget it...her hair both expands and contracts at the same time. The would-be stylist stopped mid-haircut in a panic which resulted in one long and one short side!

When they came home, Sarah gave me a cheerful hug but her friend seemed strangely sheepish. Then Sarah revealed her hair and I understood it all. This was a job for the intrepid Mark, Sarah's long time hair dresser from Jamaica. He sings, he jokes, he dispenses advice, and he marvelously tames Sarah's mane. And her new hair style is smashing! Thank you, Mark! I occupied myself by doing a sketch while Mark did his magic.

"Octanic Color"

2009-11-23T21:15:00.000-08:00

I started experimenting with water colors this summer when I took a sketching class from Richard Scott. He recommended the book Making Color Sing by Jeanne Dobie as the best book on watercolors that he has seen. I am going through the book chapter by chapter and trying the various techniques and ways to mix color. This chapter is entitled "Octanic Color", and is about how to get clear bright colors.

This time of year, there are not that many bright colors outdoors, but I found a Yule Tide Camellia blossom to paint from my garden. I overworked the petals so they didn't quite turn out as hoped and the background was pretty iffy too. I attempted to fix it up a bit with colored pencil.

My next attempt was the berries on a Madrone tree in my neighbor's parking strip. When I walked up to the tree, the leaves started rustling all over the tree as the birds and squirrels who had been busy gobbling down berries scattered away. They soon settled back into the banquet and seemed to forget I was there. I did a pencil sketch outside then took a photo and painted inside where it was warmer. I am happier with this second attempt at getting bright clear color. I decided to forgo attempting a background on this one. Maybe another chapter will help me with that!

Sketchcrawl Today

2009-11-21T21:43:00.001-08:00

Five of us met to sketch at the Central Library today. I had trouble getting started so didn't have much to show when we met for coffee in mid-afternoon. After our meeting, inspired by the other sketchers and fortified by caffeine, I went back to the library and decided to try these arches and pendant lights.

I sketched this old man reading Issac Asimov earlier in the day. He kept his head fairly still but moved his hands around a lot so I finally gave up on trying to include them in the drawing. The library is a great place to sketch interesting characters.

Captive Subject

2009-11-17T15:17:00.001-08:00

My daughter asked if she could use my computer so I said "Sure, if you let me sketch you while you are at it." Since she really wanted some time online, she agreed. Yes! This was just what I needed--a subject guaranteed to stay fairly still for an extended period! I have been wanting to sketch her for awhile anyway. She's a very pretty girl if I do say so myself!

View of the City

2009-11-13T20:38:00.000-08:00

I took a walk this afternoon along Willamette Boulevard and enjoyed this pretty view of the city. It was too cold to stand and sketch so I took a photo and did this back where it is warm and dry.

Japanese Garden Sketchcrawl

2009-11-11T20:50:00.000-08:00

The Portland Sketchcrawl group met today at the Japanese Garden for a pleasant but chilly afternoon of sketching. Although rain was forecast, only two drops of rain fell on my sketchpad while we were there. We sketched as long as we could take the cold, then headed to a coffee shop for warm refreshments and a 'show and tell' of our sketches. One of my favorite things about sketching with a group is seeing everyone's different styles and choice of subject matter. As we sat in the warmth, chatted and drank tea, the rain started pelting down--great timing!

Smuggling Radishes

2009-11-09T16:03:00.000-08:00

We went out to eat and I had this pretty radish as a garnish beside my fritter. I smuggled the radish home in my purse so I could sketch it the next day. I sketched it in graphite first then water color and colored pencil to see which one I liked best. The water color definitely won--more fun and prettier too in my opinion.

Teapots in the Wild

2009-10-30T20:40:00.000-07:00

I said, "I think I'll sketch a series of teapots next." My husband replied, "Teapots in the wild or domesticated ones?" "Hmmm,teapots in the wild sounds way more fun". So here is my series of teapots sketched in the wild. I did the first one in a coffee shop in Hood River. The next two were sketched at the Chinese Garden Tea House in Portland, and the last one is domesticated--it's my own little teapot sketched in the comfort and safety of my kitchen. I had fun combining pencil and watercolors on that one. I guess tame teapots do have their charms after all!

Sketching Under the Influence

2009-10-26T20:53:00.000-07:00

I often drive across the St Johns Bridge, and nearly every time, I say I would love to draw it "someday". Well about a week ago, on a beautiful autumn day, I took off with my sketchpad, determined to finally do it! When I got there, I realized that I had to forgo the best vantage point since it was in the middle of the street and I wanted to live to sketch another day. I finally settled for a spot on the sidewalk, and got busy sketching with a steady stream of trucks and cars buzzing by. After I did the drawing, I got out my water colors to try to capture the light blue bridge against the dark hill behind it. I had trouble mixing the colors I wanted and started feeling headache-y and whoozy. But I was determined and continued on anyway. Finally the noise started getting to me...the noise of each truck seemed to thunder through my head as it rumbled by...my legs started feeling numb...I knew I had to get home where it was warm and quiet as soon as possible. For some reason, I felt rattled for the next several days and had trouble thinking straight. Later it occurred to me that breathing truck fumes for 2 hours was probably not the best tonic for creative, clear thinking! I did the second ink drawing of the St Johns Bridgein the comfort of my office from a photo I took a few days ago. I learned my lesson! The last two sketches are of the Burnside Bridge. One I did from Waterfront Park, and the other from a poster at the doctors office while I was waiting.