Sketching Upstate.

The weekend Upstate turned into learning and reading sessions. Had to be quick, before the dusk made everything black. Used this flat brush the most. Paper allows lots of water, but drying makes me impatient. 

I drew from the car, because I forgot the chair home. Was not sure that it is not private property. The farm, which we call "Children of the corn farm", after a scary movie, was across the road.

Far away young cattle was relaxing, black cows, but one young bull kept coming towards me and yelling, scaring me and echo was even more threatening. I was trying to capture big relationships of sky, ground and water, and different greens. Funny, I always include so much in composition, that it is hard to get to details and still I can't be satisfied with the result, I want it more simple or something more detailed. May be this why I felt the need to use a pen. 

Interesting, that this watercolor had a big respond on Facebook. Next time I want to paint sky wet-on-wet and be braver with it.

Sketching with Rembrandt watercolors.

Trying not to get lost in detailing, but keep big relationships alive. Hard, I think, I cover too much of a previous layer. Need more thinking and control.

Here worked mostly with 2 flat brushes, but, I guess, the subject was not right, should look for open landscape next time. It was a good time spent, wine, listening to music on Pandora,  conversation with the friend, good food, but my drawing suffered. I used Zeta sketchbook and felt like I am not using it to the full potential, leaving more paper exposed and not enough experimenting. 

Sketching in Morikami Japanese garden in Delray Beach, Florida, with 2 flat brushes and Rembrandt watercolor.

I finally got to try this 2 flat brushes, I wanted for a long time. Synthetic Da Vinci wash brushes. I used vintage Rembrandt watercolor in Zeta sketchbook, which was my companion on my trip to Florida.
Japanese garden was perfect place for it, every corner looked beautiful, I think, I could spend a month there sketching non-stop and learning.

Bamboo trees, small bridges, lake, waterfalls, rocks.

It takes around 2 hours to walk around, to look at the museum with clothes and examples of a life style from Japan at the beginning of the century.

Quick sketch in Zeta sketchbook, with beer and old squirrel brush.

Quick sketch before the dusk. Used big old flat squirrel brush in Zeta sketchbook, it got dark momentarily, but at least I didn't finish my beer with lemon and and a friend was still singing and playing guitar near the fire.

Another one from my daughter's balcony, also using this big brush and a bit of an outliner from my last butch of pens from JetPens. Mountains different every time I look at them. Magic.

Sketching table with vintage Rembrandt watercolor in Zeta sketchbook.

It was no time to go anywhere, so I looked at one of my favorite spots, wooden table in a shadow, where we had so many memorable breakfasts with friends and family. I used Zeta sketchbook by Stillman & Birn, paper is so strong and takes a lot of washes. It was wonderful to use real brushes: mop brush, Da Vinci Kolinsky, another tiny Da Vinci travel brush. The assignment I gave to myself was to start from big washes and layer it leaving some parts untouched, getting only big shapes. Also I was trying to use Marc Taro's advice to spend more time on drawing.

Scanner ate up blues, so it is more bold than in reality. It is time to get a new scanner, but I have other priorities now.
I love learning, so this conversations with myself, involving pencil and watercolor (in this case vintage Rembrandt, I got on UK Ebay), following particular decision, makes me happy and takes my mind off everyday's problems. I still overdid it, I should've finish more foliage on the top. I am totally avoiding to do a "pretty" picture, only following my own instruction.

Forth of July weekend.

I felt I overworked it a bit. Zeta sketchbook by Stillman & Birn, vintage Rembrandt watercolors, hot weather, Hunter Lake.

Flowers.

Wonderful day.

I miss drawing so much, that managed to draw in traffic coming back from the country. Just to hold the pencil is a happy moment.

A day Upstate.

Near the stream, accommodated by a friend.

Was trying to control myself not to slip into drawing details, but following the Artist's advice, Marc Holmes.
I was right, saving Stillman & Birn sketchbook for watercolor sketches, paper deserve to be used for more serious studies.

Was completely spoiled by my friend. :)

Carrousel Sin Fin.

Carrousel Sin Fin... My interpretation of one of my favorite songs by Federico Aubele " Carrousel Sin Fin". I have been carrying this image in my head for a long time, since the concert, it was on my to do list. I didn't know the lyrics, couldn't find translation online, so just obeyed the feelings from this song, just trusted the melody.

Here is the actual song. Carrousel Sin Fin.
May be someone, who understand Spanish, will tell what this song is about? I used ink, bits of gold paint, didn't scan well, few Kuretake pens. We should always do what we planned, even if t is not coming out the way see it in our heads. I feel better now, even it is not exactly what I was dreaming about. 

Orange juice or getting back to myself.

Orange juice on the plane. Watercolor in Beta sketchbook.

3 min sketch in South Florida.

Kilwins ice cream in Delray Beach.

End of october.

Another sketch of Holiday. Watercolor. Having fun, hope it all would work.

Drew yesterday in the doc office. Miss drawing a lot.

2 compositions.

Did another little rendering in watercolor in Delta sketchbook by Stillman and Birn. I was right leaving Stillman and Birn sketchbooks for color, it is not only takes washes like strong watercolor paper, but supports the color intensity. I used my old set "Winsor & Newton" 24 colors. And sprayed set with water, listening to Cathy Johnson advice, it revived paints.
I found this tiny spray bottles for a dollar in some pharmacy, like Duane Rid or CVS,  travel kit, it is smaller then Holbein and works fine, I keep it handy on the table.

This one colorful but maybe too simplistic in composition. I may need to do something else. It is pretty exaggerated. I may do the Wall behind or silhouette of the city. I was trying to depict pure emotion.

In progress.

So far thoughts in progress. Adding watercolor and searching for the right material. I know compositions should be simple and colors bright and blue prevailing.
I used Delta sketchbook by Stillman and Birn, it holds the color nicely and allows heavy application of wet media. Love this paper.

Ave I.

Sketched on Ave. I with watercolor while waiting. It was a little experiment. I tried to go from bigger wash to smaller strokes and keep tonal value.  Weird. Feel serious need to pull out real brushes.

Spent few minutes in the waiting room in the doc's office. I need to be more loose with pencil sketches.

Sketching with watercolor.

On Sunday morning we got Maggie's breakfast from Krooked cafe in Tannersville, the best breakfast in the world. Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon, a little bit of home fries, salad and few slices of fruits.

Sketched on the porch  with watercolors while waiting.  Struggled with small water brush, wishing I'll have my regular brushes with me.

We had a little sketch crawl afternoon. Lake was beautiful and all sad thoughts vanished for a while.

Here is my sketch. Really need to carry with me bigger brushes.

Quick sketch for a mural.

First thought for a mural in the dining room. Pencil and watercolor (Bijou) in Delta sketchbook by Stillman & Birn.

Morning sketch.

Quick sketch in Gamma sketchbook early in the morning, realising my Ipod is utterly outdated and that I need to grow into myself to feel more comfortable. Hard with no heat in the house, plus I took with me old and messy water brush.

Schnitzel.

We have no heat again and it is freezing in my room.
During our ordeal in the midst of the hurricane Sandy, on one of the days, my husband hiked to the street (no power, no heat, don't remember if also no water, no elevator) and it was  truck on the street with hot food, "Schnitzel & Things", sponsored by mayor Bloomberg. My husband brought it also to my poor friend, who stuck on 20th floor, sick and in pain, forgotten.  It was suddenly a piece of normality, meat, hot, pretty, like it is possible to live again, and somewhere life and other people.
So I drew it.

Staten Island.

Always fascinated by the trees. Here was totally charmed by this big tree taking up the whole street view. Bright red hydrant adding finishing touch. I drew it first in watercolor (my Shin-Gansai from Japan), than washed it off and inked on the top. I used some amazingly strong paper, I think Winsor and Newton, it sanded off my brushes and now they lost points and I have to throw it out, which is very painful for me. Staten Island is pretty cute in many parts, just paying $13 bucks for a toll is unpleasant.

Perfect weekend. At the lake. Delta sketchbook.

Washes in hardbound Delta sketchbook with watercolor and list to-do. Went to the lake and sketched between swimming. I was trying to keep washes loose, indicating relationships between big plans. I experimented with different brushes and paper was so strong, kept up with my treacherous exercise.  Was not that sunny, but I got burned.

Pig was patient with me and almost well behaved.

Next day I decide to paint the other side of the lake with watercolor on the other side of my sketch in Delta sketchbook by Stillman & Birn. Nothing bled through, amazing quality sketchbook. Too many people decide to pass by, I didn't care, main concern was for Piglet not to bite anyone or be eaten by bigger dog. He didn't stop barking, so I could not concentrate on my sketch and was consumed by the sun.

Chips.

It was too much rain, so it was fire in the wood stove, chips and endless reading on Kindle. And yes, butter pecan ice cream. Managed quick sketch in Delta by Stillman & Birn in watercolor (Bijou box) and Uranus pen.