New Etchr Sketchbook

Returning from vacation I was delighted to see that my new etchr sketchbooks had arrived.  They are made by the same people who created the Perfect Sketchbook (PS).  These sketchbooks are meant to be a more affordable yet still incredibly high quality everyday answer to the PS.

Thus far, I have only did the one painting below (are my flowers becoming less sad?  Hope so) but the experience was excellent.  They handled multiple washes without an issue.  I will be taking these on my various travels and using them at home.

                Watercolor on 230g acid-free, artist grade 100% cotton paper, 5.5x8.5"

On the Amstel

The first time I was in Amsterdam I was unable to sight see, so this time I made the effort go beyond the convention center.  Between the canal boat ride, the bike tour, and walking (~8k m on the last day), I really got to see this wonderful city.  However, only had one opportunity to do one painting (and the rain prevented me from finishing onsite).  Finished this at home and tried to be more playful with the colors (visited the Van Gogh museum between starting and finishing this for inspiration).

                                       Watercolor on 270 gsm paper 11x8.5

Back to the Rockies and Pikes Peak

"The mountains are calling & I must go

& I will work on while I can,

studying incessantly."

John Muir

                                   Watercolor on 270 gsm paper 11x8.5

The view from our friends back deck in Colorado Springs.  You can see Pikes Peak. . .peaking over the Rockies, cast in the late day shadows, a stark counterpoint to the snowy brilliance of the distant giant.  There is just something inexplicable about mountains, always calling.  To spend time even a brief moment in their presence is to be invigorated.

Tyrion Lannister

He drinks and he knows things.

                        Watercolor on extra weight 270 gsm mixed media paper

Happy Sunflower

I admit that I do not really know what I am doing in regards to using the techniques described by Jean Haines in her wonderful books.  Why sometimes things seem to work well and sometimes. . .not so much.  Such is watercolors.  However, I do know that it is fun to simply try.  

I have posted lots of sad flowers, including a very sad sunflower before. This, this is a happy sunflower!!

                                             Watercolor on 140 lbs block 9x12

Hyacinths. . .really

These are hyacinths. . .really.  More flowers (trying) to use the Jean Haines philosophy.  Kinda a one step forward, two steps back.  Not quite abstract enough and yet not quite true to life. I like it, not sure I "like, like it".  But I don't hate it.  So there is that.  

                               Watercolor on 140 lbs paper 12x16


This is a Big painting (at least for me) at 12 x 16 inches.  Have not done anything this large in a long while.

Jon Snow

Whatcha gonna do Jon Snow?

               Pen & ink and watercolor on extra weight 270 gsm mixed media paper

Captain America

Avengers Endgame has come and gone, with the final fate of Captain America in Marvel Universe now known.  No spoilers here.  Was thinking about doing something related after seeing the movie.  And was asked to do a Cap picture.  So, decided to try something in watercolor and ink.  This is based on a Jack Kirby panel.  The results. . .not bad. 

                                          Watercolor & ink 9x12 on 140 lbs block

Daffodils

April showers bring May flowers indeed.  As a result of all that rain, our daffodils were looking particularly beautiful and inspiring this year.  With this inspiration in mind, I took a bunch of reference photos to paint later.  Below is my first effort.

Starting to feel more comfortable (and loose) with the lessons from Jean Haines' books.  Not there yet, but definitely more better. :)

                                  watercolor on 140 lbs block 9x12

Biscuits

Anyone who knows me, knows that I love biscuits (buttermilk biscuits, cheddar biscuits, jalapeño cheddar biscuits!).  When I travel, I will search out the best breakfast places based on their biscuits.  At fast food restaurants I tend to make little sandwiches out of biscuits and chicken fingers or simply slather them in butter and honey.  Yum!!

                         Watercolor on 6.9 x 9.8 200 GSM Perfect Sketchbook

Practicing Flowers

Sometimes things do not work out the way you want them to do.  Or you feel like you have limited control over your situation.  The uncertainty of Life can be frustrating.  Watercolors are like that too.  And by going with the flow, accepting the things you cannot control, you can achieve a modicum of peace.  Just let the water flow where it will.  

Lately, I have been practicing flowers using two of Jean Haines amazing books: Painting Yourself Calm and Atmospheric Flowers in Watercolor: Painting with Energy and Life.  The results have not always been. . .good.  The experience, however, has been satisfying. 

Below is a card I made.  Getting there took a lot of work. 

"We shall not cease from exploration.  

And the end of all our exploring

Will be to arrive where we started

And know the place for the first time."

Four Quartets

T.S. Eliot

Bamboo

Initially, I was going to put a border around each panel but never got around to it.  Decided to post it today since it does feel rather Spring-y today.

                               Watercolor 9x12 on 140 lbs watercolor block

Et tu hippo (noto)?

What else should you first draw with an ink called Hippo Purple, but a hippo?  Maybe not a hippo that is so serious. . .

This combines some of my favorite things: Rober Oster ink, FPR flex nib, Serendipity Hybrid Pen, and Stillman & Birn sketchbooks.

                                Pen & ink on extra heavy weight 270 gsm mixed media paper

Give Trees a Chance

More mixed media.  The tree is drawn with Birmingham Ink James Salk Serum Umber.  They are such fun inks. I like how this ink goes from a light toffee to a deep dark walnut brown, such a nice range of color.  The background and leaves are watercolor.

                        Pen & ink with watercolor on 5.5 x 8.5 on 140 lbs paper

                          Reference photo: Key West, somewhere by Sunset Key

And here is a little warm up. . .just playing around with puddles of color.

                                     Watercolor on 5.5 x 8.5 on 140 lbs paper

Spring. . . are you coming?

The recent bomb cyclone not withstanding, can Spring be around the corner?  Probably not.  So as we all wait, here is the first in a bunch of Spring-inspired posts.

This is a true mixed media, using watercolor, fountain pen ink, opaque watercolor, and Tombow brush pens. The background is a simple watercolor wash, the body of the butterfly's body and wing veins are Birmingham Lilac Wind ink, the wing cells are Tombow brush pens, and the white dots are Dr. Ph Martin's Bleed Proof White.

          Watercolor + pen & ink on extra heavy weight 270 gsm mixed media paper

Petrified Forest

Another watercolor and ink experiment. Over top the watercolor I laid down fountain pen ink (Schenley Park Thicket Green, Birmingham Pen Co), especially to represent the moss on the petrified trees.  

                        Watercolor and ink 9x12 140 lbs watercolor block

Angry Andrew

The governor of NY always seems to be angry, but that makes for interesting creases and wrinkles worth sketching.

But really, this picture was just an excuse to fully try out G.C. Murphy Tarnished Nickle ink (Birmingham Pen Co.) that I used as an accent color on the Rusted Pipe.  It is a complex grey ink with blue and pink undertones.  I just love it!  To round out the picture, I added a touch of watercolor to give his face a bit of color.

         Pen & Ink on extra heavy weight 270 gsm mixed media paper (Stillman & Birn)

This is just a quick sketch but you can really see how complex the G.C. Murphy Tarnished Nickle ink.  Just so much fun!

Spyhopping Orca

Spyhopping or photobombing?  You decide.  

This is another piece using a similar technique as the unfinished penguin (ie, letting high granulating paints do their thing).  Daniel Smith's Lunar Black really is an interesting paint.

                         Watercolor 9x12 on 140 lbs watercolor block


I hardly ever do a study before painting or drawing (probably should).  I did this itty-bitty orca for fun and liked it so much that I did the larger one above.

                                               Watercolor 3.5x5 on paper

Unfinished Penguin

Some people have unfinished business, I have an unfinished penguin.  Go figure.

I might finish this. . .but then, probably not.

              watercolor on 6.9 x 9.8 200 GSM (110 lbs) Perfect Sketchbook

Rusted Pipe

Much like the little tree frog doodle, this is also not watercolor but ink (with a splash of watercolor in blue).  I am really enjoying the Birmingham Pen Co inks, with such fun names like Carrie Furnace Pig Iron (the rusted red brown) and G.C. Murphy Tarnished Nickel (the steel black).  This is a bit of a departure from the stuff I have been doing lately.  Always nice to try something different.  

     Brush and ink on extra heavy weight 270 gsm mixed media paper (Stillman & Birn)