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Kitty on the Velella – A Peek inside my Watercolor Journal

Kitty on the Velella – A Peek inside my Watercolor Journal

These pages started with a pencil drawing of the little kitty that is traveling with Prescott (my nephew) and Meghan, on her sailboat, Velella, as they sail their way from Seattle through the Panama Canal and over to the Atlantic Ocean.  We spent a weekend sailing with them in June as they have docked in L.A. for awhile to regroup.  This kitty did, as kitties do, the cute curled-up-into-a-soft-warm-ball-time-for-a-nap, as we sailed to Catalina Island, giving me time to sketch her.

I am finally getting around to working on and finishing these pages by adding watercolor washes, gold gesso, and water-soluble stabilo pencil.  I have been anxious to incorporate pages from the used Japanese paperback book that I bought at Portland’s fabulous bookstore, Powell’s.

I love how the kanji characters (the Japanese alphabet) flow gracefully downward.  They remind me of branches of a weeping willow tree hanging over a pond.  I used pages from the book to make the houses then painted a light watercolor wash, stabilo pencil and doodles over them.

More Watercolor Journeys Classes

More Watercolor Journeys Classes

I just finished teaching my Watercolor Journeys Class in Bend, Oregon.  We had a lot of fun and pushed the limits with mixed media: gesso, mat medium, mica powers.  (left to right) Karol showing the cover of her journal, Janviere has her colorful daisy painting, Michal is showing us the inside cover and vignettes on the go of her trip to the orient, Liz is showing us her image transfer cover and Chris worked on her journal about traveling to the Southwest.  Missing are Phylis and Ingrid, who had to leave a bit early.  Great Work!

Watercolor Vignettes from Ponet; a Peek inside my Watercolor Journal

Watercolor Vignettes from Ponet; a Peek inside my Watercolor Journal

Inspired by my blogger friend, Laure and her thoughts on using different formats, I thought I would share this page from my Provence, 2009 Watercolor Journal. 
Directions:  using artist tape, tape off some shapes on a watercolor page in your journal.  Paint a watercolor wash.  Here I used an analogous mix of yellows, greens and blues.  Draw in some little vignette drawings.  Then add some more color to increase the value in certain areas.  Pull off the tape and journal in the white areas. 
Be sure to check out Laure’s wonderful painting of a Canadian Goose using a long format!

A Lovely Time was had by All!

A Lovely Time was had by All!

Nine out of twelve of our Provence, 2009 group gathered for a reunion at Barb’s beautiful cabin along the banks of the Deschutes River.  We were thrilled that Irene flew out from Wisconsin for the occasion.  The weather was gorgeous!  Liz, as seen below, was into the pure spirit of painting plein air.  Others painted inside the house.

And others went on a fall walk instead:
Watercolor Journeys at Art & Soul, Portland 2010

Watercolor Journeys at Art & Soul, Portland 2010

Colorful Daisies, Students Work
Colorful Daisies, Students Work

Many thanks to all my wonderful new and returning students that attended my Watercolor Journeys, Inspirations from Travel’s class at the Portland Art & Soul Retreat 2010.  Your paintings turned out wonderfully beautiful and colorful.   No muddy colors here!  It was nice to meet everyone, especially those of you who travel so far:  Lynn from Cleveland, Denise and Lori from CA, Carol and Rosemary from WA and all the others from the Portland area: Lisia, Danielle, Tracey, Joyce, Mary & Carolyn.  Many of you were brand new to watercolor and I hope you enjoyed your introduction to painting.

Getting Ready for the Portland Art & Soul Retreat 2010

Getting Ready for the Portland Art & Soul Retreat 2010

One of my favorite things that I do when I get ready to teach my Watercolor Journeys, Inspirations from Travel Class, is to put together watercolor goody bags for each student.  They are filled with art prompts and useful items for creating art in your journals.  There are still a few spots available in this class if you would like to sign up!  If you live in the Bend area, I am teaching a similar class at Arts Central, called Watercolor and Mixed Media for the Traveling Artist.

Demonstration at Bend’s Fall Art Hop: October 1, 2010

Demonstration at Bend’s Fall Art Hop: October 1, 2010

What a beautiful evening it is going to be in Bend.  The weather is warm but autumn is in the air and the trees are showing their fall colors.  I am packing my car with new paintings, prints, cards and new jewelry and a few supplies to set up a watercolor demonstration at the Birkenstock Store.  I will have some examples of what I will be teaching in my upcoming class at Central Oregon’s Art Central.  Come by and see what is new!

It was a Beautiful Day, A Peek inside my Watercolor Journal

It was a Beautiful Day, A Peek inside my Watercolor Journal

My brother, sister-in-law, friend and I were exploring the little hilltop villages of Provence, France last September.  We stopped in the town of Segûret.  The sun was shining, the ochre-colored walls were glowing and the shadows were filled with colorful light.  Every little corner was a painting waiting to happen.  Here is my journal painting of Segûret.  The design on the wall is a note about the ripe, delicious figs that I would find lying on the ground.  We don’t get figs like this in Oregon.  Have you ever had the chance to pick figs ripe off of the tree?
Strolling on a Sunny Day
Mt Hood with Lavender Fields, a Peek inside my Watercolor Journal

Mt Hood with Lavender Fields, a Peek inside my Watercolor Journal

Mt. Hood with Lavender Fields

Here is a page from one of my larger journals.  I use the Arches Field Watercolor book.  It comes in 2 sizes (10×7 inches or 14×10 inches)  I uses both sizes.   Here is a link for the journals at Dick Blick Art Supplies:  Journals.  Other stores carry them too.  I love these journals because they are filled with Arches fabulous 140 lb watercolor paper and hard bound with a spiral wire binding so that they lay flat when painting.