Father Christmas on the Path

 

With pen and ink I capture Santa on his rounds.  Diamine's Nostalgia is a lovely warm shade from Day 10 of their Inkvent Calendar.  I've penned one of our chickens in, as she follows Santa down the path.  The presents are all set under the tree, stockings are hung, as I listen to the sweet notes of Michael strumming on his guitar.  It's so nice having him home for Christmas Eve. I've missed this boy's guitar playing before bed each night. Painting number 4740 in 4740 days. 

Santa and Beans Mini

 

Blush is such a lovely ink to render Santa cuddling our hen, Beans! Santa likes his chicken cuddling time as much as we do!  This ink took a lot of coats to get this dark, and is rather light on the first layer.  Beans is a Black Star chicken, with a sparky, sweet personality.  Smart and quick to the treats, she's always aware of where the goodies are.  She has lovely red orange feathering from head and neck that turns a shiny black with blues and greens in the light.  I'll need to paint her in oils one day, too do her coloring justice.  Painting number 4735 in 4735 days. 

Santa in the Woods with Chickens

 

What a cool ink to use for this miniature Santa and chicken scene, and I'm using a matching glass dip pen for the rendering!  Door #11 of the Diamine Inkvent Calendar is a keeper!  The ink does not get darker with heavy application, but the color and chroma are lovely and frosty.  I look forward to using this for winter landscapes. Painting number 4732 in 4732 days.  

Santa Chicken Mini Green

 

What a lovely green ink I opened behind door nine 9 - Bittersweet! Crisp and clean, I've captured Santa deep in conversion with one of my girls!  I've never painted Santa in green ink before, but I think I like it! There does not seem to be much chroma variance in this ink, but the color is so fresh. I don't understand the name, though.  In my neck of the woods, bittersweet is a burnt orange color.  The foliage is not even close to this color, either, lol.  Painting number 4730 in 4730 days. 

Talking to Santa

Santa is spending lots of time with my hens - and they are having quite a conversation while I sketch!  Dream Catcher is day 8's super cool ink surprise- and a chromatic turquoise blue that gets red in heavy areas.  This ink could have so many cool applications - I sure hope they offer this one in a large size soon!  Painting number 4728 in 4728 days. 

Santa and Meringue

Behind door number four of the Diamine Inkvent Calendar is this lovely warm brown ink called Smokey Tobacco.  If gives a vintage glow to this Santa drawing, as he cuddles Meringue, one of our Calico Princesses. Once quite yellow, she has gotten lighter as she matures, nearly white on her undercarriage and tail! I've used a matching glass dip pen, and I'm working on an unknown handmade paper.  I often tear up small pieces into miniature ATC size. This painting is number 4727 in 4727 days. 

A special thanks to all who stopped by to see my paintings at the Historic West Bottoms Holiday Open House last night!  It was a lovely evening to celebrate the West Bottoms community with artwork created during the Historic West Bottoms Plein Air event in May.  I've had so much fun exploring this historic area with paint. 

 

Fir and Fog

 

Fir and Fog is behind door 6 of the Diamine Inkvent Calendar, and is a moody gray green, perfect for a winter landscape!  It just happened to be very foggy in the morning, so the day felt right for this ink.  Itreally is a great green for the landscape, unlike any other I own.  I may explore this one more fully, and even look for the large version, if it is released.  I love these special finds behind the doors! Painting number 4726 in 4726 days.

Santa and Chicken Mini

 

Day 3 ink in the Inkvent Calendar is Carousel - a vivid red pigment ink!  I LOVE the color - but it was SO HARD to wash off of my glass dip pen!! It's my first experience with such an ink!  A gorgeous red like this called for a Santa sketch - so I have drawn him with sweet Betsy, who is one of the first gens to jump on my lap!  I love the vivid color, but I prefer an ink that moves with water.  I had to actually scrub and use a brush to get the red ink off of that glass dip pen!  That's crazy!  Painting number 4722 in 4722 days. 

Energy

 

Energy is the Day 2 ink of the Diamine Inkvent Calendar, a cool purple ink with deep olive in the heavy areas!  What a moody ink for a winter lake landscape!  I want to see if there is a reaction to bleach, but I'm out.  I rarely use it and when I recently opened it to use for cleaning, it had gone bad, and didn't help whiten my whites at all.  I like the way it lightens into a soft pink in wet areas, and I think I could make more of the green, too. It's so fun to open a tiny present every day up to Christmas!  Painting number 4718 in 4718 days. 

Tinsel Santa

 

For several years now, I have explored Diamine's Inkvent Calendar as Christmas approaches.  It is a treat to use glass dip pens and sparkling new ink to create the magic of Christmas!  I've got the 2025 one on order, and I can't wait to open each little door containing the gift of a new ink!  Come see this miniature Santa Claus painting in person, now showing at Powell Gardens!  Painting number 4707 in 4707 days. 

Cosmic Glow

 

What a gorgeous snow for a little pen and ink!  Cosmic Glow is another beauty from the Diamine Inkvent Calendar!  I think I'll need to do this one in oils, as well!  This ink is such a vibrant blue - there are so many uses for this ink!  I'm looking forward to exploring more of them! Painting number 5064 in 5064 days. 

Noble Fir Woods

This lovely, almost cad green hue is Diamine's Noble Fir ink from day 3 of their Inkvent Calendar.  It shows a little chroma as it bleeds into wet masses, and a glass dip pen adds a darker layer while still damp.  I want to walk along the bank of this water, exploring further into these woods.  There is so much depth that can be achieved with one ink and a miniature ATC sized paper. Now, we're off to a game of Spades at Mom's tonight!  Painting number 5057 in 5057 days. 

Sunset Sleigh Ride

 

Happy New Year's Eve! I hope you all have an amazing New Year!  Before heading out to celebrate the ringing in of the new year with a family game night, I am sketching a sunset landscape in Sleigh Ride red ink by Diamine, day 15 in the Inkvent Calendar.  The red is lovely and softens when applied to wet areas, getting pretty dark when heavily applied.  It's so fun to play with the inks and pens!  Painting number 5054 in 5054 days. 

Wishing Tree

This ink from the Diamine Inkvent Calendar is misty and moody, abs called Wishing Tree. It reminds me of the Disney Dreaming tree at Walt Disney's  boyhood home.  I love the way it moves with water, and on wet paper.  It's perfect for the winter landscape.  This ink is day 9 of the calendar, and perfectly suited for today's weather.  Now, I'm off to more family fun at Mom's with a Poker Tournament!  Painting number 5052 in 5052 days. 

Winterberry Santa

Santa has been very busy on his journey around the world, and now he's dozing off.  Winterberry is another lovely fountain pen ink from the Diamine Inkvent Calendar, and a perfect color to use on Sleepy Santa.  I sketched this one lightly with India ink first, then went in with glass dip pen and Winterberry red.  I used a little water to move the ink, then a little more ink with the pen to finish. I love this beautiful pen, too.  It's a work of art on it's own!  Painting number 5053 in 5053 days. 

Icy Liac Winter

Icy lilac is such a luscious ink for a winter landscape.  The Diamine Inkvent Calendar is something I look forward to each year, and this one does not disappoint!  I use my glass dip pen to sketch the scene first.  Next, I wet the masses i want to be loose, and drop the ink in.  It spreads as turquoise and pink emerge.  I go back in with a little more ink to those areas i want to boost the contrast.  I love working in miniature, too, especially during such a family packed time!  Painting number 5051 in 5051 days. 

Lullaby Skier

 

Another cool ink from Diamine - Lullaby is a dreamy, pink ink!  I'm looking forward to exploring all that it can do - when I have more time, lol!  I'm using scrap pieces of watercolor that I really don't care for, which is why I've cut them down to experiment with!  Ever frugal, I don't waste anything, so I power through the 140lb cold pressed paper.  This pink is lovely, and an unlikely landscape color, but I like it anyway!  Who says all my colors must be based on realism?  I've worked hard for that artistic license!  Painting number 5046 in 5046 days. 

Marley Woods

 

Marley a moody, chromatic ink with a sepia vintage feel to it.  This is another of Diamine's inks that I will  explore further in the winter months!  SO many ideas, so little time! This is a miniature paper at ATC size, and a dip pen and a little water is all I need to make the magic happen.  I spent most of the day outside, working on my Christmas cards - and it was GORGEOUS out there!  How many Decembers have I been able to do that?!!  The icing on the cake was a visit with my a Aunt Gladys, Uncle Clayton and cousin Carla with Danny and the boys, topped off with a game of Spades to finish the day!  What a great day!  Painting number 5043 in 5043 days. 

Snow Globe Boats

 

Snow Globe is such a beautiful ink for a seascape!  I love opening a new ink each day leading to Christmas - especially when I can discover one as chromatic as this!  The color bleeds into lovely turquoise and lavender on the wet paper, yet remains very dark when applied with a dip pen. The shifts are striking, and serene.  Though I'm inking every day, I find myself too busy to get them all posted, which means I'll be playing catch up and posting them later.  This one is from day 12 of the calendar, my oldest daughter's birthday. This day found us entertained by the goats, roasting marshmallows by the campfire, on nighttime "gater rides" with Nolan, Quinn and Layne, and playing a new card game with Michael dubbed Aww Shucks with Danny and the boys!  What fun the holidays bring, and it's small wonder I can't seem to get my posting in!  Painting number 5041 in 5041 days. 

Icy Lilac

 

What a beautiful, foggy morning for playing with this new ink!  Icy Lilac is 5th in the Inkvent Calendar.  This lovely ink pushes turquoise and pink as it fades into wet areas. The cool blue is very frosty, although this morning is warm and foggy, nearly 50 degrees already.  What a cool ink, I will be reaching for this one again when the weather calls for it.  Painting number 5033 in 5033 days.