On the Perch

On the Perch
Pen & Ink on paper, 5x6

Today is Mike’s birthday, and after dinner and cake, I finally get to my easel.  I am working in pen and ink tonight, and the change from bold, vivid oils to pen and paper is a drastic one.  It is a bit of a struggle to go from such loose, free brushwork to the very linear work here.  I have slipped a bit in keeping up with my sketch journal, but I am determined to catch up.    I really need to get faster to be able to squeeze one more thing into my daily routine!  I will be doing figure painting this month, and I sat down to my journal to sketch out some figures......but the pen went where it would, and I have ended up with a couple of sweet cat drawings - in preparation for paintings to come.  This pen and ink piece is number 1156 in 1156 days.  Perhaps I’ll get to those figures tomorrow!

Drippy Bluebird

Drippy Bluebird
Watercolor on paper, 10x7

My daughter had asked me for an abstract, watercolor bluebird painting a couple of weeks ago.  She told me she wanted it to be 6 foot tall for her dorm room! After responding that watercolor paper does not come that large, I didn't hear further on the subject.  She came home for the weekend, and the topic came up again, she was kidding about size - so I started working on a bluebird.  I haven't had my watercolors out for a while, and it as fun to be playing in the water again! This is actually the third one I painted today - and her favorite.  I used three kinds of paper, this an arches 140 lb cold pressed.  I looked high and low, but I think I must be out of my favorite 300 lb paper block.  I simply love the way the heavy weight paper allows the paint to mingle and spread - and I love the texture as well.  Another thing I LOVE about watercolors?  They are SUPER fast to work in - which is this busy girl's "go to" on a day full of lunch out with family, visiting Mike's parents, and getting home in time to frame before Michaela makes the long drive back to campus! This painting makes 1006 in 1006 days :)