Snowy Road through Town

On this cold winter's day, I have my hot tea close and Game of Thrones playing.  Since I was a child, I have been drawn to the warm, pastoral scenes of Currier and Ives.  Today, I am channeling that love into my handmade watercolor sketchbook with pen and ink.  Once the India ink is good and dry, I flow the watercolor over the top.  I have all four of my Watercolor Confection pan sets out - and I jump between them with my brush pens.  I am laying on stronger color and deeper values, as the whim takes me.  This is the first day I've dipped into the "pastel dreams" and the "tropicals". I am REALLY enjoying these paints!  I so seldom have a day when I can get lost in my artwork, and I am seizing this day!  This is painting number 1465 in 1465 days :)

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November at the Elms

Tonight finds me sketching in my marvelous handmade watercolor journal with pen and ink.  After staying at The Elms last weekend, the hotel has been on my mind, wanting to be rendered.  It is a challenging subject, as the building is vast and intricate, and I am working from photo reference.  I SO prefer to be standing in front of my subject!  Once I get the drawing where I want it to go, I decide whether to add watercolor or not.  I love the thick, textured handmade paper, and it seems a waste to not apply the watercolor.  I use my tiny travel set of pan watercolors with my new brush pens - and I love them!   The colors are opaque, instead of my usual transparent palette, and the pens are certainly different from my high dollar brushes, but I still love the way this set up uniquely works.  These paintings are not for sale.  I think I will finish the book in its entirety and then decide to keep it or sell it.  It is going to be so much fun to see these pages unfold!   Painting number 1410 in 1410 days :)

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Nutcrackers for Sale

I am "drawn" to nutcrackers!  These are the first I've seen for the season - and they demanded my attention!   I found these three lined up on a shelf, and I took out my favorite fine Pitt pen and got to work.   With only 30 minutes to draw before meeting the others in the cafe for lunch, I worked fast.  As I finished my sketch, I checked my watch for the time before grabbing my watercolors.  Darn!   It was time to go, no time for adding color today!   Now I'm wondering if I should add color or not?  Maybe I should just do one in oils, or acrylics?   This handmade sketchbook is SO special!   I may never go back to ordinary again......!  This painting is the 1401st in 1401 days :)