Jack-o-lantern Mouse

 

It's fun to sketch this little trick-or-treater with a favorite TWSBI Diamond Mini fountain pen and ink!  In this small pen I keep De Atrementis archive ink, which does not move with water.  I use it for the initial sketch lines before I start to fill in with more ink and watercolor.  This pen has an extra fine nib, one of the few that do, and it in perfect for early sketch lines.  I do need to be careful not to tear this thin handmade paper with that extra fine nib. Every sketch is an exploration of both ink and paper!  Painting number 5174 in 5174 days. 

Jack-o-lantern

This has been a fun Halloween with the family here to celebrate with food, games and candy!  Still nice enough to grill out and play outside, it was fun to unwind and enjoy the season.  Maybe we'll turn this family Halloween party into a yearly event!  In honor of the day, I painted a quick ink and watercolor in miniature of one of the jack-o-lanterns that set out for many years!  Painting number 3208 in 3208 days. 

Jack-O-Lantern!

Jack-O-Lantern!
Oil on panel, palette knife 6x6

I have stepped back into "crazy town" tonight!  After a FULL day of shopping with my youngest daughter, we got home late - getting a late start on my painting.  With this one, I picked the opposite color to lay down first of whatever area I was blocking in.  The reason for this strange approach is that the opposite colors should make the "real" colors pop like crazy.  It is challenging to lay those colors on top of the others without completely neutralizing them.  This is the first jack-o-lantern I have ever painted - so of course, I have to pick the new, crazy palette knife way!  Haha!  This is painting number 294 in 294 days - maybe I'll do some fun, spooky pieces leading up to Halloween :)