Opening Page to sketchbook #31

I am almost done posting form this book - it's all in one sent on my Flickr :)

Jacaranda Tree Stop

I was a little early for an appointment and decided to hunt for a 20 min adventure on my way. Jacaranda trees are painting my life in a beautiful, lace lilac color - so the choice was obvious ;) I sketched a tree, took a picture of me sketching (while waiting for paint to dry a little more) and picked up a couple of flowers and seed pods to look closer.
Jackaranda tree
Jacaranda tree stop
Jacaranda tree - small parts
I am trying to use some soapy water with watercolor since I ended up with a moleskine sketchbook again - it works much better - and bubbles are fun ;)

Illustration Friday: Drifting


if09_drifting, originally uploaded by apple-pine.

I really enjoy the way light plays on my working table :) This came out much more purple than I expected somehow but it is what it is ;)

Illustratio Friday: Unfold


if09_unfold, originally uploaded by apple-pine.

May 2009: Trip to New York - part IV

My mini gouache set worked perfectly in a busy Manhattan street - right between a road workers, taxi drivers whistling and honking, a team of begging-singing locals and a herd of children off school. That is what I call a kaleidoscope ;)

Buildings: rood tops, trees on roofs, pipes, I even got some people in my sketches :)

May 2009: Trip to New York - 8 May 2009: Trip to New York - 7

Book review: The art of field sketching

The Art of Field Sketching The Art of Field Sketching by Clare W. Leslie


My review


rating: 5 of 5 stars
I enjoy looking at how other people work with text and images in their sketchbooks, especially if it's a naturalist sketchbook. And this is a great collection of different pages by different artists dealing with nature as they see it every day. This book is very similar in the content to the "Keeping a Nature journal" and "Nature Journaling" by the same author though has more instructions if you are interested in techniques and starting points, it also talks a little more about sketching in the city, at home ans sketching as an ongoing part of your life.


View all my reviews.

May 9, 2009: Stanford Powwow


May 9, 2009: Stanford Powwow, originally uploaded by apple-pine.

Our friends invited us to visit Stanford Powwow and, until little one started to crash, it was a blast!

I tried to sketch some :)

May 9, 2009: Stanford Powwow May 9, 2009: Stanford Powwow

Hidden Villa June 6, 2009

A great little hike with a bunch of kids and their parents. Some piglets coming in the next post ;) Wet feet, strawberries by the creek, smell of chickens - great day! :)

Hidden Villa June 6, 2009: Jerusalem Sage

More at sketching in nature

May 2009: Trip to New York - part III

Museums - one of the main points of my visit to NY - here is a snapshot of some of my pages with notes on what I chose to visit ;)

Below - what fell on my book while I waited for rain to stop or at least slow down a little and a view from under that same tree that bore me these gifts - also while waiting ;)

May 2009: Trip to New York - 8 - Rain Gifts May 2009: Trip to New York - 6 - E91st&5th

Pencil at home


Pencil at home, originally uploaded by apple-pine.

A few pencil pages - click on the image to see some additional notes and comments.
Do you think I should I re-post texts here or keep them here only?

Pencil in the park Pencil in the park

June 4, 2009: "Poppy Field" hike

Blogged at sketching in nature:
http://naturesketchers.blogspot.com/2009/06/june-4-2009-poppy-field-hike.html

June 4, 2009: "Poppy Field" hike - 2

Oakland Zoo Visit

Little one was running like crazy with his friend. And wanted to draw :) So as a result - some bruises, some sketches, lots of great animals - (the ones I did not have a chance to draw are: crocodile up CLOSE, ibis, hyena, zebras - to name a few that really struck a cord with us).
And lunch in between :)
Oakland Zoo Visit - after lunch

May 2009: Trip to New York - part II


May 2009: Trip to New York - 5 - View on Hudson from the garden, originally uploaded by apple-pine.
May 2009: Trip to New York - 4 - Beech
May 2009: Trip to New York - 3 - Botanical Garden

One of these I showed earlier I think - in process, posted from my phone:
Plein Air New York

I think I have a couple more of the process - will find and post later ;)