Apple-Pine: September 2018

Sketchbook #114: Playing with ink and making a messy page in my sketchbook

I enjoy playing with ink almost as much as I enjoy playing with watercolors. Which means that I have quite a few and sometimes I forget about some ink that I have and when I find it - the page becomes a true experiment - like this one :) At least pencils are not that many (I love them too)

Sketchbook #114: Drawing People

I really try to draw people around me as often as possible - not because I do it well but because I see people better when I draw them and because I want to get better. Better at drawing and at seeing. Very few have the patience for my portraits but some endure it for years - with and without complaints. Thank you! (you know who you are)

Sketchbook #114: Treasures

I am always struggling with keeping the number of colors under control - especially when I paint colorful things like seashells and sea glass! Abalone pieces are hardest for me - but at least they are so colorful on one side only and she shadow is pretty uniform in color :)

Sketchbook #114: Decluttering with a sketchbook

This spring my working table went through a stage when I could not see it's color and more and more layers of things were accumulating with each passing day. I started cleaning it and drawing things as I "un-piled" them and these are some of the things I found and on the table.

Sketchbook #114: School Concert

I am always pleasantly surprised at the quality of concerts at school and enjoy sketching them! One of the few concerts where sketching is not frowned upon...

Sketchbook #116: Annual Catching Up Post :)

I am slowly trying to catch up on my scanning and posting - which - I now realize - is something I do every year around this time :) Something about spring becoming summer slows my scanning and posting motivation (I draw about the same amount) and just in a few short months, I am over two sketchbooks behind. In addition to that, I work on various projects outside of my sketchbook and things get tangled and complicated because of that too. So I start asking myself why I post and who cares and all that self-talk. In the end, I try to remember that this blog is my vehicle at tracking how much I grow and change and it allows me to look at my work and not be discouraged by daily failures but to keep an eye on a general curve. So once again I am going to catch up my posts to my actual painting and I have a new strategy to try to do so and I have a new strategy to keep myself on track next time - let's see if it works :)

Sketchbook #114: Treasures - collections and single objects.

Sketchbook #114: Overgrown Creek

A small creek runs through the city where I live and its path is controlled by high cement walls - which is necessary for a flood-prone area. Every year it's getting cleaned with bulldozers and large crews of workers and looks very clean and urbanized. But nature is fighting and within a month water brings enough soil to start vegetation and soon it's a thriving ecosystem: ducks bring up their young there, you see squirrels and raccoons go for a walk, butterflies and hummingbirds and all kinds of insects!

Sketchbook #114: Reading Time

It's important to remember (and set your expectations right before you try to sketch someone with a book) that reading is a very active process!

Sketchbook #114: Iris Garden

My painting friend posted about an iris garden in my area and a visit there was immediately put on the list of plans. By the time plans became reality it was an end of the season but the garden did not disappoint: tons of colors and fragrances assaulted me from the beginning. Plus there were ponies to look at, a bunch of rusty cars, a donkey (whom I did not see but heard pretty well) and just beyond the garden - running freely in the field was a beautiful horse with a foal.
But back to the irises - I could not decide on what to paint and then just sat in one spot on top of the hill and turned around me when I needed a new flower to paint up until it was time to go. I have to tell you though - people who name these irises are really funny! (Amethyst Flame, Barocco, somebody's Glory, another's flow, and so on and so forth).

Sketchbook #114 - Treasures

It's a tradition in out household - I collect things to look at and others make or find things for me too. Often people leave these little treasures on my table where they sometimes accumulate in layers and sometimes mix with books and pencils. Cleaning table is a tradition too. And drawing all these traditions is a great joy :)