Scavenger Hunt from Life #144: Jan 6 - Jan 14
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Joan T
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Ned, hopefully the cold spell should break after tomorrow, but the forecast is for a little snow on Saturday.
Grapes, my pizza boxes are always a mess. I wouldn't be able to use them. lol
My sketch group met last night and our subject was sewing novelties.
9 - zipper - watercolors and ink
10 - rosy thread
11 - nature - watercolors and ink
12 - metal guardrail
13 - water view
I've been participating in a collage workshop on line that's been keeping me pretty busy. This is the first collage I made from the papers I painted for the workshop. In this one we focused on contrasts in the size, color, and shape of the pieces. It has been fun but I'm a bit behind in the lessons. First I have to watch the lesson and then actually do it. I was supposed to do two more small ones today.
Grapes, my pizza boxes are always a mess. I wouldn't be able to use them. lol
My sketch group met last night and our subject was sewing novelties.
9 - zipper - watercolors and ink
10 - rosy thread
11 - nature - watercolors and ink
12 - metal guardrail
13 - water view
I've been participating in a collage workshop on line that's been keeping me pretty busy. This is the first collage I made from the papers I painted for the workshop. In this one we focused on contrasts in the size, color, and shape of the pieces. It has been fun but I'm a bit behind in the lessons. First I have to watch the lesson and then actually do it. I was supposed to do two more small ones today.
Jo Castillo
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Busy folks around here.
Grapes, mmmm, the white rose just sings. Beautiful in the double photo! You know I love red so the rosy is so nice. Nifty you did it front and back. Love that! The bouquet red and white is lovely, too. What kind of under paint on wood? Gesso? The white hanging one is lovely, too. Thanks for the photos. Yes, IG likes square, eh? I haven't bought radishes in a while, I should copy your idea and paint some. Fun.
Joan, the sewing items are so well done. I need the pin cushion, my mother in law had one like that. I wonder...... Your no parking sign made me smile, pretty sure you were parked there....Ha. Your collage is pretty cool. It could qualify for "jam" like in traffic. Fun to see.
Hi all the rest! Thanks all around.
Thinking of the fire people, so sad. We lost our house and most of our stuff in the big fire here in 2011. For Ned and others who may not know, we were in New Mexico for 2 months so had lots of our world with us. Computers, bike, paintings, art stuff, camp stuff, trailer. It was rough and took a long time to get back to "normal". Here there were 2 lives lost and almost 1700 homes but very few businesses, most was State Park. So we had hotels, restaurants, grocery stores, schools and jobs. The California folks have none of their base left. Wow.
Grapes, mmmm, the white rose just sings. Beautiful in the double photo! You know I love red so the rosy is so nice. Nifty you did it front and back. Love that! The bouquet red and white is lovely, too. What kind of under paint on wood? Gesso? The white hanging one is lovely, too. Thanks for the photos. Yes, IG likes square, eh? I haven't bought radishes in a while, I should copy your idea and paint some. Fun.
Joan, the sewing items are so well done. I need the pin cushion, my mother in law had one like that. I wonder...... Your no parking sign made me smile, pretty sure you were parked there....Ha. Your collage is pretty cool. It could qualify for "jam" like in traffic. Fun to see.
Hi all the rest! Thanks all around.
Thinking of the fire people, so sad. We lost our house and most of our stuff in the big fire here in 2011. For Ned and others who may not know, we were in New Mexico for 2 months so had lots of our world with us. Computers, bike, paintings, art stuff, camp stuff, trailer. It was rough and took a long time to get back to "normal". Here there were 2 lives lost and almost 1700 homes but very few businesses, most was State Park. So we had hotels, restaurants, grocery stores, schools and jobs. The California folks have none of their base left. Wow.
NedL
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Joan -- love the bright colors in the sewing items - nicely done. Like the blue in the water 
hope you weren't parked there 
Your collage has lots of contrasting tones and size and shape! I couldn't believe it was 78° when I got over near Santa Rosa where I walked today. That's very unusual for this time of year... hopefully it will move East to you all....
Ai -- Thanks, those fires are more than 400 miles ( 650 km ) south of here. How strange - and awful - to have big fires in the middle of winter.
I managed a sketch right after my walk. A sculpture in the park I went to. The sculpture is called "circle of life".
#3 metal sculpture
hope you weren't parked there Your collage has lots of contrasting tones and size and shape! I couldn't believe it was 78° when I got over near Santa Rosa where I walked today. That's very unusual for this time of year... hopefully it will move East to you all....Ai -- Thanks, those fires are more than 400 miles ( 650 km ) south of here. How strange - and awful - to have big fires in the middle of winter.
I managed a sketch right after my walk. A sculpture in the park I went to. The sculpture is called "circle of life".
#3 metal sculpture
Jo Castillo
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Ned, the sculpture is perfect for metal. Fun....
I sketched at my computer using FaceTime for my mirror. Number 4 yourself in the Conda sketchbook 8.5 x 11 inches, plain paper, Micron 03
I sketched at my computer using FaceTime for my mirror. Number 4 yourself in the Conda sketchbook 8.5 x 11 inches, plain paper, Micron 03
Joan T
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Jo, I know you are well aware of how scary and devastating those fires can be. I just got a note that my nephew's parents were evacuated and they have 6/7 friends who lost their homes. I'm praying they can get it under control. Good sketch of yourself!
Ned, thanks. I always think that if I'm not in the car I'm not really "parked." lol Fun metal sculpture from the park.
Another chilly day here...26 this morning. I'm hoping it will get a little warmer tomorrow.
Ned, thanks. I always think that if I'm not in the car I'm not really "parked." lol Fun metal sculpture from the park.
Another chilly day here...26 this morning. I'm hoping it will get a little warmer tomorrow.
AiArts
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Joan: Wow... the sewing novelties are superb... they all just sing. The nature piece with water view is excellent too. And you also keeping busy with making collages. You are such an art shinkanzen (bullet train). Bravo !!!
Ned: The metal sculpture is very interesting. I love how you recorded their various colors.... well done.
Jo: What can I say... I love your SP. I feel like you will be a good listener from your sketch ... lol.
Ned: The metal sculpture is very interesting. I love how you recorded their various colors.... well done.
Jo: What can I say... I love your SP. I feel like you will be a good listener from your sketch ... lol.
Grapes
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Jo, thank you! Love your portrait! 
These wood panels I prepared myself from the scratch. First sanding with sand paper, lots of sanding. I made my own gesso by following the receipt from Sadie Valeri in her blog. She uses clay + pigment + clue. I wanted to try clay. Other times I also buy ready made gesso.
Joan, ha .. it's those frozen pizza boxes that I only can use. Other pizzas is a mess. Lovely paintings done with your sketch group.
Ned, very nice sculpture you found on your walks! Glad you're far from the fires. I'm following intensively what's happening with the fires. 
I'm under a heavy snow storm today and tomorrow. Nothing unusual for our winter.
Tomorrow I was going to go to paint inside the warm Winter Garden of Helsinki with the sketch group but with all this snow I don't know if I can make it.
These wood panels I prepared myself from the scratch. First sanding with sand paper, lots of sanding. I made my own gesso by following the receipt from Sadie Valeri in her blog. She uses clay + pigment + clue. I wanted to try clay. Other times I also buy ready made gesso.
Joan, ha .. it's those frozen pizza boxes that I only can use. Other pizzas is a mess. Lovely paintings done with your sketch group.
Ned, very nice sculpture you found on your walks!
Glad you're far from the fires. I'm following intensively what's happening with the fires. I'm under a heavy snow storm today and tomorrow. Nothing unusual for our winter.
Tomorrow I was going to go to paint inside the warm Winter Garden of Helsinki with the sketch group but with all this snow I don't know if I can make it.
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jmfletch
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Jo - Nice set of sketches. Do you see or feel a difference between ink and graphite when hatching? Props on real looking car! You look so sad in your SP.
Ned - Love the quiet sketch. Draws you in. The rock painting is really a WIP and ends in a beautifully shaded watercolor! Whatever you did gor sharing and making darks worked! Cool Circle of life painting!
Joan - the Blue Island painting is excellent. So much detail and you nailed it all. My mother was a seamstress. The pin cushion , straight pin box and spools all look like hers. Thanks for pretty painting and fond memories. The collage looks like wc abstract.
Ai - Super graphite work on sandals. Great job shading.
Grapes - a beautiful series of rose paintings, as several have said your brush work really captures the textures. Dark and dirty is my fav. Enjoy the snow and hope it does not stop your trip.
#1 red - artificial roses. Kinda of cheated on this as space was limited on page so I blocked in shapes with graphite then inked. Learned a few things doing this. Hatching with ink takes more thought and planning than graphite. The Jinhao pen feels good and ink flows well when writing but feels very different drawing. The Lamy pen feels great both writing and drawing.
Keep sketching
Fletch
Ned - Love the quiet sketch. Draws you in. The rock painting is really a WIP and ends in a beautifully shaded watercolor! Whatever you did gor sharing and making darks worked! Cool Circle of life painting!
Joan - the Blue Island painting is excellent. So much detail and you nailed it all. My mother was a seamstress. The pin cushion , straight pin box and spools all look like hers. Thanks for pretty painting and fond memories. The collage looks like wc abstract.
Ai - Super graphite work on sandals. Great job shading.
Grapes - a beautiful series of rose paintings, as several have said your brush work really captures the textures. Dark and dirty is my fav. Enjoy the snow and hope it does not stop your trip.
#1 red - artificial roses. Kinda of cheated on this as space was limited on page so I blocked in shapes with graphite then inked. Learned a few things doing this. Hatching with ink takes more thought and planning than graphite. The Jinhao pen feels good and ink flows well when writing but feels very different drawing. The Lamy pen feels great both writing and drawing.
Keep sketching
Fletch
NedL
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Jo -- I like your self portrait! I did a quick "warm up" to try one with a mirror a few hunts ago... it made me look like an elf! But what I really noticed was that there are not many contour lines in a face or head! Same with yours... just eyes, a bit of nose and all the rest is shading. Yours is good!
Joan -- I just remembered something I wanted to ask you. In Grand Central Station, were you standing up when you made those sketches? Or did you find a place to sit? Just curious.
Fletch -- Ha, I looked at the photo and thought "wow, those are amazingly scarlet!" Then later I saw "artificial"... but I think there really are roses that color. In your sketch, the contrast between red and black ink is good... the stems/foliage look good, give depth and "hold" up the flowers nicely!
At some point, I stopped carrying a pencil with my pocket sketchbook. I think a quick 30 second pencil sketch of big shapes can have at least 2 purposes... the first is just to keep the composition from going off the page while you are drawing. That's the one I stopped worrying about, because these little pocket sketches don't matter much, and it's one less thing to carry, and maybe it's good practice to go straight in with pen. But a second purpose: a rough pencil sketch might help make the ink lines more confident ( because the big shapes are already "found"? Not sure. Might just be a mental "crutch"... ) Even if it helps just a tiny bit, I'm thinking of carrying one again, even for the pocket sketchbook... don't always have to use it.
But what I really noticed was that there are not many contour lines in a face or head! Same with yours... just eyes, a bit of nose and all the rest is shading. Yours is good!Joan -- I just remembered something I wanted to ask you. In Grand Central Station, were you standing up when you made those sketches? Or did you find a place to sit? Just curious.
Fletch -- Ha, I looked at the photo and thought "wow, those are amazingly scarlet!" Then later I saw "artificial"... but I think there really are roses that color. In your sketch, the contrast between red and black ink is good... the stems/foliage look good, give depth and "hold" up the flowers nicely!
At some point, I stopped carrying a pencil with my pocket sketchbook. I think a quick 30 second pencil sketch of big shapes can have at least 2 purposes... the first is just to keep the composition from going off the page while you are drawing. That's the one I stopped worrying about, because these little pocket sketches don't matter much, and it's one less thing to carry, and maybe it's good practice to go straight in with pen. But a second purpose: a rough pencil sketch might help make the ink lines more confident ( because the big shapes are already "found"? Not sure. Might just be a mental "crutch"... ) Even if it helps just a tiny bit, I'm thinking of carrying one again, even for the pocket sketchbook... don't always have to use it.
jmfletch
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Ned, sounds like we are in agreement that there are times and places to pencil basic shapes before inking. An alternative suggested is using dots ( they can be ink ) to layout key shapes and proportions. Tried it but it is a different way of thinking. After all these years, seeing and working in shapes is embedded in my brain.
NedL
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I had to go to the farm supply today, and the art store is only 2 blocks away from it. So I stopped on the way home and got a pencil "tip protector".. and now there is pencil with my pocket sketchbook. I'll see how much I use it. Also, a long time ago I filled a water brush with very dark india ink wash because I don't use enough darks, but I hardly ever use it. I replaced that a week ago with an "ink black" intense pencil that I'd cut in half... and it's already gotten some use. Main thing is that it still easily fits in my back pocket!
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AiArts
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Jo Castillo
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Joan, yep. Thinking of you and yours. We are warming a little today, too.
Hi Ai, thank you.
Grapes, thanks so much. Thanks for the info on the board. I'm too old to use my time for that, but I did like doing it in the "old" days. Hope you get/got to go with your group.
Fletch, yes, big difference in hating with graphite (which I rarely do). You have opportunity to blend and in ink, no. Have to use hatching or dots. Thanks. I do like Lamy pens but lazy about ordering ink when I don't use my pen often. I pretty much stick with Micron, Prismacolor and Zig when I can find them. Not true ink I guess, but my form form for now. Your roses are brilliant. You did such a good job on the gestures and lines.
Ned, thanks. I use pencil once in a while for watercolor mostly. I really don't like "do overs" and that feels like it to me to put ink over pencil. That is just me, of course I've been sketching in ink for many, many years and don't have the expertise in watercolor. Sometimes my expertise doesn't show, however. Ha, ha. Ohhh, your bug is so cute. You did a great job. Applause.
Hi, Ai! I love your yellow flowers. I find yellow such a hard color to shade. You are expert at it! The Heliconia is so pretty with your direct watercolor. Wow.
I played in the pastels but got tired and gave up after about an hour plus. On a wiped off piece of paper, maybe the Lux Archival, 9 x 12 inches. I've forgotten. Number 5, flower - a white Christmas cactus. I had no idea it was going to bloom and bloom white in that bowl and it didn't get watered the 5 weeks when Gene was in Austin. Too much detail to deal with so I just quit... Didn't want to go over 1.5 hours for a sketch.
Hi Ai, thank you.
Grapes, thanks so much. Thanks for the info on the board. I'm too old to use my time for that, but I did like doing it in the "old" days. Hope you get/got to go with your group.
Fletch, yes, big difference in hating with graphite (which I rarely do). You have opportunity to blend and in ink, no. Have to use hatching or dots. Thanks. I do like Lamy pens but lazy about ordering ink when I don't use my pen often. I pretty much stick with Micron, Prismacolor and Zig when I can find them. Not true ink I guess, but my form form for now. Your roses are brilliant. You did such a good job on the gestures and lines.
Ned, thanks. I use pencil once in a while for watercolor mostly. I really don't like "do overs" and that feels like it to me to put ink over pencil. That is just me, of course I've been sketching in ink for many, many years and don't have the expertise in watercolor. Sometimes my expertise doesn't show, however. Ha, ha. Ohhh, your bug is so cute. You did a great job. Applause.
Hi, Ai! I love your yellow flowers. I find yellow such a hard color to shade. You are expert at it! The Heliconia is so pretty with your direct watercolor. Wow.
I played in the pastels but got tired and gave up after about an hour plus. On a wiped off piece of paper, maybe the Lux Archival, 9 x 12 inches. I've forgotten. Number 5, flower - a white Christmas cactus. I had no idea it was going to bloom and bloom white in that bowl and it didn't get watered the 5 weeks when Gene was in Austin. Too much detail to deal with so I just quit... Didn't want to go over 1.5 hours for a sketch.
NedL
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Hi Jo! I don't actually draw the scene with a pencil... just put in a few big shapes and indicate where different things are. Maybe 30 seconds... Although if I wanted to make a nice watercolor like Ai or Joan I think I'd have to do a careful pencil drawing first The fun part is erasing the pencil because suddenly the ink looks nice and clean. I like the purple and green together, and you got the white flowers above the darkest background so they pop out! Cactus has a lot of detail!
#5 Nature where I ate lunch today...
a photo... those are my footprints finding a place out of the wind to sit....
The fun part is erasing the pencil because suddenly the ink looks nice and clean. I like the purple and green together, and you got the white flowers above the darkest background so they pop out! Cactus has a lot of detail! #5 Nature where I ate lunch today...
a photo... those are my footprints finding a place out of the wind to sit....
Joan T
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Yikes, I'm so behind with the posts everyone has done. I was gone for most of today and didn't have a chance to look at posts this morning. Then I noticed that I never posted my sketch of the umbrella below last night.
Ai, thanks. Sometimes I think I get myself into doing too many things and feel like I'm running out of time. I love the rich colors you used in your flower sketches...so pretty!
Grapes, I hope you get out to meet with your group...if the snow isn't too bad.
Fletch, thanks. Glad the sewing notions reminded you of your mom. I don't do too much sewing these days...my artwork takes priority. lol I like your roses...nice that you switched colors for the actual petals.
Ned, I bring along a folding stool with telescoping legs to sit on when I go sketching in the city. It collapses small enough to fit into my backpack and is high enough that it is pretty comfortable to sit on when I'm sketching. I'm not one of those people who can stand and sketch comfortably. It is also small enough that I don't take up much space wherever I am.
Love the red VW sketch...that was my first car. I didn't have flowers on it, but when we were in college and my dad finally got a new car, he passed on his black Rambler to me and my sister. He was so embarrassed because we stuck big flower decals on it.
Thanks for sharing another of your lunch spots with us! As for pencil lines...sometimes I sketch in pencil first and sometimes just go in with the ink (or the watercolor) first.
Jo, you did a great job on the Christmas cactus! I like the contrast of the white blossoms against the dark background. Don't think I've ever seen one in white.
14 - umbrella - watercolors and ink (Luckily the store had already closed for the day and I couldn't go in and get a delicious treat.)
Ai, thanks. Sometimes I think I get myself into doing too many things and feel like I'm running out of time. I love the rich colors you used in your flower sketches...so pretty!
Grapes, I hope you get out to meet with your group...if the snow isn't too bad.
Fletch, thanks. Glad the sewing notions reminded you of your mom. I don't do too much sewing these days...my artwork takes priority. lol I like your roses...nice that you switched colors for the actual petals.
Ned, I bring along a folding stool with telescoping legs to sit on when I go sketching in the city. It collapses small enough to fit into my backpack and is high enough that it is pretty comfortable to sit on when I'm sketching. I'm not one of those people who can stand and sketch comfortably. It is also small enough that I don't take up much space wherever I am.
Love the red VW sketch...that was my first car. I didn't have flowers on it, but when we were in college and my dad finally got a new car, he passed on his black Rambler to me and my sister. He was so embarrassed because we stuck big flower decals on it.
Thanks for sharing another of your lunch spots with us! As for pencil lines...sometimes I sketch in pencil first and sometimes just go in with the ink (or the watercolor) first.
Jo, you did a great job on the Christmas cactus! I like the contrast of the white blossoms against the dark background. Don't think I've ever seen one in white.
14 - umbrella - watercolors and ink (Luckily the store had already closed for the day and I couldn't go in and get a delicious treat.)
jmfletch
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Ai - Am with Jo, love the yellow shading. Did you use multiple yellows out of the tube or mix them? Heliconia is pretty. Not familiar with the so had to look up. They will grow here so going to have to watch better.
Ned - Cars are tough. Nice job.
Cars have similar problems as you mentioned about portraits. Lots of curves that evade contour lines. You have pretty much mastered shading with ink. Smiled at the footprints comment.
Jo - 2 WOWs! First WOW that your Christmas cactus bloomed. Second WOW for the pastel painting. Love it.
Keep sketching
Fletch
Ned - Cars are tough. Nice job.
Cars have similar problems as you mentioned about portraits. Lots of curves that evade contour lines. You have pretty much mastered shading with ink. Smiled at the footprints comment.Jo - 2 WOWs! First WOW that your Christmas cactus bloomed. Second WOW for the pastel painting. Love it.
Keep sketching
Fletch
