Adding Pop to a Watercolor Scene

Earlier this year, I painted these Cosmos blooms as a watercolor class demonstration.  I made a quick  pencil sketch of the flowers and splashed in watercolors, finishing by adding color to the negative space.  I wanted my students to see the steps in creating a watercolor painting.

After class, rather than discard the sketch, I worked on it a bit.  I wanted the loose scene to pop a bit more, so I sketched in areas with my Inktense watercolor pencils.  Touching a wet brush into the Inktense area smoothed the color into a wash, but left the original pencil strokes visible.  

As a finishing touch, I added India ink from my Pentel ink brush pen, and Micron waterproof pen lines to contours I wanted to enhance.  I found an inexpensive frame from Goodwill Industries, and the finished piece now hangs in my home.

Why not try this technique for capturing the beauty of Autumn?!

Inktober in an Enchanted Woods

I spent a few hours sitting in an enchanting pine forest at Raccoon Creek State Park with my nature journal.  I used Derwent Inktense watercolor pencils and a Micron pen, touching some of the drawings up with a wet brush to create washes of color.  I love the intense colors of the Inktense pencils against the bold black of the Micron pen.

Here are the pages from my nature journal. 

I felt the cares of daily life wash away as I sank into the pine straw and connected with nature.

Here's a sketch of the cozy spot where I tucked away, sitting against a massive pine tree among the ferns.

I hope you get a nature break today!

The First Signs of Autumn

 

I sat outside with a pot of tea and my paints to capture the first tinges of autumn coming into the landscape.  A cluster of scarlet Poison Ivy leaves climbing a cherry tree stood in stark contrast to the lush greens of late summer.  

First, I warmed up with pen & ink sketches of "Things Leaves Do." Then I made a quick pencil sketch of the scene, laid in color washes and details, and finished the page with leafy shapes, limbs and shading with a Micron pen.

New Classes for Fall!

Join me for these in-person classes at the Community College of Beaver County in Monaca, PA.  Explore your own creativity this fall with an art class!  CCBC requires all students to wear a mask while in classes and campus buildings, and has reduced class sizes to make sure that there is space for students to practice physical distancing.

To register for these classes, visit ccbc.edu/conedregistration or call the school at 724-480-3575.

You can see the entire Continuing Education catalog here: https://ccbc.edu/community-education  Select from the subject headings in the gray box on the right side labeled "Community Education." These classes are under the "Art" heading.

NEW! Creating Calm Through Art Explorations

All human beings are artists. Discover your natural creativity to help create calm in your lives. No previous art experience is necessary! Play with watercolor paints, create vision boards, and give yourself permission to try new art explorations to see where it leads you. All that is required is a willingness to play with art supplies with the intention of self-care. All materials provided. 

Date: S. 9/19-10/3                              Cost: $59 + $30 Lab                         Sessions: 3/Hours: 9

Time: 10AM-1PM                                 Room: VFC, 3007                     Code: ARTS03201


Drawing People

Have you ever wished you could draw life-like people? All that is required is practice, a little instruction, and more practice! In each class, you will draw from real people who will hold poses from everyday life. No experience necessary!

Date: M. 9/14- 10/5                      Cost: $62 + $49 Lab                      Sessions: 4/Hours: 12

Time: 6-9PM                                  Room: VFC, 3007                          Code: ARTS01601


Inktober:

Capture a natural scene with watercolor & colored pencil, and make it pop with pen & ink touches. Experience creating outdoors and take inspiration from the brilliant autumn colors. Join us for a relaxing immersion into nature and your own creativity! Beginners are welcome!

Date: S. 10/10 – 10/24                 Cost: $49 - $10 Lab                      Sessions: 3/Hours: 9

Time: 9AM-12PM                         Room: VFC, 3007                         Code: ARTS01602


New! Pen & Ink

Learn to capture natural scenes with the simple, sharp lines of pen and ink. Learn a technique to minimize the stress of inking, and allow your creativity to flow. You will draw natural scenes and subjects using reference photos or natural objects brought into the art studio.

Date: R. 10/8 -10/22                   Cost: $49 + $10 Lab                      Sessions: 3/Hours: 9

Time: 6-9PM                                 Room: VFC, 3007                      Code: ARTS02901


Recycled Papermaking

Create your own artsy & unique papers out of a variety of upcycled materials in the first class. You will craft your paper into a journal, stationery or other creation. All materials are provided, though you can bring dried flowers, glitter, a favorite essential oil, or other items to include in your paper.

Date: W. 10/7-10/14                            Cost: $39 + $10 Lab                  Sessions: 2/Hours: 6

Time: 6-9PM                              Room: VFC, 3007                  Code: ARTS02801

Creating A Pen-and-Ink Calendar

Every year about this time I am busily sketching out calendar pages for a gift I give family and friends.  I am lucky to have a dear friend, who is also a nature photographer.  He gives me free choice of all of his amazing nature pics.  Like a kid in a candy shop,  I peruse hundreds of photos and pick out those that speak to me, selecting quotes to mingle between the drawings. 

Here's a glimpse at part of my 2020 calendar:

A Hike in the Autumn Woods

A gorgeous autumn afternoon beckoned today, so I loaded up my backpack and set out on a 5-mile hike.  Everywhere I looked was brilliance and beauty.  I stopped along the way to eat the lunch I'd packed, sitting right down on the trail under the most magnificent maples.  Sunlight illuminated the golden leaves so they looked like lanterns.  How relieving to the soul to dwell under trees like this:

On the hike back, the setting sun poured in from the west to fill the woods with long, low rays and blaze through the brilliant leaves.

 

Happy Autumn to all! May you get a chance to witness nature's great show!

A Rainy Autumn Afternoon

Why is it that a rainy day seems to bring out all the fall colors ? The wet sky today had such a palette of colors -- indigo, magenta, violet -- as the sun sank in the west.  The cottonwoods seem to find the slightest breeze to wave their golden leaves, and they stand in stark contrast to the stalwart spruce trees.  How privileged I feel to have spent the last of the day's light with a paintbrush in my hand.

A Trip to Moraine State Park

I got the opportunity to visit Moraine State Park on a gorgeously sunny day this week. The autumn colors reflected in still water, the brilliantly blue sky, the cool air inspired me to rush to capture every bit of the fall beauty I could.

Autumn's Flame

The Staghorn Sumac trees outside my home have been dropping their scarlet leaves -- plenty of fodder for a quick watercolor sketch at the breakfast table.

A Hike to Raccoon Lake

The other day, I hoisted my pack of art supplies on my back and set off down the trail to the beach at the local state park.  Along the way, I found an amazing snag decked with a plethora of mushrooms.

When I reached the lake, I could see the autumn colors reflected on the water, and I had just enough time before sunset to paint the scene.

The Changing Landscape

Autumn has truly arrived, and with it the celebration of colors hidden all summer long under the green canopy.  This Cottonwood tree attracted my eye with its leaves waving, flickering, catching sunlight with every breeze.  Virginia Creeper vines weave their colors along the trunk of the tree, offering a contrast against woodland foliage and meadow grasses.

More Inktober Sketches

October has finally turned fall-ish with cerulean skies decked with feathery mare's tail clouds.  Crisp air, chilly nights and brilliant sunlight makes the colors seem that much brighter.

Inktober All Over

Inktober has been seeping into my daily planner.  Here are some glimpses.  Amazing how much life a few simple sketches add to a boring list of tasks.  Even a grocery list can be livened up!

Upcoming Art Classes!

If you're interested in gaining inspiration, carving out time in your schedule for creativity, or trying new art techniques, check out the upcoming Continuing Education art classes at the Community College of Beaver County here: http://www.ccbc.edu/ConEdCatalog

I'll be teaching the following classes this autumn:

Recycled Papermaking :
Create your own artsy & unique paper out of a variety of upcycled materials that you can use to craft and personalize your own journal, stationery, cards, or other unique creations.  All materials are provided
Wednesday evenings 
Sept. 11th & 18th from 6-9 pm
Cost: $39 with $10 Lab fee

Jumpstart Your Journal!
 A regular journaling practice provides a way to capture the fleeting details of your daily life and to process your thoughts.  The calming, grounding experience you have been seeking awaits!  Explore ideas and fill the pages of your journal with new discoveries.
Wednesday evenings,
Sept. 25th, Oct. 2nd & 9th from 6-9 pm
Cost: $49 with $10 Lab fee

Inktober
Capture a natural scene with watercolor & colored pencil, and make it pop with pen & ink touches.  You will work outdoors and take inspiration from the brilliant autumn colors.  Join us for a relaxing immersion into nature and your own creativity!  Beginners are welcome!
Saturday mornings,
October 5th,12th & 19th, from 9 am - noon
cost: $49 with $10 Lab fee

To register, go to http://www.ccbc.edu/ConEdRegistration
or call the Information Registration Center at 724-480-3575.

Hope to see you at one of these sessions!

Catching up with my Nature Journal

Here are some more Inktober images from my nature journal.

Happy Inktober!

I have been keeping a nature journal for decades on and off -- since I found Charles Roth & Clare Walker Leslie's book Keeping a Nature Journal.  The bright illustrations and encouraging text sucked me right in.  As a stay-at-home mother of young kids at the time, nature journaling was a restorative foil to the intensity of my day job. Sunday afternoons, my husband would tend the kids and shoo me out of the house to give me time for myself.  Nature journaling became my creative renewal. I explored quiet woods and fields, tucked myself into hollow tree trunks on snowy days to watch the wildlife go by and filled sketchbooks with my experiences.  With a thermos of hot tea and a thick Hershey's bar, I luxuriated in my earth roving.  Now my life is less dramatic, but time spent sketching the simplest leaf or insect calms me, grounds me and brings me bliss.   I connect with the earth and my fellow creatures, and when I get home, I have drawings to remind me of my adventures.

I wanted a way to share my love of drawing in nature with friends and fellow artists, and to make an online version of my nature journal.   Why not start with daily ink drawings from nature for Inktober?  (If you're unfamiliar with Inktober, check out this YouTube video by Jake Parker, the originator of the project.)

Yesterday, I took my journal to the campus of the Community College of Beaver County in Monaca.  Down below the main buildings, my adult daughter and I found a stream, a clump of Fly Agaric mushrooms, a ferny woodland and plenty of mud after the recent rains to study animal tracks.  Here are the ink sketches from the day.