Daily Watercolor Sketchbook, Day 7

Pastry case at Bovella’s Bakery

Super tired today but still showed up in my sketchbook. Happy I did, it is very satisfying as I head to the couch for a little nap.

I met a dear friend at Bovella’s Bakery in Mountainside recently and I was totally captivated by the pastry cases. So inviting, charming and captivating.

I thought I was done, but was lacking something so I added the splashes of color and it gave it some zing.

My sketchbook is a Canson XL Series Watercolor book, 7x10, 140lb paper

My pens… Micron, 05pt

Daily Watercolor Sketchbook, Day #3

Echo Lake Park

5 straight days of rain. And grey, grey and more grey! All that dreariness and rain grinds me down, so last Wed when it finally broke I went for a walk in the park. To see a blue sky was truly a gift. It was early so I practically had the park to myself.

I was able to get this amazing photo… feels like an impressionist painting, doesn’t it?

So, I definitely have to make it a painting of it – but first, a watercolor and ink sketch so I can work out angles, color palette, overall layout. My sketchbook is the perfect place to do a little no-stress planning, and playing.

 I sketched it in pencil first, then inked it. (PS – my initial sketch had all the angles off. I was able to correct them with my ink lines)

 Then I went in with paint. I heightened the colors for emphasis and to match how it felt to be there. The colors felt more intense and vibrant in contrast to the preceding 5 days of rain/grey.

The world felt fresh, alive and so so colorful!

It’s fun to take a favorite scene, landscape, photo, etc. and make it your own. I think I will do this one more than once to play with different color combos.

The beauty of artist license.

 What are you drawing today?

 

Daily Watercolor Sketchbook, Day #1

Inspired by artists who have done 100 day challenges (or longer) I have decided to try my own. Seems very fitting to begin on October 1st when so many daily drawing challenges kick off… Inktober, Artober, Catober, etc.

My parameters… a daily watercolor and ink drawing which I will share here on the blog. I can do anything I want but will use some of the daily challenges as prompts, if I am ever in search of inspiration. The goal is to keep me sketching. Everyday.

I believe a daily sketchbook practice is tremendously helpful and important. For creativity, for health, for focus, for connecting with your inner being and your voice, for feeling your feelings, for fun. Fo Fun! Is there any better reason?! And I haven't been doing it consistently enough. It will be a challenge to do one daily, and post it - but that’s why they are called challenges! right?!

For my first I am turning lemons into lemonade… we have had SO MUCH rain recently. The unending grayness was really getting to me so to cheer myself up I had sketched some bright, mod 1960s raincoats last week. Thought it could make a great surface pattern design so this morning I filled another page.

I had a great time creating these little ladies… and I love painting the little squares of color for my palette. Day 1 of 100 completed!