Sketching entries in my Global Art Handbook Panorama.
Nature Journal Sketchbook
Mixed Media Doodling
The latest entries in my sketch journal - doodles made starting with watercolor wash, swatches of Derwent Aquatone pencils activated with a waterbrush, then Uniball Signo White Gel pen and Pentel Pocket Brush ink pen in a Strathmore Watercolor Visual Journal.
Pocket Watercolor Sketchbook - May 2015 - March 2016
I've completed two sketchbooks on my vacation - this is the Moleskine pocket watercolor sketchbook that I've been carrying around for the past year. I used a Sakura Koi pocket watercolor field kit for the sketches in the beginning of the journal, then switched over to a Winsor & Newton Watercolour Pocket Sketcher's Box. There are bits of other media thrown in here or there - Pigmamicron Pen, Uniball Vision Fine Pen, Platinum Carbon Fountain Pen, Watercolor Pencils, Uniball Signo White Pen, and Gelly Roll Pen.
Pocket Watercolor Tins
Over the past few months, I've become fascinated with pocket watercolor painting kits, especially homemade ones. I've been watching video reviews on a couple of different brands of pocket watercolor palettes and I've also created a few from Altoids mint tins to give as gifts. Recently I was so inspired to convert eyeshadow containers into pocket kits and I've prepared a couple to fill with paints. I don't know how many watercolor palettes is too many for one person to have but someone may have a use for one.
Plein Air Painting at Sachs Bridge
On Sunday, I finally had a chance to get out and try Plein Air Watercolor Painting with a homemade watercolor field easel. I first saw the easel on one of my favorite YouTube channels, The Mind of Watercolor, and had wanted to make one for myself. I've been sketching in my small watercolor journal with photographs that I've taken for reference, but I really wanted to experience sketching out in the open after seeing it done on some of my favorite YouTube channels. I already had the materials I needed to construct the easel and I had a fairly strong and stable camera tripod to mount it on. I "borrowed" my son's no longer used camp stool to finish out my Plein Air setup and I was eager to get out there. I couldn't decide if I wanted to go out to the marina by Lake Marburg at Codorus State Park or drive over to Devil's Den at Gettysburg. On the way over to Gettysburg, I decided that maybe I would check out the Sach's covered bridge to see if there were many people there. There was no one else there when I arrived, so I walked around a bit to see what would be the best angle to capture the bridge and also not be in the way of anyone's photos while painting. After much fiddling and fussing with my supplies to get everything just so, I started sketching while also keeping a lookout for wild things in the tall grass behind me. After a while, I settled in and really started to get into the drawing and was about to start painting when the first onlooker came over to see what I working on. I will have to get used to people talking to me and watching me paint, which is not easy for me to do. One other gentlemen came over later to see what I was working on. I really only sketch and paint for my own enjoyment, with no intentions of displaying my work to sell, so it really shouldn't matter what someone else might think of my abilities. I really just want to enjoy what I'm doing now that our kids have grown and I have time to pursue my creative hobbies. It was starting to get really hot and also near lunchtime, so I decided to finish up and head home. I will say that I really enjoyed Plein Air Painting and would like to get out there again soon.
Outdoor Sketching
I finally went outside to try some outdoor sketching at Lake Marburg over at Codorus State Park on Saturday. I found a picnic table underneath a shade tree by the shore and started creating my sketch. I began with a light pencil drawing and then drew in the basic line art with a Pigmamicron pen. I had my pocket watercolor set with me and decided to try out the new flat waterbrush I had just gotten. I was using a larger sketchbook than I normally carry and thought the wider waterbrush would be better suited for the larger watercolor sketch. Once I started adding the watercolor I had to work fast so that it didn't dry before I could drop in some other colors. I found the waterbrush worked pretty well for me but eventually I want to experiment with tube paints, palettes and larger brushes. I liked the process of creating an outdoor painting, the weather was beautiful and it was very relaxing to focus on the sketch. I want to try more of this to see if I want to invest in a Plein Air setup.
Argus C3
The Argus C3, the camera I'm currently carrying in my bag and shooting with. I bought this camera from ebay and it seems to be in working order. I've loaded it with Kentmere 100 that I'll develop in Kodak D-76. Watercolor painting created with Sakura Koi Watercolor Pocket Field Kit using Niji waterbrush in my Moleskine watercolor journal.
Lunch Time Watercolor Sketch
Today's sketch was completed during my lunch break using my Sakura Koi Pocket Water Colors and Niji Waterbrush. The little Koi waterbrush that fits inside the pocket water color box is pretty nifty to have in a pinch, but I prefer the Niji Waterbrush. The bristles seem to hold their shape a little better than the Koi. I'm using the small tip Niji Waterbrush, but I'm planning to get the other sizes in the line to have a little more variety. Last night, I picked up another pocket watercolor kit to try out, the Windsor & Newton Cotman Water Colour Sketcher's Box. This one is just a bit smaller than the Koi and includes a nice little brush in a metal case. I'll be trying that one out later this week. Today's sketch is from a photo of my front porch that I originally had planned to paint from life, but Sunday got away from me before I knew it.
Today's Sketch
I haven't been sketching that much this week as I caught an extreme case of poison something on my arms while working in my yard last week. A trip to the doctor for some Prednisone and being back at work after a two week vacation pretty much wiped me out every evening. Today's sketch is from a photo I took out at Natural Bridge, Virginia. Pigma Micron pen, pocket watercolor field sketch box, and waterbrush in Moleskine watercolor journal.
Last Day of Vacation
It's the last day of my two week vacation and I've had a very nice time off with my wife. I accomplished most of the things on my vacation to do list, but some will have to wait until my next. Here is a watercolor sketch done from a photo taken during one of my lunchtime walks around Baltimore - St. Paul's Plaza. Watercolor field kit in my pocket watercolor journal.