goin’ home

# 30 and done! 30 watercolor sketches in 30 days, most without pencil guidelines and all without ink lines. One of my sketches was sold, two given to family, and I’ve definitely learned to be a bit freer and looser in my approach to painting.

According to the “rules” of composition, you should never have a path leading out of the picture, but this is how I saw it on the way home from Waco. I thought it was fitting . . . after all, we were just passing through.

Waco Suspension Bridge

Twenty-nine out of thirty direct watercolor sketches . . . Only one more to go.

The Waco Suspension Bridge was about the only available crossing of the Brazos River in the 1800s, except for a dangerous ferry. Two stagecoaches could pass side-by-side, or cattle could move along one side while people crossed along the other. Toll for cattle was 5 cents a head.

The entry gate of the bridge itself was in deep shadow from the many trees growing nearby.

Though I didn’t do an underdrawing in pencil or fountain pen, I did do an undersketch with a rigger brush and watercolor to try and get the perspective correct. The bridge still seems to be leaning a bit in spite of my intentions!

The Silos

This sketch, which I just finished, is actually yesterday’s sketch. We took a spur-of-the-moment trip to Waco, revisiting a bed & breakfast that we had stayed at some 12 or 15 years ago. When we arrived in town it was still early so we went to The Silos and Magnolia Market, made famous by HGTV’s Fixer-Upper. It was a Thursday morning so we were not expecting such a huge crowd! We walked around some, then ate breakfast sitting outside the Silos Bakery.

I did no sketching or painting while we were there — partly because we were visiting a few museums (I like to read all the info and watch the videos!), and partly because I was just getting over some kind of stomach bug and didn’t feel all that great. But much better now (and home!) so I did this sketch from photos. Very good Elderflower Lemonade!

Only 1 more day and 2 more Direct Watercolor sketches to go . . .

Bardie wants to go!

I’m a bit behind on direct watercolor sketches due to a couple of busy days visiting Waco. Our neighbors came over to feed and play with Bardie, but as I emptied our bag he let me know that next time, he goes too!

Or maybe after he meets his baby brother next week, he’ll decide that home can be a fun place even without us? I head towards Dallas next week to pick the new companion kitten, who will probably be named Scottie Dubh (but Bill calls him Scottie Dog — after the vintage Scotties I used to collect.)

another sunrise

Another sunrise over the Gulf of Mexico from Mustang Island — I think this was the morning of the day we left due to the increasing high winds and higher-than-normal incoming tides. It didn’t quite storm but it was definitely windy enough to!

This painting seemed to be going fine . . . until I muddied up the clouds that were just below and in front of the sun. Before the sun rose, the sky was brilliant pinks, oranges, mauves and purples. After it rose behind these clouds, the sky was a bit yellow and pinkish-purple at the same time. Sort of weird looking.

my 2 current pocket palettes

These are my two most-used pocket palettes — I decided to make small color maps to fit inside each one’s cloth bag to remind me what’s currently loaded in them. I also have a pocket palette containing gouache which is more useful on toned paper.

The 30 x 30 direct watercolor challenge is nearly over but I once again tweaked the set of colors I’ve been using for it. My choices were loosely based on Marc Taro Holmes’ absolute minimum color choices. Sometimes naples yellow is just not bright enough yet my normal Hansa yellow medium was a bit too bright for this set, so I finally settled for adding quinacridone gold (this is the new formula). And mixing a good brown was more work than I wanted to mess with so I added a raw umber I already had. I wasn’t using those empty space pans for mixing anyway.

Actually I have the same colors in a larger set of whole pans that I’ve been using when at home. Some colors, like serpentine, are over half gone! But I keep a set in my bag, just in case.

The black palette full of 28 mini pans is just for fun — at first I thought these wee pans would be way too tiny to be useful but they are just right for adding a spot of color to an ink sketch. And with so many colors, I don’t fuss with mixing — just jump in with a waterbrush!

wildflowers and cane break

I’m not too fond of today’s watercolor sketch but I’m posting every effort, good and bad . . .

This is a view of bluebonnets and Indian paintbrush in front of a cane break alongside the road into Somerville, TX (from a photo taken this past April). The gentle rolling field reminded me of the waves in the gulf, with tiny spots of orangey-red and blue wildflowers forming the white caps. I worked quickly to try and keep this painting loose and impressionistic.

For anyone interested, this is the photo I was working from, taken on the way to church in April.

meanwhile . . .

While I have been doing the 30 direct watercolor sketches in 30 days this month, sometimes I just want to grab a fountain pen and draw. This Field Notes memo book is usually in my bag, making it easy to grab for a quick random sketch.

I had no idea how wonky my phone actually looks until I posted it here! In fact, that large styrofoam tea cup is a bit crazy too!

We are planning an impromptu overnight get-away to Waco just for fun so today I was planning what art tools to take. Not sure if I’ll take 1 or 2 pocket palettes — I only need the one with the paints I’ve been using for the challenge. With just one, the extra pocket on the right can stow the collapsible water cup with more ease; I can then tuck this memo book in the sketch kit as well. (After all, that’s what the fountain pens and white gel pen are included for!)

a laughing gull

Day # 25 of this direct watercolor challenge . . . and I must admit that I am missing my fountain pens for simple ink and wash sketching! But I am feeling a bit more relaxed and confident in applying watercolor.

Today’s watercolor sketch is from a photo taken at sunset on Galveston Island this past April, of a laughing gull taking a stroll along the beach. Normally the gulf water in this area is a bit gray but at sunset it takes on a lovely strong blue color.

a quick no-brainer

When all else fails, draw an apple. Or two or three . . .

I usually draw or pant apples when testing colored pencils or paints, so when I found myself with too many activities and very little painting time today, I grabbed a handful of apples from the fridge and ended up with this.