LPBoni Sketchbook

Sketches from Sequoia National Park

2009-08-27T21:05:00.000-07:00

I took my small watercolor sketch kit with me to Sequoia along with a small size watercolor Moleskine. Along the way I did several sketches and kept a journal of my trip. Here are 4 of the sketches.

Beetle Rock ~ my favorite of all the sketches I did this trip. I first read about Beetle Rock as a child in Sally Carrighar's book, "One Day on Beetle Rock". What fun to see it in person!

General Grant Tree ~ trying to capture the sense of height looking up at the tree from down below.

Round Meadow ~ I love how the red trunks of the sequoia stand out from amongst the other trees with their grey bark and deep green needles. The meadow was lovely in shades of green and yellow

Tunnel Log ~ my second favorite of the sketches I did this trip. I'm learning to push the darks and it's making my watercolors better!

Houseplants

2008-06-02T14:31:00.000-07:00

Another sketch for the Wet Canvas Scavenger Hunt. This is one end of the shelf in front of my living room window. The gernaium has insisted upon growing up through the lamp, despite my attempts to train it otherwise. It seems happy and the compact flourescent bulb is cool enough that the plant is unscorched, so I have left it to grow.

Feels good to be sketching again. I didn't realize how much I had missed it.

Back to Sketching

2008-05-29T00:37:00.000-07:00

It has been a long time since I've done much sketching. The Scavenger Hunt at Wet Canvas has been on my mind lately and so today after reviewing the current list, I decided it was time to pick up the sketchbook and begin anew.

#1 ~ Egg Cup
#2 ~ Open Candy wrapper with Candy ~ in this case a Tootsie Roll Pop!

I'm definitely a bit rusty after so much time away from sketching. Since I hope to begin oil painting again in the next couple weeks, I need to work on my "seeing" skills!

Grand Canyon in Winter

2007-12-29T11:41:00.001-08:00

One of my Christmas gifts this year was three days and two nights at the Grand Canyon just after Christmas! We had fabulous cabin rooms on the rim of the canyon at Bright Angel with glorious views of the canyon. The first morning, I was up before the sun and sat and painted the sunrise view through the window. A dusting of snow the night before made it so lovely and wintry.
Later that day, while the rest of the group was out walking, I sat and painted another view from the window. By now, the sun and wind had removed the bit of snow fallen through the night.

Sabino Canyon Saguaro

2007-12-29T11:36:00.000-08:00

For Thanksgiving weekend, I went to Tucson with my sister and her hubby. While there, they showed me around a bit and I captured a bit of the view from the nature walk at the Sabino Canyon Ranger District. This was my first up close look at Saguaro. They look like alien invadors to me! While painting this, I watched a family of quail circle all the way around me!

Autumn Glory

2007-11-01T03:18:00.001-07:00

A week after the leaves began to turn, they were all golden and amber on the tree. In the late afternoon light, they shone with brilliance. I dropped all I was doing and did this watercolor sketch. The next morning I woke to wind and the trees were completely devoid of leaves. How glad I am that I was able to capture a glimpse of their autumn glory before they were gone.

Oak Leaves

2007-11-01T03:15:00.000-07:00

More autumn leaves. These are from the Gamble's Oak outside my apartment. One day the tree was dark green. The next, the color was yellow green. On the third day, there were scattered clumps of these amber colored leaves.

Nature Walk

2007-11-01T03:05:00.000-07:00

In the autumn, my pockets are filled with fallen leaves and other bits of nature indicative of the season. At home, these bits find their way onto the table or top of the china cabinet where I can enjoy them for a while longer. Once in a while I forget them in my pocket and later find leaf crumbles in their place. The pinecone in this (Ponderosa) has to be among the most challenging things I've ever sketched.

2007-11-01T02:57:00.000-07:00

Another scavenger hunt item ~ my bed. At nearly 150 years old, it doesn't sit quite square anymore and had to be slightly modified to fit a modern mattress. I love the old walnut woods in it. In one spot on the headboard there is a mark that appears to be from a small childs teeth. Intriguing to think about who has owned this bed previously and how the tooth marks got into the wood.

From an art perspective, this was a challenge to draw. The perspective, the slight twist of the bedframe and trying to capture light on dark wood. This is my second go at sketching this bed and as I still have the perspective off, it looks like I need to give at least one more try.

ATCs & ACEOs

2007-10-18T10:43:00.000-07:00

I discovered something new recently. The world of Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) and Artist Cards Editions and Originals (ACEOs). These are small works of art that are 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" in size. Some artists trade them (ATCs), others sell them (ACEOs), which accounts for the two different names. On my pad of Winsor& Newton 140 lb Hot Press watercolour paper, I can fit 8 or 9 of these cards on one sheet. It is a fun way to try out new techniques and play with series of images. In playing with these, I came up with two small series.

This first series is of some tiny Christmas balls I have. I've always loved tiny things so doing tiny art of wee Christmas balls seems a perfect intro into the world of ATC/ACEOs!
1

2

3

This next series is my favorite so far and one I may attempt to recreate much larger in oils in the future. These gave me more enjoyment painting than I've had in a long time (and I really like to paint!)
4

5
6

Sunflowers

2007-09-30T20:54:00.000-07:00

There is something about sunflowers that just makes me want to paint them. It's rather funny really, because I'd never say they were one of my favorite flowers. But I love the contrast of that bright yellow with the dark centers. I actually set up this still life for an oil painting, which is in progress on my easel, but they begged a watercolor sketch as well. Happy Autumn!

A place in the sun

2007-09-29T18:13:00.000-07:00

Autumn has arrived here in Flagstaff. The cool days and chilly nights have led me to add a couple blankets to the bed and rearrange the furniture so that I have a spot to sit in the afternoon sun.

Coffee Break

2007-09-28T17:31:00.000-07:00

I'm a tea drinker rather than a coffee drinker, but coffee was the theme of one of the scavenger hunt challenges. This sketch includes a coffee mug I never use (except when company comes!), a slice of cake, a coffee packet and something to measure with.

Kitties working

2007-09-28T17:29:00.000-07:00

Every cat has a job ~ Mollie and Thomas spend their day watching the birds and chipmunk on the patio! I think this is one of my very favorite watercolor sketches that I have done!

2007-09-28T17:24:00.000-07:00

A can, something powdered that you can cook with and a green vegetable are the subjects of this hunt sketch. Hmmm, wonder what else we could add to come up with something yummy? I'm thinking a nice Spanish rice with sugar snap peas in place of green peppers!

Hidden Objects

2007-09-28T17:19:00.000-07:00

Another Wet Canvas scavenger hunt sketch. This subject was to do a fireplace, but mine is hidden, so I decided to go ahead and sketch that anyway. The perspective was funny in order to get a glimpse of the fireplace (can you see it tucked back there behind the plant and TV?) and it skewed the rest of the sketch. One to learn from.

2007-09-28T17:13:00.000-07:00

Finding the subjects for the Wet Canvas scavenger hunts forces me to think creatively about what I'm sketching and helps me to sketch things I typically wouldn't think of doing. Like this corner of my living room. The items that inspired this were; something taller than me; a hanging plant; eyeglasses with an eyeglass holder or chain.

Bunny Tales

2007-09-09T22:59:00.000-07:00

Another watercolor sketch for the Wet Canvas Scavenger Hunt. Something blue ~ my 1884 copy of Andersen's Fairy Tales and something glass ~ a purple glass bunny given to me by a friend.

On the edge of Navaho Land

2007-08-24T15:31:00.001-07:00

Today, I was up before the sun and on the road to Navaho Land. On previous visits to Wupatki National Monument, I had seen a dirt road that cut across the desert to the Little Colorado River and that was my destination. By 8:30 a.m. I reached the river. It is shallow, almost nothing more than a mudflat with a few inches of water, but it reflected the blue of the sky and contrasted beautifully with the red rocks and tan silty mud.

For this first watercolor, I perched my stool on a hardened silt bar that jutted into the river and painting the view looking north or down the river.

This is the view across the river into Navaho Land. It has a stark and wild beauty.

After enjoying most of the morning at the river, I then headed back into Wupatki and perched in what little shade a scraggly juniper provided for this sketch. I would have liked to put more detail into it, but it was simply too hot!

A visit to Sedona

2007-08-24T15:26:00.001-07:00

The Chapel at Tulaquepaque and stone cross.

Looking into Tulaquepaque to the courtyard.

Views of the red rocks around Sedona near sunset.

Images from Flagstaff

2007-08-24T15:19:00.000-07:00

These signs are on every major road leading into Flagstaff.

Flagstaff & Coconino Country Public Library

Views of the San Francisco Peaks.

View from my study window.

Everything & the kitchen sink

2007-06-28T09:50:00.000-07:00

Ended up putting several items on this scavenger hunt list that fit well in this sketch ~ the kitchen sink, flowing water, cleaning supply (dishsoap), draped dishcloth, cooking pot, & dishdrainer. I've alway found metal objects hard but by working to observe the light and color actually present rather what one "thinks" one sees, it becomes easier to represent.

Nose studies

2007-06-28T09:48:00.000-07:00

Noses are fascinating ~ they come in so many shapes and sizes! I did studies of an assortment on this page ~ babies from work, some from folks I watched while out running errands, my kitties, and my own.

Lowell Observatory

2007-06-28T09:44:00.000-07:00

Lowell Observatory is here in Flagstaff. It is where they discovered Pluto and it is one of the reasons that Flagstaff is a "dark" city. This means that there is not an excess of light pollution at night so it doesn't adversly affect the observatory. The street lights are dim and allow little light to escape upwards. Makes star viewing a pleasure here! The milky way glows at night, something no longer visible in most cities.

Button Jar

2007-06-23T17:00:00.000-07:00

I am the host for the current Wet Canvas Scavenger Hunt #45, meaning that I got to make the list of things to draw over the next 9 days! Fun and challenging to come up with a list that will be interesting for everyone to draw. Since I am starting a sketchbook on Flagstaff, I choose several items that could be included in both. Also included are ordinary everyday items that one finds at home. My first sketch for this hunt includes my button jar (something transparent & fasteners of some type) and a pink cream pitcher (something pink). I overworked this a little, but am still pleased with the results!

Landscape

2007-06-19T15:34:00.000-07:00

This building sits at the top of the hill and I look out on it from my apartment. Every morning, the early morning sun lights it up and it contrasts against the deep blue of the Arizona sky. It fit the bill when this current scavenger hunt called for a landscape with a fence.

Bunnies

2007-06-09T17:28:00.000-07:00

As my friends know, I love bunnies! I have several stuffed ones as well as quite a few figurines so when this hunt called for a sketch of a figurine and a stuffed animal, I had lots to choose from!

My Sketch Kit

2007-06-09T01:06:00.000-07:00

This little sketching kit goes just about everywhere with me! The green folding water basket makes it easy to paint just about anywhere without having to carry a lot of bulky stuff with me. Just a water bottle and this kit and I'm ready to sketch!

San Francisco Peaks

2007-06-09T01:03:00.000-07:00

Driving up the street on my way home, the setting sun made the peaks glow. I stopped and sketched this from the parking lot of the grocery store. One of the things I love about Flagstaff is how it is tucked into the forest and from many places you can get unspoiled views like this.

Coneys

2007-06-09T01:00:00.000-07:00

A neon sign? Not what I would think of to draw! Wanted something a little different that the usual "open" sign that you see, so when I stopped at Sonic for some dinner one night, I thought this corner of the restaurant might make an interesting sketch.

Memories of Mexico

2007-06-04T04:41:00.000-07:00

In 1984, I made a trip to Mazatlan, Mexico with my mother. It was fun to look through the old photo album and remember the trip and think about what items I have from Mexico that I could sketch to go with the photo album. The earrings are from Mexico, but were actually a gift to me in High School from my best friend growing up. She brought them back from Mexico after attending a Senior Girl Scout trip there. The handpainted plate was one of several that were given to me by an elderly friend of the family many years ago. Miss Jessie had travelled the world and this is one of the things she brought back from Mexico in the early 1900's. I saw many more like it when we visited the markets in Mazatlan!

Drafting Supplies

2007-06-04T04:35:00.000-07:00

One of the items on this Hunt's list was to draw an object that describes your current or former occupation. I had a tough time deciding what to draw but when I realized that another item on the hunt list was "something orange", that decided it. I don't have very many things that are orange in my home, but I do have bright orange drafting triangles! I worked for nearly 10 years as a Structural Drafter/Engineering Techician in the days before computer aided drafting took over.

Everyday items

2007-05-31T16:28:00.000-07:00

Every 9 days, there is a new list of items to sketch. The person who makes up the list can also include "challenges". On this list, the main challenge is to draw items in pastel or oil pastel. I'm going to skip that challenge as I have never had much success with either and gave them all away! For now, I'll stick with my trusty old watercolors and ink sketches!

It was a challenge to find items on the current list that would somewhat go together, but in the end, I didn't do to badly with this first sketch ~ actually managed to get 8 items in it! The fun thing is that in the end, it gives a glimpse of some of my favorite things and items I use everyday. Can you guess my favorite color and my one of my favorite scents/flavor/flowers?!

Holly's Greenhouse

2007-05-27T20:54:00.001-07:00

The last items I have to do for this scavenger hunt are all outdoor items. For this one, I needed to draw "any architecture". Since I was at my sister's for the afternoon, I thought I'd draw something there and she suggested the greenhouse, so here it is!

Herbal Beauty

2007-05-26T19:30:00.000-07:00

This was a tough little still life to put together. I'd used up most of the "interior" objects on the list already. I needed 'something blue', a 'toiletry' and 'any flag you see'. Debated using a small American flag as the backdrop but it just didn't go. Then I thought about the Post-it flags I use to mark pages I refer to frequently in books and this all came together.

Simple Pleasures

2007-05-26T19:26:00.000-07:00

This sketch was fun to put together. Some of my favorite treats ~ a lovely single malt scotch, cherry turnovers and cherrys, candlelight and some lovely celtic harp music!

Ready to go!

2007-05-26T19:21:00.000-07:00

One of the fun things about participating in the scavenger hunts, is that it spurs me to draw things I normally wouldn't consider doing, like bottles of suntan lotion or my shoes. Next, it makes me thing creativly about how to combine items on the list in ways to make a cohesive still life that isn't just a random collection of objects. For this sketch, I ended up with the ingredients for a summer outing all sitting on my chair, waiting to go!

Ponderosa

2007-05-21T22:43:00.000-07:00

This is the view from my patio and from the living room sliding door. Ponderosas are one of the things that Flagstaff is known for as it sits in the middle of the largest contiguous Ponderosa forest in the world.

My favorite store

2007-05-21T22:37:00.000-07:00

I love reading! I love books! I love bookstores! And this one ~ Barnes & Noble ~ where ever they may be, tends to be the one I frequent most! This was probably the most challenging sketch I have done due to the amount of detail, the off-center perspective and the fact that there were people to draw (not my strong point when it comes to sketching). Had fun doing it though. Sat in the cafe and sipped my Chai while drawing and painting! Had a couple of onlookers, one of whom is in the painting. I didn't have the courage to ask if he recognized himself!

Patio Flowerpots

2007-05-21T22:34:00.000-07:00

After not having had a garden or a space for outdoor containers for the past three years, I am ecstatic to have an outdoor patio at last! Potted up these flowers and herbs last week and arranged them with some of my garden statuary!

Living room window view

2007-05-17T02:39:00.000-07:00

One of the items for this scavenger hunt was to draw something we would see on a walk. Well, I walked to and from work and around my apartment complex and didn't see anything I really wanted to sketch until I walked in the living room and saw the tiny leaves of the oak clump outside my living room window lit up in the late day sun. I did apply a little bit of artist perogative and changed what is the roof of the building above me to a mountain. It really isn't too visible from my windows, just a hint of roof shape and I thought it provides the same kind of background shape and mass that a mountain would, so voila! a mountain came into being!

Kitty ears and a Ball

2007-05-17T02:36:00.000-07:00

Thomas the cat was dozing with his loopy yarn covered ball, so I sketched them for two of the scavenger hunt picks, ears and a ball. A little different perspective than I usually choose!

Aqua/blue Bottle Vase

2007-05-17T02:32:00.000-07:00

While I have a number of vases, my favorite vases are old bottles. I have a small collection of pleasingly shaped and colored aqua/blue bottles, so that is what I chose for this scavenger hunt item. I didn't ink this one in but I may go back and do that yet as it seems a bit unfinished to me.

My sketching tools and a self portrait

2007-05-15T14:51:00.000-07:00

Managed to get three of the scavenger hunt items into this drawing. My favorite drawing tools: I use a Pentel Quicker Clicker (old style with the straight barrel that I prefer) is what I do the initial sketch with. Then I fill in with watercolors using my Windsor Newton Pocket Watercolor set ~ well used and very messy looking! ~ and a Cotman watercolor brush. Once the watercolor is dry, I go back and ink in where I want with a Micron pen. The sketchbook is the second hunt item. I use a Holbein Multi-Drawing Book/OF, which is about 5 x 7" and has paper that can take watercolors and multi-media. I like it because it is small, tucks easily in my travel bag, and I can fold the previous pages and front cover directly behind the current sheet so I don't have floppy pages blowing about. And then it ties shut with a nifty bit of twill tape built into the book. Great travel sketchbook!

And last item for the hunt in this picture is my self portrait. Sort of! Portraits aren't my strong suit and I ended up making myself look both younger (easy to hide that gray hair!) and thinner (I'm working on it! Have lost 50 lbs since October 06!) and then, the ink pen decide this was the time to get blotty on me so where I was trying to put very light hints of ink, I got spotty blotches. Oh well! Had fun anyway. You can judge for yourself how I did by comparing the photo at left taken a few months ago. I've lost another 15 lbs since then!

House Finch

2007-05-15T14:49:00.000-07:00

I just hung this bird feeder on Sunday and already (Tuesday morning) it has visitors! He was even kind enough to sit still long enough for me to sketch him!

Breakfast!

2007-05-15T14:43:00.000-07:00

Drawing breakfast was a challenge in more ways than one. First, I was HUNGRY! Second, note to self: BUY MORE MILK! Third, by the time I actually got to eat my cereal, what milk there was had made the cereal soggy. But the tea was good! Painting the bowl was interesting as it is hand thrown pottery with a varigated soft green glaze. Nothing even about the bowl nor the color, making it hard to get the shape and color accurate.

Twisted Table Leg

2007-05-15T00:23:00.000-07:00

This old oak table has been a favorite of mine for years. Its twisty legs were the perfect challenge to sketch for a table leg. I also wanted to include some other items for the scavenger hunt in this so included a mushroom cap, a map and the buckle of my watch!

Honey Pot

2007-05-15T00:21:00.000-07:00

Every morning, my Dad has honey on his toast, so when this scavenger hunt called for a container for sweetener, I knew I had to paint his honey pot!

Third Flatiron

2007-05-15T00:16:00.000-07:00

A mountain peak was the challenge for this sketch. Along the front range of Colorado there is no shortage of peaks to draw, but I wanted to do something that was indicative of where I was. This is the Third Flatiron that sits overlooking Boulder. I sat in the parking lot at NCAR (National Center for Atmospheric Research) and did this sketch. My dad has climbed this in the past!

Nails and paperclips

2007-05-15T00:11:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the most ordinary objects can be interesting and challenging subjects.

For these items, I sketched two of the nails from the original homestead of my great great grandparents house in South Dakota. The house is now gone but the nails remind us of a bygone era.

When looking for a paper clip to draw, I realized I had quite an assortment, so decided to paint them all! Those little objects turned out to be quite the challenge!

Sewing implements

2007-05-15T00:06:00.000-07:00

I was able to include a number of items for the scavenger hunt in this sketch. All implements from my sewing basket. A small clear bottle filled with 2 hole underwear buttons made out of bone, ribbons, all things that illustrate one of my hobbies, sewing. The thimble was inherited from a dear elderly friend who used it back around 1900. The acorn is a lovely carved wooden thimble holder given to me by a friend. The embroidery scissors have seen me through many a project! This was fun to put together and paint.

Tessalation

2007-05-14T23:58:00.000-07:00

Ok, I have to admit that I had to look tessalation up in order to figure out what to draw for this scavenger hunt item! It means a repeating pattern as is found in tiles, honeycombs, etc. On one wall of my parent's family room is a shelf of old wood that is filled with "found" objects including this old paper wasp nest (long since empty!) tacked to the underside of the shelf. Thought it would make a unique subject to draw for this item!

The game of GO

2007-05-14T23:54:00.000-07:00

I have a number of older sketches from previous Wet Canvas Scavenger Hunts that I thought I'd post. This challenge was to sketch a game. My mother played GO many years ago. The smooth pieces are so wonderfully tactile and always intrigued me!

Window shelf at 7:00 p.m.

2007-05-14T23:43:00.000-07:00

For this item, we had to draw something you see at 7:00 p.m. I looked at my watch and it was 7:00. Looked up and there was my Mollie kitty sitting on the window shelf looking out at the deepening dusk. "Purrfect" to draw for this item! And a bonus, another item on the list was a shelf with it's contents, so I included the plants and linen/lace piece I have draped on the shelf.

5 x 7"

Watercolor and ink

14May2007

Pitcher and Brownie

2007-05-14T23:35:00.000-07:00

After being without computer access for the past few months, I'm finally in my own space again and online! Hurrah! That means I can get caught up with the Wet Canvas Scavenger hunts and post images of my current sketches! This latest is of one of my ironstone pitchers and a brownie. The brownie was a challenge as there are no straight edges, just wrinkles and crumbs!

Watercolor and Ink
Approximately 5 x 7"
14May07

Striped Bowtie

2006-10-12T01:08:00.000-07:00

Finding a striped piece of fabric to sketch for item #4 was a toughie! It turns out that in this household, stripes are a rare and difficult to find item! At last we found a striped bowtie among my Dad's things. He used to wear these all the time instead of a tie.

String of Beads

2006-10-12T00:57:00.000-07:00

Ball/marble/string of beads (round ones) was the third item on this weeks list. I recently learned how to make several types of Celtic knots and used them to string these beads. Two of the knots are sliding knots, which allows the length of the necklace to be lengthened or shortened! I had a lot of fun making this and so it was easy to choose it as the subject for this sketch. The challenge for me here is that the beads were all somewhat transparent and the knots intricate.

A Twig of Cotoneaster

2006-10-12T00:49:00.000-07:00

#2 on this weeks Scavenger Hunt list is: A Twig. Lots of possiblities for this one! I walked around the yard with my pruners in hand. I had quite a bouquet of interesting autumn leaves on twigs, but when I walked around the front of the house and saw the bright red berries and deep green leaves of the cotoneaster (pronounced ka-TONE-ee-aster rather than cotton-easter!), I knew this was what I had to draw.

Seedpods

2006-10-12T00:33:00.000-07:00

Every 9 days, a new "Scavenger Hunt" begins on WetCanvas. One of the participants of the Artwork from Life/Scavenger Hunt forum submits a list of approximately 26 items and up to 3 challenges. The members then post their sketches.

For this hunt, I chose to sketch the items in watercolor with ink accents. I use a Winsor Newton sketchbox, Winsor Newton Cotman brushes, Micron pens and Holbein Multi-Drawing Book/OF (approx 5.25" x 7.25"). The first item on the list for October 8 - 16, 2006 was: Seedpod (cone, acorn etc.) I looked through my Mom's collection of nature items and came up with these interesting items to sketch.

The acorn is from a Burr Oak. I do not know the type of cone or seedpod though my Mom believes she found them in California.