Sept30Art

Cloudy rainy morning… and then SUNSHINE and blue skies all afternoon… it was BEAUTIFUL…  I've used my Dogbert doll as a model, many many times, but I don't think I've ever drawn a side view of him… so today I did.

Sept29Art

AND it is supposed to rain tomorrow so, 27 out of 30 days it has rained, without a hurricane or even a tropical storm.  Charleston usually has drought in September, I can't remember it ever raining this many days in a row.  If I wanted to live somewhere it rained all the time I'd move to Seattle Washington (nothing against Washington I'm sure it is lovely).

Sept28Art

Ron and I went out to the Palmetto Gun Club range today.  We haven't been out shooting in a long time, obviously way too long as I couldn't hit anything until I went thru about 50 rounds of ammo.  Ron recovered his grove quicker than I did, but he wasn't happy with his shooting either.  We did discover a good use for old political signs… targets LOL.  Rain continues on and off… it is getting old… I need to see blue sky and sun more often.
Oh and see over on the right… I finally figured out how to add an email follow option.  I love following other people's blog this way, and now you can follow me or not :-)

Sept27Art

For a brief moment this afternoon, the sun came out, the blue sky was visible… our picnic was wonderful fun including the sun shining for a little while.  Back home later today, the clouds and the rain returned… but for a little while today we saw the sun.

Another Flamingo painting, I finished this one while in Hendersonville NC, only just now got around to scanning it.  It think he turned out nicely.

Sept26Art

OctoberFest beer, pumpkin spice on everything, pumpkins in the stores… it's that time of year … almost.  Last weekend of September, where has the year gone?

Sept25Art

Tried my white uni-ball pen to draw this, but the paper wasn't as dark I thought, so it didn't show up well at all.  A bit of Quinacradone Burnt Orange and voila my coffee cup came to life.  Still gray and rainy here… I am seriously in need of some SUN TIME!

Sept24Art

Another muddy paw, wet dog day… Beau just shakes it off… the gray sky doesn't bother him one bit, neither does the rain.  So much to learn from the four legged people in fur coats at my house.  They are quite pleased with the chill in the air too… those fur coats finally coming in handy.

Sept23Art

I'm really tired of this rain, rain, rain.  It is supposed to rain every day this week… which means misery for Gracie (and me), muddy paws, wet dogs… sigh.  I need to take Henry's advise and just let it rain.

Sept22Art

Long day… actually raining again tonight, and we're predicted for rain all week… UGGGG.  Did get the grass cut today, before the rain started. Monday's are not good days for me… and today was no exception.  Thus I didn't take my own advise… I didn't think, and I didn't draw.

Sept21Art

I understand why ancient man, worshipped the sun.  After a week of rain everyday, today the sun was out all day.  Love bug season is here! While sitting in the car while Ron ran into the Staples to get some ink for his printer I watched the love bugs swarming.  They seem to prefer white cars over other colors.

Sept20Art

I like starting a new sketchbook with drawings of my tools, so the waterbrush.  This is a short NIJI waterbrush, I also have Koi and Holbein waterbrushes I love them all.  This is on cream colored Bockingford paper, I used different papers in this sketchbook.

Book 28 - My homemade Sketchbook

Title page in my new (homemade) sketchbook,  crepe myrtle leaf for a first sketch.  This book has some toned Bockingford 140lbs watercolor paper along with Starthmore Mixed Media paper.  I'm looking forward to using my watercolors again.

Sept19Art

It has rained every day this week, a few days we've had some sun during the morning, but every afternoon and evening it has rained.  Gracie who is afraid of thunderstorms has been miserable this week, I'm getting cabin fever myself.

Sept18Art

One more page left in this journal, it's been fun exploring markers and colored pencils because this paper hates water. Starting Saturday on the journal I made for myself… I'm looking forward to it and the landscape format too.

Sept17Art

Another dentist visit… thanks to novocaine I can't smile, or drink thru a straw… I like this new dentist, but my long history of hating dentist visits, isn't going to end any time soon… or ever.

Sept16Art

James Richards book arrived last week while I was away from home. I am registered for a workshop in Savannah with him Oct 4th, contact Kip Bradley if you're interested in the workshop bradleyk.telfair@gmail.com .I'm working thru the exercises as best I can… lots of excellent information in this book.  The book is one Liz Steel recommended too.  For more information on Jim…

James Richards links:

https://www.facebook.com/james.richards.9849?fref=ts

https://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesrichardsdrawings/

http://www.jamesrichardssketchbook.com/

http://www.amazon.com/Freehand-Drawing-Discovery-Sketching-Designers/dp/1118232100/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1409860489&sr=1-1&keywords=james+richards

Sept15Art

Long day today, trip to Columbia, new project at work, and then Dr appt and getting new insulin pump.  So far so good, my biggest concern is knocking it off during sleep tonight.

Sept14Art

Quiet day today, went over the Mt. Pleasant for a Jack's Cosmic Dog for lunch, we really like that place. It's kinda of nice that the folks that work there recognize us and remember our names (I find that amazing since I'm so bad at remembering people's names).

Sept13Art

Good to be home, and get the dirty laundry out of the suitcase and into the washing machine.  Sorted out the art supplies from my back pack and got it all back where it belongs.  Quick trip to the store for dog cookies and cokes finished off the day with left overs for dinner… Life is good.

Sept12Art

I'M BACK!!!  I know you missed me didn't you?  I had so much fun and was so tired every evening, I barely got my daily drawing done, there was no time to keep the blog updated.  It was a long drive home, after the morning demo by Sterling Edwards, a final lunch with my host Priscilla and I headed down the mountain back to the low country of South Carolina… there's no place like home.

Sept06Art

We went to the gun show in Ladson today, I got Ron a laser scope for one of his rifles for his birthday.  Rained on and off all day today, we needed the rain so we were happy to see it.  I'm all packed for my trip to NC tomorrow for a week of painting.  Don't know how much I'll be able to post from there, but I'll try the best I can.

Sept05Art

Gilligan's is a local seafood restaurant here in Charleston, they have huge salt water aquariums with colorful tropical fish, that you can watch right at your table. I bet they have happy content customers, because even when you have to wait for your food for a while, watching the fish is so relaxing.

Sept04Art

Leaves on the crepe myrtle are turning, it's still pretty hot so there are still flowers on it too.  I guess the shorter hours of daylight triggers the leaves to change color, not the cold weather.  At least not cold here in Charleston.

My First Homemade Sketchbook

I used this tutorial to make my very first handmade sketchbook.  http://nyergesart.blogspot.com/2014/08/we-can-try-to-make-this-book-or-one.html  I used the Strathmore Mixed Media paper she suggested as well as some Bockingford 140 lbs tinted papers.  I only did 4 signatures, because I thought 6 would be too thick.  I also made mine landscape instead of portrait.

This shows a cream colored page next to a white page.  I still have a week or more in my current sketchbook, and then I'm planning to put this book to the test.  I'm already planning a larger sketchbook, making this one was fun.

Sept03Art

The book the 'Art of whimsical Lettering' left out something as this page is a MESS.  How do people do this and it looks fabulous?  When I do it… well… THIS is the result,  I guess I'm not cut out for 'artsy' journal keeping, I do love looking at other peoples art journals… but I just can't figure out how it's done… I guess I don't have the 'eye' for it.

Sept02Art

While selecting colors to take with me next week I discovered I'm out of Permanent Alizarin Crimson… YIKES… how'd that happen?  I need to order some asap.

Sept01Art

Used my TomBow portrait pens to color this, did not expect that 'orange' color… yikes, whose skin is that color for?  Went to Sketchers (the shoe store) this morning and got a couple of pairs of 'Go Walk' shoes, we were going to ride the bikes for a while, but I wimped out because of the heat.