Sketching with AD Markers and planning this year’s holiday card

I haven’t had time over the last week for watercolors, but I am trying to find time for some quick pen and marker sketches.

Sunflower with Preppy fountain pen and AD Markers in a Leuchtturm1917 journal

Preppy fountain pen with AD Markers in an A5 Paper-Oh notebook

We are growing a cutting garden this year and one of the seed packets we bought was a mix of mini sunflowers. They look so fun in the garden, and they make great cutting flowers for bouquets inside! They will be making a return next year. Down the road from the office there is a large construction site, a bean field is being turned into a hotel. The other day I spotted these two surveyors walking the site, their bright orange shirts really stood out against all the piles of fresh rock. The Post It Note was from a coworker who thought I needed a task for the day. I’m glad she gave me the task!

I’m also working on new ideas for this years holiday card.

Faber-Castell PITT pen with AD Markers in an A5 Paper-Oh notebook

Faber-Castell PITT pen with AD Markers in an A5 Paper-Oh notebook

I am currently leaning towards drawing B, with the two figures walking in the snow. I haven’t decided if I will paint the finished design in a loose watercolor style or go with the pen and watercolor sketch. I will post all updates as I go along.

Thanks for stopping by…Erik

Zinnias and an old farm house…

I’ve put away the pens and I am now embracing loose watercolors and pencil. I used a lot of pencils in college, and I always enjoyed them. I’m not sure why I stopped using them. After trying several different brands I have settled on Blackwing pencils and the original Palomino pencils. Beautiful pencils and the best graphite I have ever used!

I am also skipping the pens with my watercolors, for now. That may change. But, I really love the challenge of painting loose. In theory it seems easy enough, bold brush strokes and minimal detail. But the challenge of telling the your story with minimal brush marks is really exciting to me.

Loose watercolor of zinnias on St Cuthberts Mill Saunders Waterford cold press paper

Old Stone Farmhouse on St Cuthberts Mill Saunders Waterford cold press paper

The Old Stone Farmhouse in pencil in a Paper-Oh A5 journal

The zinnias were cut from our garden. They are a favorite in our house for cut flowers and the great variety of colors and blooms. The old farmhouse is located just outside of town. I don’t know the history of the house, but there is something about the crumbling stone and brick walls that really intrigues me. It’s a favorite subject of mine.

Right now my watercolor paper of choice is St Cuthberts Mill Saunders Waterford cold press, the sketchbook used for the farmhouse is a Paper-Oh A5 journal.

Thanks for stopping by…Erik

A busy week for art

Last week was a very busy week for art. I had several request for custom Field Notes covers, something I really enjoy! I also squeezed in some time for sketching for myself. I’ve been using both the Field Notes and the Leuchtturm1917 journals. They both have their strengths and weaknesses. I find myself favoring the Field Notes because of their size, and I am a sucker for the  multiple cover options. The Leuchtturm1917 journals are very nice, the paper is great with pens and pencil, but I still find the size and thickness a downfall. I really doubt I’ll stick to one size or style of notebook, I honestly have a serious addiction to paper and notebooks/journals!

Field Notes tree sketching with a 0.7 mechanical pencil

Leuchtturm1917 journal with a Preppy fountain pen

Field Notes tree cover with Faber-Castell PITT pen

Field Notes cityscape covers with Faber-Castell PITT pen and Zebra brush pen

Field Notes cityscape covers with Faber-Castell PITT pen and Zebra brush pen

Field Notes tree sketching with a 0.7 mechanical pencil

Field Notes cityscape covers with Faber-Castell PITT pen and Zebra brush pen

Field Notes cityscape cover with Faber-Castell PITT pen and Zebra brush pen

That’s all for today…thanks for stopping by…Erik

Daily sketching and looking for spring

We’ve had some unseasonably warm weather this week in NW Ohio. Last weekend the temperature climbed into the mid 60s, which led to several long walks. This week has also been warm. The forecast calls for more cold and maybe a bit of snow this weekend, but we know spring is coming. Our daffodils are pushing through the dirt and standing tall, the crocus are showing some green, and the snowdrops are blooming everywhere.

Sketching my sweatshirt in the sun

Sketching tall trees and low buildings

Our empty garden containers drawn in my Leuchtturm1917 journal with a Preppy fountain pen

Snowdrops sketched in the garden

 

I took some time this week to make a sketch of our empty garden containers sitting on our deck. It’s been a while since I actually enjoyed a little urban sketching. I decided to switch to my Leuchtturm1917 journal for this one. I went straight with the pen, no pencil layout, just pen. There is something exciting about going into a drawing with a pen, you can’t erase, you can’t undo, you can only keep going forward. I like that. I also took a walk out in the yard this morning and decided to capture a little clump of the snowdrops. I used the Leuchtturm1917 journal for this one too.

I’d like to spend more time working on the observation drawing, or urban sketching. It’s fun to be creative and imagine something, but it’s also a lot of fun to actually be part of your environment while your sketching.

That’s all for this post, thanks everyone…Erik