Tag: flowers

art1 Comment

Painting a barn and enjoying flowers

mrerikdavis

This weekend brought more rain and snow, plus a little sunshine and blue sky. During one of the snow showers I decided to sketch and paint the neighbors barn.  I left out the busy background of trees and backyards and I included the silhouette of our garage in the lower right corner. When I was working on the barn I thought it would be fun to do two versions, one with pen and one in just watercolor.  I have to say I really prefer using my pens. The following two page spread is a favorite flower in our house, the … Continue reading Painting a barn and enjoying flowers

art8 Comments

Playing with flowers and doing some big drawings

mrerikdavis

Hey folks…we are still in the thick of an extreme winter season.  Today we are predicated to a reach a record high temperature of 60°F with an inch of rain and thunderstorms followed by a low tonight of 20°F with 20-30 mph winds.  And the cold snap continues for the rest of the weekend.  If anyone finds Spring, please direct her our direction! I’ve been keeping busy painting daisies in my sketchbook.  This two page spread was an experiment in style, keep it loose or heavy with a pen.  I keep liking the pen.  I used a fiber tip art … Continue reading Playing with flowers and doing some big drawings

art15 Comments

Challenges

mrerikdavis

Today’s post is going to be a bit longer than usual, I’ll apologize for that now. When you go through a very challenging time you tend to question things, a lot of things.  That’s what has been happening here.  I’ve spent the last two years going through what has to be the most challenging time of my life.  You could say it’s been life changing.  Now I’m not telling you this because I am looking for sympathy, but more of offering an explanation of why I have been in and out of here.  Posting and not posting.  When you go … Continue reading Challenges

art7 Comments

New paints and holiday baking

mrerikdavis

Hello friends, this weekend has seen new paints and lots of holiday baking, it’s been fantastic! I finally broke down and purchased some Winsor & Newton watercolors.  Da Vinci has been my brand of watercolors for years, and I’ve been happy with Da Vinci, but I thought it was time for a change.  And so far I must say I’m very happy with the Winsor & Newton watercolors.  I am using New Gamboge for the first time, what a great color.  I love how it mixes with blues and sap green.  I’ll be using this color frequently. I made a … Continue reading New paints and holiday baking

art, Photography6 Comments

Photographing lines and the last begonia

mrerikdavis

This weeks photography challenge was lines.  It seemed easy enough, but I was trying to resist the easy lines and really look at this from a more abstract view.  I’m also finding I am seeing things in a more abstract view.  I love a great wide landscape, but for my shooting I am really steering towards shapes and forms.  I’m not sure if this is just temporary, or if this will be my niche, but I am really enjoying it.  A lot. I am trying something new with my posts.  In the past I would explain the image with text … Continue reading Photographing lines and the last begonia

art, Photography2 Comments

Looking for green and a little sketching

mrerikdavis

This weeks photography theme was green.  There wasn’t a specific subject, just green.  I didn’t want to just shoot images of leaves or grass, so I really left myself open. After breakfast  noticed the way the light was coming in the dining room window and falling across the chair.  The lines and deep contrast instantly caught my eye.  I knew this had to be one of the shots. While I was at work I noticed the wheelbarrow we have behind the building.  I started focusing on the tub of the wheelbarrow, it’s parked upside down and has a beautiful pitted … Continue reading Looking for green and a little sketching

art, Loose Watercolors6 Comments

Staying loose and finding the joy again

mrerikdavis

I’ve been keeping things loose with the watercolors, and I haven’t been this excited about art in a very long time! As I was rummaging in the paper cabinet this weekend, I found a partial block of Kilimanjaro watercolor paper from Cheap Joe’s. You can find the paper here The paper is fantastic. It’s a cold press paper and it’s loaded with wonderful nooks and crannies that let the pigments flow and blend in wonderful patterns. The above detail is just one example of the wonderful blending on the Kilimanjaro paper. The following two pieces are both on the Kilimanjaro … Continue reading Staying loose and finding the joy again

art, Daily Sketching, Loose Watercolors4 Comments

Lunch bag and flowers

mrerikdavis

Urban sketching, loose watercolors, flowers…this has been my week so far. While eating my lunch at work yesterday my lunch bag and hat caught my eye. They both hang on a hook next to my desk. It’s something I use everyday at work, but for some reason this was the first time I actually looked at them. I used my new Cognitive Surplus notebook for this bag and hat sketch. The fine nib LAMY Safari fountain pen and a Zebra brush pen provided the line work while I used a handful of Faber-Castell Polychromos colored pencils for some color. The … Continue reading Lunch bag and flowers

art, Fountain Pen Sketches, Loose Watercolors4 Comments

Spring has arrived in NW Ohio

mrerikdavis

Spring has finally arrived to NW Ohio, the temperature was in the mid 60s this weekend and the flowers loved it! We did too. I found one of our hardworking garden toads hopping in the grass as I was mowing. I quickly scooped him up and moved him to a safe spot in one of your flowerbeds. Gotta save the toads! This also seemed like a good time to challenge myself with a little mower art. I am using a new notebook from Cognitive Surplus, great notebooks! I’ll do a more thorough review soon. I used my trusty Lamy fountain … Continue reading Spring has arrived in NW Ohio

art, Loose Watercolors, Pencil Drawings6 Comments

Value studies and loose watercolors

mrerikdavis

I’ve committed myself to really focus on the watercolors. I’ve always enjoyed watercolors, both painting them and looking at them. For years I have worked with watercolors, not really giving them a whole lot of thought, I’ve always just used them as an accent to the pen drawings. I think I just became comfortable, and maybe lazy, with that combination. But going forward the pens will be used for quick sketches and writing. To gain better control of the watercolors I am going back to basics. Lots of value studies and quick sketches. The value studies may never develop into … Continue reading Value studies and loose watercolors