Sunday, April 26, 2009

Garden Gate


The Garden Gate.
I made this quilt 1 1/2 years ago. I loved the colors and wrought ironwork. I really love florals anyway. We had spent the weekend in Ft. Bragg California for my birthday and this was one of the souvineers I brought home. I usually have to check and see if there are any quilt shops or fabric shops in the area we are traveling in and sure enough Ft Bragg had one!

The white tag on the left side was a label that was put on it for our local quilt show that took place April 18 and 19

My loving husband is the photographer here. You can see this and some of his other pictures at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jestrbob/

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Rhododendron


Rhododendron, originally uploaded by kquilts.

I have been wanting to participate in the Virtual Sketch Date challenge for months now. I finally sat down this last week and made two attempts at the chosen picture. I liked this one best of the two. The reference photo was by
Jeanette Jobson. I enjoyed this process a lot. It was interesting to look at all the different ways other artists approached this challenge.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Sketching and waiting.....


cottages, originally uploaded by kquilts.

I had planned to do this little lesson with watercolor wash along with the ink, but ended up using water soluble pencils instead. It just seemed easier to do it this way, as I was at the hospital waiting as my Dad had some tests done. I do like these pencils, but found the sky challenging. I didn't want a flat wash, I wanted it kind of mottled looking. I tried out a new Rapidosketch pen on this little picture. It worked pretty well, but it's going to take some getting used to.

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While waiting for the nurse to take Dad in for tests I sketched this picture. He was napping and snoring quite loudly. When he woke up I showed him the sketch and he thought it was ok.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Ink & watercolor wash cottage


Ink & watercolor wash cottage, originally uploaded by kquilts.

I like looking at and trying out little painting lessons I see on the "net". This is one I found by Raymond Whitehouse. It was a lesson in ink and monotone wash. I really liked this technique. It just seems like it is easier- a very low stress technique. I'm not trying for perfection. That would drive me crazy.

Tomorrow I'll be working on another one that has more colors to it. I'll also be trying out my new pen- a RapidoSketch pen. I'm not sure if I'll take my little travel watercolor set with me, or watercolor pencils- maybe both. I can then decide at that time which I would like to use.

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Karens bluebird


I painted this little bird last year. He just reminds me of spring and warmer weather. I really don't like the cold. I know... this is California and we are nowhere as cold as a lot of the United States get, but 75 or 80 degrees would feel real nice. I'm thinking I may go back and paint this one again.