For Whom the Bell Tolls

Thanks Nino for the loan of Pip’s photo! Great inspiration for today’s page! When I saw it, I knew right away what I was going to do.  I thought I’d keep the colours simple.  So the question is, Can you un-ring the bell??!!! I used handmade stamps; white eraser arrow, craft foam cut out dots glued to cardboard and rubber bands on a piece of cardboard for the black lines. Pentel brush Penang watercolours in my Moleskine sketchbook.  #30pages30days

A masterpiece

I would like to thank    Carrie   for the reminder! I definitely need it! I actually did this one yesterday but forgot to post.  Thanks to Richard for the great photo inspiration.  I used magazine bits, craft paint, clemintine box mesh and sequin waste ribbon, potato bag mesh and drywall tape as stencils, markers and stamps.  Yup, almost the kitchen sink! Pentel brush Pen and water soluble graphite.  #30pages30days

Fingers and Foreshortening

This one was a challenge and was way beyond my skill level so here is my result.  I had 80% done yesterday but it was too dark for me to photograph when I finished it this morning. Three colours only except for the gold Faber-Castell pen. Turquoise Blue, transparent orange and brown madder (WN pigment watercolour). #30faces30days 

Brain Science

This is “What’s Next” for me, I was feeling a wee bit slow this morning. I knew that I had to get some java in me and fast! So that was what was on my mind and the inspiration for my page!  I used the water soluble ink of the Staedler cool roller pen again, gouache, Pentel brush pen, Tombow markers and washi tape in my Moleskine sketchbook. #30pages30days

Water soluble ink - journal page and Sktchy face

Hmmmmm.....what’s next - was loads of fun to do! It all started with done distressed paper collages in my #Moleskine I thought I would check out the magic of the #mouth_atomizer with blue acrylic ink. For the drawing the face I used water soluble Staedler “cool roller” pen and of course water!  I pulled out my sequin waste ribbon for a stencil and the mesh from a bag of potatoes.  I could have done more but it was so beautiful out today and I had to get outside to enjoy it. #30pages30days #collage  

“SAP’SICLE”

This page is a little “slice” of my life! The sap is running freely in our maple trees!!! I had to document eating my first “SAP’SICLE” of the spring season.  I wasn’t tall enough to reach them but my husband was able to reach them. Not as sweet as I had expected after watching the squirrels lick it off the deck underneath. Now to get some maple taffy from the sugar shack down the road! Yum!! #30pages30days

Overworked the paper and lovely lemon

Thanks Heidi for this fab inspiring photo.  I threw some watercolour on an acrylic block and pressed it down on the paper for my base layer.  It has sat there like that for a week.  Today I was leafing through a free magazine and found the text and I knew I had the crossword and coupon.  Thanks again for the image, definitely nothing boring about this photo!!!  I used acrylic paint, gesso, handmade stamps and stuff around the house stencils #30pages30days #collage #gesso

I could hear the paper screaming in agony. It can’t handle the washes. Strathmore Vision mixed media sketchbook 

Pencil work and Chapter 4

It has been a long time since I’ve done any pencil work.  Although I was using graphite, I did not use an eraser.  I did allow myself to use my paper stomp to smudge out some of my mistakes. I’ll have to remember that I’m not particularly happy with this paper for pencil work in my Strathmore Vision mixed media sketchbook, a little too much texture for my liking. I have to say that I enjoyed using my Blackwing 530 pencil though; I really like the firm’ish lead. #30faces30days #pencil #graphite #blackwing

I’m a “directly in with pen” sort so I can see my errors but come what may....I drew a face today! I used a veggie sack as a stencil for my background with StazOn ink. #30faces30days

Thanks to Teddy from Sktchy for inspiring Chapter 3 -The Mysterious Staircase.  I definitely need to keep the story going.                                       Previously painted acrylic ink background in Stillman Birn Epsilon sketchbook. Watercolour galaxy/world, stars created with Kuretake Starry Colors that I received as a unexpected surprise from my friend Marta Reily. .                           

The story......                                                             The little girl wanted to take another walk up the circular staircase even though she had been frightened the day before.  Her grandmother could not dissuade her determined granddaughter; so she relented. “I’ll wait for you at the bottom of the stairs. Don’t be long” she said, kissing the little girl on the cheek.  The little girl tentatively stepped up the stairs hugging the wall and averting her gaze as she passed the first window.  She sensed that the window was aware of her passing.  When she approached the next window she saw it was round like a portal she thought.  When she got closer she saw a world spinning in the sky outside with thousands maybe even millions of golden twinkling stars.  She was in awe and wondered if it was possible to have another little girl looking through a window at Earth.  The little girl spent sometime wondering until she heard her grandmother calling her name from below. When she descended she could feel the little hairs on the back of her neck quivering as she stepped past the first window. #mysterious_staircase

Prototype for a birthday card

Thanks talya for your fab photo!  I haven’t achieved skills yet to do justice to your hair or skin tone.  However, I am thrilled that I didn’t wimp out and posting my results regardless. I used four colours hansa yellow medium, transparent orange, brown madder and phthalo turquoise and one size 10 pointed round brush. #30faces30days

Sktchy inspired birds. This page is nothing special but an idea for a birthday card for a friends birthday next month.  I met her over 30 years ago at a conference in the big city.  We share our first name and became fast friends even though we live 5 hours apart (I live in central Ontario and she lives near our capital city in the east).   Love this  inspirational photo and to my fellow artists for posting their art of these birdies earlier this morning - her art sparked my imagination. #30pages30days

A dog and a Party Hat

Thanks to Katie from Sktchy for the inspiring photos! This is the first page in my latest “finished” Moleskine sketchbook.  I gessoed and painted some circles on it to cover up a mistake then left it as is until I finished the book yesterday.  This morning i decided to get cracking;  that it was time to truly finish the book and draw something on that very first two page spread. I took liberties with the doggie photo and the crown made for a perfect party hat! Pentel brush pen, cheap watercolour, gouache and Montana markers. #30pages30days

The Scream - my version

I’m using the Friday Face for my sketchbook page today. 

Wow! I’ll be honest, this is exactly the type of photo that I would have passed over if it weren’t for the 30Faces30days challenge over on Sktchy! Happiness with my results is mixed; I really need to work harder on achieving a believable skin tone but I’m thrilled that I did those fingers and that open mouth with (kinda sorta) teeth. 

Pen and watercolour and no pencil except for the lettering. There is no way I would be able to get the words to fit right without pencil first!

A late Friday Face

Inspired to give last weeks Sktchy #fridayface a go before tomorrow!  I had the washi tape on this page for a week now and wanted to do something with it. So happy when the Buffalo Springfield lyrics popped into my head. I used Pentel brush pen, cheap craft paint, Montana markers, purchased and handmade white eraser stamps, around the house stuff used as a stencil and Stas-on ink pad. Still trying to keep up with 

#30pages30days

Home and snail mail

There is a bit of this and a bit of that; I started this page this morning while watching my granddaughter play.  Not a likeness, but able to capture a moment in time! Got home to a treasure of snail mail and a purchase. I am so thrilled to get my first “Postcrossing” stamp from Hungary!!    I must give a shoutout to Cathy for the awesome artful surprise in the form of a creative card! Thanks for your sweet thoughtfulness!! #30pages30days

Cocoa Beach and a Wooden Purse

We drove to Cocoa Beach yesterday, it was a beautiful sunny warm day and the song “Summertime and the living is easy” was running through my head! We had a wonderful lunch’s day this restaurant before we headed to the beach. #30pages30days

Today’s page is of a wooden purse that I found in an antique shop we stopped at the other day on our way home from the flea market.  Our friend really really like it so she bought it; I’m glad she did so I could gave a nifty entry in my book today. Super cool treasure to be sure.

Our friend Ron

Our friend Ron was willing to pose for me so I tried to capture his silly pained expression. Pen (no pencil), watercolour and opaque paint markers. 

Sandhill Cranes

Loved watching these Sandhill cranes on our vacation here in Florida (my first time)!  They were good enough to stand still for a few long seconds while I sketched them.  Appreciate that we have a pond in the back that has lots of wildlife. Pen, watercolour in my Moleskine sketchbook. #30pages30days

On holiday and two Sandhill cranes

This is what I did on the plane yesterday.  The photo isn’t the best but I’m happy with my drawing! I’ve never been in the very last row on an airplane - Air Canada Boeing 767

Our home away from home

These Sandhill cranes gave such a strange call.whike walking by the back of the house that we are staying.  My first time seeing them. 

Something dark but not for today

I had some time free late this afternoon and I knew my hubby would be watching the Nascar race so I stopped in to draw this house.  My first visit since our friends who lived here passed  four years ago.  They lived very close by and usually if I have to go somewhere that is near there I chose an alternate route.  So sad to see the deterioration of this house that had been so filled with life.  Those vines use to be so awesome before the house has been boarded up.  I’ve never been in the front door, we always went around back.  While drawing, I thought if all the fun times: dinners, weddings, barbecues, horseshoe tournaments, weekend parties and the annual Christmas tree killing party.  I’ll have to make a “tip in” so I can write up how I felt.  Too creepy to go back to the barn (maybe next time).  Colour will have to get added on another day. I went in a different direction for the concept of “dark”!  #30pages30days

I used this layered painting of Brooks as part of the Sktchy #30faces30days challenge 

I used a previously prepared page that I had glued my parking lot stub and a vintage book page then slapped some gesso over top.  Dog drawn with my Pentel brush pen and gouache with Staz-on ink pounced through sequin waste ribbon. 

Lunch Faux Pas

Here is my two page spread from yesterday. I was to meet a friend for lunch and it seems I misinterpreted her intent.  I thought we were to meet st the new restaurant in Craighurst.  I was thrilled to arrive first (it would have been a first for me) but when I texted I was st the wrong restaurant so I went to the diner across the road on the other corner. Then I found out that she was st The Old Corner Store Diner 5 kms North.  Ugh!!! Anyway we had a really wonderful lunch!

Last Nights art and Friday Face!

Got this one done under the wire.  I was talking to a friend on FB about our first page for this challenge from Sktchy.  I knew I had an idea but had not fleshed it out in my mind.  So I picked up my pen and got down to it. Pen and Tombow markers in my #Moleskine  #30pages30days

New Phone, new app

I haven’t been able to post in the last few weeks because my phone hasn’t been working well.

I had to pay for this app so I hope it will allow me to upload a photo. 

Yippee!!! It is working!

I created this drawing using cheap (the package said they were neon) ballpoint pens from the dollar store.  Drawing inspired by Sktchy 30faces30days in my Strathmore Toned Tan sketchbook.