My Mothers Cookbook

I was thinking about my mother this morning and pulled down my mother’s cookbook.  I’m really glad my parents didn’t live long enough to experience this nightmare.  We still use some of the recipes one in awhile.  I was leafing through and saw some others that I had forgotten that I liked.  The spine is gone but I don’t want to repair it, I just need to be gentle. 

Swatches

No sketch today just some swatches.  I’m getting together another paintbox with some newer paints.  I don’t have many pages filled in my swatch sketchbook, I thought no would add some today.  I use a landscape watercolour Moleskine.  It isn’t my favourite but okay for this even though the paper is off white (white would be better for this task I think).  I have to say I enjoyed doing this and learned more about these pigments. 

The Dusk pans by Van Gogh are so much fun and I just love the granulation! All if them re-wet really easily.  I’m not sure but I think they are student grade paints.  Regardless, I like them a lot. The Stoneground Paint Co is a Canadian brand and I love the medium granulation of the graphite.  The natural earth pigment- Pipestone looks like Potters Pink to me even though it looks like a sienna in the pan. The mission gold paints weren’t what I expected, No. 2 shows it is transparent but it looks really thick to me.  Unexpected results so I think it was time well spent. 

Turkey Portrait

I’m finding that I just love watching the wild turkeys st our bird feeder even though I think they are terribly ugly and just plain creepy!

I was trolling through my photos and I found this head shot.  I really enjoyed painting this portrait.  

I used matte craft paint.

Chicken Man

Today is the first anniversary of Ontario’s first COVID case.  I don’t remember any of that because we were starting our holiday in Brazil where we didn’t have English television.  

I’m not a beer drinker and if I do I prefer a lager, my husband likes to try different beers and he prefers ales.  I do like to paint them because I find craft brewery cans are always so fun and interesting!! 

Yup, apparently you can ask some of the locals in town (when the bars re-open that is) about the dude who would ride his bike with his pet chicken.  Me, I don’t believe a bit of it but it is a good story and an interesting can. 

I used matte craft paint and white and black gel pen.

Selfie Sunday

Good morning! It is Selfie Sunday once again!I’m watching the wild turkeys out the window this morning while I draw and drink my coffee. This selfie is a mash up of kiddo and artist pencil crayons: graphite, oil and wax in my Moleskine planner. 

If you’re wondering what that thing is on my head; it’s my snow shoveling hat.  I’m glad I don’t need to use it today. It is super warm and too hot for wearing indoors.  I am sure some of you want one of these stunning utilitarian hats! Right!??

The turkeys are back

They’re back!! I have since corrected my spelling error on the page. They have stayed for a few hours until my hubby had to go out and scared them off! 

The wild turkeys look kind of pre-historic don’t ya think!?!! I love their feathers but they aren’t easy to draw and paint. 

One Flat Brush painting

Thanks to Andrew Pena for the workshop with Etchr Lab.  I’m using their hot press Fabriano Artistico paper sketchbook. This is what I did during the time available.  Some take aways from the class: get to know your brush so you know everything it can do; gouache dries darker and a flat brush can be versatile.  I still can’t believe I used ONE flat brush for this whole painting. This is not something I would have attempted on my own and I definitely would like to keep going with that technique. 

Cardinal

I watched the live demo on Utube today with Etchr Lab and created my sketch here in my journal using traditional gouache on this thin paper.  I see our cardinal and his wife at the feeder every day here in central Ontario (Canada).  

Thanks to Caylin Jayde for the great demo, I had a good time.  I lost steam so I just added some green to indicate the cedar tree he was sitting in this morning.

Ian fennelly’s workshop

I took a tutorial with Ian Fennelly today with Etchr and used one of their (hot press) sketchbooks that arrived just in time.  I used Tombow markers watercolour and fine line pen. 

Poor mourning Dove

Just after 10 this morning I received an alert on my phone announcing the new STAY AT HOME order by the Premier of Ontario for the next 28 days.  Ontario is Canada’s largest province with 14.5 mil people and we have the highest COVID-19 cases in the country.  Of course we also have the largest city in Canada and many other highly populated cities.  We are literally on fire!  For my husband and I, nothing much will change, it is just more of the same.  

I am happy that we have wildlife to watch over and I also have art to occupy my hands and mind.  Yesterday when I went out to feed my birds, I saw many more tiny down feathers and two tail feathers.  This is the second mourning dove to loose their life in the cycle of life and survival of the fittest!

Carla’s Yearlong class

Thanks Carla for posting the videos of the zoom calls.  I worked on my “family portrait” while I watched.  I wanted to put my time to good use since I couldn’t attend.

I like my family and I laughed when I realized my baby looks like he is swaddling up like a sausage or maybe like a burrito baby! I also learned that I enjoyed creating clothing for my family and giving my grand-dad a bow tie! 

Beautiful Female Cardinal

This morning Mrs Cardinal flew close by and rested on the snow outside my window.  Only for a second mind you but it reminded me how pretty she is.  Okay, so she doesn’t have the lovely brilliant red colour of her husband but no matter, I love colouring and their crown plumage that they share. 

I decided to document this moment today based on a line in the book I’m currently reading. “Snaps” capture a fleeting moment!  And “snaps” are something that I have taken since I got my first Instamatic camera when I was 12.  I still take “snaps” but I think I often commit those fleeting moments to paintings as much as photographs. 

Meeting over the internet

Today I had my first on line meeting with my “bank lady”, last year we did it over the phone.  So this is my first time meeting her “face-to-face” so to speak. Thank goodness I didn’t have to drive in to town today to conduct this important business.  A new public health stay at home order was announced today that starts on Thursday. 

She was surprised when I showed her my drawing, I painted my page after our “meeting”!! 

Bread and drippings

I hadn’t realized that “bread and drippings” really was a “thing” in Britain.  My mother was quite British in her nature and we sometimes had “bread and drippings”.  I always loved it as a little girl.  But then it just seemed to disappear from her repertoire.

So it was interesting to read this in my current novel!

#3 Pantry Art Project

My final entry for the project by Patrice over on IG.  Craft paint in my Moleskine planner 

#1 Pantry Art Project

We went grocery shopping in town today and then I had a well deserved drink. 

Pen and pencil crayons 

#2 Pantry Art Project

Today’s page inspired by breakfast this morning! I used cheap craft paint in my created for Patrice for her worthy pantry art project.  She will donate time (once she is inoculated) and money to her local food bank. 

Fence Post Friday

Thankfully it is a beautiful sunny day here in Ontario for this Fence Post Friday!  Take care everyone and follow your local health restrictions.  Stay well, stay safe. 

This farm has been sold recently to a corporation.  When they were a family farm, they use to have the best Halloween display and free range chickens that sometimes skirted the road.  Sadly,  things change and the new signage is indicative of that change.  

Sending snail mail

Thanks to Marion in the Sktchy app for the cute puppy photo.  I think I will make this into a card for my granddaughter.  I am sure she will just love it!!  We are in lockdown again here in Ontario but I can still send her some mail between internet visits.  I used pen and gouache in my Moleskine planner. 

Red black pattern

Yesterday I didn’t feel like painting in my Moleskine journal so I just used acrylic and India ink to make some patterns inspired by the facial tissue box

Bunnies at the feeder

Today we only had two deer at the bird feeder and this little brown bunny.  I had to go out again to fill the feeder.  Between the birds and deer, it is going to be an expensive winter.  I couldn’t believe how much the deer could scoop out with its tongue!  We are in lockdown but the little hardware store in town does curb side pick up. 

Selfie Sunday

I tried a cut paper collage and it was slit harder than I thought.  I had to use a felt tip marker on the eyes snd white Uniball Signo pen for the whites of my eyes.   

Corona Virus

It finally dawned on me that I had this jar..... so hoping that the virus can be “contained” soon. I don’t know if you can still buy the rubber rings needed to seal this preserving jar.  I’ll have to check at the local hardware store in town.