What's in my bag -not my camera bag

I belong to a Flickr group and have taken a snap and posted.  This time I drew what is in my bag!  It was lots of fun! 

Street view sketch in my Moleskine

I can't believe that our holiday in the Big Apple is over! This will be my last time sitting at this Starbucks and gazing over this street view. 

Yeah, there is more detail that I could add but I'm calling it done. 

So long New York, it was a great time!

I haven't read the book but I did order the work book for "Steal Like an Artist".  I stole this technique from Felix Scheinberger's book Urban Watercolour.   I am quite excited because he will be teaching a segment in the next Sketchbook Skool (dot) com class that is due to start in January. 

I took a snap and I really should go in and add more detail especially on the days that I just don't feel like doing much art.  I might help me out of the slump.  I'll see....later.

Fork in the Road

Sat in a "no parking zone" to draw this at the "Five Points" in downtown Barrie, Ontario.  The restaurant in the centre is the closest thing that Barrie has to a "flat iron" building. 

It was quite the challenge and I can see that I have been "somewhat" successful.  at least I was able to complete it, paint and all before I left for home. 

A House and a Panama Hat - kind of...

I went by this house at 158 Dunlop St E in Barrie and saw that the legal eagle firm has vacated the premises and the huge mansion of a house appears to be abandoned.  I have always loved this house when I drive by.  I stopped a year a go or so and attempted to draw it but was not successful.  So happy that I made the effort today.  Funny how people alway feel that they need to comment when they see someone drawing.  A fella went by walking his dog and he said, "Drawing the house, eh?"  Yes! Yes, I am!

Earlier this summer we were in the big city -Toronto Canada - to take a tour of Graffitti Alley just off Queen St West. It was the hottest day that we had up to that moment. We walked by this store and decided that we needed hats to survive the tour. My hubby bought this Panama hat and we were told that the way to tell a Panama from other hats is the woven circle in the centre.  I couldn't figure out how to draw the texture so I just drew. It is actually white and I didn't want to leave it as a contour drawing. Now it makes me think of a computer simulation during the graphics stage of hat building. 

Moorish mask

Funny how I see this souvenir everyday but I don't really look at it. I took down this leather mask we brought back from Portugal.  It was quite challenging to get all of the folds in the leather to create the face.  We had a good holiday but if I was to do it over again we would have spent the money on the excursions.  We missed a great opportunity to visit Morocco.

Watercolour first then add drawing

A new technique that I think I enjoy doing very much is to lay down the watercolour and then apply the pen work afterwards.

This is how I did this sketch of this Canada Goose in my Moleskine sketchbook. My initial paint application has created a shadow that makes this goose appear to be in motion. 

Hot tomatoes! Too hot to handle!

I forgot to post this one.

Missing the Sun and Sand of St Lucia

I am so proud of myself for actually documenting my holiday in my sketchbook! I wanted to do it and I accomplished my goal!

Here is a page I started and completed while we were laying on the beach on our last day!





I never think of taking a snap of the room-a hotel room is just a hotel room to me but.... I found that drawing and painting it so very different!


I really love these strange flowers - Birds of Paradise! I drew and painted it in the open air lobby at Smugglers Cove Resort, St Lucia. I had some of the employees at the resort come by to have a look and they were nice enough to make positive comments.


I'm getting a little more confident about making art in public. I just have to remind myself that this is my sketchbook and there is no intention that it be "fine art"! I simply want to document my life!

I'm so happy that I signed up for an on-line art class at Sketchbook Skool. Check it out, the course is definitely worth the money!

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My bag is packed-St. Lucia here we come!

My bag is as ready as I am to head to the sunny and warm St. Lucia tomorrow! We are staying overnight in the big city so we can leave the car and get shuttle service to the airport.

This is my very first time drawing my luggage. It was fun and challenging! I don't think I would have thought of doing this if it hadn't been for the on-line art class from Sketchbook Skool! Sketchbook Skool is Kool!

Ink and watercolour in my Moleskine sketchbook!



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Getting excited!!

My foreign currency finally arrived on Friday! St Lucia uses a shared currency with 8 other independent islands in the Caribbean. I took these images from the different denominations of bills that I received.

I think this two-page spread might be a throwback to my grade school days. A shoutout to all school teachers out there who have left an indelible imprint of curiosity to their students!


I used BIC ballpoint pen and Faber-Castell PITT brush pens in my Moleskine sketchbook.

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I love perfume

This is a drawing I did to celebrate the wonderful scent my hubby bought me for Christmas. I love it, its aroma is truly unique!


I don't know what I was thinking, seemingly I didn't have my brain engaged. I should have used a ruler and did some measuring. Then for some reason I used a different colour of watercolour on each page. So I tried to unify the page with the pattern using the same colour. I like the wonky page much better now!

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Putz House Christmas Tree Ornaments

I never knew that these vintage tree ornaments actually had a special name! I have always loved them as a kid and they still hang on my tree!

I thought I should document these paper ornaments in my sketchbook because I think they deserve to be seen more often than just at Christmas time.  In addition, just in case, they get lost.....I was sure we had castle shaped ones too but I don't have those anymore.




For me, what is important is that I am trying to art more often than I have in the past.  I'm not much on New Years Resolutions so I like to start early.  Making some art each day is some time that I deserve to give myself.

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Winter scents

'Tis the season for my favourite wintertime scent! Uniball pen and watercolour in my sketchbook

It is a winter wonderland here but it is expected to warm up so much of the snow is melting.  I'm trying to create a visual journey in my sketchbook and since this is one of my favourite scents, I think it deserves to be recognized. 
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Not all Green is Good

Try as I might not everything in my sketchbook is great.  I don't think it is suppose to be but I do try.  I really liked the page I titled The Taste of Red and I tried a green one (at the suggestion that by a fellow student in my virtual classroom at Sketchbook Skool).  I'm just not loving it.  I did it several days ago but wasn't going to post it.

I just can't seem to get the greens just right or that right that appeals to my eye.  I found the green to "olive" or brownish or then it was too blue.  Agh!  Should get some better watercolours.

It has been cold today at 3C and it wasn't until almost 5 p.m. that the sun finally shone.  I went outside for a minute and actually saw some purple so I grabbed my phone and got a shot.

Finally some pretty spring colour out there!  This has been an awful spring after a horrible winter.  I am just so thankful that I have been keeping busy with art.

I am finally getting close to finishing up my postcards for the iHanna postcard swap  Unfortunately, I am late but I expect that I will have them all out in the mail this week.

Wishing and hoping and two days early!

Some days I am running behind and then today I find out I am ahead of myself!  I thought the new Strathmore workshop was up.  Ugh, it is not until Monday.  So I will content myself with posting here and then get cracking at the postcards that I am making for the iHanna Postcard swap that I joined.  I have to get them done since it is a fact....I am once again "late" getting them done and mailed out!

Here are a few more drawings from my sketchbook.  As I said, I am making an attempt to keep at it!  I love the notion of it so I just need to buckle down and do it.  I haven't finished the one I started for today so here are a few from days past.

Kiddie toothpaste

Need to work on the tube again but it makes me chuckle nevertheless.  I am using a children's toothpaste - well - I am +8 years - so it should be okay?  Ha! Ha!  It had fun trying to get the notion across of "bristle" and the handle is a bit wonky but it is all about "the making" or rather the drawing. It is about the act of putting pen to paper.  I did it.  I filled a page with a drawing and I did my journalling in it later. 

I used the sticker from the bananas and added it to the top of the page in my Moley.  I had some difficulties that day with the banana but the paint helped.  I know we call recognize the fruit shape so that is a good thing but I was trying to capture the ripeness.  I like my bananas well past what many other people do.  I have any green parts but as you can see there was some.  However, it had "dots" on it so I ate it anyway.

I love the sound the spoon makes when I stir my coffee in my new mug!  Cheers!  It is Saturday morning and never enough coffee.  

This is similar to Danny Gregorys' video "The Art of Breakfast".  If you haven't seen it yet head over to Youtube to find and watch it.  It is amazing.  This was my breakfast that day.  

I got to go and finish some more of my postcards now.  The weather report has somewhat shifted and there might be a spot of sunshine later.  I want to be ready and head outdoors to enjoy it!