Crab pots present a colorful obstacle for boaters. On the surface of the water are things that float and attached to the floating part is a long line that goes to the ground with a crab trap attached. If a propeller catches the line, it could mean a real problem! Just because they are obstacles, sometimes a nuisance, doesn't mean that they are lacking in their own particular beauty. Crab pots make an exciting sketching subject, like this one in Roche Harbor. Ink and watercolor sketch in Aquabee 9" square sketchbook.
15 x 15, watercolor sketch on Arches 140# cold press
it all started with an ink sketch, 1.5" x 1.5"
You might remember seeing some of my tiny thumbnail sketches as I tried to work out my feelings about my father's dementia. It seemed to me that Dad had lost his memories and that he might look for them like you would if you lost something else that was precious to you.
Is it behind the couch?
Under the bed?
Maybe I threw it away.
The little thumbnail sketch, done in waterproof ink, became the basis for a watercolor sketch. I liked it well enough to develop it into an oil painting. Some of the bones of this painting are right, but it needs something and I that what it needs will be clear to me tomorrow when I look at it with fresh eyes.
Lucky for me, as my father has lost his memories (short and long term) and has become more confused, he has become even more polite and agreeable. Several of his caregivers took me aside to tell me, "Your father is such a nice man!" And, he is!
I have always loved pelicans. I love their grace in the air and the rhythm of their flap-flap-flap-glide formations as they fly in the lift above the cresting waves. Florida has given me opportunities to see lots of Brown Pelicans up close.
These stowaways sat on the front of our airboat before we left the marina. What a kick!
Key West! Turquoise colored waters, tan people crowding the narrow streets, the smell of cigars on the air ... and chickens. Everywhere, chickens! I guess it started with cockfighting and Cubans who brought their love of the bloodsport with them to Florida, but now the clucking and crowing fellows rule the roost, er, are everywhere!
Maybe this guy was a little unsure about his job performance, or maybe he had some OCD going on, but he crowed starting at 6 and then every few minutes until I finally got up and closed the windows and started the morning coffee. It's been a long time since I woke up to a rooster's COCK A DOODLE DOO. But, I sure did in Key West!
Here's a little something from John Mellencamp. Ahh. Key West.
The bottom photo shows a brainstorm I had this week. What would happen if I took five simple landscape sketches and blocked them in with color in a variety of combinations? It was easy to create the grid for the sketches with 1/8" artist tape on a full sheet of watercolor paper.
Each color and value combination urged me on to try something else. What a rush!
Since then, I've looked at the sketches to see which excited me, which colors appealed to me, which shapes seemed to generate my energy and interest. I selected the sketch seen in the middle photo and made that one into the larger pastel piece you see in the top photo.
From Notan to watercolor sketch to pastel painting. Another way home. Not all who wander are lost, they might just be seeking a new path. And, for some reason, that reminds me of music (of course) and a nice hike I had last summer in Ketchikan, AK, called "Married Man's Trail." Most definitely the long way home.
Just a few more sketches in my book before we get home.
Sometimes my drawings of boats are right on. Other times I miss the mark and they look completely un-seaworthy. This sketch looks right to me.
LaConner, Washington has a beautiful quilt museum. A new exhibit of Japanese quilts and textiles was really interesting but the colors were odd to my American eyes. Orange with magenta and pink looked garish to me, but must make sense to Japanese eyes. I favored the crazy quilts and wondered about the women who put them together.
The end of this trip is in sight and brings a mixture of feelings. Endings are sad. But they make space for new beginnings.
My body ached from all of the lifting and packing, sorting and sifting at Dad's place. I took a walk with my sketchpad and hoped to ease some of my stress by slowing things down to sketch. Nothing fancy, but the burbling of the water and the splashes and ripples on the surface calmed me. A quick break and then back to work.
We're on our way home now and Dad is in Florida. Life is good!
Here you can see my first efforts of translating my graphite sketches to watercolor sketches. I like the idea of exploring a theme and variations on the theme. Sounds like music!
If the top row were numbered (left to right) #1-5 and the bottom row (left to right) were #6-10, which do you think are the best? Which attracts your eye, if any, and why?
My favorites are #3 and #7.
#3 because it captures the surprise I felt at the dark current of water that broke the shape of light.
#7 for the variety of edges and interesting white shape.
Today began with a full rush of hurry. Maybe you know the feeling of charging through chores to get to the fun of the day: painting.
Once I was in the studio, I knew just what I wanted to do. I wanted to play! Out came my sketchbook with the light-on-water sketches. Out came the watercolor (what better way to play when the subject is water than watercolor?). Big brushes. Happy music.
During a nice sunbreak, I was able to get out for a sketch walk today in Olympia, Washington. My cleaning duties on the boat were nearly done (frankly, I don't think that they are ever completely done). I found a park bench situated with a view of some of Budd Inlet, so I sat down and did this sketch.
If you like water and sky and boat reflections, the painting/sketching subject matter is limitless here.
Making a determined effort to at least put a sketch down every day. The top value sketches were done at brief stops along the drive toward Southern California. The bottom two were done while driving (well, while sitting in the passenger seat). Gestures done in seconds and then filled in by memory.
No great breakthroughs, but keeping my thoughts on art helps get through difficult days.
Until I get my new pastels, I'm sticking to some watercolor sketching. The sketches don't take long but I still have the experience of studying and composing and considering and putting something down on paper.
My mind is very distracted by the accident. Today I spent a lot of time wondering "what if."
What if Angie hadn't heard me... What if I had hit my head on my way into the water ... What if I hadn't held on to the dock ...
My cuts and bruises are healing, but I am still upset by my fall into the water the other day. Seems to be on my mind a lot. No surprise, right? I did the top two sketches this morning.
Thank you for your support and emails! I'm sure I'll perk up again soon and be back to my cheerful self. I feel pretty sober these days.
More sketchbook pages. Sigh. I had hoped that today I would paint.
There are 44 pieces of 18 x 24 Wallis Museum sanded paper in my portfolio, waiting for masterpieces to be painted on them during this boat trip. What can I say? I had big plans for myself when I started out. And now I have boxes full of grayed pastels and I haven't used any of them yet!
I like what's happening in my sketchbook, though, and I am happy to share that. Oh, the drawings aren't always well done, but they are my genuine responses to experiences in the moment. With the heavy mist and drizzle, pastel painting has been out of the question for me anyway.
If the weather is dry tomorrow morning I will set up my easel on the bow of the boat and paint my tribute to Gig Harbor. That is, if the wind isn't blowing. I don't mind wind too much, but we are hanging on the anchor and it would make my painting experience be more of a merry-go-round and round and back again.
I love experimenting with sketching! The many examples of artists' sketchbooks in "An Illustrated Life" inspire and challenge me to do more and better. I am thinking about my sketchbook in a different way now and really enjoying the experimentation.
"I love the way I see the world differently since I started drawing. I like seeing how everything relates to everything else." Gay Kraeger, quoted in "An Illustrated Life"
Here are the pages from my sketchbook the last couple of days. Life is good!
With art as with literature, point of view is one of the keys that creates interest. I am lucky to have some time on a boat, but first a quick watercolor sketch from the transient dock at Swantown in Olympia, Washington.
From this vantage point, I watched the crows and gulls dig mussels from the boggy tidal flats and then drop their treasures to crack the shells on the rocks below. Great sport for all but the bivalves!
Lots of people to sketch during my trip to San Francisco. After spending several hours at the Legion of Honor Museum, it was only natural to sketch the folks on the bus on our trip back to our hotel on Union Square. Breakfast at the Buena Vista on Fisherman's Wharf and a chance to sketch the irises on the table.
a full sheet of watercolor sketches
Just a few more sketches in my book before we get home. 
Sometimes my drawings of boats are right on. Other times I miss the mark and they look completely un-seaworthy. This sketch looks right to me.
LaConner, Washington has a beautiful quilt museum. A new exhibit of Japanese quilts and textiles was really interesting but the colors were odd to my American eyes. Orange with magenta and pink looked garish to me, but must make sense to Japanese eyes. I favored the crazy quilts and wondered about the women who put them together.
My body ached from all of the lifting and packing, sorting and sifting at Dad's place. I took a walk with my sketchpad and hoped to ease some of my stress by slowing things down to sketch. Nothing fancy, but the burbling of the water and the splashes and ripples on the surface calmed me. A quick break and then back to work. 
watercolor on Arches 140#
During a nice sunbreak, I was able to get out for a sketch walk today in Olympia, Washington. My cleaning duties on the boat were nearly done (frankly, I don't think that they are ever completely done). I found a park bench situated with a view of some of Budd Inlet, so I sat down and did this sketch.
Until I get my new pastels, I'm sticking to some watercolor sketching. The sketches don't take long but I still have the experience of studying and composing and considering and putting something down on paper. 
(click to enlarge)
With art as with literature, point of view is one of the keys that creates interest. I am lucky to have some time on a boat, but first a quick watercolor sketch from the transient dock at Swantown in Olympia, Washington.
