Pleeza No Squeeza

This winter this year was harder than previous winters and it's lingering.  I'm so tired of show, ice and the torrential fits of rain in-between.  So I decided it was time to do something colorful.  I can't wait for spring to arrive!  

"Pleeza No Squeeza"

10" x 20"

Watercolor foundation with Luminance archival quality colored pencil on 140# hot press Fabriano Artistico cotton paper. 

Note: This is the first time I've used Fabriano Artistico paper.  I am very please with how it handled the watercolor and the colored pencil.  I'm not sure it will replace the Arches HP paper I've been using but I bought some more to continue working with it some more.  

The foundation

I decided to tinker with the foundation layer.  It's watercolor which isn't my strong suit but the more I tinker with it, the more comfortable I'm getting with the medium.  I'm not ready to say this phase was fun but I'm not as uncomfortable with it as I once was.  I purposely stop in the mid-tone range for this process to be used with colored pencil.  

An idea in rough draft

The Timberline project kept me working in black and white for months.  I'd like to do something in color to change things up.  Thinking of doing a scene from Pike's Market in Seattle. Maybe.  It's bigger than I normally work so I'm pondering the time it will take to execute.  But it would be fun.  

Fun at the Portland Art Museum

I've had a new journal for some time now and as is often typical of blank pages in new books I was finding it difficult, next to impossible, to begin working in it.  Not that there was any urgency to begin in the new as my old journal still had several unused pages left in it but I could feel the resistance building.  At first I thought I'll just set up something in the front indicating it's my 2017 journal.  Nope, at least I had the where-with-all to draw whatever in pencil because I've erased it about six times now not being pleased with whatever it was I drafted to start with.  

Then there was an invitation to try the Meetup in Portland for "Drink and Draw" at the Portland Art Museum.  I hadn't tried it before but decided to give it a try.  And since there was an implied suggestion to share your work I took my new journal so no one would feel tempted to peek at last years doodles.  It's not that I don't want to share but my deal with myself is anything in my journals isn't serious.  It's my time to explore, play, and I have zero expectations for what comes of it.  That's not so say others would feel the same so I kept it simple with going with the new journal so there wasn't an option to browse other sketches.

When we got there the organizers had decided that this meeting would focus on positive and negative spaces of the Rodin sculptures on display.  After spending the last 10 days snow bound which renders the landscape in to a giant monotone negative and positive space that was the last thing I wanted to do.  So instead I found a charming 1850-ish Tlingit ladle carved out of a sheep horn to draw.  I was particularly impressed with the artists ability to carve the mirror image of the carving on each side of the horn.  It was delicately beautiful.  

When you know it's going to take a while....

If I'm going out to breakfast I usually go early so I'm there before the rush.  Unfortunately today I waited until I finished all my chores first so that put me in the rush.  No worries, that makes for the perfect time to get a quick sketch in.  

The plant between my table and the door.  

The coloring book is finished!

I had a few adjustments to make on the proof I received and now it's done.  It is now available on Amazon.

Timberline
An Expression of Hope and Purpose
ISBN-10: 1541238230

Still dabbling

The folks in my plein air/urban sketching group have chosen to continue meeting over the winter.  We've moved indoors and have shifted to drawing/painting our food.  It's actually quite challenging and fun.  This is my shrimp omelet, hash browns with onions on top and whole wheat toast in watercolor.  Making mental note to self to choose something more colorful next time.  

Currently on display at the Brown Butter Bakery in Scappoose, OR through the month of January.