Away From Home, More Buffalo Round Up, Lynn Cohen

Killing two birds with one stone again. In Sketchbook Skool with teacher Koosje from Amsterdam, we are learning to use colored pencils. I did a fruit bowl with colored pencils yesterday (see on my Facebook page or next week on my blog). This top picture is just colored pencils (Prismacolor Premier water soluble)  I took a Copic Sketch 0 colorless blender and started to "lighten" the yellow under the first buffalo in the top left background, however it did not lighten it, it darkened the color.

Then down below I used the blender to blend (not lighten) the colored pencil on most of the drawing.
I hope this looks like the running and walking buffalo in the herd I saw that day in South  Dakota. Or at least you get an idea of this small group of the full 1000 cows we saw that day. There are some babies on the far right lower side as well.

Two more days drawing "Away From Home, Vacations/Holidays" and then we are off with Elisa Choi to Drawing "Human Beings And  How They Spend Their Time" and/or "Art Supplies". A blending of two themes or one or the other. Have fun with it. Again it's okay to think outside the box, as long as you stick to the theme! Thanks!

AWAY FROM HOME, CASTLE IN THE AIR, JEZ EDEN

I-PAD PAINTING WITH BRUSHES APP - JEZ

I always wanted to stay in a real castle, probably inspired by reading 'I Capture the Castle' by Dodie Smith when I was young, a book I still love reading.  We did actually stay in a castle in Wales some years ago, but sadly it was a late Victorian version, not as advertised, and was not a successful holiday all round - it happens from time to time.

On the other side of my imaginary island behind the castle, the ground slopes gently down to the beach, and there are beautiful gardens and a helicopter pad.  You can't actually see us at the moment because we're out enjoying ourselves in the power-boat.  This one's a great holiday.

Away from Home "Balai Laiya" by Elisa Choi

sketched from photo in pen and watercolor

We have many beaches in our country but so far I have only visited two. Above is Balai Laiya located at Batangas Philippines. My bf and I went there for a day trip in the past few years and well.. I just watched him swim. I sat by the sand while the water played with my feet. I don't like and don't know how to swim but I really like the sea. :)

Vacations and Holidays, People At the Beach, Penny Lee StewArt

Vacations At the Beach (Imagined)

Preliminary sketches in my 4x6 notebook. . . 

.. . eventually turn into colorful acrylics painted on wooden 2x3 inch Artomat blocks. I am making 100 of these right now, no two alike. Last year I made 300 of them. I do two kinds, Painted Posies and Painted People.

The vacations theme gave me a whole new set of ideas for my little people.  I guess these would also work for the next topic . . . 

Away from home, Göttingen, Sirkka Jalava

Once upon a time begins the story and continues, it was time to travel to Germany to practice the language for my graduating. I had studied the German language some years. So I decided to take a job in Germany for the summer as we students used to do at that time. I had been before in Sweden in many summers, jobbed and earned money and learned the language. After changing some letters with  German employers I could start the journey to Germany. In fact, I did it in two summers. At that time I had sketchbook with me, sometimes I did draw and paint there.
These sketches I painted from the window of my room in Göttingen.

This is the St Johannis Church. I climbed up at least once with some friends to the tower in left side.

From my roof window I could see even this church, called St Jacobi.
And another painting of St Jacobi

I became friends with some girls:

I sketched Mirja 

and Hilu

and

Karin, a german girl.

 Eeva I sketched when I was back at home again.

I hope to find some sketches from my Sweden-summers too! (It would be fun to me, for you too?)

Away From Home, "Arty Shoe" , Lynn Cohen

I'm running late for work, but I had to draw this morning. I had to draw for ME. I had to draw for Sketchbook Skool. I had to draw for Paper, Paint, Pencils & Pens. But mostly I had to draw for ME.
It's an addiction.

 I bought this shoe and it's mate on a vacation up north on our way to Portland, Oregon. I found them in the window of an cute arty store in Ashland, Oregon. I had to have them. I may come back and paint this shoe later as it is very colorful. It's a work of art!

 I rarely wear them. They were more expensive than I normally pay for shoes. Much more. They aren't even all that comfortable, but they were arty and colorful and I was on vacation and I had to have them, so there!

Now you have it too.

And if I don't leave now I will be late for work.

Copic multiliner pen black ink 0.3
Prismacolor black ink Bold

AWAY FROM HOME, JEZ EDEN

PPPP IS MAKING ME BRAVER!

Some years ago we went to Sussex for an Anniversary holiday.  We stayed in a cottage in the countryside not far from a small river and the coast.  Out walking one day we passed this strange sight - a yacht marooned in the middle of a field, and quite a way from a river or the sea.  I drew this from a photograph I took - I felt there must be an interesting story behind it.

'BOAT IN A FIELD' - JEZ
Pitt Artists Pen in A4 Sketchbook

I would never try to draw this normally, I'm not good at boats.  But encouraged by all your comments, I decided to be brave and plunged right in - no pencil, just straight in with the pen.  Like leaping from the top diving board at the swimming pool!  I hate losing my original drawing, so I took a photograph of the sketch before starting to paint.

Watercolour in very poor quality watercolour paper sketchbook!

I drew and painted the whole thing in a couple of hours - very fast for me, and I'm so pleased that I am learning to speed up and loosen up.  It's another of those things that I already look at and think 'Did I do that?'

Away From Home, Visiting an artmuseum, Sirkka Jalava

A summer when the kids were about ten years, more or less, we went to visit a tivoli and there in neighborhood was an art museum too. When the boys had made everything in the tivoli and got tired, we went up to eat  in a moving tower (it circles around around slowly and you can admire the magnific view on the seas and forests and the city too.) After that it was time to go to the museum and see what they had. I dont remember who´s exhibition there was, but there was this hand too in a big size statue and my little boy seems to be interested in it. He is wondering about something perhaps.  I have only this photo and an other one from the museum.

"Where I'd Like To Be", Away From Home, Lynn Cohen

 

Yesterday on Facebook, my son posted a photo of our youngest grand daughter, Allie Bel. She was making a big forced smile! He said "This is the face Allie wants you to make today!"

So I drew it.

We love our trips to Portland to visit this part of our family.

Allie is my grand daughter who was born deaf, but now hears with two Coccular Implants. (sp?)

And the reason I am learning ASL (American Sign Language)

She is a gem, and I miss her.

 

This is her first art she made with me using markers!

AWAY FROM HOME, JEZ EDEN

MY FIRST STONE CARVING

AMMONITE IN PROGRESS - Jez
Pitt Artists Pen and Coloured Pencils in A4 Sketchbook

We've always enjoyed activity holidays, and courses where we learn something new.  We went on one that was an introduction to stone carving.  Although my main subject in my art degree was sculpture, I had never done any stone carving, even though I would have loved to.

We had four afternoons for the workshops, each lasting three hours.  They were held in gazebos on a school playing field.  In my sketch, using a photograph Dev took, you can see the essential equipment:  hammer, gloves, chisel, pencil, scriber, another chisel in use, and most important of all an old toothbrush.

After 3 lessons - one more class to come

I was given a square chunk of stone and decided to carve an ammonite, which would look good in the garden.  This is what I had achieved at the end of the third lesson.  At the end of each lesson we had to carry our carving over to the side of the playing field near a hedge.

When we turned up for the final lesson my carving was nowhere to be found, though everyone else's was there.  I was - and still am - so disappointed, even though the sculptor-tutor tried to console me by saying that someone must have stolen it because they thought it was a real ammonite.  Ah well, so glad we kept a photographic record of what was a fantastic 'time away from home'.

Away from Home, Still on Holidays, Sirkka Jalava

I will still show two sketches from Maldives I made. This is a big building for serving tourists with food, breakfast in the morning and dinner in the evening were included in the price of the visit and were served in this building with reed  roof, the walls were open in the dining room. During the day we could buy lunch in the bar if we were hungry (yes we were, at least the children were), coffee and refreshments. There was no alcohol.  The food was good, no problems. Fish often. In the open bar you could find suddenly a big crab under the table. The Maldives is (was, it can have changed during the years) a great place to spend holiday with children.

There was a bridge too, there came the boat we arrived with to the island Kuredu, and left too. Daily we saw the maledivian peoples boats taking tourists on fishing tour or on sightseeing to nearer islands. We won´t either fish or sightsee. There were no cars either naturally, the island is so little.

Here, on the right side you see a branch staying up from the water. It was a sign for their fish store for living fish. No money was handled during the visit, you payed everything when you left. It took around four hours from the island Kuredu by boat to the main island Male, where the capital and airport is. And the flight back to the north.

AWAY FROM HOME, JEZ EDEN

Another holiday we never got around to:

I-Pad painting - Jez

So I've created another I-Pad painting of the imaginary holiday we would still like to take - to stay in a house with a beautiful, large Japanese garden, like the ones we see in parks, and in National Trust properties.

It would have so many lovely peaceful areas, and a sand garden and lake, of course.  My favourite spot would be here, where I could listen to the silence and feel at peace.

Away from Home, A vocation, Sirkka Jalava

For many years ago, 25 or so, we went on holiday to Maldives, a group islands south of India. The flight took us there in 12 hours, exclusive two landings, first in Ankara, Turkey and then in Dubai, The United Arabemirates. Alltogether perhaps 14 hours. And there, in the ocean we saw small green splashes and thought, that it must be very difficult for the flyers to prick the plane right there and not in the ocean.
We were the whole family (5 pers) two weeks there living in bungalows at the beach with our own beach just outside the door and had a  great view on the sea from the bungalow.

We had two bungalows, because we were so many in the family. It is perhaps 20 meters to the water. Every morning the first we did was to jump in the water. It was so warm too. And sunny.

But there was thunder storms too. Here you can see thunder front  coming. It was raining a while every day or night. We were at the equator.

Here I have been playing with colors and trying to sketch the sunset. Perhaps I can do it better still, I hope.
Good memories.

Time Away From Home - Shenandoah by Fran

BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY

Last summer McSpousky and I drove along the Blueridge Parkway overlooking the lovely Shenandoah valley.  There were so many lovely sights and I took bunches of photos. I wanted to make a drawing or painting of the one below. 

Though not my original intention, I made two of them.  Both of these are ATC card size.  The one above is actually the second one using colored pencil with accents done with gel pens.

This was the first painting that I made.  I used my watercolor pencils and the process was an interesting one which I thought that I would share with you.

1. Make sketch on watercolor paper
2. Color lightly with watercolor pencils and carefully apply water.






At this point it looked OK but true to my nature I had to do more and more until it was a mess, entirely too dark. So:

4. Throw ruined painting in the trash and start on drawing number two while stealing glances at painting number one which is calling to me from the trash can. "Save me." it whispers. "You can do it."
5. Take discarded painting out of the trash, put it in the kitchen sink and spray it fiercely with the spray attachment.
6. Scrub painting with the plastic Teflon scrubber and then hang it up to dry.

   Day two
7. Continue working in new details on the now dry first painting with colored pencil.

Look at both pictures and decide that neither does
the photo justice but each does have its own
character.

"Cambridge University", Away From Home, Lynn Cohen

Fast forward to 1963. I'm now 22 years old. I had traveled (after Mexico) to Europe (Spain, France, Israel, alone). I met my first husband in Israel, (1961) an Israeli living on a Kibbutz. A fast four month romance and wedding. A year later we took a trip to the US via Europe for him to meet my parents and vice verse. In London we stayed with his aunt and uncle. A side trip to Cambridge where we visited the university there. We met up with Stephen, a young African man who'd stayed at the Kibbutz a while, now a student at Cambridge. And we were photographed at the University with Stephen and we all made it into an issue of EBONY magazine that year!

I quickly sketched this section at the college with a Faber-Castell PITT artist pen, black, SX.
I made that bag I have slung over my shoulder at the Kibbutz in  a craft class. (Early Lynn Art).
(It was some form of stitching on a plastic netting material and then sewing the sides together, it was orange and brown). Memories!

Away From Home, Bonnie McBride

Another  scene from Maui- Bonnie McBride
ink and WC at the Seven Sacred Pools along the Hana Highway

Time Away From Home, Pool side, Rob Kulas

While visiting family in Milwaukee I had a chance to do a quick sketch of our pool at the hotel.
Pitt Artist Markers in Strathmore Sketchbook

"Pool side"

Pitt Artist Markers

(Click image to expand)

"Mexico on Five Dollars A Day in Acapulco", Away From Home, Lynn Cohen

I'm still traveling in Mexico. I got on another bus in Mexico City and traveled alone this time to Acapulco. A tourist paradise. Before leaving home I had worked hard for a year and a half and saved my money. I was following a book called "Mexico on Five Dollars a Day" and I was doing that or better. After a night in a pension, I discovered that I could "rent" a thatched roof on the beach for a few centavos a day, sleep in the hammock at night, and bask in the sun in the day. I got the best tan I've ever had in my life that week in Acapulco. The Senora, who owned the kiosk on the beach, fried the fish her sons would catch early in the morning. She'd sell me a plate of beans, fresh fish, and home made corn tortillas. Bottled water with fresh lime was my drink of choice. I was in heaven. The meal was delicious and under $1. Brunch.

I drew this partially from a non-copyright photo I found on line and my imagination/memory. Unfortunately I haven't or have not found any photos I took from this trip.
(It was 54 years ago/1960-1).

Farber-Castell PITT artist pen, black, SX
Winsor & Newton watercolors

Time Away From Home, Roaring Fork River, by Rob Kulas

While vacationing in Tennessee I had the opportunity to sketch and paint at some beautiful locations.
I did this one while sitting on a large boulder next to the Roaring Forge River.
About 4x6 using Pitt Artist Pens in a Strathmore sketchbook.

Roaring Forge River

Pitt Artist Pens

(Click on image to expand)