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Andy and I used to live in humid in Miami, Florida. The average humidity in Miami is between 50ish% - 70ish% year-round, like in Ojochal, Costa Rica where are living. The HUGE difference is that Miami has air conditioning everywhere. In Costa Rica, air conditioning is rarely found or used, no matter how hot or rainy. Air conditioning acts as a dehumidifier as it allows the air to dry out. Since there’s no air conditioning…the air stays humid…and…
Andy and I are renting a house that has NO glass in the windows. The windows have a decorative and practical ironwork and screens. We have lots of fans to keep the air circulating in our home. The fans keep things dryer and us cooler: double win.
The bad is that we also have a lot of humidity, no matter how many fans move the air around…so we use a lot of Ziploc bags to keep things as dry as possible. Sadly, many things stay damp…and there isn’t a way to dry them (no oven, no iron). One of these things are the watercolors that I loved to use with my sketchbooks.
I learned that watercolors melt. The binder (glue), that holds the pigment (color) melts when the paint is kept in humid conditions. It takes just a couple of days for most of the colors to turn runny.
I’m writing this not to complain but more to laugh. Laugh because no one ever mentions melting watercolor paints. I did Google this…and found only One artist writing about it.
In the meantime, my sketchbooks will only have blue or brown line drawings and little if any color. My next post will be how I can maybe fix my watercolor kits…maybe….
Andy and I are renting a house that has NO glass in the windows. The windows have a decorative and practical ironwork and screens. We have lots of fans to keep the air circulating in our home. The fans keep things dryer and us cooler: double win.
The bad is that we also have a lot of humidity, no matter how many fans move the air around…so we use a lot of Ziploc bags to keep things as dry as possible. Sadly, many things stay damp…and there isn’t a way to dry them (no oven, no iron). One of these things are the watercolors that I loved to use with my sketchbooks.
I learned that watercolors melt. The binder (glue), that holds the pigment (color) melts when the paint is kept in humid conditions. It takes just a couple of days for most of the colors to turn runny.
I’m writing this not to complain but more to laugh. Laugh because no one ever mentions melting watercolor paints. I did Google this…and found only One artist writing about it.
In the meantime, my sketchbooks will only have blue or brown line drawings and little if any color. My next post will be how I can maybe fix my watercolor kits…maybe….
I opened this kit on Christmas Day as a treat. By New Year’s Eve, it was a taffy caramel mess. These are “pills” or “cakes” of watercolor paint. I’m sticking the individuals down to the bottom with a double sided foam.
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11 Advantages Of Sketchbook Practice Over A Painting Studio Practice:
- Totally portable and on the go
- A pencil and piece of paper are easily found
- iPhone camera to jog memory if I can’t sketch right then
- Everything and anything are fair game to draw
- Junk is ok as it’s just PRACTICE
- Sketchebooks become “idea warehouses” for future paintings
- Color studies and combinations are cheaper to test
- Written notes kept in one place, with the design
- Reference materials created, from random words to actual design notes
- I can just draw without hearing my inner brat voice insist that I follow any rules and lastly
- Sketchbook data mining and data analysis (for all us geeks) give me clues as to what I’ll actually want to paint as the theme of my new painting collections.
I’ve been here before. It’s ok if I’m not painting. I’m in transition. As long as I can sketch, I’ll be ok. Besides, my Painting Studio Practice will thank me later as I’ll have so many ideas that I can hardly wait to be in there!
Want to see more of my sketches? Head on over to Instagram and follow me @angelinemarieartist
If you’d like to see how my sketchbooks influence my painting, Lisa Call shared photos of my sketchbooks and a little about how I data mine through them here:
Artists and Their Sketchbooks by Lisa Cal
Want to see more of my sketches? Head on over to Instagram and follow me @angelinemarieartist
If you’d like to see how my sketchbooks influence my painting, Lisa Call shared photos of my sketchbooks and a little about how I data mine through them here:
Artists and Their Sketchbooks by Lisa Cal
Andy and I just ordered our meals and I had a few minutes to draw the still life that was all ready for me at our table. The sugar packets in a tiny pot, the hand sanitizer, the napkins with their holder. I’m using a Kaweco fountain pen with sepia ink.
Before my watercolors melted, this is a sketch I did of different areas around us. I miss the colors, but I can’t pack them in my purse because they have melted. I already cleaned up the mess and stashed my kit away.
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5 Questions Answered by Keeping a Sketchbook
- What will be the theme of my next painting collection?
- What size, shape and type of canvas do I want to choose?
- Do I prefer to choose a different painting surface than I have in the past?
- What colors do I want to use in my paintings?
- What are some designs I can create now to use later while painting?
I recently realized that I need a Sketchbook Practice before I have a Painting Art Studio Practice.
I love painting. I want to know what to paint. Knowing what to paint helps me get into a roll while in my studio instead of walking In circles, wondering what to paint.
The last time my art painting studio was in limbo, I filled sketchbooks at a rate of one per month. These sketchbooks helped me paint for hours when my studio was set up and ready to use! Now, my dream art studio is in limbo…so sketching is what I can do now!
If you’d like to see some of my sketches and maybe words from previous years, you click through these:
3 Artist Must Haves mentions sketchbooks
Watch on YouTube here: Sketching Drawing at Frida Kahlo Exhibit at Dali Museum
Via this channel.
I love painting. I want to know what to paint. Knowing what to paint helps me get into a roll while in my studio instead of walking In circles, wondering what to paint.
The last time my art painting studio was in limbo, I filled sketchbooks at a rate of one per month. These sketchbooks helped me paint for hours when my studio was set up and ready to use! Now, my dream art studio is in limbo…so sketching is what I can do now!
If you’d like to see some of my sketches and maybe words from previous years, you click through these:
3 Artist Must Haves mentions sketchbooks
Watch on YouTube here: Sketching Drawing at Frida Kahlo Exhibit at Dali Museum
Via this channel.
Sketches done at home of the turtle release at Playa Tortugo, Costa Rica. It was dusk and the walk out to the shoreline was gorgeous. I left my sketchbook kit safely at home. Sometimes it’s just better to sketch later.
Lucky me, I have friends who understand me and allow me draw while we chat. These are random items and garden scenes at Randy and Maria’s home.
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I didn’t date this doodle. I found it while sorting my art studio for our move. It was too good to toss, so it lives digitally!
Does it matter how a meeting is named?
Here’s a quick list of Big Meetings at My Former Job.
Town Hall
Alignment
Site Update
Safety
100 Hours Stand Down…
Whenever you have more than 10 people in a room...the behaviors shown in my doodle are on real-life display.
The only difference between meetings in 2019 and meetings 2020 to present is a video call-in option, IF your company bothers to give you this option.
I prefer video call-in meetings. I prefer having the option of having the video on or off. I still pay attention at (to?) meetings, either way.
I prefer to never attend another long, drawn out, carefully curated, propaganda filled, “talk at employees” company meeting ever again.
Of course, never attending another one of these types of meetings means the opportunity for a doodle like this will never happen again, for me.
That’s fine by me.
Do you see these behaviors, etc. at company meetings you attend? What do you doodle during these lost hours?
Here’s a quick list of Big Meetings at My Former Job.
Town Hall
Alignment
Site Update
Safety
100 Hours Stand Down…
Whenever you have more than 10 people in a room...the behaviors shown in my doodle are on real-life display.
The only difference between meetings in 2019 and meetings 2020 to present is a video call-in option, IF your company bothers to give you this option.
I prefer video call-in meetings. I prefer having the option of having the video on or off. I still pay attention at (to?) meetings, either way.
I prefer to never attend another long, drawn out, carefully curated, propaganda filled, “talk at employees” company meeting ever again.
Of course, never attending another one of these types of meetings means the opportunity for a doodle like this will never happen again, for me.
That’s fine by me.
Do you see these behaviors, etc. at company meetings you attend? What do you doodle during these lost hours?
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The first ever drawing book was published in 1608 by Italian painter and printmaker Odoardo Fialetti.
For the first time, anyone could learn how to draw at home.
I wonder who is accredited with the first ever online drawing class? Yes, I Googled, but couldn’t find who has that credit.
For some awesome drawings from 1600s and forward, plus more about the story of drawing books and where the exhibit is being held, please click here:
https://hyperallergic.com/526880/how-europe-learned-to-draw/
In the meantime, you might find me drawing!
For the first time, anyone could learn how to draw at home.
I wonder who is accredited with the first ever online drawing class? Yes, I Googled, but couldn’t find who has that credit.
For some awesome drawings from 1600s and forward, plus more about the story of drawing books and where the exhibit is being held, please click here:
https://hyperallergic.com/526880/how-europe-learned-to-draw/
In the meantime, you might find me drawing!
Above: my studio armoire with most of my how to draw, etc. books. Yes, a 2020 goal is to organize it, lol!
Below: A detail section of a dog portrait, Maya. A basic skill for painting is drawing. I love painting pet portraits because it means I'm drawing, lol!
Below: A detail section of a dog portrait, Maya. A basic skill for painting is drawing. I love painting pet portraits because it means I'm drawing, lol!
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Polchoir is French for "stencil." I just learned this while researching public domain Art Deco and Art Nouveau stencil designs!
Why public domain?
The good about buying stencils (or stamps):
When you purchase a stencil, you are supporting the artists and manufacturers that designed that stencil. Everyone wins.
The bad about using bought stencils (or stamps):
You are placing limitations on how many times you may use that stencil in designs for sale. I read the fine print on most things... I don't recall if it was a rubber stamp or a stencil but the item said "up to 10." If you're into scrapbooking and giving away your handmade cards, etc., you have no limits on how you use your purchased stencil (or stamp).
As much as possible, I seek to make my own. It's therapeutic making the cuts as well as freeing, lol. Cutting vinyl is sometimes better than drawing or sketching.
The photo shows one of my latest stencils, hand cut 10ml vinyl using an exacto knife and scissors. I used a slightly crumpled paper sheet to test it, with some "leftover" paint and a make up sponge. When I find a design I like, I manipulate it on my iPad, print, and then cut.
Why public domain?
The good about buying stencils (or stamps):
When you purchase a stencil, you are supporting the artists and manufacturers that designed that stencil. Everyone wins.
The bad about using bought stencils (or stamps):
You are placing limitations on how many times you may use that stencil in designs for sale. I read the fine print on most things... I don't recall if it was a rubber stamp or a stencil but the item said "up to 10." If you're into scrapbooking and giving away your handmade cards, etc., you have no limits on how you use your purchased stencil (or stamp).
As much as possible, I seek to make my own. It's therapeutic making the cuts as well as freeing, lol. Cutting vinyl is sometimes better than drawing or sketching.
The photo shows one of my latest stencils, hand cut 10ml vinyl using an exacto knife and scissors. I used a slightly crumpled paper sheet to test it, with some "leftover" paint and a make up sponge. When I find a design I like, I manipulate it on my iPad, print, and then cut.
- Published on
For me, it's day 58 of jobbing and staying home.
Like most of you, I can get bored. Sometimes, I actually enjoy feeling bored as it's been so rare the last few years. The bored feeling is like when I was 9 years old: forced to stay home and no resources to leave, nothing on TV and no Internet. These days, TV and Internet can be boring.
Am I the only one that finds most of these Zoom concerts and events boring? Like I'm watching TV and watching other people live?
Anyway. Back to drawing, and how you can continue or start, lol.
Most of us have pencils and paper. Our local Instacart uses a lot of paper bags. How about cutting some of the paper bags down and checking out the following links?
If you want to doodle with some kind of design, these are for you. The links are to tangelpatterns.com which is a fabulous site that started doing some tutorials last month. Here are only two links, but gets you there:
https://tanglepatterns.com/2020/04/kitchen-table-tangles-zentangle-for-children-featuring-molly-hollibaugh-tangling-with-her-daughters-indy-and-mazzy.html
https://tanglepatterns.com/2020/04/kitchen-table-tangles-zentangle-apprentice-lesson-2-with-molly-indy-and-mazzy.html
If you are trying to journal, or someone you know is trying to journal, Julie Balzar has kept up an art journal for YEARS. She might go page to page, but she does some back tracking and redesigning and adding of paint or papers. You can find her at https://balzerdesigns.typepad.com/balzer_designs/2020/04/art-journal-every-day-abstract-page.html where she also shows an abstract page. Explore her site for more ideas.
Me? I'm not really journaling these days. I do more like Julie Balzar: add, subtract, glue, write, repeat.
Like most of you, I can get bored. Sometimes, I actually enjoy feeling bored as it's been so rare the last few years. The bored feeling is like when I was 9 years old: forced to stay home and no resources to leave, nothing on TV and no Internet. These days, TV and Internet can be boring.
Am I the only one that finds most of these Zoom concerts and events boring? Like I'm watching TV and watching other people live?
Anyway. Back to drawing, and how you can continue or start, lol.
Most of us have pencils and paper. Our local Instacart uses a lot of paper bags. How about cutting some of the paper bags down and checking out the following links?
If you want to doodle with some kind of design, these are for you. The links are to tangelpatterns.com which is a fabulous site that started doing some tutorials last month. Here are only two links, but gets you there:
https://tanglepatterns.com/2020/04/kitchen-table-tangles-zentangle-for-children-featuring-molly-hollibaugh-tangling-with-her-daughters-indy-and-mazzy.html
https://tanglepatterns.com/2020/04/kitchen-table-tangles-zentangle-apprentice-lesson-2-with-molly-indy-and-mazzy.html
If you are trying to journal, or someone you know is trying to journal, Julie Balzar has kept up an art journal for YEARS. She might go page to page, but she does some back tracking and redesigning and adding of paint or papers. You can find her at https://balzerdesigns.typepad.com/balzer_designs/2020/04/art-journal-every-day-abstract-page.html where she also shows an abstract page. Explore her site for more ideas.
Me? I'm not really journaling these days. I do more like Julie Balzar: add, subtract, glue, write, repeat.
My watercolor kit, two favorite pens (Pilot Decimos from 411pens.com), two waterbrushes, all sitting on my sketchbook.
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"Everyone has the same look. We're all 'get this over with' and tired and 'done' and burned out with all this virus stuff," was what Andy yelled at me when I asked him the 1000th time if I was normal with how I feel.
Good to know, Andy. I needed that.
So...maybe YOU are one of those "taking advantage" of being home?
Maybe YOU are someone who needs help to entertain some kiddos?
I've been collecting stuff for you, posted by others.
Cathy Johnson is a superstar sketching artist. She has a seriously FUN website. She's an inspiration to me. I often thumb through her book that I bought years ago about Pocket Sketching. She has videos, gives workshops, and blogs. Her style is light, textured, and bright. She posts a few things you can try, FREE, during this time.
The following are links to Cathy's blog posts. She really has some great links in each, so please click over there! These are listed "in order" of how she posted the lessons. She's a seriously hard working lady artist and I know you'll enjoy all of these, with or without your children.
https://cathyjohnsonart.blogspot.com/2020/03/reviving-strathmore-class-free.html
https://cathyjohnsonart.blogspot.com/2020/03/reviving-strathmore-class-free_22.html
https://cathyjohnsonart.blogspot.com/2020/03/the-importance-of-sketching-in.html
https://cathyjohnsonart.blogspot.com/2020/03/reviving-strathmore-class-free-lesson-3.html
https://cathyjohnsonart.blogspot.com/2020/03/reviving-strathmore-class-free-lesson-4.html
https://cathyjohnsonart.blogspot.com/2020/03/keeping-artists-journal-class-free.html
Good to know, Andy. I needed that.
So...maybe YOU are one of those "taking advantage" of being home?
Maybe YOU are someone who needs help to entertain some kiddos?
I've been collecting stuff for you, posted by others.
Cathy Johnson is a superstar sketching artist. She has a seriously FUN website. She's an inspiration to me. I often thumb through her book that I bought years ago about Pocket Sketching. She has videos, gives workshops, and blogs. Her style is light, textured, and bright. She posts a few things you can try, FREE, during this time.
The following are links to Cathy's blog posts. She really has some great links in each, so please click over there! These are listed "in order" of how she posted the lessons. She's a seriously hard working lady artist and I know you'll enjoy all of these, with or without your children.
https://cathyjohnsonart.blogspot.com/2020/03/reviving-strathmore-class-free.html
https://cathyjohnsonart.blogspot.com/2020/03/reviving-strathmore-class-free_22.html
https://cathyjohnsonart.blogspot.com/2020/03/the-importance-of-sketching-in.html
https://cathyjohnsonart.blogspot.com/2020/03/reviving-strathmore-class-free-lesson-3.html
https://cathyjohnsonart.blogspot.com/2020/03/reviving-strathmore-class-free-lesson-4.html
https://cathyjohnsonart.blogspot.com/2020/03/keeping-artists-journal-class-free.html
Collage of some of the sun designs made using my iPad, March, 2020, digital art, ©Angeline Marie Martinez
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"Figure painting" is another way of saying "paintings or drawings of humans."
This find is really important, because most cave paintings show animals or hand prints, but not actual fully drawn humans or as more formally called, "figures."
Even if you consider that you can barely draw a stick figure, it's so cool that someone 44,000 years ago drew stick figures. You can see some photos here: http://hilltopmonitor.com/2019/12/oldest-cave-painting-in-world-suggests-religion-began-in/
Below is a page from one of my sketchbooks. I take paper and pen with me to every Marlins game that Andy and I attend. I make sure to get the Marlins Park date stamp, as you can tell. These are stick figures that help me get the gesture of each player. I love trying to get the movements of starting pitchers and batters, but I stick to just Marlins. Late in the 2019 season, I decided to add gestures of the in and out fielders once I'm "done" with the Marlins starting pitcher.
This find is really important, because most cave paintings show animals or hand prints, but not actual fully drawn humans or as more formally called, "figures."
Even if you consider that you can barely draw a stick figure, it's so cool that someone 44,000 years ago drew stick figures. You can see some photos here: http://hilltopmonitor.com/2019/12/oldest-cave-painting-in-world-suggests-religion-began-in/
Below is a page from one of my sketchbooks. I take paper and pen with me to every Marlins game that Andy and I attend. I make sure to get the Marlins Park date stamp, as you can tell. These are stick figures that help me get the gesture of each player. I love trying to get the movements of starting pitchers and batters, but I stick to just Marlins. Late in the 2019 season, I decided to add gestures of the in and out fielders once I'm "done" with the Marlins starting pitcher.
- Published on
ack at the iPad 2, I thought I was going to try digital art: draw, manipulate photos, all kinds of things.
My fantasy lasted about a year. The apps I could find where clumsy, boring, and limited. No one around me wanted to do the same things...so I had only myself to teach me. My iPad became a more portable laptop...with great video and books.
Fast forward a few years later...when I meet artist and quilter Susie Monday in Lisa Call's Master Class. This artist has some seriously cool, colorful, wacky, quirky, serious artworks in digital formats...AND SHE TEACHES HOW!
I'm so excited and scared but I'm going to give this a go. It's time. I WILL continue to use paper sketchbooks, but I'm excited about the new tools and apps that will push me into different designs and colors.
Artist Danny Gregory is a serious sketcher with published drawing books. He explains and shows why he's using his iPad so much here: https://www.artistsnetwork.com/art-inspiration/me-myself-and-ipad-art/
If you're interested in learning more about art on the iPad, go here: http://susiemonday.com/online-courses
In the meantime, I'm trying to using only Susie's "tease list" of apps before class starts. That means I'm actually painting more, lol!!!!
My fantasy lasted about a year. The apps I could find where clumsy, boring, and limited. No one around me wanted to do the same things...so I had only myself to teach me. My iPad became a more portable laptop...with great video and books.
Fast forward a few years later...when I meet artist and quilter Susie Monday in Lisa Call's Master Class. This artist has some seriously cool, colorful, wacky, quirky, serious artworks in digital formats...AND SHE TEACHES HOW!
I'm so excited and scared but I'm going to give this a go. It's time. I WILL continue to use paper sketchbooks, but I'm excited about the new tools and apps that will push me into different designs and colors.
Artist Danny Gregory is a serious sketcher with published drawing books. He explains and shows why he's using his iPad so much here: https://www.artistsnetwork.com/art-inspiration/me-myself-and-ipad-art/
If you're interested in learning more about art on the iPad, go here: http://susiemonday.com/online-courses
In the meantime, I'm trying to using only Susie's "tease list" of apps before class starts. That means I'm actually painting more, lol!!!!
A sketchbook and a couple of pens I use. More traditional and way less expensive supplies that I love!
