Happy Veterans Day! with a Grating Sketch

A big thanks and round of applause to Gene, David and all the other Veterans out there.  They deserve a lot of credit and support.

Welcome Home

Pastel, 9 x 12 inches

Well, my sketch could be grating.  The items were grater and something you like to eat when you are ravenous.  We could grate that cheese.

This is in the big  book as I get back into a routine without a deadline.  I sketched with a ZIG Millenium with blue ink just to break the monotony. 

Number 6, oven (Dutch) - this Dutch oven belonged to Gene's mom.  It needs to be seasoned so I can use it.
Number 7, grater - a couple of them
Number 8, ravenous or what you would eat if you were very hungry.  Could be cheese or whatever is at hand.

Our last few warm days are going to be memories for a while.  We sat on the porch this morning and now it is about 50 degrees out and has rained some.

Happy Birthday to Our U.S. Marine Corps - Zeke, Watercolor and Hunting

Happy 244th Birthday to our Marine Corps!  Especially our own, David. 

He was sooooo young.  Semper Fi!

Here are some previous posts on my blog with David.  https://jocastilloartblog.blogspot.com/search?q=marine+corps+birthday

Official Birthday Message:
https://www.military.com/video/2019-marine-corps-birthday-message


One of the photos for the November Challenge in the Southwest Forum of wetcanvas was a cute miniature horse belonging to Sheila in Alberta, Canada.  My watercolor doesn't do the pony any favors.  I learn something every time I paint, so that is wonderful.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1472804

He looks a little scared in my sketch!  Water spreads and runs ... it is water after all.


For Scavenger Hunt 609, Mary picked junk drawer, so we both sketched that.  I picked art tool for my next sketch so they would fit on the page.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1472981

These were sketched with a Prismacolor 05 in the big book.

Hunting for 609

A new Scavenger Hunt already.  http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1472981

Mary and I sketched with watercolors at the kitchen table.  It was a good time, but realize I need to just practice some techniques and strokes to figure out how to keep a fresh look to watercolor.  At least I did something and it was fun to visit and "play" with Mary.

 Number 1, Pear - a pair of pears actually.  Watercolor in the watercolor sketchbook.  The water buckles this watercolor paper more than I would expect since it is a Canson Watercolor Sketchbook. 

Mary's sketch, in her multi-media sketchbook also Canson.  Paper very similar.

Back to Normal Episode 2

I guess back to normal means I don't post every day.  Are you really surprised?

For Scavenger Hunt 608  http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1472622

 Number 6, item from nature - pine cones done on my iPad with the App, Brushes.

Number 7, place - Fisherman's Park, ink and watercolor.

This is Mary's sketch.  She is our niece and we sketched together for the first time.  You know she's an adult.  I'm too old to have a child for a niece.  Ha.

This is the view I sketched from, Mary was sitting opposite me so sketched the bridge.  I didn't take a photo of that view.

This is a view where they removed some trees because of the beetles in the Pines.  I was surprised about the ones on the right.  I thought it was one tree as the branches came to the ground.  Wow.  Maybe they will plan some more trees.

Back to Normal

I'm happy to be back to a "no schedule" schedule.  Our niece, Mary, is here so we sketched together today.  Always nice to work with another artist.  The day was gorgeous so it was extra relaxing out on the porch. 

For Scavenger Hunt 608  http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1472622

 Number 4, outdoor scene and Number 5, tree.  Micron 02 in the big book.

This was the morning after Halloween.   Some steam off the lake and some frost on the grass.  A jet contrail across the sky.  It was warm again by 11 a.m. or so.

The pine tree on the left had some beetles of some sort.  They took down two trees this morning.  We took down a pine tree in the front of the house about a week ago.  I wonder if they can spray or something, I'm sure more trees are in trouble.  You see some orange in spots on the trees across the way.  So sad.  They have been mowing and clearing under the trees since the fire so no many young trees to replace the old.

Maybe we will go out and sketch tomorrow and be the Bastrop sketch group.