Inktober Day 31 - Ahhh, the End

Happy Halloween!  Today is the end of Inktober.  I am happy to be off of a schedule and will continue sketching as always.

Inktober Day 31, ripe - the ripe pumpkin is in the pie!  Inktense pencils and a Prismacolor 05.  This is in a Canson Multi-Media sketchbook.

Hope you all have a good Halloween.  We bought chocolates in case we get trick or treaters.  We have never had any in Bastrop with all the events that are downtown.  You never know, though so we've got some good candy!

Day 30 Catch, So Close to the End

I sketched pretty early today, then never got around to posting anything.  Only one more day of Inktober and then ... the end.  It is good and bad.  I did find the item of Catch for Inktober to work with Rock for Scavenger Hunt 608.  One sketch again. 

http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1472622

I sketched in the big coffee table book with a Micron 02.

Number 3, rock - turquoise rock with some brass balls and faces.  Not sure where the necklace came from.  Probably Bolivia.

Inktober Day 30, catch - the catch on the necklace.  It is a hook kind.  I don't think I ever wore this necklace.  Hmmm.

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Now we need color and back to a pastel from the archives .... 2013

Desert Snow

16 x 12 inches

Pastel on Colourfix Card/Paper

This is a favorite painting of mine.  I love the blue and orange compliments and I really don't like orange.  Go figure!  You can read and see underpainting on this blog post

https://jocastilloartblog.blogspot.com/2013/11/desert-snow-pastel-painting.html

Inktober Days 27 & 28 Working for Hunting

I'm behind a day again.  Nice though that I found items that would work for both Inktober and the Scavenger Hunts. 

I sketched them this morning in the big book.  The black ink is a Prismacolor 05 and the red is a Precise V7 Rolling Ball.  It probably took about an hour for both.

Inktober Day 27, coat
Scavenger Hunt 607 Number 4,  Hanger - didn't get many done for 607, I usually get 9 or so sketches done each Hunt.  I've been sketching for Inktober in the order of the prompts.  For the SH, I just pick from the list for our 9 days.

Inktober Day 28, ride
Scavenger Hunt 608 Number 1, a thing that helps you go from Point A to Point B
This is our Fiesta, Gene calls it our Phone.  I think I may have posted that our other Escape had issues using two phones since we got it.   Gene got so irritated with it the last time he took it in that he told them to forget it and got a new car.  Sigh....  I sort of miss the Escape.  It was easier to get in and out of and had more room.  This one has a back up guide (??) and the phones work and is new.  So...

Inktober Day 26 and Animal Sketch

No double prompt for today.  Inktober Day 26 is dark.

Sketched in the big book, half page with Prismacolor Brush Pen and a Micron 02.

For Scavenger Hunt 607  http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1472368

Number 2, animal - a little ceramic pig from Chile.  It's about 2 to 2 1/2  inches tall.  Gene used to buy these little animals at O'Higgins park.  There was a culinary school there where we would go to lunch.  The school trained chefs and wait persons so lunch would be 5 courses or more with 2 or 3 waiters.  Good and fun.  I must have had 30 or so of the ceramic pieces.  They were very bright blue and white.  The fire dimmed and dulled down the ones we found.

I sketched on the other half page with dark in the big book with Zig Millennium 05 and Inktense pencils.  The paper warped a little but the inks didn't go through the page as much as yesterday with the Sharpie pens.

Inktober Catch Up and Sketch

Luckily the Inktober prompt, tasty,  and the Scavenger Hunt prompt, apple, could be combined to one sketch again.  Lucky me!  It helped me catch up after missing yesterday's sketch.

Inktober Day 24, dizzy - a lack of enthusiasm and ideas prompted the poor dizzy gal.
Inktober Day 25, tasty - an apple
Scavenger Hunt 607, number 2 - apple

http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1472368

I sketched in the big book and both sketches are on one page.  I used Sharpies which may not technically be ink, but since you can't change it, I'm calling it ink.  The Sharpie company does separate markers and pens ......but.......  I bet they have the same ink.  https://www.sharpie.com/

I don't use Sharpies very often because they soak through paper making the backside not usable for another sketch.  In the big book I'm using both sides of the page ... well, not today.

The backside of the paper left a ghost that is pretty identifiable, don't you think?

Here is the items I used for ancient in the previous post.  I thought the basket was made that way, but after a good look, it seems the weight of the pottery pushed it over.  It is perfect now to view the shreds of pottery.  The jug from Peru was black originally and is now a dirty black.  The tool or weapon was broken in the fire, too.

I took the day off yesterday, yet again.  I went to a luncheon with the theme, "Inspire, Empower, and Thrive:  Our Stories.  It was presented by the Family Crisis Center here in Bastrop.  The event coincides with Domestic Violence and Awareness Month.   It was informative and  fun to see people I knew and have a good lunch catered by John Chabot.  (Great Chef)  Gene and I were volunteers at the Center for several years and had a great time helping with their fund raisers.  You can put a search up in the left search bar for my blog and see the things we bought and donated.  Our current Christmas tree is from one of the Festival of Trees after the fire.

Two for One Sketch

I am happy to see that the Inktober Day 23 is ancient.  Joe made the list for Scavenger Hunt 607 and put ancient on that list as well.  I only have to do one sketch today!  Thanks, Joe

Inktober Day 23 Ancient
Scavenger Hunt 07 Ancient

I sketched in the big book.  I decided to add a bit of Inktense to the sketch which I sketched with a Prismacolor 03.  Inktense are pencils made with ink pigment and will spread with water.  The paper in the big sketchbook doesn't handle water well, but I didn't wet it too much.

The basket is an old one Mother had with some pottery and rocks from New Mexico. 

The jug is from Peru, it is supposedly a copy of Inca pots, but very well could be old.  There were many pots in Peru and kids would set them up like tin cans and throw rocks at them.  The museums are full of pots that look like this one.  Our jug is broken from the fire in 2011. (search Bastrop fire in upper left)

The stone is a weapon or tool, I think from Bolivia.  It is very old and also broke in the fire.  It may be granite.

** *** ** *** ** *** **

I made one of Gene's favorite meals the other day, pork chops and rice with tomato sauce and oregano and garlic.  We eat it with red chile from New Mexico and tortillas.  We usually have green beans with it, but frijoles (pinto beans) would be better.  Don't know how we started with the green beans.  Maybe I just didn't want to cook frijoles.

I only had a little bit of chile made up so I just put it in the rice and pork chops.  It wasn't enough to satisfy Mr. Gene so last night I made some more chile.  I made enough to freeze  some so we won't run short in last minute dining choices.  Ground beef is in the pot where I added the chile.  Yummmm.  This particular chile is medium hot.

Inktober Catch Up

I took the day off yesterday.  I can sketch every day with no problem but when I set this goal I forgot how much I hate schedules.  I mean, I can sketch any time, but Inktober calls for an ink sketch every day in October.  Sketching two or more sketches a day is fine  ...   if I don't feel obligated to do it. But when I "have to" do it ... not so fine.  Don't you love complainers?  Enough...

Day 21 - treasure.  Well my family is my treasure. 

Day 22 - ghost.  This is from a photo of the ghost town in Manor.  The church is from my mind.  I'm pretty sure the ghost town is not old, it is a faux ghost town to attract tourists.  They have a hamburger joint and that is about it.  They have special events but the day we went it was really deserted .. so ghost town.

Both sketches are in the big book.  I used a Prismacolor brush pen for the first and the Macron o2 for the writing and the second sketch.  I went for uncomplicated which is normal for me.

Inktober Day 20 and Last of Hunt 606

Inktober Day 20 brings on the item, tread.  I thought of car tire treads and asked Gene and he said, "Don't Tread on Me". I looked that up and and found that it is on an American flag.  I decided that was good for me to sketch.  Again I sketched in the big book, trying to have all the Inktober in one place and fill some pages of the book.  I used a Prismacolor Brush pen, Micron 02 and a highlighter for the yellow, the only ink I had in yellow.  (You can click on photos to make them larger)

It is the last day of Scavenger Hunt 606.  http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1472058  That is always a surprise to me.  They seem to be set for a long time, 9 days.  The time just goes by so fast.

Number 10 rough - The rattan on the back and seat of the chair is so rough.  I put a blanket on it when we sit on it.  Sketched on my iPad with the app, Brushes, and the Apple pencil and my fingers.

This sketch took well over an hour.  I just kept fiddling with it trying to get the perspective right.  I finally gave up.  You know how I get bored with "coloring".  It was the same on the yellow part of the flag above.  I also did the flag right after the chair.  Maybe I should have taken a break.  I recommend that to others all the time.  Sigh.  I hope you do better than I do in that regard.  "When frustrated, take a break."

Hunting and Inking

Inktober Day 19 is sling.  I thought of inking an actual sling on Gene.  He is busy today putting in a booster for our phone.  We put up with low signal and leaving our phone in one spot ever since we have been in this house.  Finally got an antenna booster and we get 4 bars in almost all the house.  Yay!  Before 1 bar was the normal.

So back to Inktober.  I took a little artist's license and  said that a softball pitcher slings the ball.  A controlled sling, but a sling in my book.  I sketched in the big book with a Prismacolor 005.

For Scavenger Hunt 606 I also sketched in the big book.  Gotta make headway in that, right?  I used the Micron 02.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1472058

Number 8 razor - belonged to Gene's dad
Number 9, knife

Hunting in Ink for Inktober Day 18

I'm not very inventive today.  Inktober Day 18 is misfit.  I sketched a baby game.  That is about the way my brain feels with thoughts not going in well.

Inktober Day 18, misfit - in the big coffee table book with a Micron 02.


And for Scavenger Hunt 606.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1472058

Number 7, closet, in or out - my art studio closet.  I simplified with having the doors partly open so you can't see all the "junk".  There is a pretty cut glass window with shelves on the left, some of the ones Gene made from rain gutter.  On the right is a heavy duty work room shelf and then the actual closet shelf above that.  Quite a bit of storage but still overflows.  You can see some bags and aprons hanging off the shelf and my plein air tables and a box on the floor.  This is also in the big coffee table sketchbook with the Micron 02.

I  sketch almost everyday so the Inktober, sketch in ink every day in October isn't that hard.  I did start on the suggested list and that makes it a tad harder.  Sketching for two lists makes me think.  I haven't been able to cross over and do one sketch for both lists but a couple of times.  Mainly because the Scavenger Hunt items have to be sketched from life.  It would be hard to find a real dragon around here.  I could use a toy as a substitute, but still no dragon.

I also try to sketch different items for the big sketchbook.  Some things get put in more than once like refrigerator or couch.  Only one of each!

You can see that I'm about halfway through the book.  It is a forever book!

After Inktober is over I hope to get back to pastels with some "how to" and maybe videos.  Fingers crossed!

Day 17 Inktober and Hunting Gadgets

I sketched pretty early today at the dining room table.  I felt rushed for some reason.  Why?   I had all morning. 

For Scavenger Hunt 606 http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1472058  I sketched in the big book with a Micron 02. 

Number 6, gadget - not hard to find here.  Gene loves gadgets.  He is always getting something to make things easier.  He bought an electric jar opener.  It used batteries and would get stuck running and not moving the lid. It flew apart all over the room as I recall.  He and his brother tried peeling potatoes with an electric drill.  It worked pretty well, but left a mess of peels all over the place.  The two in my sketch are a knife sharpener on the bottom and a jar opener.  Both work well.

Inktober Day 17 is ornament.  We have a lot of those as well.  I hadn't sketched this one before.  It is a sculpture by my cousin, Pat Poer, "The Original Babysitter".  Bronze on a piece of firewood.  There are more calves but I couldn't see them well from my vantage point.  Two laying down and another standing.  The waxes were done by hand without tools.  The calves have great gesture.  He was wondering how the cows decide who's turn it is to watch the calves while the others go to water.  It is a puzzle.

I hope to get back to painting soon and include some "how to" posts.  Hang in there.

Inktober Catch Up and Hunting

I did not post yesterday and am pretty late tonight.  No reason or excuse.  This will catch me up on Inktober and get in some sketching for Scavenger Hunt 606

http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1472058

Inktober Day 15 - legend  I was looking for an interesting legend and found this road sign in Colorado.  I wonder how many people believe in Big Foot? 

Inktober Day 16 - wild  Some wildflowers from my photos in the yard.  I sketched with Prismacolor 05 and 005 and a Rollerball Pen in white.

#inktober  #inktober2019

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I sketched for the Hunt also in the big book with Micron 02, Prismacolor chisel and Prismacolor 05 and the white Rollerball.

Number 3, Jelly
Number 4, cup (mug) One Gene bought this summer, first time to sketch this.
Number 5, candy (sweet)  Yummy, good model that I ate.

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 We went to a lovely house concert on Sunday afternoon with Byrd and Street.  I can never tell you enough about this great duo.  Tommy writes great lyrics and Kathy has a beautiful voice.  They will be having the annual Mistletoe Jam on December 7 at Threadgill's in Austin.  I'll tell you more about that later.

The sunrise yesterday was so soft.  I thought it would turn a wild pink but didn't.  Pretty anyway.

Hunting and Inking

Is inking a verb?  I doubt it.  I sat on the porch and sketched in the big coffee table book with an assortment of pens.  I first sketched for Scavenger Hunt 606     

http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1472058

I am the host after all.

SH 606 Number 1 - juniper, Number 2 -  garage (building) 

I used several pens and bad planning.  I put the top lines of the roof first and you see what happened.  I know very well how to find the center of a square or rectangle.  Sigh.  Also the tree is much fuller and there is a big pine tree there, too.  

Inktober Day 14, overgrown - this is down toward the ponds.  They have really cleaned out the overgrown areas.  There aren't many to be found for the animals to hide.  They keep most of the area mowed so there aren't any new little trees.  Interesting.

Inktober Day 13 Ash

I wasn't very clever for ash for Inktober, Day 13.  I thought of Ash Wednesday but wasn't eager to draw a person receiving ashes. 

Day 13, ash - the tree from photos and ashes from memory of a campfire or fireplace.  We have electric fireplaces so only faux ashes.

#inktober  #inktober2019

Inktober Day 12 - Dragon

Is it dragon or dragging?  I got up early to post the Scavenger Hunt 606
http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1472058  so I may be dragging today.
While I waited for Gene to get up I decided to sketch the Inktober, Day 12, prompt for today which is dragon.  I don't think I ever sketched a dragon before, but I knew where to go for inspiration.

Jennifer Rose Phillip is the artist on Fuzzy Dragons, https://fuzzydragons.blogspot.com/
Jennifer has all sorts of dragons in her art world.  She draws, paints, sculpts and has fun with them.  She is an excellent artist and does so much.  I really feel lazy when I see what she accomplishes.  Jennifer Rose has some videos which are fun and instructive as well.  Please check out her work. 

Jennifer Rose is a big inspiration in my life.  She is across the pond but is from Canada.  She comments here, too, which makes me happy. 

Inktober Day 12 - dragon, inspired by Jennifer Rose in the big sketchbook with a Prismacolor Brush pen and a Micron 02.  This dragon came out a bit angry.  I was hoping for one of the happy ones like Jennifer draws. 

One Third of Inktober Done

Yay, we are one third finished with Inktober.  Today is Day 11 and the prompt is snow.  You may know that snow in Bastrop is very rare.  We did have four inches on December 8, 2017.  It probably fell on the night of the 7th starting about 10:00 p.m.  It was amazingly beautiful and was gone in about 4 hours when the sun came out.

This sketch is from a photo.  The sidewalk was already clear.  More photos here:
https://jocastilloartblog.blogspot.com/2017/12/snow-day-in-bastrop.html

Inktober Day 11 - Snow, in the big sketchbook with a Micron 02 and a Prismacolor Brush Pen.

I find it very difficult to do white with regular ink.  I think Inktense pencils might work because you could wet the ink or paper like watercolor.  That wouldn't work too well in this sketchbook.  Have you tried snow in black and white?

We got a cold front with about half an inch of rain and a lot of wind.  It is 56 degrees now at 10:00 a.m., yesterday it was about 84 by this time.  Yikes!  Brrr....

Inktober Day 10 - Pattern and Hunt Sketch

Day 10 prompt is pattern.  Lots of those around.  I chose some coasters like the ones Mom Frances used to make.  The only ones I have left of hers are Christmas coasters which are put away.  I got these on Etsy a few years ago.  They are plastic canvas which is plastic mesh with yarn woven through it.  Mom always finished both sides of coasters and they work so well.  No slipping and no water circles anywhere.  These are 6 assorted patterns in red, white and blue.  Are you surprised?

Inktober, Day 10 - Pattern  Micron 02 in the coffee table sketchbook.  By the way, I'm finally past the halfway mark in the sketchbook.  It is taking FOREVER!  I started it in January 2016.  Jennie gave it to me and thought I would finish it in a year.  She didn't know I wouldn't do a page a day.  Hmmm.  This sketch a day in October will help.  I often sketch in other sketchbooks, on pastel paper, on my iPhone and iPad, etc.  And of course, some days I don't sketch at all.

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Scavenger Hunt 605 has a couple of days left.  http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1471767

#5 comes in a bag - the bag has sketching supplies
#6 comes in a bottle - liquid gloves
#7  comes in a tube - paint
#8  comes in a jar - Art Spectrum pastel ground.  It is sanded and can be put on a surface for pastel paintings.  I haven't used any in years so this is bound to be dried up.  It is nice, it comes in colors and can be used to repair sanded surfaces as well if you have scrubbed off too much or made a heavy mark and dented the paper.  I used it on wood panels.  You can brush it on for a textured painted look.

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We went to the Front Room in Smithville for dinner last evening. (Their website is on facebook)  Such a nice quiet bar.  They have snack items but they make a full dinner.  We had some wings and some étouffée. They have some surplus wine on sale for $15 a bottle so we had some Malbec from Argentina.  In Texas you can put the cork in and take what is left in the bottle with you.  We have some from The Bugle Boy and now this to finish at home.  I highly recommend the Front Room and The Bugle Boy.  In fact you can stop in Smithville and have dinner on the way to The Bugle Boy in La Grange to listen to music.  Win/win.

Down the street on the way to Smithville.

On Hwy 1441 on the way back.  We didn't stay out after dark.  :-)

I still haven't unpacked the art supplies.  We shall see........

Inktober Day 9 - Swing

How about some country swing for Inktober?   This couple was in Albuquerque at a Senior Center near Mom Frances' assisted living.  It was a great day.  At the time I was painting feet, so I didn't get a shot of these two except for the feet.  I'll include the painting below.

 Inktober 2019 - swing

Boot Scootin'
Pastel, 12 x 12 inches, Pastelbord

Window View Sketch, Inktober Day 8

We were at physical therapy for Gene this morning early.  As I waited for him, I liked and sketched the view out a window.  It was perfect for Scavenger Hunt 605
http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1471767

I sketched in the travel sketchbook, 7 x 10 inches, with a Micron 02.

Number 4, view out a window - The little pumpkin faces were ceramic and sort of rust colored.  Different.

Inktober Day 8, frail.   I sketched for Inktober in the big sketchbook with the Micron 02.  From a photo which was unsatisfactory.  I chose the crocheted basket because Gene's sister used to make them.  They were starched stiff but if wet, they collapsed and had to be re-starched and reshaped.  I wish I had had one of hers to sketch.

#inktober  #inktober2019


It was about 65 degrees when we got up and was supposed to get to 86 degrees today with a cold front arriving.  Well, Gene just said it is 96 degrees.  Pbftttt... where is fall?

Inktober Day 7 - Enchanted

The prompt for Inktober, Day 7, is enchanted.  I immediately thought of the Land of Enchantment - New Mexico.

This is in the big coffee table sketchbook with a Micron 02.

We had New Mexico History in the seventh grade.  Mr. Smith was our teacher.  We didn't know it at the time, but he was a Navajo Code Talker in World War II.  He was so interesting, calm but stern.  We had to sing the anthem of New Mexico or State song.  I remembered, "Oh fair New Mexico, we love, we love you so.  Our hearts with pride o'er flow, no matter where we go ...."  So, I had to look it up.  I found this on the internet:
https://www.lyricsondemand.com/miscellaneouslyrics/statesongslyrics/newmexicostatesonglyrics.html


O, Fair New Mexico Lyrics

Written by Elizabeth Garrett 

Under a sky of azure, where balmy breezes blow, 
Kissed by the golden sunshine, is Nuevo Mejico. 
Land of the Montezuma, with firey hearts aglow, 
Land of the deeds historic, is Nuevo Mejico. 

Chorus: 

Oh! Fair New Mexico, we love, we love you so, 
Our hearts with pride o're flow, 
No matter where we go. 
Oh! Fair New Mexico, we love, we love you so, 
The grandest state we know --- NEW MEXICO!

 New Mexico has a large variety of people, scenery, and things to do.   The beautiful green snow covered mountains in the north enchanted circle area, Taos, Angel Fire, Red River, Sipapu and more,  where you can ski but also in the central southwest near Ruidoso.  There are cliff dwellings near Los Alamos and Silver City.  There are mesas, volcano flows, desert and more.  The four corners area has ruins and pueblos as does the rest of the state.  There are missions, pueblos, mining, oil and history to go with it.  Military bases, White Sands Missile Range dot the state.  There are ranches:  cattle, sheep, alpacas, bison, etc.

Turquoise and silver jewelry and other arts and crafts are statewide.  The state bird is the roadrunner.  New Mexico chile is famous, both red and green.  In restaurants if you want both you ask for Christmas. 

Carlsbad Caverns in the southeast is one of the largest caves open to visitors.  There is water in the Rio Grande and lakes, some man made like Elephant Butte and fishing in the small rivers and lakes.  The climate is from the mountains to the desert. 

New Mexico is enchanted.