Whiskey Sketch

Whiskey reminds me of Jenny Reynolds. https://www.jennyreynolds.com/  One of her old songs is Whiskey & Pie.  Fun.  She is a great performer and person.  She plays a mean guitar, too.

Jenny Reynolds, Whiskey & Pie - https://youtu.be/yE94UAC2rYw?si=EiKBQUkLw2lJC_Wb

Yesterday evening I thought I could do a sketch and Gene could draw and write on a white board.  I got out my pastel pencil set thinking that would be an easy way to sketch at the table and not make a big mess.  It worked but pastel pencils on Pasteboard is slow and you have to go over it like colored pencil.  You know I like fast and done.  I had to finish very late after Gene went to bed.  I wanted to work on it again this morning but it didn't happen so this has no background or shadows.  I should have worked on a colored background.  (When I wipe this off I will have a background for the next sketch. Ha.)

For Scavenger Hunt from Life 197 https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-197-aug-12-aug-25.9212/

Number 2 whiskey - a fancy bottle of Four Roses.  The bottom should be slightly larger as the top is square and it turns to round as it goes down.

My pastel pencils is a big set of Derwent pastels.  75 in the box I think.  Even though it is so many pencils there is not a good variety of colors.  No white or I have lost it.  Most haven't even been sharpened since I got the box which I've had for years.  I just don't like the "coloring" like with colored pencils.  Artists like them for detail, but I don't do much detail.  

I need to do a "real" pastel.  Thinking about it...... 

Dusty Mugs

I finally played in the dust.  Good for my  fingers.  A sketch in pastels for the Scavenger Hunt this time.  Item was "I have more than three of them".  You may remember I had a huge collection of mugs that burned in the fire and now I have another bunch which I said I would never have.  Sigh....

For Scavenger Hunt from Life 195  https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-195-july-19-31.9155/

There are some fun sketches and different artists and techniques to see on the Scavenger Hunts.

Number 1 (for this Hunt) I have more than three of them - mugs sketched on wiped off Mi Tientes paper.  About 45 minutes with soft pastels.

Here is my easel and set up for the sketch:

You can click on the images to make them a bit larger.

Wooly Pastel Sketch

I finally found about an hour to sketch.  About 20 minutes at a time.  Much better than not playing in the dust.

For Scavenger Hunt from Life 174  https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-174-oct-29-nov-10.8417/

Number 5 wooly - little stuffed dog.  A gift from Gene on some past holiday.  It is sketched on dark gray MiTientes paper with an assortment of pastels.  Yikes they are so dirty.  I notice that in the photo.  I also see that I lost the rusty color with my yellowish highlights.  Guess that is from working in spurts.  Once I get the idea down I paint/sketch from what the painting needs not what I see.  I'm pretty sure there is a dog more that color in the bedroom on the headboard.  Lots of toys there.

 

Empty Red Garlic Pastel Sketch

I played in the pastel dust a little today for the Scavenger Hunt from Life 170. Three items from the Hunt list: empty container (oil bottle), red (apple) and garlic.

This is on wiped off Pastelbord and just about an hour from brush off to photos, 9 x 12 inches.

Item numbers 2, 3, and 4. Click to see larger images.

Setup below:

I like to look at a painting in black and white to check my values. You can see a lot of mistakes that way.

The painting/sketch was a bit darker than I planned on the dark board after the wipe off so I played with it in Photoshop and changed the colors and lightness of the background. Fun just to see how the background affects the colors.

I doubt I will change it in real life, but fun to see.  It was fun to get my hands in the dust.  (I did wear latex gloves.)

We put the flag at half staff for Charlie Kirk today.  I'm not that religious but I liked that he let anyone speak regardless of opposing views.  He would give them the microphone and lay his down and listen.  We need more of that kind of debate in our country.  We aren't that different in core values.  If congress would do the same, our government might actually work.  There is no give and take in conversations anymore.  

 

Pastel Watermelon Sketch

A very quick pastel sketch.  I put watermelon on this Hunt list and bought one just to sketch it.  I do like watermelon so not a problem to buy one!  The small personal size are about right for me.  Gene likes cantaloupe so I have to get both.

I sketched in my studio while Gene rode his inside bike so only spent about 25-30 minutes on this.  It is dark but at least I sketched and played in the dust.

 For Scavenger Hunt 163 https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-163-jun-19-jul-01.8038/

Number 5 watermelon - on a piece of wiped off Pastelbord, 12 x 10 inches and various brands of pastels.

 

And the setup with my dirty pastels.  I haven't put them away and cleaned the rack for ages.  Not the best plan.  I do wipe them as I use them but I could find the right colors easier if they were clean!  It would be helpful especially when having limited time.

Purple Holes Pastel

I started this purple-hole sketch a day or so ago.  Abandoned for a while.  Good thing there were no fruit or flowers involved.  Something yellow would have been nice in the colander to spruce it up.

For the end of Scavenger Hunt 158  https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-158-april-28-may-6.7944/

Number 4 purple - napkin and Number 5 with holes - colander.

I sketched with soft pastels on MiTientes paper.  I started on the rough with grid side.   Not my favorite surface and doesn't hold much pastel.  Good for a quick sketch.

We have a new Hunt today.  I will check out the list.  Otherwise not much going on today.  It is raining off and on which is super.  We did get enough to make a puddle in the lower back yard.  It hadn't done that in months.  It wasn't enough to put water in the lakes/ponds but at least the ground will be wet in case we get more "inches" today.  Fingers crossed!

Bonnet Come of Age Pastel Sketch

What is better than to play in the pastel dust?  I spent a quick half hour or so to start my day.  I wiped off the last sketch I did which left a nice purple-ish background for this sketch.  

Bonnet Come of Age
Pastel on sanded paper, 9 x 12 inches

For Scavenger Hunt 157 https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-157-apr-20-apr-28y.7933/

Number 1 for the new Hunt by Fletch - Easter Bonnet

This is an old bonnet of mine.  I wore it for Easter when I was about 10 years old so it is 80+ years old now.  Yikes!  I guess my mom saved it and my sis sent it to me a few years ago.  In the old days we would get a new outfit and shoes for the start of school and then for Easter.  

I sketched it for the Hunts in 2019 in ink.

 

 

 

Stuff Pastel Sketch

I put four items in my pastel sketch for the Scavenger Hunt.  I was pushed for time so only about 30-45 minutes wipe off to finish.  I wiped the cookies from the previous post.  I don't remember what kink of paper it is, about 9 x 12 inches in size.  About the fourth wipe off so holding up well!

For Scavenger Hunt from Life 153 https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-153-mar-19-mar-27.7855/

Number 1 glass - a red one
Number 2 ceramic - cup gift from Joanna, not as bright red, white and blue.
Number 3 metal - pewter vase looks more silver in the sketch
Number 4 flower - felt ones from Kathy

I didn't take time to soften colors or work on background.  I did want to get a sketch done.

Here is my setup.  Didn't work much on shadows either.

The Longhorns play baseball against LSU tonight and the weekend in Austin at UFCU Disch Falk Field.    Looks like the weather will be good!  Hook 'em Horns!!

Sugary in Pastels and Green in Watercolor

I've been wanting to sketch Gene's sugar cookies that Brandon brought him.  They are so cute from the HEB grocery and made in Bee Caves, Texas.  He had already eaten the cowboy hat and sunflower, so decided I had better get with it.    Pastels are my favorite for texture and color so just wiped off an old sketch and did this one.  Very sketchy, only about 30 minutes start to finish.

For Scavenger Hunt from Life 152  https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-152-mar-11-mar-19.7829/page-2

Number 1 sugary - Gene's cookies made for our HEB grocery in Bee Caves, TX. About palm of your hand size, individually wrapped but I sketched minus the cellophane. Lazy. I couldn't resist sketching them but didn't want to open them. Gene had eaten the cowboy hat and sunflower.
Number 2 green - the cactus cookie

The cookies were/are so cute.  They are also good to eat I'm told.  No flour for me.

I forgot to post this.  I went to take the photo of the cookies and was sidetracked.  Imagine that.

Yesterday I sketched at PT.  I'm pretty sure I sketched this before.  I planned to sketch outside for "building" but it was so windy and ugly out there.  It looks so nice from the window, but ...

Number 3,  shamrock or plant - in the waiting area.

This is in the Ohuhu sketchbook with a Sharpie Pen that is about out of ink and added watercolor at home.   It is about 6 x 7 inches

I like that sketchbook so much.  I need to order another one.  It is Mix Media and the paper takes watercolor very well and markers if you don't get too heavy with them.  Smooth paper for ink as well.

Baseball Notes....

The Longhorn baseball game was irritating.  It went into the 11th inning, 4 and a half hours.  They played UT San Antonio Roadrunners in Austin.  It was very windy still at the 630 start and through the game.  I think each team had about 4 home runs that just blew out of the stadium.  The fielders had lots of fun trying to be in the right place.  The Roadrunners won, 8 - 7.  Hook  'em Horns!  (Maybe I didn't have on a Texas shirt and my earrings!!)

We still don't have TV in the living room so I watched on my iPad and Gene watched television in our bedroom.  Hopefully we will get a TV by the weekend.  Waiting on insurance, extended warranty.  I am also trying out YouTube TV so I can get the games, but it is not so good without a smart TV.  Have to use the AppleTV with the old TV in the bedroom.  We have DirecTV by satellite which is easy but don't have sports channels.  About $50 a month more to watch baseball.  Sigh...  I guess it is cheaper than going to the games but still the principal.  The Longhorn Network and the SEC Network are "free" if you have the sports package.  YouTube has sports but the SEC+ streaming is on ESPN streaming.  Complicated for this old gal.

Pastel Lemon and Fruit

New Hunt and new items.  "Lemon or fruit" was on the list.  We rarely have fruit all together so thought I'd throw them in the colander.

 For Scavenger Hunt from Life 145 https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-145-jan-14-jan-22.7632/

I sketched in my studio at the easel.  I wiped off the Christmas cactus sketch and quickly worked on this one.

Number 1, lemon or fruit - a pink Texas Grapefruit (so sweet and yummy), lime, lemon, grapes, red pear and small apple.  In the metal colander which isn't actually lopsided.  About an hour or so spent on this.  Pastels are lots of fun.  I can correct the ellipse on the rim fairly easily.  Maybe I will do that.  You know me, though I don't like "do overs".   It would be a good lesson wouldn't it?

And the set up.  

Pastel Flower Sketch

Pastels have been calling to me.  The Hunt list had flower on it.  Luckily I didn't have to sketch the geranium even though it is blooming, too.  We got a Christmas cactus from a friend when she moved.  It is in a silver sort of plastic bowl.  I never expected it to bloom with no drainage and had no idea it would have white blooms.  Very pretty.  It wasn't watered for the five weeks or so when we were in Austin and maybe longer as I only remember to water the three plants I have in the house about every two weeks.  I brought in the geranium after the first freezing  day and am surprised to see my 4th plant blooming.

For Scavenger Hunt from Life 144  https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-144-jan-6-jan-14.7601/

Number 5 flower - the cactus in pastel on a wiped off piece of paper, maybe Lux Archival, 9 x 12 inches.  I worked on it for over an hour and then decided I didn't want to spend more time than that on a sketch and there is way too much detail to keep on.  I cropped this which I don't like to do but just to show you.  Cropping a finished painting is contrary to my thoughts.  The point of interest and eye level change and doesn't look right.  But that is just me.

My set up.  

The two bloomers.

So, so pretty.   It is hard to photograph white objects as you know.  I should ask Larry about that.

The frost this morning was pretty....

ha

Green and White in Pastels

A new Hunt 141 with a few colors as items.  I didn't want to use trees and plants for green so dug out a Mexican bowl.  For white an old Corning ware.  I wiped off a piece of MiTientes paper that had the pine cones and some spots where I was showing the granddaughter how to do eyes and hair.  Didn't mess with it long.  About 30-40 minutes all together.  Quick and messy.....

For Scavenger Hunt from Life 141  https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-141-dec-13-%E2%80%93-20-2024.7498/

Number 1 green - bowl from Mexico
Number 2 white - old Corning Ware

Red, Blue and Round Pastel Sketch

You are not going to believe that I actually painted, well, sketched on a "new" piece of paper without an under painting.  Gene went to bed a little early and I decided to use the quiet time to play in the dust.  It felt good to get my hands dirty.

I had been working on the gifts to send to Kentucky.  I make gift tags with photos on them so the little kids can hand out the presents without having to read who they are for.  My printer has a dirty roller or something making lines down the paper. I spent an hour or more cleaning with no success.  I need to get them in the mail so I just went ahead and printed them.  They will be tossed soon after opening anyway. 

 So I decided to procrastinate and paint instead of wrapping packages.  Sigh.....

For Scavenger Hunt from Life 140  https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-140-dec-5-13.7469/

Red, Blue and Round
Pastel on Lux Archival Paper
8 x 10 inches

I really like the sanded paper.  It lies flat and takes an under painting water or alcohol.  I didn't use one tonight.  I didn't want to wait for it to dry.

Here is the setup:

Pine Cones in the Dust

I’ve had a couple of very pretty pine cones on my art table for about a year.  I guess I finally tossed them.  I had to scrounge these from the yard and they are so dried up and flattened out.  I decided to sketch them with pastels on a piece of MiTientes paper.

For Scavenger Hunt from Life 138  https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-138-nov-19-27.7435/

Number 5 pine cone

And the set up.  

Trying to get ready for the week.  Company, birthdays and Thanksgiving.  We have our niece Carolyn’s birthday, Jennie’s birthday and Kathy’s birthday.  We had a few in the last couple of weeks. It was Cole’s and Oliver’s birthday and a couple of nieces.   November is a full month!!  

Stack of Dusty Bowls

Yes,  we had to sketch "a stack of 3 of the same type object" for the Hunt.  I like pottery and painting in pastels.   (Pastel - dusty bowls.) Perfect!

Dusty Bowls

Pastel on Pastelbord

8 x 10 inches

Number 11 stack- 3 bowls

 

Scavenger Hunt from Life 128  https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-128-aug-31-sept-8.7239

 

The set up.  I used a Pastelbord that had been wiped off.  The background is more grayed down in real life than it shows on my monitor.

 

One of our resident roadrunners was out in the sun hunting bugs this morning.  It was nice and cool.  While I was taking a video of him a hummingbird came right up to my camera but I had shut it off just as he popped in front of me.  Dang.

 

Glass Fruit Pastel Again

I posted my sketch from yesterday on our family chat and David immediately asked if the bowl was round or my photo?  Hmmm.  The glass was off both in height and roundness but it was a sketch I expected to wipe off anyway.  But I took the challenge and worked on the roundness last night.  I took a photo and realized the glass was too tall, maybe it would help to make it shorter and work on the rim.

It was late so again this morning I worked on it.    I now have several hours in the sketch/painting.  I should stop now.  It is always a "guess" as when to be finished and stop on a painting.  An artist (me) can keep fiddling for ages.  Sometimes the painting is even framed and you just have to take it out and work on it again.

Here is the new version:

And the old version:

 

 

I do think the new version is better, but never perfect.  Maybe good enough to frame, now.  It is on 9 x 12 paper but would crop it to this 8 x 8 inch size.  Thinking.......

Glass Fruit Pastel Sketch

I played in the dust this morning for my sketch of glass and fruit.  Pastels are fun to smoosh around and get your fingers dirty.

For Scavenger Hunt 125  https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-125-aug-07-aug-15-aiarts-ai.7142/

Number 7 and 8 - glass and fruit

The glass is from some dishes I've had since the early 60s.     Gen moved into an apartment with another friend.  Gen's roommate was transferred.  Gen and I moved to a house together.  This set of dishes for 8 as I recall were in a closet in her apartment, brand new in the boxes.  They didn't belong to the ex roommate so we shared.  She took all the glasses and I took the plates, bowls, etc.  Later we shared some of the glasses and dinnerware.  My part all burned in the fire and she had some glasses left so .....  she gave them back to me.  Gen lives in Utah so the glasses have been around.  We worked together for years at Continental Airlines.  Her late husband, Charlie, and Gene were great friends.  I know there are stories here in the blog about Gen and Charlie.  Do you have friends from 60 years ago??  Yikes.

One story is that when you hear Gene and Jo and don't know us, you might think it is Jeanne and Joe, right?  Gen would say to someone, "Gene and Jo are coming to visit.  I used to live with Jo."  Leaving the friend to wonder what Charlie thought about Gen living with Joe and the couple coming to visit.  :-)

Red Pals - Geraniums Pastel

I sketched in my studio from my outside bedraggled geranium.  Our only growing flower at the moment.  I'm definitely not a gardener but somehow the geranium is still alive without much water or TLC.  

Red Pals
Pastel on Pastelbord
5 x 7 inches

I sketched for the Scavenger Hunt 125 https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-125-aug-07-aug-15-aiarts-ai.7142/

Number 4 flower - sketched from the edge of the porch and color in my studio with a variety of soft pastels.  The board was wiped off.  It had an unsatisfactory landscape on it.  I like the geranium and intend to frame this one.

The flower doesn't look too bad considering I hadn't watered it for a few days in this heat.  The dirt had pulled away from the pot.  Poor, poor, pitiful thing.....

Of course that reminded me of a song, Linda Rondstadt - Poor, Poor Pitiful Me.  I always liked her.  Song is 3:32 minutes long. There are many versions on YouTube, I liked seeing the lyrics.

https://youtu.be/boMrTKZuvaQ?si=rgunKPJfHJvVmboh

Then of course you have to hear Blue Bayou

https://youtu.be/Kp9G0zkorio?si=bG7S9kAeJXMXtbGG

She is from Douglas, Arizona, where her family are all musicians and play Mariachi music together.  So fantastic.  Here is one with her niece Y Andale

https://youtu.be/jh7W1P8tDOg?si=xGNKXECFqAUZ5-1l

Enough sidetracking for today.....

Back with a Hand Sketch

It is always hard to get back in a routine when you stop doing art or exercising or ???  David and Lisa were here.  We framed a few of the sketches and a painting for them to take home.  There is never enough time to get everything done.  Time now to get back to painting and sketching ... or at least sketching.  David spent quite a while working on our kitchen table.  The base was very wobbly.

I sketched here at my computer table in the small Canson travel sketchbook with a Sharpie fine line pen that is about out of ink and nib.  For Scavenger Hunt from Life 124  https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-124-july-30-aug-7.7120/

Number 1 hand
Number 2 scratchy - back scratcher

The back scratcher was a gift from my friend, Sue.  It is about 8 inches long and extends to 26.5 inches.  It is small for carrying in an art bag and using as a mahlstick.  Cheap and clever.

 

Texas Roots
Pastel on Pastelbord, 9 x 12 inches
Framed in black wooden frame

 

Neighborly

Pastel on Sanded Paper, 8 x 10 inches
Framed in blue wooden Frame

We framed these two pastel sketches and they went off to Kentucky. 

 

Border Line
Pastel on Art Spectrum Sanded Paper
12 x 24 inches framed in gold plein air frame

This painting was painted in 2016 on the border of Mexico and New Mexico near Las Palomas.  It was interesting to see in the sunlight.  It is an old dance hall or a public meeting place?  Our hotel was right across the road.  This painting went with David.  I will miss it on my shelf in my studio.  It has been there all these years, unframed.

 

Pair Of

Hunting for a "pair" was pretty easy for me.  I like painting mugs and red and blue ones are a plus.  We got these mugs when we moved into this house.  I wanted to get Fiesta Ware but it is expensive so I ended up with Main Stay from Walmart.  Today I would have splurged but we were  buying so much then.  I try not to buy too much "made in China" but it is difficult.  We laugh when we see these mugs in the Hallmark movies from about that time.

I get sidetracked so easy, sorry  I dug the cups out of the back of the cupboard  and set them up for pastel painting/sketching.

Number 4 pair - a pair of mugs/cups.  About an hour on a wiped off piece of paper.  I think the paper had mugs on it before as well.

For Scavenger Hunt from Life 122 https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-122-jul-14-jul-22.7060/

Here is my setup.  I really need to clean and put my pastels away.  Sigh.....

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

We had some horseback riders out on the trail yesterday or the day before.

We got about an inch of rain this morning!  Yay.