Day 35 Breakout

April 18, 20203 Comments

Well just a ride to Walmart and back for a drive by pickup. People all over the place. Old people with NO masks buying “essentials” like ferns and palm trees(the houseplant kind!!)😵😵😂

Another sketch of my corner. No idea how I twisted the table like that but oh well. And the red chair is a bit off but the red in the drawing is fun. Maybe a bother go round tomorrow.

Another day of messy pens. Found my twisbee in the pen drawer. I thought hmm not used that in awhile. It leaked everywhere necessitating a ledger patch. It seemed to travel around the page. Sigh.

I “fixed this sketch. Used an old ledger from dads business years ago to cover up the smeared ink.

Margaret who needs to call her mom so ttyl. Xoxoxo

Day 33 Lemonade

April 17, 20202 Comments

Is what you get when you paint over a nonpermanent ink pen. I forgot I went over the letters with a pilot varsity pen which is NOT apermanent. 😫😫😫

I do have plans to fix this so stay tuned. Sometimes they don’t get done in one day.

Zoe actually held her pose for me because she was giving me the jrt stare which means she wants something. And I wasn’t giving it to her aka outside Now. She really wanted to go out and bark at her nemesis two very tall Pointers the neighbor dogs.

I thought coloring the background red was a good idea. It was too pale so I had to keep coloring it and then I added orange which helped.

But these do look better colored. ESP like the jrt head colored orange too.

Margaret ready to watch some comedy on tv to be happy. Xoxoxo

Day 33 Never

April 15, 2020Leave a comment

Eat a large chocolate bar. It will keep you up most of the night. But oh was it good.

I took another photo of The Farm using my Ott light to light it up. Much more accurate photo. Can’t wait til Saturday for the next class.

Drawing with Koosje. A corner of the living room really my den.

Lamy Stillman and Birn Alpha.

We drew masks with Danny at noon. Now we have to pick one out and make a paper bag mask.

I had to write down what I thought they were saying. That was fun. Can you find the Covid monster?! Lamy Safari Stillman and Birn Alpha. Only five spreads left but I got a new one from Amazon. Hurrah.

Sweet Ilaina. Missing my painting peeps.

Digging around for my 140 # rough press Fabriano I found this. Always liked it. Still have the photo to finish it. Full sheet on Waterman cold press I think.

Got some decent pics of the Downy that hit the window this am. So pretty.

Not sure what he is but cute. A sparrow?! Where’s the bird book?!

Loves this female cardinal on the thistle feeder. Adoreable.

Distancing in SC

Margaret ready for bed despite my excellent afternoon nap while watching Mary Berry at Highclere Castle on YouTube. Zzzz

Xoxoxox😘

Margaret xoxoxo

Day 32 An online class

April 15, 2020April 15, 2020Leave a comment

15×22″ rough press 300 lb Fabriano

Painted this today in an online class with Vlad Yesilesev. Vlad is Russian from Moscow and has the most fabulous accent. The man is so knowledgeable with an MFA in art. Paints as fast as lightning. He taught everything from how to do a value sketch then draw it to the actual painting of it. Can’t wait for Saturday.

Will take another on Saturday. A lot of fun once the people in class figured out how to work zoom. Quite reasonable at $19. I was going to take his class at Olmsted Pleine Air in Atlanta next week but that’s not happening. This is far cheaper. Course no individual attention because he can’t see us painting but heck who cares.

We did a value sketch and painted from it not the photo.

The photo

First wash. I think mine was a little dark.

Trees coming along. ALOT of dry brushing.

Grass added. And the shadow in the road.

Oh my buildings painted. He just whizzes along. Next time doing a quarter sheet- that’s 10×15″.

His painting. Sooo much better than mine.

Getting done. Has too much fun painting the tree with my Vlad saber brush. Way too much. Should have stopped earlier.

Then I blurred it out and thought why not add some spring green leaves popping out. U do it with one of the Escoda perlas held sideways. There was a lot of dry brushing in this painting. Most of it. Lol.

Next time I will have the drawing down a head of time and I will find my 140 # rough Fabriano. Hmm maybe order some 90# rough which is what Vlad uses for these demos.

And I drew Zoe earlier during sbsdrawingparty with Danny on YouTube at noon. It was draw something from nature after a chat with Tommy Kane- a fascinating man. Zoe’s neck is too long because she got annoyed, turned her back on me, and went to sleep.

Lamy Safari Stillman and Birn Alpha.

I need to paint the background but Vlad wore me out. Three hours of painting as fast as I could.

Oh and I cooked dinner. Japanese’s sweet potato sushi salad with sticky rice and nori.

Margaret ready for bed. Xoxoxoxo

Day hmm 32

April 14, 2020Leave a comment

Left one is prismacolor pencils. Did him because I really didn’t like the Lamy Safari version on right. Same guy!!🤔🤔🤔😵

Here he is. An Aussie mug shot.

So I played with the one on right some more. Now I actually him better and think he looks more like the original. Maybe I will work on Mr Leftie some more.

Last nite was crazy. 60 mph winds whipping for hours. 40 tornadoes reported in Ga and more on SC. None hit here as far as I know hit that wind kept me up howling all nite. About five I could hear the big oak near my bedroom CREAK!! I have never heard it do that in the 20 yr I have lived here. Scared me so I went downstairs and slept on the sofa at the other end of the house. Woke up about nine. NO power. So Zoe and I sat in the back porch enjoying the gorgeous morning. I have finally gotten rid of most of the pollen.

Power back so it was time to draw with Danny.

Since I couldn’t draw with Koosje I did it later today. Some old half dead flowers that I need to pitch.

Glad this crazy day is done. A beautiful soft sunset.

I am up early in the morning for the grocery store. Margaret who is tired.

Day 31

April 13, 20201 Comment

Something fun for Easter. Hope yours was Hoppy. I do enjoy doing these little tiny snapshots.

Did u find Zoe and the Easter candy?! Lamy Ef Noodlers eelskin Ink.

This am.

Finally got pics of the Downy on the suet. Was afraid he would fly away if dived for my camera so I used my iPhone.

Margaret who cooked all afternoon again. Not sure why. Pork chops oven brown rice cauliflower and coconut cream pie. Yummm Xoxoxox

Day 28

April 10, 2020Leave a comment

Amazing how busy you can stay doing nothing important. I got up before 8 to draw with Koosje on Instagram but couldn’t find her soooo I drew this:

The corner of the den and out the den window.

Then who popped up on my phone Koosje sooo I drew this.

Part of the shelf in the den. Kinda fun and lots easier than the first one.

So I was ready for Danny at noon in between a little cleaning sheet washing dog chasing cat feeding and you know important things. NOT. He wasn’t on til 1. What?! Then I found Mary Berry she of the British Baking Show fame. Who knew she’s been well known in England for years and years. So I watched one while waiting for Danny. She’s so charming. So utterly British.

And darned if we weren’t drawing a plant with Danny. Too lazy to find a new plant I drew the white amaryllis again. Hohum is the way I feel about this version.

What next?! Watched Mary Berry while waiting for sheets to dry and walked. A lot. In front of the tv.

And I thought this recipe sounded tasty. I do love a good Eggs Benedict. So of course I wrote it down and illustrated it.

Out my window this evening. Sun came out. Oh yeah. Meant I had to fill the pool since there we got zero of the predicted rain.

Margaret about ready for bed. Zero face masks made. Maybe tomorrow?! Xoxoxox

Day 24

April 5, 2020April 5, 20202 Comments

Could be a new thing.

Watching cooking shows and writing down the recipes on the shows. Then I just seemed to need to illustrate them.

I have done ten pages of these in the last two days and they are getting more complicated.

Hmmm.

Terrible drawing of Joanna Gaines. My daughter in-law loves Joanna Gaines so I thought she would like her recipes.

She’s starting a network and a cooking show. Hmmm the Gaines empire expands. She did not give most measurements except for the crepes so you have to buy her cookbook to see the amounts.🥴

Think this one has too much business but I quite like the shrimps. The recipe itself sounds delicious. I intend to give it a whirl when I assemble the ingredients

Next time no coloring the ingredients to highlight them.

And these are just fun to draw. Not too much of a challenge to draw a two inch box is it. just draw a little portion of objects nearby. I obviously need a tidy up.

Watercolor pencils Lamy Safari and Vista Noodlers eelskin Ink Stillman and birn Alpha

Another gorgeous spring day on the river.

Virtual hugs Margaret xoxoxo

Day 23

April 5, 2020April 5, 20203 Comments

Sbsdrawingparty on YouTube.

Well shoot meant to post this yesterday. Sorry. Hope you and yours are well.

Spent most of the day sewing face masks. Not my favorite thing to sew. All those little fiddly parts like sewing doll clothes. Have a grand total of ten done. 😫😫😫 and I want to make about 60. Obviously not my thing.

Did I say I have boxes of ribbons for my art quilts and regular quilts-Best of Show and lots of Blue ribbons in every category.

Google my name you are bound to find one of my art quilts. The reason I say this it’s not like I don’t know how to sew well. But those face masks. 😫😫😫

So maybe I will bake cookies for first responders after I finish the ones I promised?

Lamy Safari pen, watercolor, stillman and birn Alpha

Sunrise where one of my sons live.

Margaret who should get out of bed and get going. Xoxoxox

Day 21

April 4, 2020April 4, 2020Leave a comment

Sketchbookskool drawing party. Draw a dollar Bill. Crumple it up. Hope for no breeze no fan stirring it and draw. First a bold thick pen for the outline and finer pens inside. I used a Lamy Safari and a Lamy Ef. Half the time the Lamy was upside down.

Then you draw till you are satisfied. I journaled all over the page writing over and over the same page with a soft pencil til you couldn’t read it. Always makes a lot of texture.

Painted with burnt sienna Andrews turquoise cad yellow for the green. Burnt sienna background. Add a favorite quote or two. This was one of Andrew Cuomos dads favorites. Evidently he liked anything by Churchill.

The Sketchbookskool Instagram drawing party. Didn’t draw it live but one day I will get up early enough to do it at 8 am😵😵. Draw your coffee mug and paint it with your leftover coffee. Fun and much easier to do than that darn dollar bill.

The mask filter

In the throws of mask making. All the parts assembled. Just a few seams left and I will have enough masks to cover all my kids nose and the grandkids.