A Break Through

October 3, 2019Leave a comment

Another busy busy day

Not often I am in my jammies in bed st 8:30. Up at the crack of dawn draw and paint all day.

So what was the break through?! Don’t paint people you know then you won’t be hampered or intimidated by the need to make them look like your relative or friend. You can just have fun painting.

So I spent all morning drawing these two ladies.

More to do on Morning Coffee. 15×22″ 140# cold press Fluid

paper.

All that water I threw at her and she’s still flat.

Lots of edges to soften. Hard edges are ridiculous on her face.

The Drawing

A lot left to do on her. All of her jewelry. Her head scarf and a million other fun things. OH her glasses. Not anywhere dark enough. She had on about six necklaces and ten bracelets. So LOTS to do.

And those teeth. Ugh.

Colors used raw sienna alizarin American Journey Andrews Turquoise Mineral Violet Cad red cad yellow burnt sienna and some ultramarine blue. Big 1 1/2 flat for most of the painting.

Margaret tucked into bed before 9am. All I need is sweet Zoe. Xoxoxo

Busy busy

October 2, 2019Leave a comment

Work is in progress. Henry! Got to fix those eyes. But really like this a lot.

The lovely Kate Marie also far from done.

Margaret ready for BED in Boone NC did I say Tahred and I should be drawing but Tahred is not! Xoxoxo

Live from Boone

October 1, 2019Leave a comment

Xoxoxo

A few more parking lot chickens oops roosters from Key west Wildlife Rescue. Poor things having to live out their lives in a Parking lot. The big buff guy actually spurred the other ones. Meany.

Joe Miller aka Cheap Joe and Fealing Lin. I think he might be dressed as Van Gogh if he loved to be an old man. Joe is a Van Gogh authority and does a delightful one man show about Theo Van Gogh Vincent’s brother which he has performed all over the US including the National Museum of Art in DC and the Met in NYC.

Margaret having too much fun in Boone. Like coming home. Xoxox

A Few More Chicks

September 30, 2019Leave a comment

From Boone NC. really they are Key West parking lot chicks from the Wildlife Rescue.

Class tomorrow at Cheap Joes.

140# Fabriano rough press

Trying to decide whether or not to crop the fourth hen/rooster on the right. He she looks odd as in stuffed into the page. And it’s neither a rooster or a hen. Hmmm. Think I like it with just the three better but the blue feet on the left one GOTS to go.

Class w the delightful Fealing Lin tomorrow. She’s across the hall from me.

Margaret glad to be in the cool rainy weather of Boone NC. I think I remember rain. Xoxoxox

Eaton Street #1

September 22, 20196 Comments

If you ever go to Key West you really should go to Coles Bakery on Eaton Street. Great food amazing deserts and breads. At least half the restaurants on Key West use Coles Bread. Delicious.

I drew the view out their windows at least three times and various houses in various arrangements. You can always suit yourself since you are in charge and draw one or two houses add people chickens cars and do it in the air conditioning while you enjoy those delicious lunch.

Stillman and birn Zeta uniball micro because I keep ruining clothes with my Lamy splatter is permanent ink. Sadddly. I do love my lamys but the uniballs are waterproof and a nice change. So annoyed I ruined a nice red and white striped linen shirt from LL Bean with my Lamy vista.

Funny story. A couple of guys were sitting at a high too between the scene and myself so I kept craning my neck to see around them. One guy actually thought I was drawing him. Came over to see how it was going. I did tell him I often did but today I was more interested outside the windows- a theme of mine in this miserable heat that keeps giving. Glad I am heading to the mountains later this week.

Margaret off to Goldfinch but glad she finally got painting. Only about thirty sketches to go. Eeekk. Xoxoxo

Did I say I love an ibis

September 19, 2019September 19, 2019Leave a comment

Such goofy looking interesting birds with their pink knobby kneed legs, a pink hooked bill and bright blue eyes.

And friendly. They will share your lunch with you if you let them.

I read about them on Wikipedia and found out they use that long bill to probe the mud for goodies to eat. There’s also a bright scarlet version. Would love to see one of those.

And where else but key west can you draw an ibis and call it urbansketching? 🤣

Margaret trying to get back to blogging. Xoxoxo but I got a wasp sting today. How many ways can I say OUCH?!!

Another Ibis

September 10, 2019September 11, 2019Leave a comment

My friend who joined me while I painted. Did I tell you he tried to eat my Charles Reid Holbein palette. He likes expensive food. Rofl.

And then there was the poop. What is it with birds and their indiscriminate bathroom habits – aka go wherever. On my table. All over the floor. Yuck.

The green is made from cad yellow light and peacock blue. Makes a spring green. The reverse painting aka background makes the ibis pop. If I darkened it he would stand out even more.

Margaret packing to head for DC in the am. Xoxoxox

Key West Snow Patrol

September 6, 2019September 7, 20195 Comments

If I am not painting palms I seem to be painting chickens. And an ibis or two. I borrowed the name but the chickens really do patrol Key West. On the docks. In the streets at the crosswalks in the restaurants under your chair or even on the table.

TIP!!

Next time I am only bringing superaquabee paper unless I break down and make a sketchbook from strathmore mixed media paper. Both papers LOVE watercolor. They don’t Waffle while you are painting and they tend to dry flat. Always a plus. Plus the watercolor paint looks gorgeous on the paper.

Going to bring my long skinny one. 6×12 and either a 5×7 or and 8×10. Then I am going to sit on a corner and sell the sketches. Lol. Aka pay for our dinner and our

gas.

Try them you will love them.

Margaret off to Hogfish for some grilled hogfish salad. Sooo delish and no chickens. Just fish dockside. They stay in the water rofl.

A chicken a day

September 5, 20192 Comments

Will keep the doctor away. Painting by the pool today. Just playing with my Vlad Yesilev sword brush. Makes great wonky chickens. Burnt sienna cerulean cad yellow cad red light dioxzine violet. Alizarin and opera rose.

And the daily palm. I know I have painted this same palm at least three times. I may be getting addicted to palm tree painting. I ran out of cad yellow so this one may not be quite finished.

Same colors as above. Superaquabee tablet.

Margaret back reading her book. Xoxoxo two more days in the Conch Republic. 😒

I hurt myself

September 3, 2019Leave a comment

Hogfish w Gorgonzola sauce spinach and artichokes and mixed veg a mango martini and Pinot noir. And my sis in laws cheese tortellini with sweet sausage and bolognese sauce. OH MY so delish.

Topped with Tiramisu and a view of the Atlantic with various joggers and skaters floating by. A sailboat or two.

Best food ever in Key west at La Tratorria. AmAzInG!! That tiramisu best I have ever eaten and I have eaten a lot of them. Expensive yes but who cares food was perfection the view perfect and all divinely lickable!!

Margaret who hurt herself xoxoxo