Day 726 – Almost two years.

June 26, 2016Leave a comment

My Van Gogh Sunflowers 20×24 Acrylic For Sale
Coming up on two years of daily posting on Day 730 or at least attempting to do that.

One of the things I learned this year – if you are taking a Viking cruise up the Seine River the wifi is definitely UNdependable. Have to think about a cure for that next time we go.
My friends and fellow artists say they have seen a lot of growth since I started this journey. I started out to do a month then 50 days then 90. It grew like topsy.

Auvers sur L’Oise – Prints available Watercolor 8 x 11″ approximately

I love Van Gogh. Ever since the Viking Cruise and a tour of Auvers where he died I have been thinking about painting sunflowers because I knew I could never afford a real Van Gogh. I had to paint my own another that mine is in his league!!
This week was the week. I bought a bunch of sunflowers at Krogers and Costco to paint in my blue Shishir pot from Tire City Potters in Augusta.

Colors used – Pthalo blue, cerulean, ultramarine blue, golden Green Gold and nickel Azo gold, hookers Green, cad yellow medium, cad yellow light, cad red light, burnt umber, titanium white.
I had a lot of trouble with the yellows. They tend to be transparent which did not work well over the turquoise background. I finally found a tune of Golden Primary Yellow that I drew petals on straight out of the tube. The impasto ( thick) paint finally did the trick.

Day 724. Oops

June 25, 2016Leave a comment

Thought I had posted this but was too busy painting. Busy day. What can I say!?

Snacks at Costco were good today. That Kirkland wine is pretty tasty!

Thanks for reading.

Margaret xxx

Day 721 – Alexis

June 21, 2016Leave a comment

One of my Aiken painting friends blocking out her new painting.
Alexis always comes to paint dressed to the nines frequently with a scarf flung over her shoulder wearing ballet flats. She says she’s trying to wear out her old work clothes now that she’s retired.
I quipped at her it wouldnt take me long to do in my good clothes with acrylic paint smears.
This painting doesn’t do her justice because she’s also very tiny. I fattened her up a bit. 😁 Sorey Alexis. She works hard on staying slim. Always eating somethings healthy.
Speaking of which I think I will go eat a salad. Big wedding coming aka Mother of the Groom dress. Eeekkk.

Colors used – Ted Nuttalls transparent colors. And sodalite. Makes a great granulating grey.

Day 617 Done and a dog or two

June 17, 2016Leave a comment

All the squiggly lines are glued down now. I like it but will live with it a while before I sign my name. My biggest problem is always deciding when something is done. But for now it is done.

Back to drawing dogs. Noodler Konrad loaded with Deartrementis document brown ink.

Begging ever hopeful Honey. She did get to lick my breakfast plate. This is drawn with a Pentel Hybrid Techna pen that I like to write with a lot. It did a good job drawing too. It’s so fine it requires a lot more cross hatching than the Konrad. The pen isn’t waterproof so a little water and smudging took care of that problem.

HOWEVER when I used it to mark grid lines to enlarge a photo I am going to paint the ink on the photo killed it.

Now I am wondering if Cheap Joes will replace it. They have a one year warranty on all their products. I got it during my class with Ted Nuttall last month and just finally used it. I used their warranty when my paintbrush had a loose ferrell and they replaced it without a problem. Cheap Joes is such a great place.

Thanks for checking by
Margaret

Day 712 – so it continues.

June 10, 2016June 10, 2016Leave a comment

Not done yet.

I drew Donna and Ann as they discussed Donnas abstracr. The conversation went on for quite a while giving me plenty of time to draw them.

Another sketch of Dinna done during lectures. The shadow under her eye got a little dark.

Painted with Ted Nuttalls transparent palette.

Thanks for reading.

Margaret xxx

Day 696 – Memories

May 25, 2016Leave a comment

Best thing about a travel journal is the memories when you look back through it.

Raisin and I shared some awesome deserts and a free shot of Jameson’s is always welcome!!

This was a pretty great strawberry shortcake at Calhouns on the Tennessee River. The view was fabulous. Will post it when I get done painting it! Riverside is a wonderful place to eat especially when it’s a different river than the one i live on.

The lines on this page are made with a Wonsor Newton watercolor markers and a Daniel Smith watercolor crayon that I got at Jerrys Artarama during the demo.

I color with them – draw lines -and then release them with water which let’s them bleed where they want to go. A really fun effect.
And I started this last nite. Forgot to eat dinner. Must be fun right?! Hmm 🤔 full sheet arches 300# 22 x 30″ eeekkkkk

Thanks for checking by.

More Knoxville fun to come.

Margaret xxx

Day?! Rhineharts

March 31, 2016Leave a comment

Sold a painting to Rhineharts that will be on their Masters Week shirt. How exciting is that. I know stacks will be sold that week.
The shirt pocket

I sat out front of Rhineharts waiting for my high school friends Peggy and Karen. We are all excited to be on the shirt!!
Yesterday I got in Charles Reid’s class at Cheap Joes. It fills the instant its released. My friend Mike and I got one of the 16 places. Now to contain our excitement til May 2017!!!😳😃
Thanks for reading.
Margaret xxx

Day 635 Ponce City Part two or three?!

March 28, 2016Leave a comment

Szechuan Restaurant and Bar
I had a perfect seat to have another go at this dragon. I think I did a better job at the perspective this time.

While there is a lot I like about this the perspective on that bar is wild and I still think the people look like the walking dead.

A nervy young couple say not two feet from me between the restaurant and me blocking my view. First time that has ever happened.

I kept craning my head to look around them as I drew. They never noticed nor did they notice when I took this picture of them.
I really should turn them into a large painting similar to the one I am working on now.

Waiting at Waffle House which no loner looks like this. Who could resist those crosses arms and those faces?!

Ponce City Market looking toward the Beltline stairs. No walking dead in this sketch.

Taped down and reading to watercolor.

The Cuban restaurant LL Superpan.

All three Ponce City Restaurants are drawn with the very fine tip pilot pen with Carbon Platinum Black ink on Strathmore 500 watercolor paper which is lovely paper. I can’t wait to use it. Takes the color so well.

A tea towel from French Silver Shop. Sooner or later I will buy some. I just can’t pick which one.

Ohhhhh

Ahhhhhhhh

We were “hangry” from all the oohing and ahing, the walking, the two hour drive, the packing, the loading of the car. Which restaurant would we choose?? There were so many.

Marakeesh Mediterranean Market North Africa East of Atlanta

We decided that though the hamburgers smelled oh so delicious wafting thru the air we were not doing burgers. So many restaurants how did we choose?!

We got food from Marakeesh Market because there was a small line and well it was just exotic to eat Moroccan food.

The potato stuffed burekas,tahini, Israeli pickles and Israeli salad which looks just like feggous – a Morrocan tomato and cucumber salad except for added radish sticks were all just simply delicious. I can’t decide which item I liked best. Best pickles ever. Perfect iced tea.

Thanks for reading.
Margaret xxx

Day 630 – The Great Augusta Fire of 1916

March 23, 2016March 24, 20162 Comments

Anniversary was yesterday. 100 years ago everything down from 8th Street and east of Greene Street to the river burned.

We went to the Tuesday Music Live Concert at historic St Pauls which commemorated the anniversary with one of their Tuesday Convert series. 100 years ago yesterday the congregation gathered to pray the colonial era church would be saved from blaze devouring downtown.

I drew this while I listened to the wonderful pianist.

Here’s a shot of the sacristy and a video by a local historian Bill Kirby about the fire.

A quick sketch I did a couple of years ago of the church from the street.

And an exterior shot.

Thanks for reading.

Margaret xxx

Day 624 – A touch of whimsy

March 17, 2016Leave a comment

A few quick pen sketches I did today at the Augusta Area Newcomers luncheon.

I actually was hiding the sketchbook under the table. I warmed up with the lady on the left and proceeded to our auctioneer Ken and then one of my friends hiding behind a huge basket. If I paint them they will know who they are by their clothes. They don’t look a lot like them.
This one however does look a lot like our esteemed adorable sweet president Susan. Warming up does help!!

I actually won the silent auction on this wonderful acrylic by friend and Dr Sketchy/Saturday life modeling sketching friend Ruth Pearl. LOVE it. Now where to hang it?!

Noodler Konrad and strathmore 500 Moxed Media sketchbook. Stick those sketchbooks in your lap and get your pens busy. If I can sketch in the middle of 200 people I know you can do it too.

Thanks for reading.

Margaret xxx