Category: Stillman and birn

Rainy days

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Poor soaked birds are flocking to the feeders on the back porch. I counted more than 20 finches six cardinals 2-4 doves chickadees wrens and titmice plus a blue jay or two. I could tell how many of they wore name tags. lol.

Drawn in a small alpha stillman and birn with an XF sepia pitt pen which barely smears at all despite my efforts.

Poor soaked finches out the den door

I couldn’t resist coloring the Cardinals for just a tiny pop of color. They are such gorgeous birds especially when they fluff up to stay warm on cold wet days. I colored them with watercolor pencils.

Margaret who turned the heel on her sock and is sliding toward the toe on this rainy day. Xoxoxo

Zoe

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I meant to paint all day today but NOPE I spent most of it on online chat trying to fix the image sizes on my site. Still not sure how it went astray but I think it’s fixed now.

I drew this sketch of Zoe this am in a tiny Stillman and Birn Alpha. With a regular lead pencil. Maybe I will draw her again tomorrow and fill the little book up. Just enough challenge for a daily drawing?!

I did think to paint her til I spent all day on the computer.

Then I spent a couple more hours photographing and sizing and entering an art show.

I entered Morning Joe

And Gypsy. Two of my favorites that I have painted recently.

So now I have actually done something to deserve a nap but first cooking some Chinese dumplings. Well maybe.

Hugs Margaret Xoxoxox

The ladies of the Hearings

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Ms Val Demings – Fl I think. Such a gorgeous lady.

Ms Jackie Speiers Ca I might need another go round with Ms Jackie. Her face is too wide. It’s really longer and narrower but still a fun sketch.

Ms. Stefanik – NY – I did these ladies because they seem to consistently question the witnesses. There are a few more but at five minutes each tough to catch them. Maybe Monday or Wed or?!

Incidentally the sketch the hearings group is growing. A friend in Aiken has decided to give it a try too. Not seen hers yet but she’s a great painter. Join the fun. Maybe we need a Facebook group?!

Margaret tired after a very busy day watching old old episodes of MASH still just as funny as they ever were. Xoxoxox

And the party continues

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Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch wow what a woman!!

I call it a party because my friend Ruth and I discuss our drawings via txt and talk about what’s going on. Always amazing how easy some people are to draw and others forget it.

Beginnings derwent watercolor and inktense pencils. Stillman and birn Alpha.

Adding more layers. Then I dab at it with a wet sable brush. And 8 I think. And if it goes to dark or threatens to run I dab at it with a Kleenex to lift color. Watercolor pencils can get oh so dark in seconds and some colors seem to run like crazy.

Hmm try number two at Adam Schiff head of the Intelligence Committee. Love the sketch but it’s not quite Adam. So will give him another try.

Devin Nunez the opposition. A Better sketch than Schiffs but not as good as the Yovanovitch sketch.

Bytw people are asking me for a book. Who knows. Maybe?! Going to try to draw all the talking heads and the major witnesses.

Oh yeah there are six more of these so far.

If u like this kind of stuff check out parispsalters feed on Instagram. A hoot.

Margaret xoxoxo

What I did today

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Drawing the impeachment hearings.

My friend Ruth britpeach on Instagram and I draw the talking heads and txt each other about the hearings and our drawings. Actually a lot of fun. I put up my Lamy after this one because the ink kept smearing.

No idea why. And I didn’t feel like dealing with it. Maybe because it was my Lamy joy the calligraphy pen and I didn’t wait to let it dry enough?!

And everyone needs a Jack Russel in their lap when they draw don’t you think?? She did take a break and sit in the sun for a little while then she was back.

Drawn in a stillman and birn alpha, my favorite stillman and birn, with watercolor pencils no ink no pencil to start on most of them.

Friday I will have to take pics to explain how I do this but similar to oil painting where u start with shadows using a burnt sienna watercolor pencil and slowly firm up the drawing.

Margaret whose tired. There are SIX more of the these, three bad ink sketches and two partially finished ones. I can finish those Friday. Xoxoxox

Glamping on Daufuskie

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Hmm it may not post but I am not sure it will work since reception is intermittent twitch your nose on the back deck and you might have a message go through.

You could hardly say we were camping even though amenities are few and far on Daufuskie. No street lights no grocery store but the house we stayed in was fabulous. Probably nicer than any of our houses. It sits on a defunct golf course that has has financial difficulties since the recession. More about the house later. Just walked in the door from a trip to Decatur.

Margaret putting her feet up. Where’s the wine? Xoxoxox

Hmm well that was a pain. Only tried off and on for a week to post. Finally unsnarled it. So annoying. Will try to do better this week. Hugs!

Julio Reyes

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A undercover spy drawing if the teacher Sunday – Julio Reyes. Really a great class. They taught us everything they know about how to mix paint and prepare surfaces for egg tempera. He and Candace his wife poured their generous hearts into this class.

They gave us the biggest most detailed handout I have ever gotten in a class outside of college, provided all the materials but the painting panel continually going beyond what is normally done in any class I have taken. I highly recommend them. Too bad we don’t have a picture of the amazing paintings turned out in this class. Can’t wait to polish mine. Yes they taught us how to do that too with a piece of old silk scarf.

These are powdered pigments that I bought today at CityArt over in Columbia also known as Art Express on the internet. The owner Randy is great so I do like to buy from him when I can.

You mix these pigments with water and egg to make egg tempera. I couldn’t resist. Not quite the colors we used in class but they were there. Gamblins a great reliable company soooo I scooped them up. More about that tomorrow when I post Candace.

Margaret who has driven all over NC and SC in the past two days and is Tahred now. Xoxoxox

House boat living

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Our big joke is that we can afford to live on a house boat in Key West. Would the three of us fit?! Nah but we can dream.

Free docking because they are just anchored out in the Cow Channel between Key West and Stock Island.

And we would sell

My paintings out of a tiny trailer there to pay for it. Well supplement our salaries. Lol. Of course these are so small we would each need our own. And where oh where would Zoe go potty?!!

Also after weathering the possibilities of having the wrath of Dorian on our heads we decided we might like higher drier land than Key West where the highest point is 18 feet!!! 🤪🤪🤪

Stillman and Birn Zeta Lamy Ef and pentel Brush pen lettering

Margaret who no doubt has made a large mess today learning to mix egg tempura from scratch. Will get back to you if this was a good idea or not. In Raleigh for a few more days. Xoxoxox

Williams Street

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I turned the corner of Eaton Street onto Williams Street in Key West to see a church glowing in the sunlight surrounded by shimmering palm trees so I had to pull over and draw the scene quickly. Then a bicyclist joined the scene. What more could a girl ask for on a hot sunny day!?

Hmm I think I need to add a chicken or two don’t you?!

Lamy EF Stillman and Birn Zeta

Margaret in Raleigh where it’s going down to 40 tonite and Key West in December is going to feel fabulous!! Xoxoxo

PS went on a shopping trip to Jerry’s Artarama and bought a handprint journal. 6x 8 ish inches linen cover. Excited to see if the paper is as good as the larger one I was forced to buy at Cheap Joes because they don’t have Stillman and Burns available. I really liked the big one so today I bought a smaller one. I mean you can wipe the paper clean in my big one. Even after you paint it. 😳😳😳

That other candy store

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Is painted.

Fluid handprint journal. I had a lot of splatters on it from splattering trees. They wiped off. 😳

Now let’s see if the book dries flat. Did not like my last one but maybe they have improved?!

I used Fealing Lin’s palette colors but had to add Charles Reid’s fav chrome green and viridian as well as my fav Daniel Smith Green apatite. The hookers she uses is TOOO relentlessly green.

Cad red cad orange cad yellow burnt sienna and umber ultramarine American Journey turquoise. And a white pentel pen.

Margaret who has splatters everywhere. Even my phone and glasses. Xoxoxo