Got My Color Back

I might not ever get this completely painted. I get bored with things too easily, and this piece is just boring to me. I've been adding paint to it for a while, and I'm going to call it done.

5.5x8" pen and watercolor on mixed media paper

Joyous Noel

Here is 2014's virtual Christmas card, since I don't mail out cards. I posted this on my Facebook page, which sure beats all that addressing and sealing and stamping and mailing business. I have certainly been in a black and white phase lately. I've always been perfectly comfortable with fineline pen work, and the lack of color doesn't bother me.

5.5x8" Micron Pigma on mixed media paper

Kandinsky Tribute

Google's homepage today is a tribute to Wassily Kandinsky on this, his 148th birthday. All of us illustrators, who choose varying degrees of abstraction over photo-realism and who frequently have to defend that choice, owe a great deal of gratitude to Mr. Kandinsky. He bravely and boldly painted abstractly and began a world-wide conversation about the meaning and usefulness of art that doesn't always look EXACTLY like the model. On the spectrum that runs between abstract and realistic art, I'm certainly still closer to the realistic end, but I admire those who can communicate closer to the "out there" end of abstract art. Thank you, Mr. Kandinsky, for blazing the trail! 

EDM 241 - Through My Kitchen Window

So, this is a rather uninspired drawing of my large kitchen window. I did this from memory because I wasn't home, and I just wanted to get it done. You can really tell when a piece has no heart in it. Still, the concept was clear to me.

The view in and out of a single window of your house, even a large window, can hardly tell a complete story. The swirls in the lower left were meant to hint at the made-up aspect of building a biography from one window looking into or out of a life.

EDM 241 - Through the Kitchen Window; 3x3" watercolor

Doodling Over the Top

I used to quilt. I didn't finish enough quilting projects to suit me. So, I draw now, and get more finished. I might suffer from a wee bit of attention deficit, and it's getting worse as I age. I can't stick with large projects like I used to. This overly involved "Doodle Quilt" barely got done. It is my ode to pattern, or perhaps it's just a great way to spend a lot of ink.

5.5x8" Micron Pigma 005 on mixed media paper

Doodling Meditation

Sometimes you have to tell yourself something you already know. I doodle things I already know. I like to think of doodling as a way of talking to myself.

5.5x8" Micron Pigma 005 on mixed media paper

A Leafy Leaf

I like patterns. The idea to fill a leaf with more leaves just seemed intriguing to me. It would be fun to do a series like this: A Leaf of Leaves; A Face of Faces; A Cup of Cups; An Idea of Ideas.

5.5x8" Micron Pigma 005 on mixed media paper

EDM 239 - Something that Scares Me

Hopefully, this speaks for itself. I was unhappy with how this turned out, but maybe it fits the subject matter. Regret makes bad art! Heavy, huh?

EDM 239 - Scares Me, 3x3" markers

Doodle Feathers

Another obsessive doodle. It wasn't intended to look like feathers, but that's what happens to your art sometimes. It surprises you!

5.5x8" Micron Pigma 005 on mixed media paper

Overwrought Doodling

Yup. Leave it to me to take something inherently simple like doodling and utterly over-think it. Put a fine-line pen in my hand and I'll obsess. It's a gift!

Extreme Doodling; 5.5x8" Millenium marker

EDM 240 - A Favorite Pencil

I Iike my pencils hard and not too black. I hated the No. 2 pencils required to take standardized tests in school.

EDM 240 - A Favorite Pencil; 3x3" watercolor

Don't Just Sit There; Doodle Something

I've never been a good just-sitter. My hands have ADHD. I'm only sort of kidding. 

Doodle Something; 5.5x8" Millenium marker

EDM 238 - From a First Aid Kit

When in an old-fashioned place, go for an old-fashioned potion. We saw a bright pink flowering bush on our walk through Yorktown today. It was fascinating enough to make us stop and take notice. I looked it up and found out it might have been Chinese witch hazel.

EDM 238 - From a First Aid Kit; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 237 - What You See Under the Bed

I went literal with this. The carpet is what I see under the bed, and in the vacation place where we're staying the carpet is intentionally coordinated with the drapes and upholstery fabric and fireplace. It's "House Beautiful" and genuinely lovely. I guess that's what you end up with when professional interior designers are involved. My real house is much more eclectic...and lived in.

EDM 237 - Under the Bed; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 236 - Palm of Your Left Hand

My left hand holds my favorite piece of jewelry.

EDM 236 - Palm of Left Hand; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 235 - A Butterfly

It isn't butterfly season, so I had to dream one up. The misspelling on this piece was pointed out to me repeatedly, but the ink is permanent. Some mistakes are indelible, I guess.

EDM 235 - A Butterfly; 3x3" ink & watercolor

EDM 234 - Something That Belongs to Another

We're on vacation, so everything around us belongs to someone else, except the memories. Those are mine.

The decor in Williamsburg is timeless. I love the colors, the carved-wood details, and the rich fabrics. I decided to draw one of the posts on our bed...that only belongs to us this week.

EDM 234 - Belonging to Another; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 233 - A Favorite Drink

Coffee is not usually my absolute favorite drink, but like so many other things that are made extra special just because they're enjoyed while on vacation, vacation coffee is a favorite. I'm on vacation right now, so coffee is topping the list.

The castle illustration is from the label on the bottle of vanilla syrup we're burning through this week. Vacation is half over; the syrup is half gone. We're right on track!

EDM 233 - Favorite Drink; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 232 - The Last Thing You Bought

I love new paint brushes. They just seem to work better when they're new. BUT, I can't throw away the old ones either. You never know when an old one will be just what you need. So the collection just grows.

EDM 232 - Last Thing You Bought; 3x3" watercolor

Sharpenings

Something from my sketchbook today or, more precisely, ON my sketchbook. Finally sharpened my new pencils.

Color Pencil Shavings; photograph

And, in the spirit of a famous search engine.

"Giggle"; photo

Filigreed Orb

I was inspired by a movie to try to render a filigreed metal orb from memory. It was a fun study. The movie was Guardians of the Galaxy.

Filigreed Orb; 5.5x8" watercolor

EDM 231 - Junk Drawer

I have no explanation for this except that I didn't want to draw the insides of any of my junk drawers.

EDM 231 - Junk Drawer; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 230 - A Map

I decided to just draw a quick "map" of our house's first floor. I used to love to design floor plans of dream houses, complete with indoor pools, odd-shaped rooms, and totally unfeasible ideas from an actual construction standpoint. That was decades ago. Now I'm perfectly content to simply dream in the old, solidly constructed house where I live. That makes THIS house my dream house.

EDM 230 - A Map; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 229 - A Summer Joy

My Summer Sammy speaks summer to me. It has to be made just right and not at all until the tomatoes are perfect. The non-negotiable ingredients are: good, hearty wheat bread (homemade, all the better); Hellman's real mayonnaise slathered on in a heart-stopping amount; thick slices of deep-red, ripe tomatoes (the best cuts from the center); and a very generous sprinkling of flaky sea salt (if in doubt, add more). It's only here for a short time, so I don't skimp on any of the ingredients. There is no neat and dainty way to eat this. It gets messy fast! You've been warned.

EDM 229 - A Summer Joy; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 228 - What Makes Me Laugh

I am not really a drinker, but a metaphorical mixed drink can be fun! In case you can't read this over-crowded drawing, it's a recipe of sorts. It says:

A Good Stiff Laugh

• Place a day's worth of icy, hard facts in a generous-sized glass. 
• Cover with a bright liquid dose of what you know to be true. 
• Add a strong shot of quirky perspective, borrowed from a fellow life traveler. 
• Stir mixture vigorously until lots of bubbles surface and pop. 
• Drink every last drop. 
• Repeat as needed. 

Feel free to adjust my recipe!

EDM 228 - A Laugh; 3x3" watercolor & marker

EDM 227 - A Tote Bag

I have so many totes! My favorite is a Hobo International leather shoulder bag that I bought at Goodwill while on vacation a few years ago. I am sure I would never think to buy a bag like this new, because it would seem too expensive for a bag to tote stuff around. But, it caught my eye with its robins-egg-blue lining and has proven to be extremely useful and sturdy. I think I paid $15 for it, which I think is a lot for a Goodwill purchase. The bag probably sold for $80-100 brand new, so I'm going to say, "Yay, for a great deal at the thrift store!"

EDM 227 - A Tote Bag; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 226 - A Screw

I thought it was about time for another one of my imaginary store "shingles." This is the third, I think. Why do I do these? No idea.

What I do know is that if I'm told to draw a screw, I won't be drawing a boring, metal piece of hardware. I'm rebellious that way. Instead I thought about what my grandma used to call earrings. She did not have pierced ears, so none of her earrings were actual "rings." She called hers ear screws, because that's how they worked. They were torture to wear. Put holes in my ears any day rather than ask me to wear ear screws. Grandma was tough!

EDM 226 - A Screw; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 225 - Something Sticky

As a pianist and artist, I can testify to the truth of this statement. If you want to get better in the arts, you MUST practice well and often.

EDM 225 - Something Sticky; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 224 - A Pitcher

If you don't like where a watercolor piece is going, just keep painting and lifting and painting and lifting and painting some more. Before you know it, it looks like an oil painting! The little cream pitcher I used as a model is actually cream-colored! Needless to say, I gave up on painting it realistically, but I ended up liking this painting. Never give up!!

EDM 224 - A Pitcher; 3x3" watercolor

Kaylin's Elephant Is Done

I finally got back to my daughter's elephant painting. It was easy to finish, since I had roughed in the watercolors a few weeks ago. And, here he is, all decked out in imaginary flowers and ferns.

Kaylin's Elephant; 8x10" watercolor

Here's what he looked like without the fine details.

EDM 223 - A Favorite Sound

This is a common sight where we live, and the accompanying sound of horse hooves and metal wagon wheels on the road in front of our house is a sound I never tire of hearing.

EDM 223 - Favorite Sound; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 222 - My Favorite Drawing Tool

Even though I work mostly in watercolor, I would be a lost art soul without my collection of fine-line, permanent pens. I'm always hoping they'll come out with even finer and finer ones...until the line completely disappears. Don't try to figure me out!

EDM 222 - Favorite Tool; 3x3" pen & ink

EDM 221 - A Handheld Game

I know that the point of most games is to end up with one winner and many losers. This is how you know the game is over. Well, back in my day (beware of stories that begin that way!) we whiled away many a recess on the playground with two sets of hands and a long string, because the ultimate point of playing any game should be to have fun with friends. It's actually possibly to have all winners and no losers. I know. It's ridiculously quaint.

EDM 221 - Handheld Game; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 220 - The Moon

I'm going to let this one speak for itself. I don't let my art do that often enough. Shine on!

EDM 220 - The Moon; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 219 - A Window

It's a good thing poppies thrive all on their own because I don't think about ours, growing along the forgotten side of the old garage. Then they explode into blazing orange blooms, and I can't NOT notice them!

EDM 219 - A Window; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 218 - A Knife

I think this is my fourth or fifth version of a knife, painted as a challenge, in the past year. I'm running out of enthusiasm for knives! This gorgeous folding Sheffield knife belongs to my husband. I think it's too pretty to use!

EDM 218 - A Knife; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 217 - An Umbrella

Even though I loved math in school, I was just like most of my friends in believing that high school algebra and geometry would prove useless in real life. "When am I ever gonna use this?!" Well, I have used it so many times! Just the design potential alone should have made me, the wannabe artist, a champion for geometry. Here is my homage to Fibonacci and the fascinating golden spiral. I call my umbrella design "Geometry for a Rainy Day."

EDM 217 - An Umrella; 3x3" watercolor & marker

EDM 216 - Draw Your Inner Critic

Well, this is rather personal to share, but what's the worst that could happen? I'll bet my inner critic can beat up your inner critic!

My inner critic whispers to me, and everyone knows whispers are far more intimidating than shouts. Mine reminds me that I'm more of an illustrator than a fine artist, and therefore my art doesn't really belong in a frame on a gallery wall. This is actually fine with me because I would hate the whole gallery scene, making small talk and watching people stare at my art. Yeah, no thanks!

EDM 216 - Inner Critic; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 215 - My Thumb

I'm a little creeped out by thumbs and toes out of their natural contexts, so I didn't spend much time on this.

EDM 215 - My Thumb; 3x3" watercolor

And, below is the real thumb. Did you know you can use metallic gel pens to decorate your nails? Now you do.

My Left Thumb

EDM 214 - Something Representing a Favorite Hobby

I took a long break from painting to work on some other projects. It's good to be back, picking off some more painting challenges from the Everyday Matters list.

Before computers, we had to design fonts by hand. I still prefer to do it that way. It's been my hobby for more than 40 years.

EDM 214 - A Hobby; 3x3" watercolor

I borrowed this design from another piece, but I didn't have to get permission. The other piece, which is lying in the background, is also mine. It was drawn for the Everyday in May challenge a few months ago. I didn't intend to make the two pieces so similar, but that's sort of what happened.

Letters from EDiM 2014

Hibiscus on the Porch

Drawing on the porch this afternoon. Painting inside, when the sun started going down.

Hibiscus; moleskine journal, watercolor

EDM 213 - A Microwave

My dad bought a Magic Chef microwave for my mom soon after microwaves were marketed to the public (1970s). It did seem like magic to us kids, but it was clear early on that it wouldn't make a chef out of anyone. I still own a microwave, but I increasingly believe that I could use the space it takes up much better than with a bulky, super-powered butter melter and leftover warmer.

EDM 213 - A Microwave; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 212 - A Mirror Image

I'm not a big fan of symmetry in design, but since it shows up a fair bit in nature, I'm not going to say there's anything wrong with it. I mean, I'm glad faces are mostly symmetrical.

If God were to put me in charge of butterfly design (you know, while the regular guy is on sabbatical), I'd have an Arts & Crafts variety...definitely.

EDM 212 - Mirror Image; 3x3" watercolor

Gentleness

Here's a quick piece from my just-for-fun journal. I try to work in this journal on Sundays.

So, is it feathers or ferns? Who knows?

Gentleness; watercolor

Remembering the Elephant

Early last month I started this piece for my daughter, who loves elephants. I didn't make it past the sketch until today. This is preliminary painting. There will be much more detail to come.

Kaylin's Elephant; watercolor base coat

Wet Paint Summer Workout #4 - Nocturnal Notes

I signed up for Wet Paint's Summer Workouts, but haven't kept up with it. This is challenge number four, also known as my first completed one.

This challenge was to paint a representation of the summer night sky. I worked much larger on this piece than I usually do, and had grand plans to paint my July Night Sky in a true pointillism (all dots), but, alas, I've run out of weekend and have to call this done. Fireflies at dusk are my favorite thing about summer nights.

Summer Night Sky; watercolor