Botanical Drawings Book Project

 Beginnings ~ a book of botanical drawings. 

"...and then, I have nature and art and poetry, and if that is not enough, what is enough?" ~ Vincent van Gogh

Unique vintage handmade sketchbook by Ericka Schmitt, an inspiring gift from my lovely friend Jane Guill. It's beautifully made and embellished - a pleasure to draw on the cotton rag paper.

 

 

 "...and the naiad - like the lily of the vale..." ~ Shelly 

Lily of the valley - Majalis "of or belonging to May." Mayfly naiad

walnut ink on 100% cotton rag, 5 x 7.5"

“So in the dark we hide the heart that bleeds,                                  And wait, and tend our agonizing seeds.”

~ Countee Cullen                          "Bleeding Heart and Goldfinch"

Ground Zero sketch

Image created with Snapseed

One Sketch A Day

Five weeks in!

A lovely Solstice gift from a friend has turned into what I hope will be a year long project. The "One Sketch A Day"sketchbook has been filling out day by day. I splurged and bought a nice "Pen & Ink" brand fountain pen to go along with the gift.

I have not been making enough art during my traumatic events of the past few years. It feels good to be drawing regularly again. The act of creating, even if only for just a few minutes a day, is meditative and opens my mind to ideas for larger projects in the future.

"Happy Socks" February 1, 2014

I tend to draw from fifteen minutes to an hour per session and subjects are whatever I see around me during my daily routine. Life is busy and if I skip a day's sketch I make two small sketches the next day or one larger one, full page. I am drawing from observation instead of using reference photographs. I like the diary aspect of the project as well. Five weeks in, I feel my confidence returning and I am not as intimidated to begin as I was the first week or two. I get excited when I see something I want to add to the book and often fire right in. In the coming months I hope to draw more people who may be out enjoying life's quiet moments in establishments or outdoor settings in Galena and other places I travel.

I am looking forward to where this journal will take me throughout year. Happy to be alive and well and able to make art one year post craniotomy!

Peter/Anngela's Medicine Pouch/Capp January 21 - 24

Through My Kitchen Window/Banister Detail January 25 - 28

Marty & Peter/Walnut Ink January 5/6, 2014

Galena Architectural Details, One Sketch A Day

"Galena River Wine & Cheese - in Snow"

"Coach House - View From My Kitchen Window" and Banister Detail - Galena, IL

Banister Detail, Galena, IL

Banister Detail, Galena, IL

Courting Candle Daily Sketch

"Candlemas" Courting Candle

Catch up sketch, two days in one. This was done on Candlemas, also known at Imbolc and Groundhog's Day. The Courting Candle history is found here.

Chocolates Daily Sketch

"Fannie May" 3 x 5" chocolates were a gift from my daughter, drawn on a favorite floral plate!

 This sketch was done with my fountain pen and two shades of gray markers. I loved this technique, but unfortunately the markers bled through the sketch paper! Made for an interesting "verso" sketch two days out!

Sketches Inspired by Inspiring Friends!

"Peter's Flute" with Peter Fraterdeus

"Mortar & Pestle - found at Pinder Pottery" 3 x 5"

"One Sketch A Day." The top sketch was done with a marker, the bottom with my freshly flushed fountain pen.

Walnut Ink Studies

"Bird Sanctuary?" 5 x 6"

"From My Studio" 5 x 6"

Studio interior and wild life fun, that was one squirrel but he was difficult to capture so I drew him twice! Walnut ink made by my friend Thom Metcalf, dipped the fountain pen for these but still had trouble with the ink drying out and paper scratching through. Dry overheated air, with this winter's extreme Polar Vortex conditions.

Four Daily Sketches

Four Daily Sketches in my One Sketch A Day journal, each page 5 x 6"

Two Daily Sketches

"Marty and Peter at the Grape Escape" Galena, IL and "Walnut Ink" 6 x 5" overall.

One Sketch A Day: Cuties

"Cuties" 3 x 5"

My Left Hand

One Sketch A Day: My Left Hand, 3 x 5"

Dollhouse Sketch

Daily sketch of a dollhouse I built for my daughter in 1992

Turning Over a New Leaf: Daily Sketch

3 x 5" December 29, 2013

The beginning of my daily sketch blog posts.

Happy New Year!