We did draw!

Ok...so maybe this drawing doesn't count! I did love this little toy I found in a Hilo shop though, and I bought one. I'm weak. It's called a Buddha Board....paint on it using just water, and as it dries, it disappears...and you are ready to start over! Great way to learn to enjoy the process and not obsess. Or so I hear.

We did find that sometimes, despite our determination to slow down and draw, we got carried away with experiencing the island and didn't leave enough time. So, we'd finish up in the evenings or sometimes work from photos we took. The drawing I was working on above is almost done in the pic below:

Jennifer saved bits and pieces of wrappers, napkins and tickets to make postcards to send home. It's a fun way to use all those great little scraps, and would work in your sketchbook too. Here's one all done:

Of course, you already heard about our attempts to draw this waterfall.

We took tons of photos to work from in the evenings and after returning home. I've started working from some since I've been back. We tried to take close ups of buildings and foliage, as well as broad views, and this has helped quite a bit. I did this watercolor from a photo we took earlier in the day.

Big Island on Dwellable

Just a Little Card...

I did a wonky little drawing of the house where we stayed while we were in Hawaii. I used several photos from different angles...and that's probably part of the reason it looks a little off kilter. Couldn't possibly be my rusty drawing skills, right? I still kind of like it though, so I used it to make a thank you card for the owners. I hope they like it.

Drawing on the Big Island

Somehow, I haven't managed all the blogging I intended to do, but I have been doing a little drawing. This little drawing is from the north end of the Big Island. We stopped for treats in Hawi and discovered the Kava Kafe run by some free spirited folks. I had a great time making this sketch. There are also lots of galleries and neat little places to shop and eat there. Plus, on the way home we parked by the ocean and watched the whales playing. There were so many of them!

And this one is of the lush vegetation, which is one if the things I love about the Hilo side of the island.
One day, my sister, Jennifer and I hiked down to this little waterfall and pool (just outside Hilo) and spent the afternoon trying to capture it on paper. I guess I just didn't have the knack that day, because as hard as I tried I just couldn't capture it....so I pitched the drawing and ....
swam in the little pool instead. Nice deep clear water...and cold!
Jennifer decided she had to have a swim in that pool too. Who can blame us? It's a daydream come true...swimming in a pool at the base of a waterfall in the rain-forest! So I not only ended up with a bad drawing (at least I can count it as practice!), I also ended up with a wonderful memory.

Ninole on Dwellable

On Travel...

I'm just working on using up more of the pages I filled with written journaling. I usually like to work my own drawing into the pages somehow, but tonight I was just in a cut and paste kind of mood. I think I'm not finished with this yet....

Silver Moon's Sparkling....

Wilderness...

is the theme for this week's Illustration Friday.

This is india ink, sharpie marker, water color pencils and several journal pages collaged together. I'm just making other things out of pages I've written on.

Big Sketchcrawl to Hawaii

So this is what the river two blocks from our house looks like today. Brrrrr! I like snow, but I love the warmth. So this is what I'm planning now:
Yup, I'm going back. When we were there last year, I knew that someday I wanted to go back to Hawaii and have plenty of time to draw. I know I'm no great artist, but when I draw something, it gets burned into my memory in an entirely different way. Later when I look at that drawing in my sketchbook the moment comes back to me in full. Drawing forces you to slow down and really see what you are looking at, as well as fill your senses with the local sounds, smells, feel the breeze and the sun on your back....or hear the rain, feel the chill....whatever is happening around you.

Jennifer working on an art project at the lake.

When I got home I immediately started saving and planning to go back...but I needed the perfect traveling companion....one who liked to draw too and wouldn't get bored with a slower pace. So of course I thought of my sister Jennifer who also loves to draw. I actually tried to get both of my sisters to go, but Holly has to work, so it will just be me and Jennifer traveling at the end of the month.

We have been planning lots of things to draw, time to visit with friends , maybe meet up with another sketcher, and time to go exploring. We have always wanted to travel together and do some artsy kind of trips, so this is like a dream.

Now I'm starting to consider what art supplies to take. I'm thinking the watercolor Moleskine and the sketchbook Moleskine, watercolor pencils, niji brushes, pitt pens, a few stamps, maybe some little pan watercolors. I like to work small, so I don't think I'm even going to try to bring any large paper. I can pick some up there if I need some. Laura has a good post about some supplies she has loved this year...all of which would travel well. They have to to make it with Laura I think!

Arkansas

A while back I went on a road trip to Arkansas with my sister-in-law. I only made one drawing...Susette moves fast and I'm a slow sketcher. One day I took off to the town of Van Buren. It's a quaint little town with lots of great shops. The day I was there it was cold so I sat in my car to make this sketch. As you can see I was into it at the beginning (the top) and ran out of interest (and room!) as I moved down the page. Good practice though. I'm gearing up to take a trip pretty soon and this time we have lots of sketching time planned in, so I need to do some pre-trip drawing to get loosened up! As you can probably tell by the lack of posts, I'm probably pretty rusty!

d.price....inspiration

I was doing the laundry today when I got this in the mail....a couple of Moonlight Chronicles by Dan Price. I ordered these particular ones because they were done while he was touring the Hawaiian Islands on his trike. Perfect reading for the porch hammock this evening.

Dan is an inspiring character. Most journalers are familiar with him I think, but if you aren't, check him out on flickr and on his site. He has simplified his life to what he deems essential, gained some sponsors he can be proud of, and travels and records his adventures in his journals. Now, he has simplifed beyond where I imagine being able to, as I tend to like a few modern comforts...he has simplified to the levels I fantasize about on busy days. He lives in a hobbit house built into a meadow...let your imagination be inspired. I think I may send these on to Ted when I'm done with them, as I bet he would enjoy them too.

Every Day in May/ Queen Liliuokalani Gardens

Some days you got the mojo and some you just don't, but the idea is to draw and post every day in May so here it is.

Maybe I can make a list of things I'd love to learn to paint/draw:
water, reflections, rocks, foliage

This is a gorgeous garden in Hilo right on bay. And well used too..we saw a lot of folks out on this beautiful evening.


I sat on the bench on this little red bridge to make my sketch...such a nice way to spend the evening.

While we were walking the garden, we found several little faerie homes! What a nice surprise!
You can see what others are doing every day in may at the flickr group Every Day in May.

Sketching Pohoiki Bay

My little sketch in progress

Today we just sat by the ocean and sketched. Fun, fun, fun. There are a ton of problems in this sketch...but did I enjoy myself? Absolutely! One of these days I'm going to take a water color course from Kate Johnson and learn how to use my watercolor pencils...but for now, I'll just keep muddling along.

My mom working on her sketch.

Mom shows her progress.

All done...I think.

Puna on Dwellable

Drawing in Hawaii

A little sketch-in-progress

Chick lit and drawing in Hawaii....I'm a happy camper! I'm loving every minute of it, but I haven't had time to draw much at all. Hopefully I will remedy that before I have to go home. First I was exploring the island of Hawaii with my husband. Now my parents are here and I'm running around with them. We're having a grand time! We just decided to extend our stay, so I'm hoping to get away couple of times to do some sketching. I'm not fast, and folks naturally don't want to sit around while I do my thing.

Check out the Etsy shop of Ted Schrey

The strangest things happen on the world wide web. Many moons ago, in college, I dated a very nice young man. Now we are friends again through the amazing web that is facebook. After many years in the corporate world, Ted is living on the Big Island of Hawaii and is making beautiful stained glass pieces. He has a new Etsy shop that he (unlike me!) is keeping stocked with wonderful artwork.


I love the use of copper in the stands and frames.



I think he has something at every price point too...so you can own a small Ted Schrey piece or very large complex pieces.

Here are a few hanging in a gallery in Hawaii.

I've never seen one of these pieces in person, but Ted is pretty particular, so I'm sure the craftsmanship is beautiful. The coral and watery glass in this one...perfect.

Ted is also a painter, writer, and furniture builder. Hopefully we will see some paintings on his site soon. If we are lucky he might even start a blog one day.

If you need something special, he does custom work as well. Click here to check out his latest work...

...undoubtedly inspired by the beauty he encounters every day.

Money Matters

Seems it's all we hear on TV. Tons of jobs going. Several companies around here are laying off lots of workers. Our sales are down at the shop. I'm confident that things will turn around eventually...it's just a matter of how bad will things get before that happens.