A small sketch of colorful starfish from a photo on the internet. This was beautiful with the yellow-green body and the orange dots. Pilot Falcon fountain pen with Noodler’s Black ink and Holbein watercolors in a Stillman and Birn sketchbook.
Nature
Crab
A small quick sketch of colorful crab from a photo on the internet. Pilot Falcon fountain pen with Noodler’s Black ink and Holbein watercolors in a Stillman and Birn sketchbook.
Holly
This sketch is from a photo that I took weeks ago of a natural Holly Tree in our yard. It seemed fitting to wait until December First in that Holly is usually associated with the holidays. This tree is about 15 feet tall and we have another male version of the tree (without berries) that is about 30 feet tall. Both of these were on the property when we purchased the land to build our house. Lamy fountain pen with Noodler’s black ink, Daniel Smith and Holbein watercolors in a Stillman and Birn sketchbook.
Lone Palm
As typical, I cannot go to Florida without adding a palm tree to my sketchbook. This one was at the club we are working on, Boca Woods Country Club in Boca Raton, Florida. It is always great to see color since all of the trees in New England are already bare. Pilot Namiki fountain pen with Noodler’s Black ink and Pelikan watercolors in a Stillman and Birn Beta sketchbook.
Stormy Hollywood Beach
A quick trip to the beach before multiple meetings later in the day. Nestled between Fort Lauderdale and Miami is Hollywood, a classic Florida beachtown that’s enchanted visitors since the 1920’s. Hollywood Beach features a one-of-a-kind oceanfront promenade called the Hollywood Beach Broadwalk that stretches nearly two and a half miles along the Atlantic. Named one of America’s Best Beach Boardwalks by Travel + Leisure magazine, this brick-paved thoroughfare is a haven for joggers, bicyclists, roller-bladers and all who’d prefer to take in the action from the comfort of one of the countless eateries and cafés along the way. Prismacolor Art pens with Pelikan watercolors in a Stillman and Birn Beta sketchbook.
Sky Studies
This is a study of 4 skies in my sketchbook using different blues as a base. All 4 were done wet on wet and each one is about 3″ x 5″. The first one is Cerulean Blue with Burnt Sienna highlights – Holbein Watercolors. The upper left is French Ultramarine with Cadmium Orange highlights that are more streaked- Utrecht Watercolors. Bottom left is just Phthalo Blue Holbeiin Watercolor. The final study in the lower left is also Phthalo Blue with color removed with paper towel while still wet. This is a technique that I use often for skies. The paints do not mix or flow as well on the Alpha paper as they would on true watercolor paper.
Seekonk River
This is a view that I saw as I was returning to the office from and appointment. The view is of the Seekonk River as seen from East Providence, Rhode Island. The foliage, hanging vines and cut telephone pole in the foreground made an interesting silhouette against the train bridge in the mid range and the hills in the distance. Prismacolor Art pen with Pelikan watercolors in a Stillman and Birn sketchbook.
The Rock and the Tree
I think this is similar to the chicken and the egg. This sketch is of a large split rock and a tree growing in the gap. You cannot tell if the tree grew and split the boulder or if the boulder was split and the tree grew in the crack. The boulder is a perfect split like it was sawn in two. This is located in a parking lot adjacent to a fish and tackle store. Very interesting and wonderful the power of nature. Black Prismacolor Art Pens in a Stillman and Birn sketchbook.
Tihonet Pond
This sketch is of the spillway from Tihonet Pond in Tihonet Village which is part of Wareham, Massachusetts. Adjacent to this spillway is a collection of buildings that are part of A.D. Makepeace Company, the world’s largest cranberry grower. The company, over time, became pretty much self-contained. They used to actually make the boxes and barrels used for storing and shipping the cranberries. They also had their own fleet of vehicles, complete with a service station and garages. The building that is now the market was once used as a machinist shop.
Maple and Pine
This is a sketch vignette is from our yard. A vibrant Maple Tree in yellows, oranges and reds contrast with pine needles in the foreground. Prismacolor Art Pens with Holbein watercolors in an Alpha Stillman and Birn sketchbook.
A SKETCHBOOK ODYSSEY 