Upper Case

And, for the final page of this sketchbook, one more alphabet. Another book closed!

Upper case, ink and watercolor on 90 lb. paper



Lower Case

I just has a couple pages left in the sketchbook, so I filled them with alphabets. Here's the second to last page.

Lower case, ink and watercolor on 90 lb. paper



Z is for...

Z is for, ink and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

Y is for...

Y is for, ink and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

X is for...

X is for, ink and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

W is for...

W is for, ink and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

V is for...

V is for, ink and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

U is for...

U is for, pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

T is for...

T is for, pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

S is for...

S is for, pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

R is for...

R is for, pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

Q is for...

Q is for, pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

P is for...

P is for, pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

O is for...

O is for, pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

N is for...

N is for, pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

M is for...

M is for, pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

M is for marshmallows, meal, million, milk, music, and mint.

L is for...

L is for, pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

L is for lace, lapel, lemon, lime, love letter, lucky, and lids.

K is for...

K is for, pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

K is for kite, kilt, kimono, knocker, keyhole, and kettle.

J is for...

J is for, pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

J is for jacks, jacket, jump rope, jar, and java.

I is for...

I is for, pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

I is for ice tray, island, ivy, initials, and idea.

H is for...

H is for, pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

H is for hat, hearts, hammer, helicopter, and handle.

G is for...

G is for, pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

G is for giraffe, go, gift card, and granola.

F is for...

F is for, pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

F is for football, fruit, foot, fleur de lis, footprint, flag, flip flop, and fly swatter.

E is for...

E is for, pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

E is for earphones, evergreen, egg, eyelet lace, eucalyptus, and elephant.

D is for...

D is for, pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

D is for dragonfly, doorway, denim, dunce, dress, dishes, and decoration.

C is for...

C is for, pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

C is for collar, cookie, clock, crayon, cord, clown, cross, comb, corner, and covered dish.

B is for...

B is for, pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

B is for bees, books, bottle, boot, beetle, block, bird, and button.

A is for...

A is for, pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

A is for alphabet, arrow, Abe Lincoln, argyle, alligator, apples, ant, airplane, and axe.

Alphabet Book Number 2

A while ago, I started filling another small sketchbook with rough line sketches corresponding to letters of the alphabet. This is my second book of its kind. This time through, I drew all the pages in black ink before I started painting any of them. I gave myself some rules for this sketchbook. No pencil pre-drawing at all. I drew quickly and directly with indelible black ink so that I would not be tempted to fuss the drawings too much. I also did no research about what things actually look like. I relied on my memory alone. This was a challenge for me because I feel like I can draw anything as long as I have a good snapshot of it, but I can't draw anything well without some tangible reference material. I pushed myself to draw from memory. It was a great exercise. Of course, some of the drawings are pretty bad. But, some are pretty okay. :) I also enjoyed decorating the pages with designs inspired by my lifelong fascination with fabric, embroidery, and lace. I tried to follow a color scheme for each page. I didn't always succeed, but it was a good challenge to think ahead of what the overall page would look like after it was painted. As a child, I loved coloring books. This sketchbook felt like my grown-up coloring book, except I actually got to choose what went on every page. I'm not sure how many times I could do this, since I tapped out several letters. How many Q and X words are there really? Here is the inside of the front cover, with a reminder to myself of the rules I set for this book.

Alphabet 2 Rules

Every Day in May Wrapped Up

I have thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of drawing and painting every day in May. I'm going to miss it! I hope I can push myself to participate in art without the list of prompts!

Every Day in May 2013 at a Glance

EDiM Day 31 - Draw a Houseplant

Um. I only have one houseplant, and it's currently on the front porch for the summer. I did find this seed packet in the house, and it looked like a plant. I am a completely unnatural and awkward gardener. I think plants should be useful, which is why I bought basil seeds, fully intending to plant them. I LOVE basil, but I don't know if I'll ever be successful growing my own.

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 30 - The Inside of Your Closet

When told to draw the inside of my closet, I decided to instead draw what I wish my closet looked like. I know it's un-American, but I dream of someday having my closet filled with only the few items I need and nothing more. I'm nowhere close yet, but it is a goal.

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 29 - Draw Something from a Pet's Point of View

We have one pet: an old, lovable yellow lab. From her outdoor pen, she stares at our back door, waiting for people and food to emerge. When I posted on Facebook that our dog Vani, like all dogs, doesn't see color, I was corrected by other members of the group. They told me that Vani does see some color. Okay. I stand corrected. I was also mildly reprimanded for implying that our dog never comes in the house (she does sleep in the basement). When did animals stop living outdoors? I never expected to be so challenged after posting this simple picture. This is what art does. Surprise!

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 28 - A Pitcher or Jug

I answered this challenge in a fairly uninspired way. I'm not even sure this is a pitcher. It might just be a bottle. But, it's blue-green glass, which I really like, so I'm calling it a pitcher for today.

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 27 - Something Sticky

The challenge today is to draw something sticky. This Fran Lebowitz quote is one of my favorites. It was nice to have a reason to share it.

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 26 - Draw a Screw

When I posted my drawing of a screw on Facebook, I'm not really sure the humor translated. My caption, "A great cosmic question: what wine pairs well with Reese's Pieces?" didn't seem to help. Perhaps the group members are too young to know about E.T.? Oh well. Doesn't matter. I was really happy with the way this turned out.

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 25 - Draw a Tote Bag

Just ONE tote bag?! No can do. I think I have a tote bag hanging on just about every doorknob in our house. I wouldn't exactly call it an obsession. TWO totes on every door knob would definitely be obsessive...which means I can still buy a few more before I need tote therapy. I've had both of these totes for years. The little blue and green tote is actually purse size and has my monogram on it. I use my monogram (SHE) to sign my artwork. The denim quilted tote is huge. It has been all over the world with me. It wears like iron. It is well loved...and looks it!

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 24 - Something that Makes You Laugh

It was easy to answer the question about what makes me laugh. It is my almost-adult son, Nathan, who consistently keeps me laughing. Knowing how to portray him was difficult though. He would hate having his likeness painted and posted on the Internet. I opted to hide his name in negative space instead. That suits his personality and his subtle wit perfectly.

Micron pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 23 - A Summer Joy

I knew immediately what my "summer joy" would be. It is corn on the cob. I make a meal of it when it first comes into season. The first bite of the first corn of the year always tastes like the first and best corn I've ever tasted. And, it will be the new best again this year. I rave about it, and my family members just roll their eyes. They've heard it so many times before. "This is the BEST corn ever!" Until next year!

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 22 - Draw a Map

I love my iPhone map app. Never have to fold a road map again!!!!

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 21 - Draw the Last Thing You Bought

I painted for 10+ hours today, but not with Winsor Newton paint. It was exterior enamel for painting the porch. We took a frozen yogurt break after lunch. Kiwi Yogurt is a wonderful treat, and I'm not thinking primarily of the wonderful sorbet and frozen yogurt. The bigger treat for me was the simple, clean, fun designs in the store: from the stylized kiwis painted super large on the walls to the bright sherbet colored stripes running the length of the room to the Ikea-esque furniture to the fun biodegradable mini-shovel plastic spoons. I loved it in all its sparse simplicity. It's amazing how soothing simplicity can be when your real life is chaotic.

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 20 - A Favorite Drink

When it comes to my favorite drink, there's really no contest and no close second place. My favorite drink is Diet Coke. I'm trying to quit. Always. I was too lazy to paint this, so it's PITT pen, Sharpie pen (hard to control the bleed), and a limited palette of PrismaColor pencils (couldn't find any of my reds, which made this challenging).

PITT and Sharpie pen and colored pencil on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 19 - Something that Belongs to Someone Else

On day 19, we are to draw something that belongs to someone else. As usual, I thought of something intangible. In three weeks, my daughter will change her name because her heart belongs to someone else. But, it's OK. We're gaining, not losing.

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 18 - Draw Your Left Palm

This is my left hand. This hand can do neither good nor evil. It is only a hand. Any deed this hand performs comes from my heart, not my hand. Pardon the political statement, but this seems so obvious to me. And yet, people want to argue about it.

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 17 - Draw Something from a First Aid Kit

I went vintage with this. The older I get, the less blind faith I have in super-engineered chemicals masquerading as miracle drugs. I appreciate more and more the wonder of old, simple medicinals like camphorated Vaseline and witch hazel. Plus, the packaging was much more interesting back then...before the use of plastic in EVERYTHING.

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 16 - Draw Something that Scares You

Something that scares me: edges. Not heights. Just edges.

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 15 - Draw a Favorite Pencil

This turned out to be just a silly drawing of my favorite pencil. I love PrismaColor pencils. I bought them a couple at a time in college, because it's the only way I could afford them. I used to dream of having the whole set. I even rationed my use of them, because they were so precious. It's now 30 years later, and I can afford the complete set, but I still don't have them all. Funny how priorities change. Now I dream about having a studio.

pen and colored pencil on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 14 - A Figurine You Have

This is the only figurine I could think of drawing. I'm too tired to paint tonight, so I left this B&W. This figurine is 4" tall. It was in my grandma's house as long as I can remember. When she passed away several years ago, I asked to have this figurine as a reminder of her. The statue is a miniature of a life-sized bronze that stands in the town square of Ponca City, Oklahoma, where my mother went to high school. The statue is named "The Pioneer Woman," and that's how I think of my grandma: hardy, uncomplaining, and quietly fearless. She was also a self-taught artist. She always encouraged me to follow my dream of being an artist.

PITT pen on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 13 - Draw a Pillow

On day 13, we are to draw a pillow. My favorite pillow is the one on my bed! I admit that an unmade bed is artistically more interesting than a made bed. I will deny I said that when my kids argue that making a bed is a waste of time.

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 12 - Draw the Oldest Thing in Your Fridge

I'm pretty sure the oldest thing in my fridge is the light bulb. I don't want to think about what might be second oldest!

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper