Category Archives: Birds

Electric Owls and Giant Rats: Pest Control at Pastime

Posted on March 2, 2013 by

When we made our annual sketching pilgrimage to Pastime Hardware on a cold winter evening I picked the Pest Control department. I was attracted by the big, ugly, inflated hanging rat and the artificial owls who seemed to be discussing … Continue reading →

Posted in Birds, El Cerrito, Ink and watercolor wash, Life in general, Rat, Sketchbook Pages, Urban Sketchers | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Sketching in the Lamp Shop

Posted on January 30, 2013 by

Last night our sketch group visited Sue Johnson Lamps in Berkeley, a shop that has specialized in custom, artisan-made lamps and shades since the 1970′s. Sue generously held the store open late for us and even offered us tea and … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Birds, Elephant, Ink and watercolor wash, Sketchbook Pages, Urban Sketchers | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Happy Turkey (Vulture) Day; One More Thing to Be Thankful For

Posted on November 21, 2012 by

So here it was the day before Thanksgiving and I wanted to draw a turkey. I called around trying to find a live one to sketch but failed. Then I tried to find a taxidermy turkey. No luck. The ranger … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Bay Area Parks, Birds, Drawing, Ink and watercolor wash, Life in general, Pen and Ink, Sketchbook Pages | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Earthquake Weather Sketching

Posted on October 23, 2011 by

We are having the most glorious Indian summer this October, with nicer weather than we had during the real summer. I always think of this hot, dry weather as Earthquake Weather because of the earthquakes and fires during other hot Octobers. … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Bay Area Parks, Birds, Drawing, Ink and watercolor wash, Landscape, Outdoors/Landscape, Painting, Pen and Ink, Places, Plein Air, Sketchbook Pages | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Ostrich with Hole in the Sand (How I Get My News)

Posted on May 17, 2011 by

One of the Everyday in May drawing cues is “Draw How You Get Your News.” The image that immediately came to mind was an ostrich with its head in the sand. I am the opposite of a news junkie. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Art supplies, Birds, Drawing, Every Day Matters, Illustration, Pen and Ink | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Scottish Festival at Ardenwood, Part 2

Posted on April 18, 2011 by

Moving on from the bagpipers in the last post to some of the other characters I met at the Scottish Festival. Except for the kilt, this guy could have been in Mad Max. I asked him about his metal cup since … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Birds, Drawing, Ink and watercolor wash, Pen and Ink, People, Sketchbook Pages | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Thanksgiving Turkey Leftovers

Posted on November 28, 2010 by

Most of the year my sister Marcy’s dining room is her art studio, and the table is full of art projects in process. For thanksgiving dinner she graciously hauled all of her studio stuff into the spare room and set … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Bay Area Parks, Berkeley, Birds, Drawing, Ink and watercolor wash, Oil Painting, Painting, Pen and Ink, Places, Sketchbook Pages | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Early Morning at Kaiser Garden, Oil Painting

Posted on August 20, 2010 by

I think I’ve finished this painting (but then I thought that several times before). The last time I thought I was finished, I looked back at the notes I’d written opposite my journal sketch about what interested me in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Art supplies, Birds, Landscape, Oakland, Oil Painting, Outdoors/Landscape, Painting, Places | Tagged , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Just Can’t Settle Down: Lake Merritt Sketches

Posted on July 25, 2010 by

After work Tuesday night we met to sketch at Lake Merritt which is across the street from my office. I guess I drank too much coffee that day because I couldn’t settle down and focus. There was a fascinating parade … Continue reading →

Posted in Birds, Drawing, Ink and watercolor wash, Oakland, Pen and Ink, Places, Sketchbook Pages | Tagged , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Happy Birthday Parrot for Robin

Posted on July 22, 2010 by

Today is my son Robin’s birthday so I painted this cheery parrot to print on a birthday card for him. I brought the card to his party tonight at Pier 23 in San Francisco, a waterfront “roadhouse pub” where we … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Birds, Drawing, Ink and watercolor wash, Painting, Pen and Ink, Sketchbook Pages | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Watercolor Class: Remnants & August Class Registration

Posted on July 13, 2010 by

My Sunday morning watercolor class focused on glazing this week. Glazing is applying a transparent layer of paint over painted or unpainted areas. Like a piece of colored glass, a glaze won’t hide what’s below it but will change the … Continue reading →

Posted in Art theory, Birds, Color studies, Painting, Sketchbook Pages, Watercolor, Watercolor Class | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Watercolor Study & Watercolor Class Openings

Posted on June 13, 2010 by

There are still openings in my watercolor class starting Sunday, June 27; click here for all the information. Ok, business done, now on to the painting above, another study from photos I took at the Kaiser garden. I learned the … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Art theory, Birds, Landscape, Oakland, Outdoors/Landscape, Painting, Photography, Photos, Places, Sketchbook Pages, Watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments