Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Swarm!

My attempt at a journal page.  This morning at work, there was a humungous swarm of bees on the light pole.  So, a beekeeper was called.  His sister was visiting, so she came along with him.  He cut a semi-circle from a piece of cardboard, and used it to scrape the bees off the pole into a box he had ready.  Well, his first scrape missed the box, and the bees fell into a pile on the ground! Really strange to me! They were almost like liquid. 
They started clustering back on the pole, so he just continued scraping, and eventually got most of them in the box.  He sealed it shut, and put it in his truck. But- as they got ready to leave, I saw his sister putting on his white overcoat and hood.  I guess she didn't want to chance riding with any loose bees, and I don't blame her!
It was a first for me, and it was fascinating!

Otsiningo Park geese

Another gorgeous day yesterday!  Went for a walk after work, and the geese were grazing. or whatever it is geese do. So out came the sketchbook, but I wanted to walk, so I added color after I got home.

Monday, August 29, 2011

Sampling watercolors


I bought this set at least a year ago, and have only used a few of the colors. All of these Holbeins seem juicy, with the exception on Yellow grey and terre verte.
Just not enough room in my palette for all of them!!!





These are most of the other paints I have collected over the years. They are all Holbein except as noted.  No, I don't get commission, apparently my wc instructor was a fan, and kept recommending these.  The permanent violet is so luscious! And sap green and compose green are nearly identical. Why do I even have Davy's grey? Looks like I just kept buying colors I 'liked' instead of warm/cool choices.   Might be time to update a few of my palette colors!

Sunday, August 28, 2011

2011 0712 Old gas station

A very old pump, with leaded gas, the hose looks like it works!
Another one done from my friend's photos taken during his 3 week motorcycle trip out west. Think this was in Utah, but he can verify.
 He has the best pictures, posted here:  Jim's ride posts on ADV Rider

Lisa's garden

Visiting my friend a couple weeks ago. She doesn't tend the garden, but she gets to enjoy it!

Blind Tiger Pub

A favorite local hangout! Another local sketch done Saturday, done BI (Before Irene!)

Toms Coffee & Gifts

A great place to get gourmet coffee or a unique gift. I took advantage of the nice weather Saturday to get out and sketch before Irene came to town!

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

NYPenn Trade Center

What a perfectly gorgeous day! Took a walk at lunch and still had 15 minutes left.
So I brought out my sketchbook and did this. Not the best viewpoint, but it felt good to sketch something.
Shortly after, sitting inside work, several of us felt the earthquake from Virginia! I went to earthquake.usgs.gov and saw that California & Colorado had *many* quakes in the last 24 hours. Do they always have so many?

Box o books!

My dear friend was donating boxes of books, and let me pick some to take home. I ended up with a full box!  I should be all set with reading material for quite a while!

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Colorado pics 3

From a friend's photos taken during his 3 week motorcycle ride out west. He has the best pictures, posted here: <a href="http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=701959&page=5" rel="nofollow">www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=701959&page=4</a>  so his friends back home could follow his adventures.
Canyonlands National Park

Arches National Park

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Latest Sketch Kit and Palette

This was a pencil case - just using a small (Schmincke) palette, small spray bottle and teeny water container!










Colorado pics 2

Not sure of this location exactly - From a friend's photo taken during his 3 week motorcycle ride out west. He has the best pictures, posted here: <a href="http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=701959&page=5" rel="nofollow">www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=701959&page=4</a>  so his friends back home could follow his adventures.

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Colorado pics

 Not sure of these locations exactly - From a friend's photo taken during his 3 week motorcycle ride out west. He has the best pictures, posted here: <a href="http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=701959&page=5" rel="nofollow">www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=701959&page=4</a>  so his friends back home could follow his adventures.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

"Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield

The words to this song evoke strong images for me, there might be more to come, I love this song!