When we were in Cape Cod last week, I did a quick vignette sketch of the Highland Light near Truro, and I thought you might enjoy seeing a step-by-step of how I added the watercolor back at home. Here’s the completed sketch… “Highland Light”, 5-1/2″ x 8-1/2″ ink & watercolor in Stillman & Birn Beta […]
Category: Sketchbook Journaling
Sketching the Time Away
A twelve-hour van ride is enough to drive me bonkers if I don’t have anything to occupy my time. I get antsy and impatient and tend to snack too much, just to break up the monotony. But last week, when my husband and I were packing for a trip to Cape Cod, and I was […]
Experiencing Stillman & Birn’s Zeta Series Sketchbooks – PART 3
After spending some time getting to know my new Zeta sketchbook from Stillman & Birn, I took it along on a family vacation to Maine. (To see Parts 1 & 2 of my review, click here and here.) Although I packed several sketchbooks for the two-week trip, I found myself reaching for the Zeta more […]
Sketchbook Journeys – Italy: Day 8 (Poianella, Lupia, & a time-lapse watercolor video!)
Day 8 of our stay in northern Italy was a hang-out day. It gave me a chance to do laundry and wander around the little village of Poianella on foot, sketchbook in hand. Of course, anytime I venture out to sketch, something interesting is bound to happen… 10″ x 7″, ink & watercolor in Stillman […]
Sketchbook Journeys – Italy: Bits & Pieces
Shutters, flowers, balconies, iron gates…interesting and beautiful little scenes were everywhere in Italy. It was a feast for my eyes and spirit. 10″ x 7″, pencil & watercolor, Stillman & Birn Beta series sketchbook. Each small sketch is 1-1/2″x 1-1/2″. I pretty much walked around in a constant state of wonder while I was […]
Sketchbook Journeys – Italy: Day 7 (Vicenza – Monte Berico & a new friend)
Here’s one final post about our visit to Vicenza. (Even though we were only in the city for eight hours or so, it’s taken me two weeks to get the sketches from that day finished!) After touring the city proper, we climbed the 235 stone steps to the top of Monte Berico, where we rested […]
Sketchbook Journeys – Italy: Day 7 (Vicenza – A flower shop and two Italian gentlemen)
You know how it is when you’re traveling… there’s so much to see and do, and just not enough time. Throw some sketching into the mix, and things get even more challenging. During my time in Italy, I had to make a conscious effort to not stress about what I wasn’t seeing or sketching. Here […]
Sketchbook Journeys – Italy: Day 7 (Vicenza)
I’m not sure why it took us a whole week to get around to venturing into Vicenza. It was only a few miles from where we were staying, and the drive, although challenging for tourists like us, was manageable. We didn’t even get lost! The city is famous for the work of Andrea Palladio, who […]
Sketchbook Journeys – Italy: Days 5 & 6 (The countryside of Northern Italy)
My previous two journal entries (here & here) were about our day trip to Lake Garda, where we visited a winery and the walled town of Lazise. Here’s one final page about that day, and the adventure we had finding our way home… 10″ x 7″, ink & watercolor in a Stillman & Birn Beta […]
Sketchbook Journeys – Italy: Gelato!
Anyone who travels to Italy invariably comes home telling tales of how wonderful the gelato is, and I’m no exception. It’s smooth, sweet, creamy, and intensely flavored, but lighter and not as rich as American ice cream. 10″ x 7″, ink & watercolor in Stillman & Birn Beta Series sketchbook My goal on this trip […]