I’ve been trying out a new sketchbook lately, the Khadi 6-1/2″ x 5″ hardback with 140 lb. rough paper. I’m enjoying the highly textured surface and the way it handles multiple washes with ease. Pencil lines erase easily, and all of the pens I’ve used in it glide across the handmade paper easily. The modest […]
Category: Sketching
Sketches from Croatia – Part 4 – The Island of Korcula
Most of our time during my Croatia workshop was spent on the island of Korcula, which lies just off the mainland, about a two hour drive from Dubrovnik. Our home base was the small town of Lumbarda, and it was nice to be able to settle in for eight days without having to change locations. […]
Sketches from Croatia – Part 3 – Konavle & Cavtat
One of the most memorable meals of my Croatia trip was at an out-of-the-way place about an hour from Dubrovnik. Our villa host had recommended the restaurant, but she didn’t prepare us for the very different experience that awaited us at Konoba Vinica Monkovic. A 20-minute Uber ride took us south from Cilipi, through fertile […]
Sketches from Croatia – Part 2 – Čilipi & Dubrovnik
When I teach in Europe, I always fly over a few days early so I have time to get over jet lag and relax a little before the workshop begins. This time, I booked a beautiful villa with a group of friends and we spent three blissful days relaxing and touring Dubrovnik and the surrounding […]
Sketches from Croatia – Part 1 – Pre-trip Sketches
Where in the world is Croatia? 7-1/2″ x 7-1/2″, ink & watercolor sketch on 140 lb. Kilimanjaro watercolor paper That was the question that popped into my mind when I received an invitation from Slikamilina Painting Tours to teach a workshop on the island of Korcula in Croatia. A little bit of Googling showed me […]
Croatia LOVE!
I’m in love…. with Croatia! From the moment I touched down in Dubrovnik I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the country… the colorful tile roofs, the harbors, the villages with their narrow streets filled with flowers, the stone buildings, the people, the food and wine, the mountains, the gorgeous views, and […]
Summerhill Sketching Retreat Recap – Part 2
The first inaugural Summerhill Sketching Retreat continued with a day-long field trip to Frank Lloyd Wright’s famous architectural masterpiece, Fallingwater, which was recently declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (Click here to catch up and read Part 1 of this two-part post.) Fallingwater is located in the Laurel Highlands, about an hour east of us, and it […]
Summerhill Sketching Retreat Recap – Part 1
Is this heaven? No, it’s Summerhill. Beverlee Moreno-Ring (Summerhill Sketching Retreat guest) That quote from Beverlee sums up the euphoria felt by all of us during the first Summerhill Sketching Retreat that I hosted in July here at my home. It was perfect from start to finish. What a relief! I’ve been planning for it […]
“Road Trip Chit-Chat” Sketch (or How to Avoid Going Bonkers on an 11-Hour Drive to the Beach)
I love the beach, but the trip from our home in Pennsylvania to Oak Island, NC, is l-o-n-g…about 11 hours with stops. This year, to pass the time, I decided to write down (and sketch) everything we talked about during the drive. Ink & watercolor in a 5-1/2 x 8-1/2 Stillman & Birn Zeta series […]
Drawing Hints for Complex Subjects
Drawing complex subjects can be intimidating for even experienced sketchers. We often take the easy way out and end up drawing just a small part of the scene rather than deal with the overwhelming complexity of a subject like this…. Well, there’s no need to run from complicated scenes that you’d love to sketch. The […]
