Nick Squires

I love cello music.  And I love Italy.   When I came across this video I knew I wanted to try to paint this scene.  I'm not sure this is in Italy, but it looks like it could be.  If you like Bach, you will enjoy this video link.....


Nick Squires - Bach in the Rain



and hopefully you will like my sketch......

Flatiron Building Fort Worth

Last month while I was downtown Fort Worth for the DFW Urban Sketchers outing,  I took a photo of this building.   I started an ink drawing several days ago.

                   Today I added color.

Golf Course

I've been going to the driving range with Wayne.  I sketch while he hits balls.  We've had some great weather to enjoy being outside.  The first sketch I did about two weeks ago. The trees were still bare. Only the Redbuds were beginning to bloom.

  This week we went and the trees were filling out, the grass is turning green and the Redbuds were in full bloom.

A funny note:  I did the first of these two sketches upside down in my sketchbook. So, I did the second one, facing it, upside down too.

Jury Duty

I did my Civic duty today.  I got to do a lot of waiting, which gave me plenty  time to sketch!

This is the Central Jury Room at the George Allen Courts Building in Dallas:

I did my ink drawing  at the courthouse,  but I didn't add the watercolor until I got home.... with a cup of coffee on the back porch in my beautiful Adirondack chair that Wayne made for me.

I wasn't picked to serve on the jury.  I had mixed emotions about it.  I think it would be interesting.  But on the other hand,  catching a train to Dallas before the sun was even up was a bit too early for me.

12 Days of Christmas Giveaway

For a change of pace, I finished my boot sketch!  Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman, has an annual boot giveaway just before Christmas.   I drool over those beautiful boots as I enter the contest each day and I love sketching them.  As you can see here....

During our weekly Skype call this morning with my sisters, I told them that I have to go to the gym and plug into the TV on the treadmill to watch Ree's cooking show on the Food Network because we don't have cable.   It somehow seems counterproductive to watch her cook fabulous meals while putting in my 3 miles. By the time I finish walking and her show goes off, I am hungry enough to eat a boot!!

As an added note, some friends egged me on to send this sketch to Ree.  So, after enough encouragement,  I did!  I really didn't expect to hear from her, or if I did, it wouldn't be any time soon.  This is no reflection on Ree, just the fact that she is a busy woman who must receive mountains of messages and email each week.  So you can imagine how surprised and delighted I was to receive a response in less than an hour!!  She said,  "Wow!! That's great, Dawn!!".   Isn't that the coolest thing?

Tweaking

As usual, being a perfectionist, I can't leave my drawings alone.  So I tweaked my sketch of Klyde Warren Park, and reworked the shadows on my sketch of the Dallas - Fort Worth National Cemetery.  I am finally declaring these two sketches done.

I was challenged by a friend to do a sketch a day for a month.  I'm not sure I can keep up that pace, but I am really going to work on sketching more in the coming months.  I have several sketchbooks started that I need to fill up.

San Antonio

Last year we spent a few days in San Antonio, TX.  Our hotel was right on the River Walk and it was beautiful!   I had drawn this in ink and just got around to adding color to it. 

 

Sketching Over Lunch

I met two friends at El Arroyo's restaurant last Thursday in Arlington. The weather was perfect!  The sky was clear, it was about 73°, with a very light wind.  We were able to sit on the patio and sketch the unusual architecture of the shopping center across the street. I chose to zero in on the roof line.

Grapevine Sketch Crawl

My finished drawing from the Grapevine gathering of DFW Urban Sketchers....

The End

 I got a bit behind in my sketches and in posting, but my goal was to sketch the entire month of Inktober......and I did......just under the wire. 

And now for the finale......

                                                        

 And this will be the inside cover page when I stitch the book together.

Like most artists who I have followed in the past, after 31 days, I am ready to add color to my sketches!  Working in nothing but pen and ink was fun and a learning experience, but I am ready for color!  

What did I learn?  I learned that I have a lot to learn when working with pen and ink and how to shade and how to draw textures.  I need to sit down with a few good tutorials and  practice. Next time, I think I would like to add washes.   I will probably go back and tweak a few of my sketches as I am never quite satisfied.  Or maybe I will leave them alone and chalk it up to experience.  It will be nice to have all my sketches for the month bound together.

It was a great challenge, lots of fun and I am ready to work on something new.  

                                                        

 

Inktober 26

Inktober 25

Inktober 24

Inktober #17, 18, 19

It has been hard to keep my Inktober drawings on track because my internet has been down again.  So here they are, better late than never........


# 17

#18

#19

Inktober #12 - #16

I got a little behind with my Inktober drawings.  

Then yesterday we had no internet.  

 So, today I am playing catch up. 

Inktober #12

 # 13

 # 14

 # 15

 # 16

 

And to think that y'all thought I'd given up!!   

#inktober 11

Today's prompt is "cruel" but I just can't follow that prompt today.   You see, we are finally burying my father's ashes with full military honors this morning.   We waited until now, when more of our family could be here, including my nephew who was being deployed to Iraq when my father died.   So, today, my inktober drawing is to honor my Dad....who was the farthest thing from cruel.  I drew his hand, holding his airbrush.  This was how he made his living and supported his family for over 50 years.  The Bible was what he lived by and how he shared his faith every day in both words and actions.  The flag represents his love and service to his country.  And the words "Joy" and "Unconditional Love" because that was how he lived and loved his family.   I love you, Dad!  I can't wait until I see you again!

Inktober 9

Star

Inktober 8

 

Precious

Inktober 7

Exhausted

Inktober 6

Drooling