Drawing Day June 4th

Drawing Day was quite busy for me. Graduation parties and a surprise 70th birthday party.I didn't get draw as much as I would like.  Though I did take the time to draw outside the hall for the birthday party while we waited for the birthday girl. My town is a historical town and so they have these old fashion lamp post along the side walks.

Taylor joined me using our travel supplies of Crayola Twistables(R) and Gel pens to add accents. 

art bySusan Walker with a Micron .03 black pen

Flower in Crayola Twistables(R) with Gel Pen accents by Taylor Walker

Sunny Day by Taylor Walker in watercolor

Ride Kids Ride and Sketch on the Rests

Taylor,my daughter, working in her sketchbook

Acorn she found and some experimenting with the Crayola Erasable Twistables (R)

Ride kids ride....yes we got out the only sunny day in WEEKS to put some miles on our new Easter bikes.Packed a few travel sketching items, water and snacks of course. First time out we did the full 14 miles  first time out for the season.We  made it  5 hours later...

This is a view at the swimming area. The water is high here with all the rain we have.The ramp to the dock covered, doesn't stop the kids from exploring out on the dock end.

Sketches by Susan Walkercopy right 2011 all rights reserved

The bike trail wonders close at times to the lake. Ending at one of the marinas that host many pontoons and sail boats. I look forward to making this ride again-though next time I hope it take less than four hours- to sketch some more as the season opens.

My basic travel kit we take. Micron pens (.03 /.05), Pitt Artist Penn xf

 Crayola ErasableTwistables(R) (reg or -they haven't melted in the car for us) Small sketch journals that I make myself but any small light weight drawing/sketchbook for dry media would be fine. Scissors with a blunt end as to not go through the bag so easy and glue in case we find some paper accents to glue-acid free of course, into our books. A double sided sharpie to right over slick brochures and papers.

I am usingparts  this as the basic kit for my summer classes.

Jacob and his new ride ,age 9

Zachary and his new barrowed ride,age 9

He did a great job considering he doesn;t have much strenght in 'lefty yet' .

hopefully by end of summer he can manage the NEW ride.

Taylor, age 8, in her new to her ride. she is not quite tall enough for the next size.

Next year!

I was so proud we made it all the way. what a great day too.

Ink Zentangle

Zentangle in ink by Susan Walker

copyright 2010 all rights reserved

I have recently discovered "Zentangles". Well, actually the term. I think many artist have done them in some form or another but now have a trademark name. "Inchies"come to mind as well. What has attracted me to the idea is the Zen like mind set you get into while working. Right now at this point in my like with my son facing two brain surgeries an the pain I still feel in the loss of my mum, I find focusing hard to do. My mind wonders from this to that and I am forgetting where I was and what I am to be doing. Drawing for me use to be a pleasure but I had been struggling with form and ideas. Zentangles have been quite therapeutic.

A Zentangle is to be 3.5 x 3.5 but this too is not written in stone. I use an Pitt Artist pen by Fabre Castel XF and F. I am using a smooth 140# paper I cut down to my desired size.


From the Zentagle website:
Abstract
You always succeed when you do a Zentangle because you always create a pattern. A Zentangle has no up or down and is not a picture of something, so you have no worries about whether you can draw a hand, or a duck. You always succeed in creating a Zentangle.


Meditational Art form
Zentangle’s non-verbal language of patterns and proportions can open doors to insights which seemed locked before. Creating Zentangles opens those doors, not because they were locked, but because those doors swing on non-verbal hinges. When you create a Zentangle you can enter a meditative state in which intuitive insights flow freely. Get inspirations, ideas and answers unhindered by expectations or worries.

Give it a try and hope you enjoy them too!

Pushing along

Console Enery Center in ink by Susan Walker

 all rights reserved 2010

One of those days where I really gotta push to make marks on the board. It may have something to do with being near the end? That is it done yet? The I can't wait to get it done and move onto the next item on my long list of things to accomplish.
I have to stay away from the frig and at the desk!

Consol Energy Center taking shape in ink

Busy Busy here getting things ready for my up and coming fall season. Penn's Colony, the first of my events is just around the corner on Sept 18,19 and 25,26.
Here is a little glimpes of the Consol Energy Center-home of the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey team, that I am working on. Plan to finish it up this week...as long as all y ducks stay in a row and plans go as planned.
Funny thought now that i see it in writing! Anytthing can happen at anytime to change plans,,,don't I know

Morning Call in watercor and ink

Roosters by Susan Walker all rights reserved

While taking a break from my Penn's Colony Festival projectrs, I came across some photos I took of an outing when my 11 year old was 4. We visited a rescue farm and I couldn't resist these wonderful roosters. My scanner was not quite big enough to catch the entire page.below see the entire black one.

by Susan Walker all rights reserved

Daisy watercolor and ink

Small spot on some of my final pages in my Moleskine. After pencil some of it I went to watercolor. Then only to add ink. I find that if I start with the ink I get heavier-handed than the look I am after. I feel soon these summer daisy are going to slip away when I am not looking.

another set of "Houses For Hope" for the Ripple site

Houses for Hope Hope 4

I just sent in these to "Houses For Hope"  for on the "Ripple" site to raise money for the animal victims of the Gulf Oil Spill. They will be posted soon.

This "House for Hope 4" was started on an sheet of watercolor paper where I floated in the green/ blue wash. Once dry, I 'built " the house upon the 'rocks' . I ink first and then add watercolor. In some areas while one color is wet I like to add another right in. I like the way one runs up to or into another color. Making each effect unique. If I feel needed I may add a bit mor ink details. I let dry for a couple hours, then laying in a clear water wash around the buildings for the sky, I again lay in a blue, violet or color of my choice for the sky. Again when all is dry I do the same for the foreground.

House for Hope 5 (Sold)

House for Hope 5 was done in a similar manor as #4 but was started directly on a white watercolor paper.Inking first then laying in the color on the buildings and details. Ones dry for an hour or more I added in the blue cloud shape. as it did not touch the 'grass' i worked on it while the cloud dried. Laying in the green and addinf the crimson and sienna while still wet. I returned to the sky when blue cloud was dry and aded in the violet to finish this one up.

Both cards measure 2.3 x3.5 inches