strathmore visual journal... my new companion

Hello frnds,

today I am going to write about my new outdoor companion.

since last year I get a little time to spend with myself as my daughter started going to the playschool for 2 hrs.

I wanted to paint so badly that I thought I should utilize those spare time doing some sketch works on daily basis.

I tried to work with acrylic painting but it didn't worked out properly because I was always getting distracted by some or the other reasons.

I was desperate as its absolutely frustrating for me of not able to do painting the way I want to.

I was nearly broken when the idea of quick sketches strike me.

Visual journaling and sketching outdoor.

. I always liked the idea, as you can see in my previous blogs. I thought it would be great if I start with this concept once again as I have a little time for myself.

I started keeping a sketchbook handy with me with some pigma micron pens. I carried them always whenever I am outdoor.. anywhere and everywhere from children  playground to shopping malls ..

I must say I enjoying draeing people and places.

my sketchbooks varied from the local brand Brustro to Strathmore visual journals.

today I would like to review about my experiences with Strathmore visual journal and cotman portable travel set.

as you can see .. this journal is definitely well travelled .. hence it looks rustic and torn

here I must mention the details.

Visual journal- Starthmore
140 lb ( 300 gsm) watercolor paper
cold pressed
22 sheets - 44 pages
size: 5.5 in X 8 In (14 cm X 20.3 Cm)
Acid free wire bound
lie flat and open 360 degrees
page color- white

 It is compatible with

• graphic pencils
• Pen and Ink
• color pencils
• charcoal
• markers
• soft pastels
• oil pastels
• watercolor pencils
• watercolor
• acrylic
• collage
• gouache

now here is my own experience

just loved this sketchbook. as it is very compact and can be fit into a snall sling bag along with compact watercolor set and pens

love the texture of the paper.

I mostly used my cotman travel set and pigma micron pens

here are my sketches as a specimen of my visual review of this excellent sketchbook

these are some of my sketches with cotman watercolor set...

I am in love with watercolor sketches...

the Children need to be awaken inside us-- dedictaed to Childhood memories

Hello friends..

last two days I was busy searching topics inside my heart.. yes.. sometimes the child that lay hidden inside us need to be awakened.

lots of memories, dreams and fantasies, which we adults seldom recognize.. need to be cherished very often.. for our own good actually..

I was trying to just doodle with my Mungyo watercolour crayons and fine fineliners on 200 gsm papers..

I was literally astonished by seeing them.. and immense happiness and satisfaction.. I cannot describe,,

this one is dedicated to all the mushrooms in dreamt, colored and got inspired with..

though I am very scared of lizards... but thought let me make it little  funny and mischievous...

the next was for my love to scarecrows... I always find them funny and cute...

love autumn,,, its my favourite season... love fall colors. bright yellow, oranges and reds... with patches of green...

next one is dedicated to all the winter Christmas illustrations  that I have grew up with..

 in India.. winter is like spring in US and European countries... its nothing like this... but I fantasized and dreamed to experience such winter days...

 

My Art supplies for daily quick Ink and wash sketches

Hello..

Its late afternoon and I had not drawn a single thing today.. but I have something else to share with you.. its about my art supplies for ink and wash daily journal. I am soo in love with them..

I had bought these a couple of months back, while researching about how to start my own ink and wash journals..

While watching YOU Tube Video of Diana Gessler and Cathy Johnson.. I have seen couple of things they used in their journals and got inspired, as a result I have started buying those staffs.. (whatever available online in India.) for me.



My complete Ink and wash supply at home.

here are the staffs,,,

now, if you want to exclude or include my wooden hair fork--which comes handy (for me of course) to pull back my unhealthy thin hair back into a bun-- others are really compact and useful supplies for loose ink and wash sketches.

• One Water-soluble fine liner black - you can use Pilot or Staedtler or any other brand.. just for loose and soft initial sketches..
• One waterproof fine liner - am using Staedtler 0.6 Pigment Liner for final works wherever necessary,, and of course for captions or stories related to my drawing..
• Staedtler technical pencil... comes handy, when I am not so confident about how I will be drawing things correctly.. you know-- sometimes cheating can be forgiven... heehee
• A water brush pen.. now these things are really handy and cool, you can even travel with them without much spillage and spoilage... This one came along with 24-Piece Sakura Koi Assorted Water Colours Field Sketch Set..
• A water spray bottle - recycled of course from Aroma room freshener mist spray bottle..
• A small water container- here it is Johnson and Johnson ear bud container- recycled and coloured..  
• A small piece of sponge- for cleaning brush or some special effect
• A small cut out of old Credit card- for scraping out colours or give special effect
• Watercolour field sketch box-- customized for maximum variation of colours

and finally my home made Sketch Book--

don't know, whether was it a good idea or bad. I actually bought 6 sets of Brustro Watercolour Paper (7 x 10 inches) - 300 gsm (Pack of 2-each pack has 9 sheets) from snapdeal.com.-- they are quite good for stationary purchases..

I glued them together to give a shape of a compact sketchbook... but now the papers are coming out *sad eyes* ... but its still handy as long as I am using paper clips...





Now its time to tell tale about my customized watercolour box...

It is actually 24-Piece Koi Assorted Water Colours Field Sketch Set with brush.. it comes with 24 half pans, two sponges, one additional colour mixing palette and a very useful water brush pen. I added my own Daler Rowney 12 watercolour pocket half pans into it.. so now it has become 36 half pan set.. though there are duplications of colours.. but the brands are different so the color pigmentations are---and its ok with me.

as you can see the colours are vibrant..but Koi colours could be little chalky.

It is absolutely gorgeous for field sketches and must buy for sketchers... I will highly recommend them for travel sketching and leisure paintings.. if you want to go for serious painting.. please buy some artists grades from good brands like W & N cotman, Daler Rowney, Van gogh etc,,

that's all I have for my Ink and wash sketching.. which I usually carry at home, still trying to find that courage to bring it out in public... you know beginner's hesitation... but I do carry water soluble crayons and water brush for outdoor quick sketches... till than byeeeeee.... happy painting..