Monthly Sketch Project - April 2010 Zen Garden

1/16 Sheet Fabriano Artistico 140 lbs Rough Press Watercolor Paper, Daniel Smith and Grumbacher watercolors
Created for Monthly Sketch Project - April 2010. Photo credit: ffyrebird
I had some trouble with the background. Still not happy with it but I do like the pagoda.

IFJM Day Five

6 in x 12 in Fabriano Venezia Sketchbook, Winsor & Newton watercolors
We finally got our own transportation and have a big sightseeing tour tomorrow.

IFJM Day Four

6 in x 9 in Fabriano Venezia Sketchbook, Winsor & Newton, Daniel Smith watercolors, PITT Pen
Though I have been following Roz's advice and carrying the journal everywhere, the journal went on its first public viewing.

We were at the in-laws for dinner and DH passed the journal around. The journal was even out in the rain much like the fake me said (the weather in Bastia is very similar to here).

IFJM Day Three

6 in x 9 in Fabriano Venezia Sketchbook, PITT Pens, Winsor & Newton and Daniel Smith Watercolors

Saturday in Bastia. What a day! Walked all around the Cidadel in Bastia. So much more to see. Click on the pages should give you a larger view.

IFJM - Day Two

6 in x 9 in Fabriano Venezia Sketchbook, Daniel Smith, Winsor & Newton and Grumbacher watercolors

My fake me bought new watercolors yesterday. I know they don't sell Daniel Smith in Europe but I don't have watercolors that would be sold there.

The travel set I used yesterday had surprisingly good color for old, dried out paint. I have to use light washes since it is only 90 lbs paper in the sketch book. I might go back to the travel set.

DH pointed out yesterday I should be sketching and writing as if I were really there - meaning to hold the journal in my hand and not sketching/writing in the journal on a desk. I have been doing just that when fake me is out and about.

International Fake Journal Month

6 in x 9 in Fabriano Venezia Sketchbook, PITT Pen (and accidental use of a Pilot G-2), Pan Pastel and W&N travel set watercolors, Clip from PDF Brochure printed from Corsica Ferries website

Today is Day One of International Fake Journal Month. I decided to go to Corsica with DH. Therefore, I am still "me" but there is a whole bunch of things different:

• I usually keep a sketchbook and not a journal.
• I rarely write in my sketchbooks (or even the scrapbooks I have made).
• I tend to get caught in the details and do not sketch or paint very quickly.
• I have never been to Italy, France/Corsica.
• I am not a good fiction writer.
• I have never had the money or the time to travel for over a month.

As I was researching, I realized that I was taking a "Virtual Vacation". I could not believe how many live webcams, Google Maps (love the new 3D application), photos, websites that are available. Just like being there.

First and foremost, it is a work of fiction and a fake journal. I chose to stay with me rather than a fictional person so I wouldn't lose interest for a month. Fictional yet factual.

About the journal pages, Corsica is nine hours ahead of San Francisco Bay Area. So the day is over in Corsica and I can post my pages. I drew the pictures all very quickly (about half hour). And the writing was fast. The fake me is having a great time.

New Challenge

1/8 Sheet Fabriano Artistico 140 lbs CP watercolor paper, Daniel Smith and Grumbacher watercolors, Winsor & Newton Gouache

DH mostly works in colored pencil with aviation themes. DH challenged me to paint a plane. He gave me a type of plane as a reference. The clouds were easy. The hardest was to get the propeller correct. I had to use gouache to have the propeller movement show up. I used a great deal of my new favorite watercolor, Daniel Smith Opera Pink, which didn't pick up on the scan (it is mostly the reflections of the tail on the left wing and highlights.

I gave DH some of my photos to use as a reference to challenge him to draw something other than an airplane.