Lincoln Park Zoo visit

I went to Lincoln Park Zoo recently to sketch. (Color on some of these was added at home.)

(various combinations of pencil, ink, watercolor and gouache.)

Stork standing over the nest

Kenya Crested Guineafowl

Field Museum outing 1/13/2016

I took advantage of a free day (for Illinois residents) and went to the Field Museum last week, with art supplies in hand. I worked as fast as I could, not stopping for lunch, and got 3 pieces done (or started).

marker in Strathmore toned tan sketchbook with white gouache

I have always marveled at the massive antlers of the Irish Deer skeleton they have on display.

(I added the gouache highlights at home)

watercolor and gouache

I started this in watercolors and struggled as I do not have 3 hands and did not bring any kind of easel, so I took it a good bit farther at home.

pencil in Strathmore toned tan sketchbook

This is either a Blackbock Antelope or an Indian Gazelle

What I made on my summer vacation (2015 edition)

I went to Michigan City, IN and South Haven, MI this summer.

Below are the drawings and paintings I brought back.

watercolor & gouache

Lake Kai

pen & ink, ink wash and gouache highlights

My attempt at catching a fleeting light/color effect in the sky

gouache

A scaly-barked tree that caught my eye

gouache

attempt at painting a nocturne

watercolor

study of a wave

pencil

ubiquitous plant

pen & ink, ink wash and white pencil highlights

The sloop Friends Good Will, which sails out of South Haven harbor daily

pencil & marker

colored pencil

3 (more or less) recent watercolor sketches

I decided to torture myself and play around with watercolors again:

plein air, Michigan City, IN

Contesse de Ternay

plein air, Skokie Lagoons

Winsor and Newton watercolors in Holbein sketchbook

Oregon coast study

From a reference photo taken last summer on the Oregon coast near Yachats.

watercolor with gouache in Holbein watercolor sketchbook

7" x 5"

Giraffe, the Third

watercolor and colored pencil with touches of gouache in Holbein sketchbook

I finally finished the third giraffe in my series.

I got a lot of great photos last February when we visited Brookfield Zoo. They were indoors and very close to us.

This was a great experience in developing technique for rendering animals. I like the process of watercolor underlying colored pencil work.

Here's all 3 as they appear on one sheet:

Michigan 2013

watercolor (with touches of colored pencil & gouache)

watercolor with touches of gouache

colored pencil

watercolor with touches of colored pencil

colored pencil

fountain pen and ink wash with white pencil highlights

We returned from our summer trip to South Haven, Michigan a week ago.

I was fairly prolific this year, and here are the results.

Yet another giraffe

Another Brookfield Zoo giraffe. A young one this time.

watercolor with touches of colored pencil and gouache

another giraffe

a Brookfield Zoo giraffe

(a past giraffe)

watercolor with touches of gouache and colored pencil in Moleskine Sketchbook

Plein Air reeds and water

I made the short walk on Saturday to Emily Oaks Nature Center for a plein air painting event: A Brush With Nature. I just showed up and tried my hand at watercolors, the only really portable way I can paint at the moment. Unfortunately, I forgot to bring some white gouache, something I was counting on for certain effects as I was planning this painting. (I took a photo and finished it at home.)

I really loved being out in nature and trying to capture an impression of it. I will do this sort of thing again soon.

watercolor with touches of gouache and colored pencil in Moleskine watercolor sktechbook