Pick up the Pencils

I hate to admit it, but I usually only draw when I am on vacation!  They say confession is good for the soul so I will tell you honestly: I am a lazy artist! LOL. I use TONS of graphics for my mixed media art.  I finished this watercolor pencil mermaid yesterday, but I usually purchase digital downloads on Etsy.

My  watercolor pencil kit that is one of the first things that I put in my suitcase when I am heading out of town.  The little zippered case holds my watercolor pencils,  a package of watercolor postcards, pencil sharpener, fine watercolor brush, and a plastic lid deep enough for 1/4″ of water.  Sometimes I slip in pieces of 140lb watercolor paper the perfect size for bookmarks (with the hole already punched for a ribbon.)

My kit has been from Disneyland to Germany!  Confession #2: I HAVE to create something everyday, otherwise my brain might pop!

The beauty of the watercolor pencils is that they behave like a regular color pencil until you add a tiny bit of water and then there is MAGIC! The color comes alive as you coax it with your paintbrush strokes.  I usually don’t apply the water until I think the piece is good to go.  I wait until the piece is fully dry if I want to add more watercolor pencil.

Yesterday it was too hot for me to go for my walk and I was actually in the mood to draw!  So I dug around the studio to find an unfinished mermaid that I had partially sketched on my last vacation.

I was so relaxing to PLAY!  The hair gave me an opportunity to be free form, and the tail was a study in pattern.  I used five colors of pencil for the hair and three colors for the tail. Now I can scan her into my computer and use my own graphic for ONCE! teehee.

I came up with the idea for the bookmarks when I wanted a project to do with my grandchildren when I visited them.  My little kit was full of blank watercolor paper bookmarks and we spent a morning drawing and then “painting” them with the water.