EDM 220 - Draw the moon

Is the moon tired?
She looks so pale
Within her misty veil:
She scales the sky from east to west,
And takes no rest.
Before the coming of the night
The moon shows papery white;
Before the dawning of the day
She fades away.

From Sing-Song by Christina Rossetti (1830-1894)

Watercolor on hot press paper 4x6" painted wet in wet with the stars masked out.

Virtual Sketch Date

This is from the photograph for the Virtual Sketchdate for this month. It's a rhododendron bud. We don't grow many of those here where I live and its a good thing. Right now it's snowing and has been all day. Temperatures dropped to several degrees below freezing, and anything that has budded is in mortal jeopardy. It's been a long, cold winter and this photograph is my only ray of hope.

Watercolor in Moleskine watercolor book

You can see all the other wonderful renditions of this photo here Virtual Sketch Date

Photograph by Jeanette Jobson

EDM 219 - Draw a window

This is a drawing of the stained glass windows of our hotel room at the Lodge at Uxmal in Mexico. This was one of the prettiest hotels I've ever been in. The windows in the front and back were like this, and the window in the bathroom door had roses and butterflies. We had the smaller room, the larger ones had orange lillies in their windows. In front of the rooms was a verandah that went the whole length of the building and by each room's door were some wicker rocking chairs. Our verandah faced the pool, with a magnificent view of the Magician's Temple on the Uxmal site. Seriously, the best trip ever!

If you want a virtual tour, click here: Lodge at Uxmal

Pentel brushpens in Aquabee sketchbook.

EDM 218 - Draw a knife

This is my Leatherman Micra tool that has to be one of the handiest tools invented. It folds up to be quite small - only 2.5" long. All those little tools fold up into the handles, and the handles themselves flip out to become the scissors. I keep this in my backpack and have used for many different things. I can open bottles, tweeze out a sliver, screw my eyeglasses back together or cut something free. However, it can't go on an airplane in my back pack, which is too bad because I could probably disarm a bomb with this tool, or disable someone who is trying to set their shoes on fire. Instead I put it in my checked luggage and retrieve it later. It came in handy during my last trip to Mexico where it proved useful in cutting up limes that we picked off the trees and squeezed into our icy cold cervezas!

This is Pigma micron pen in my new Robert Bateman sketchbook. It's made of 100% recycled paper, and has a really nice texture and a bright white color. I like it a lot.

EDM 217 - Umbrella

This is as close as I'm getting to an umbrella these days. In my part of the world, we still need long underwear and mittens. Winter is refusing to relinquish it's grip on us. It came in November and by now has long outstayed it's welcome. I'm regretting not having booked a tropical vacation this year, no matter what the economy! Instead I'm dreaming of margaritas on the patio while gazing at snowbanks.

These funky plastic cocktail glasses really did have margaritas in them in anticipation of the first trip to Mexico, with the fancy matching straws and speckled umbrellas. The other colors were turquoise and lime green - very fun and festive.

Watercolor pencil in Moleskine sketchbook.

I'm off to stay with my mom for the next 4 days, where I hope to do lots of sketching (and relaxing). Here's hoping spring has sprung in your part of the world.