Author: Carolyn A Pappas

peony flower ink sketch

Dirt Floor

ink leaves inktober
©2014 Carolyn A Pappas, Dirt Floor (10-4-14). Ink in 7×10 inch Stillman & Birn Epsilon Series sketchbook.

You know, people talk about this being an uncertain time. You know, all time is uncertain. I mean, it was uncertain back in 2007 – we just didn’t know it was uncertain. It was uncertain on September 10th, 2001. It was uncertain on October 18th, 1987 – you just didn’t know it. -Warren Buffett

inktober flower

Inktober

I’m a few days into the month already, but I stumbled upon Inktober and I think it’s a great idea, considering how much I love ink. I decided to participate, with some modifications as I’m sure I won’t be able to complete a daily drawing, or even post every day. I will be able to put some work in on a drawing every day though, and I will post updates throughout the month.

This is the drawing that I have been working on in my sketchbook after work this past week. It is loosely based on a photo of mine, but mostly made up. I like flowers with many little parts and drawings that are done slowly and repetitively.

inktober flower
©2014 Carolyn A Pappas, Queen Anne’s Lace (10-4-2014). Ink in 8.5 x 11 gray toned sketchbook.
birch trees ink drawing

Birches

birch tree ink sketch
©2014 Carolyn A Pappas, Birches (9-12-14). Ink in 7×10 inch Stillman & Birn Epsilon Series sketchbook.

I left the sketchbooks in the freezer for 5 days and there are no signs of the spider mites, except for a few spots on some of the pages indicating that the bugs that were alive are now dead. I’m glad to have my books back. Also, my strategy of using the rubbing alcohol to wipe down my desk has worked. I am now looking out for an artificial plant as I’m not going to risk bringing in a live one after this experience.

Here are some things that I came across recently that I liked:

Infestation

On Tuesday I sat down to work in my sketchbook and I noticed teensy tiny little bugs crawling across the page. They were brownish orange and so tiny that you would not normally notice them. I was so bothered that I decided to put my sketchbook in the freezer to try to kill them off. Then, I noticed the bugs were all over my desk and were crawling up and down my lamp and had built teensy tiny spider webs on it. I was so repulsed! Then, I noticed that these bugs were coming out of my plant (a palm), which I had gotten in the past month or so. The plant was completely covered with these near microscopic bugs and there were tiny webs all over it.

Some leaves on the plant had recently been turning brown and I thought that I must be over watering it. But after searching online, it seems like the poor plant was infested with spider mites. The little buggers must have crawled up my lamp cord which was touching the plant and got onto my desk from there.

I burned the plant in the firepit and then swabbed down my desk and lamp with rubbing alcohol. I also found the spider mites in another sketchbook (my moleskine), so both of them are now in the freezer. I’m thinking of leaving it in the freezer for a few days and then thawing it before refreezing, to give any eggs a chance to hatch in case they survive the freezer. I hope this takes care of them.

When this problem is gone, I will get a silk plant. I have also gotten a new sketchbook in the meantime. A hardcover, 8.5 x 11 inch Strathmore Artist Journal with gray toned paper. I will let you know what I think of it in a future post.

feather sketch
©2014 Carolyn A Pappas, Feathers. Ink in 8.5 x 11 gray toned sketchbook.
watercolor in progress

Sea Rocks (in progress)

I started a painting of some rocks by the shoreline from a photo I took in Ogunquit, Maine. I have never done a painting like this before, of rocks partially covered with water. My plan is to finish up the rocks and then go in with the water at the end. It is an experiment.

I had an issue with my watercolor block because the glue came off and the I had to tape my paper down to a board (after I had already started the painting). I am disappointed because this is Arches and I have never had this happen with a premium brand. I sprayed the back of the paper with water and it stayed pretty well for the most part, but the paper does have more warping than normal.

watercolor in progress
©2014 Carolyn A Pappas, Sea Rocks (in progress). Watercolor, apx 9 x 13 inches.

Newport RI

Filling my Reservoir

Newport RI
Newport (over the Bridge, in and out). Photographs ©2014 Carolyn A Pappas.
orchid ink sketch
©2014 Carolyn A Pappas, Orchid (8-3-14 sketchbook). Ink in large moleskine.
I took a bus trip to Newport, RI yesterday with my sisters. I am close enough to Newport that I could go whenever I want, but I don’t go as often as I would like and it was nice to go via bus because I didn’t have to worry about driving or parking. I didn’t take very many photos but I felt like I soaked up a lot of inspiration like I always do whenever I visit. I really like the seaside/nautical atmosphere and water in general.

Right now we are in a drought and the water level in the lake is very low. My energy/creativity levels have been somewhat on that same level lately but I feel that this outing yesterday refueled me creatively. The prospect of fall coming is really starting to excite me. The most exciting prospect of this upcoming fall and winter is that my space is now fully insulated and heated and I will have a comfortable place to work.

ink sketch weeds

Settling In

I moved back home a week ago and I’ve spent the last week getting settled in, which will be an ongoing process I’m sure. It is so nice to have fully insulated smooth walls, air conditioning (not in a window), hardwood floors and a closet. I got rid of a number of unnecessary possessions to make room but also upgraded some others. My space looks more cohesively decorated with a new rug, lamp, metal cabinet to store my art supplies and a cute little bluetooth speaker to replace my old clunky stereo. I even got a miniature palm tree.

I feel very relieved to have this project done. Already my sleep has improved just from being in a more comfortable environment and I am looking forward to getting back into my sketchbook. The sketch below was one that I found in my sketchbook from June, before I packed it away in a box and forgot to use it.

ink sketch weeds
©2014 Carolyn A Pappas, Sketching in the Weeds (6-21-14). Ink in 7×10 inch Stillman & Birn Epsilon Series sketchbook.
old house sketch

Old Houses and Tiny Houses

old house sketch
©2014 Carolyn A Pappas, Red House (6-15-14). Ink in 7×10 inch Stillman & Birn Epsilon Series sketchbook.

A house nearby has been condemned for many months and it about to be demolished. I sketched it from across the street, albeit from an odd angle. The doors and windows have been removed and I’ve seen little critters go in and out of it. Heavy equipment is sitting in the front yard, waiting to get started. I am curious to see what will be rebuilt in the location.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about houses and homes, especially since I’ve been in this flux mode for the past few months. The project is going to be delayed by a few weeks due to some unforeseen scheduling difficulties and I am feeling so antsy to get back into my space again. Being between homes is an unsettling feeling.

Another part of me is thankful for what I have, and I am a lot luckier than a lot of other people in my situation. I’m thinking about how I am going to decorate my new space once I move back in and I have an idea of something clean, uncluttered, with a muted palette. I am having fun shopping for a new rug, lamps and a cabinet for my art supplies.

Recently I saw the new documentary called TINY. It follows a couple building a tiny house from scratch, with no prior carpentry experience. A number of other tiny house builders and residents are interviewed throughout, including Macy Miller, whose blog I follow. I really enjoyed the film, and it has gotten me thinking about my ideal living situation.

I do not think a tiny house would be feasible for me at this point in my life, as I could afford the house but not necessarily the type of land I would want, but it is something that I fantasize about from time to time. If I the opportunity, I would build a tiny house to live in and another one next to it as a studio, like Kate Johnson’s.

Update: My scanner is unplugged and I don’t have a good place to set it up, so I will most likely be photographing drawings out of my sketchbook for the time being, like I did above. I am also starting a larger (for me) watercolor (no ink) for my weeknight painting group. It’s an unusual subject for me so I think I will wait and post my in progress photos when I am finished, in case things go majorly awry.

fall leaves ink watercolor

Leaves on Blue

I have spent quite a bit of time working on this picture over the course of the past few weeks. I was intending to post in progress photos as I went along but then things started to go awry and I decided to wait until the end to see how things turned out! At the bottom of this post, I wrote about my process.

fall leaves ink watercolor
©2014 Carolyn A Pappas, Leaves on Blue. Ink and watercolor, 7.5 x 10.5 inches.
©2014 Carolyn A Pappas, Leaves on Blue (WIP 4). Pen and ink, 7.5 x 10.5 inches.
©2014 Carolyn A Pappas, Leaves on Blue (WIP 4). Pen and ink, 7.5 x 10.5 inches.
©2014 Carolyn A Pappas, Leaves on Blue (WIP 3). Pen and ink, 7.5 x 10.5 inches.
©2014 Carolyn A Pappas, Leaves on Blue (WIP 3). Pen and ink, 7.5 x 10.5 inches.
©2014 Carolyn A Pappas, Leaves on Blue (WIP 2). Pen and ink, 7.5 x 10.5 inches.
©2014 Carolyn A Pappas, Leaves on Blue (WIP 2). Pen and ink, 7.5 x 10.5 inches.
pen and ink leaves
©2014 Carolyn A Pappas, Leaves on Blue (WIP 1). Pen and ink, 7.5 x 10.5 inches.

First I looked up general leaf shapes and sketched similar shapes on watercolor paper. I made up the pen and ink parts myself. I painted the leaves first, thinking that I could paint the background around them, but then realized that it wouldn’t work so I would have to use masking fluid.

In retrospect, I should have just gone right in with the masking fluid from the beginning because when I removed it, the color was lifted. Additionally, I must have left some gaps because the blue seeped through in parts. I had to repaint the leaves and also try to camouflage the blue. Luckily, I already had incorporated holes into the design of some of the leaves which made it easier in some places.

Regardless of all the mishaps I like the finished painting. I have never painted such a dark and intense background before. Also, it was kind of refreshing to paint from my imagination without copying so directly from photos. This was also my first time using masking fluid for anything significant. It is definitely something I would be willing to try again. The background didn’t come out as dark as in reality in my scan and I tried to darken it, but now the browns are a bit darker than they are in the picture. In real life, it “pops” a lot more.

reservoir

Whimsy

reservoir
©2014 Carolyn A Pappas, Drive Over the Reservoir (2-26-14). Ink in moleskine.

A few weeks ago someone came to visit my house to look over some of my artwork (kind of like a studio visit, but not quite). She said to me that she sees whimsy in my work some of the times but not at others.

This has got me thinking a lot about the direction that I see for my work in the future. I have never thought of my work as “whimsical” before but I have been feeling that my work has been missing something for awhile now and some whimsy might be just right.

I have started a new pen and ink (and watercolor) which is based on my imagination and memory. It’s a little scary to work on because I am not using a set up from life or even a photo references for the most part. When I have more of the ink done, I will post some work in progress pics.