Written by Tonight on our #NatureDoodlewash hike, I’ve found this shiny little beetle. Well, I’m sure it’s little in real life, but looks rather large in my sketchbook. It was a fast paced and crazy day, but I still managed to hit my goal of making a doodlewash! That said, I’ve no longer much time to write a post to go with it, so instead you get this blathering stream of consciousness that is me simply thinking out loud. Not much different than a usual post really, but this one will be a bit shorter since I have even less time.
For example, I know nothing about beetles and haven’t had a second to do my sloppy 5 minute research on them. I just like shiny things as many of you already know. So for today, I’m going to keep things short, happy in the fact that I just barely managed to make art today. But doing it feels great! Okay, there was that one day in the past year I refused to actually show you what I made because it was terrifyingly bad, but I haven’t missed a day of painting since I started last July 3rd. Which means in just 18 doodlewashes, I’ll have hit my 365 day goal! No stopping now, of course, because World Watercolor Month is coming up fast for July! Please help me continue to spread the word!
Join me throughout the month of June on a virtual nature hike! Show everyone what you love most in nature with a watercolor sketch or painting and tag your images #NatureDoodlewash so we can all enjoy it with you! I’ll create a featured artist gallery of our global hike at the end of the month!
World Watercolor Month is coming in July! Click here to learn more!
About the Doodlewash
M. Graham watercolors: Gamboge, Azo Orange, Pyrrol Red, Viridian, Ultramarine Blue, and Neutral Tint. Lamy Safari Al Star pens with Platinum Carbon black ink in a 5″ x 8″ 140 lb. (300 gsm) Pentalic Aqua Journal
Way to go Charlie, I’m cheering you on in the home stretch of 365 days of Doodlewashes! And, I really like your beetle!
Thanks so much, Jessica!! 😃💕 Of course I’ll be going all the way through July for sure, so I’ll bust right through the 365! Hehe
Way to go Charlie! Cheering you on to your goal of 365! Amazing bling beetle. I totally understand your love of shiny things. Lol I don’t know where you find the time for all you do!
Hehe…thanks Susan!! 😃💕Glad you understand my love of all things shiny! And yeah, it’s been tough lately to sneak in the time, but I always find a way!
Doing too much! Take care. XX
Great beetle! Since I’m new to your blog, I didn’t know you had drawn every day for almost a year! Congrats! One question, do you mix your sepia and black in together?
Thanks so much! And welcome to Doodlewash! 😃 Actually, I just realized I didn’t edit my info correctly. I only used black ink on this one. I don’t mix my inks. I have three Lamy pens. One with black, one with sepia, and one with blue ink. On my previous doodlewash (praying mantis) I used two pens, one with black and one with sepia.
So glad you found time to create this beautiful “ugly” 🙂 creature. You never let us down. Even when you don’t try to be informative and talented and funny – you are! Because you are CHARLIE O! The one and only most amazing Charlie O!
Awww you’re the sweetest, Jodi! ❤️😃 I can usually sneak in the doodlewash, but writing a good post is actually harder some days than the painting! 😊hehe
Wow…..in the homestretch, I guess I didn’t realize that you had a goal of such proportion! way to go…..love your colorful beetle, you make them look adorable. 🙂
Thanks Margaret!! 😃💕 Yeah, I actually didn’t set out with that goal. Just formed a habit and stuck with it. Then I realized, hey…almost one year of daily painting, cool! I think it actually worked better that way because the goal would have scared me to death!! Lol Thanks on beetle! Glad ya liked it!
It is big and shiny and iridescent green and if it lands anywhere near me, I’m gonna scream so loud, you’ll hear me, and I don’t even know where you live, but you’ll hear me. It does, however, make for a very fine portrait.
wonderful Charlie, beautifully iridescent!
Thanks so much, Debi!! 😃💕 I love doodlewashing things like this.
I’ve seen these little beetles and your color is perfect. Congrats on daily art. I’ve enjoyed all the ones I’ve seen.
Thanks, Teri! 😃💕 Glad ya liked the beetle. They’re so cool looking I had to try one. And so happy you like my doodlewashes!!
WHOOOOHOOOO!!! You are almost there, Charlie!!! The finish line is within reach! 🌟🌟🌟 It is a FUNtastic accomplishment to create art every day for a year! I know YOU CAN do it! 🎨💕😄 Super doodlewashed Beetle! Love your colors! 😊
Thanks so much, Jill! 😃💕Glad you liked this! I guess time pressure works for me! Lol And I’m going to blow past my goal, of course! I’ll be taking my own challenge in July! 😊lol
Ooh, it’s like a jewel with legs! That’d be an eye-catcher for sure, even if a little bit of a surprise to begin with. Love how you got the various little bumps in the shell so smartly in that finish.
It’s seriously something to have kept up such a standard for so long. I’ve long been trying to figure out how you find the time to do it every day. Everyone loves a conspiracy theory; I put forward that you’re actually a master scientist and have created a clone Charlie, who’s only allowed out from under the stairs to go to work for you. This affords you your ultimate dream of staying at home and doing nothing but doodlewashes all day. Rumbled! I got it spot on, right? I’m just RENDERING FOR THE TRUTH. 😉
Thanks Jacob! Haha!! Shhhhhhhh!! How dare you reveal my secrets publicly!! Actually, you’re sort of right. It’s not a clone Charlie, though, but something far more efficient. I’m sure you’re dying to know now exactly how, and since I vowed to reveal all in my journey, I should probably come clean now. Let’s just say…this was actually drawn from life…
https://doodlewash.com/2016/01/24/oompa-loompas/
Oh my! (screws up second theory that you have magical super powers) So you’re the Charlie he left the factory to!? That’s incredible! I bet you have to tell them to keep the noise down when they start parading around in song. “What do you get when you paint every day…?”
Yes… I’m that Charlie. (but promise not to tell) After inheriting the factory, however, I grew tired of chocolate and developed a horrible allergy to snozzberries. It just seemed to make sense to move on to something else … hence the birth of Charlie and the Watercolor Factory. Ugh… and you’re right… I still can’t get the little orange guys to stop singing that blasted song!
Ha ha! Well I shan’t tell anybody – I mean, it’s not as if anybody else can read this! But this explains a lot 😉 and furthermore, there’s the name for your first tutorial book!
I’ve now just got hilarious visions of you trying to doodlewash, with singing oompa-loompas twirling and cartwheeling all around.
And that is exactly why I don’t make YouTube videos! Lol
Haha! It all becomes clear!
hahaha — Charlie does have that ‘Joker’ look about him, don’t he!! *wink
Haha! He certainly does 😉
The beetle is beautiful, pure and simple!~ 🙂
Thanks so much, Janina! Glad ya liked it! 😃💕
Go for it , Charlie🏆. You’re nearly there. I love this little beetle, nothing creepy about him.
Thanks, Marina! 😃💕So glad you liked this! I’ll be blowing past my goal with World Watercolor Month! Hehe Can’t believe it’s been a year already!! So fun!
Congratulations, what an incredible journey you’ve been on. I love the beetle! I’ll be toasting you on July 3.
Thanks so much, Sharon!!😃💕appreciate th support! I’ll be on Day 3 of a 31 day challenge of course. Hehe… Not sure yet if I’ll make it daily after that in year 2 but you never know. I’m rather addicted now! 😊
Oh the colour on this beetle!! Stunning. I am only a just teaching myself how to observe carefully what I want to draw. Colour will be my next challenge. I will keep my eyes open for inspirational pieces like this – very well done!!
Awww, thanks so much! 😃 And awesome drawings you have there!! I’m sure you’ll be great with color! I vote for watercolor!! Hehe 😊😉 Definitely check out my Guest Doodlewashes link…lots of great inspiration from other artists there!
Wow you’re a Champion! A big YAY for your 365 days goal!!! Now everyone wants know your secretand Jacob had a pretty good fantasy about it…LOL you managed your time during this year greatly! Your beetle is great I can see all that shiny green color, awesome job in everything! 😉 <3
Awww thanks so much, Carolina!! It’s been an awesome journey and difficult some days, but so worth it in the end!! So glad you liked my beetle!! And Jacob needs to stop telling my secrets!! 😊Haha
Also if the journey have been not easy sometimes but yes it is all worth it in many different ways! You did great!
I’m a big fan of beetles, and yours is no exception! 🙂
Thanks so much, Rebecca! 😃💕Happy you liked this one!
Your shiny beetle is a polished gleaming beauty, much nicer than yesterday’s scary beast, this is a glam bug 😀. Now more importantly congratulations on still fulfilling this doodlewash despite the lack of time, I always admire your ability to paint, research and post each day….I paint most days, but don’t always finish, if I do I run out of time to blog, when I do it is often late at night( early in the morning) so very waffley and more than likely full of mistakes, especially with iPad trying to change my words! So you see this is why I admire your dedication to your challenge, which we all benefit from. Ohhhh by the way I have not congratulated you yet for your great achievement and gift to the world in July, officially watercolour month, wow, I bet you are over the moon, I felt quite emotional for you, it’s so exciting, spreading the word 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼❤️❤️❤️
Awww thanks so much Rebecca for the wonderful comment! 😃💕 I’m truly thrilled for World Watercolor Month… it’s going to be amazing I hope. hehe… I’m new at this world celebration creation thing so I just hope I’ll be a good host! 😊 Thanks for helping to spread the word. I hope I’ve gotten the word out enough, but afraid I’m missing people who would want to join. All help in letting people know is much appreciated! And yeah, blogging AND painting is tough to do each day, but I like the challenge of trying to make it happen. At least when my post isn’t particularly awesome, I hope my doodlewash will make up for it! Lol Worst is when they are both sort of so so. hehe Glad you liked the beetle!
You will be a great host, in fact I can’t think of anyone better…..I wonder if you could post on watercolour magazinesFacebook pages, ?? Would they allow? ….global watercolour month is gonna be big 😀, I can see you having interviews with magazine, talking about how this came about 😀😀😀❤️
Yeah, I always think they wouldn’t like that… never know where promotion is allowed these days. They usually want you to pay to even say hello! Lol But would be cool if it could make on the social pages of magazines organically! Too late to get into printed magazines this year though. But maybe next year. 😃
Facebook?? Maybe if you post a link they could only at worst remove it?
True… I’m going to try it and see! hehe
Beetle wings have been used in jewelry…and your doodlewash shows why! (K)
Thanks Kerfe!😃💕 Yeah, this kind of looked like a brooch when I was done with it! hehe
That would be quite wonderful!
A jewel with legs! Jacob got that perfectly! Once again I admire your shadows almost as much as your subject, Charlie. And good on you for 365 in a row, you are just amaztastic, bro! 💜💜💜
Thanks so much Laura! 😃💕 Really can’t believe it’s been a year already! Thanks on the shadows… I’ve been wanting to practice them more and these insects are super helpful! hehe
Love it Charlie! those beetles are gems in nature! almost the same color as the ducks head! makes you wonder if the good lord when he created nature used the same brush? Well you did probably!! regards!!
Thanks so much, Edo! 😃Hehe… that’s a fun thought. Would make sense actually. We artists often favor certain colors over others as well! 😉
Wow! I’ve tried doing metallic beetles before, but I think I need to work on getting the shiny look. Great job!
Thanks so much, Harrison! Glad you liked this! 😃 I really like trying to get shiny things to come across… metals are fun as well. I just lay down the light colors and the really go for it on the contrast where the darks and lights meet. The higher the contrast the more shiny things get. 😉
Thanks for the tip!
Like some others, I’m also in awe of your ability to paint something so that it looks shiny/metallic/iridescent. I have no idea how! I’m also in awe of the fact that you’re almost done with your 365 days of doodlewashing! Woohoo! <3 Love your cute beetle!
Aww thanks Teresa!! 😃💕Just lots of high contrast is the trick… hehe… dabbing bits of black here and there always helps make things shiny! So glad you liked this! And I’m not done…. hehe… World Watercolor Month will keep me going even longer daily! Yay!
I hope you’ll go on for as long as I plan to read blogs! Art stops for no one, right? 😉💙
I’ll just consider this beetle a beautiful jewel! Congrats on daily doodling! So impressive Charlie!
Thanks so much Cathe!! 😃💕Appreciate your support and encouragement!!!