Written by As many of you know by now, I’m not really a travel sketcher in that I don’t travel particularly often, so that’s most of it. When I first started painting, I got a little travel set imaging all of the places I would like to take it. Then I found out that while I love sketching outdoors, I prefer painting in the quiet and comfort of an interior space. Yet, having an entire studio that takes no space at all is still why I love watercolor most! I don’t need a studio palette, because I don’t have a studio, and still paint on the edge of my kitchen counter each day. And, since it’s a dual purpose space, being able to collapse it all down and set it aside easily is a dream. And when I don’t travel physically, my mind is still always taking me on journeys while I paint. If you enjoy those mental journeys that I post about, and haven’t yet, please check out my new podcast called Sketching Stuff (episode #4 launched this week!). Would love to hear your stories and feedback as well, so comments are most welcome! I’ve gone a million new places thanks to my little palette, so I guess you could say it is a travel palette after all!
I actually went back in time for today’s doodlewash and restored my palette to when it first arrived. It’s a Cheap Joe’s palette and there were only 12 wells in it, which I quickly modded to create 18. At the time, I thought I needed a few more colors, but today, I rarely use more than 9 colors on a regular basis, preferring to mix my own colors on paper instead. Though for this doodlewash, I used all 12 main colors in my current palette which are listed in the About The Doodlewash section below. By way, Joe is offering readers of Doodlewash a special limited time discount:
15% Off & Free Shipping On Any Qualifying Order! Use the code ‘CJASDW18′ at checkout. Hurry! Offer ends midnight (EST) Sept 1st, 2018!*
If you’re interested, you can find the palette I sketched today by clicking here! Getting new art supplies is always such a treat, and yeah, even talking about them is enabling what can often become an addiction. But it’s such a fun one! New things in general are awesome, like a new pair of shoes worn for the first time, but everything pales in comparison to getting new art supplies. For me, it’s like that fresh box of crayons or tub of Play-Doh when I was a kid. I was thrilled then and get the same level of giddiness today!
It’s not really the supplies themselves that thrill me. It’s that feeling of staring directly at a thousand possibilities at once. It transports me to that glorious “what if list” that I always like to make in my mind, ideas spinning and rumbling around, filling me with electricity. Like unwrapping a new sketchbook and thinking about all of the wonderful things that are going to appear there. Or, yeah, some of the not-what-I-really-expected things, but each little sketch is simply another step in the process. I’m thrilled to be on this art journey and even more thrilled that so many of you are journeying right along with me! Together, we can inspire each other to keep right on painting and sketching each and every day. Especially on those days where it seems impossible to do so. It’s not always easy to show up each day and make art, but doing so is such an important part of improving and strengthening our skills. I’m on day, 1,140, so that should be living proof that you can indeed create a daily sketching and painting habit. And, sure, much of the credit goes to the support from my fellow artists combined with the simplicity in the way I approach my work. To this day, I’m still doodlewashing with a happy blend of giddy determination, bits of blind hope, and my little kitchen travel palette.
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About the DoodlewashDa Vinci Paint Co.: Aureolin (Mixture), Vermilion, Quinacridone Red, Leaf Green, Cobalt Turquoise, Cobalt Blue, Nickel Azo Yellow, Opus (Vivid Pink), Yellow Ochre, Benzimida Orange, Terra Cotta, Indigo. Lamy Al-Star Safari Fountain Pen with sepia ink in an A5 Hahnemühle Watercolour Book. Want to purchase a print of this doodlewash? Send me a note with a link to this post, and I’ll add it to my shop! |
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*Some items not available for discount: Artograph Projectors, Workshops, Palette Magazine Subscriptions, Gift Cards, Drop Ship or Truck Ship items. Other Exclusions may apply (For complete list visit this link!) Offer ends Midnight (EST) Sept 1st, 2018! Online Only.
This is a great looking little palette. Indoors is better. No bugs, no heat stress and there’s snacks! In your case, there’s someone to cook snacks for you! What’s not to like!!
Thanks, Lisa! 😃💕hehe! Exactly!! It’s such a wonderful place to paint! And yeah, I hate bugs, crowds and heat, so it’s the only place you’ll find me in the summer! 😉
Thank you Charlie for taking all of us traveling with you! It’s quite an adventure of it’s own.
Thanks so much, Laura!! 😃💕 Glad you’re enjoying the adventure!
Wonderful painting of your painting kit! I have one of those Cheap Joe’s palettes, but I’ve never filled it with paint! You’ve inspired me to add some colors and use it.
Thanks, Sharon! 😃💕Yay! You should totally fill it up and take it for a spin!
What is the skinny metal container? It’s a nice design.
It’s actually a water flask with a screen top, but it’s completely metal. It looks really cool. I think this one is taller than the actual one as I tend to take a lot of creative license. 😉
I like your painting of the Cheap Joe’s set more than I like the real thing! Congrats on 1140 days! I wish I’d taken note of the day I started doing my postcards but I know it’s been at least a year. That’s good enough for me.
Thanks, Sandra! 😃💕 hehe… yeah, mine count is totally easy since I posted what I made each day here. I would have never dreamed I would still be doing it to this day!
I recognize the Metals ☺️I bought the same beautiful set in the leather cross body..I am a sucker for art supplies.I keep adding..I love painting at home too..I do try when alone..not once this summer and on trips..but color dot cards..etc are so handy for that..I think a new set of colors or a tube or paper or brush are a sheer pleasure to me.
Yay! This is such a fun set! Even if it never leaves my kitchen! lol 😊 And yay to dot cards… love those things. So much fun to play with!
I love your reflections (as always) (K)
Thanks so much, Kerfe!! 😃💕
Wonderful idea of kitchen as a table
Nice kits . Fantastic 🥀🌼🙏🌸.
Enjoy the trip take care.
Thanks so much.lieosh.
Thanks, Snehlata! 😃💕 hehe… it’s a fun trip each and every day!!
Loved the blog and the art! Ever since I’ve joined your community, I’ve this immense urge every morning to do at least one sketch/watercolor. Thanks to you and fellow artists for the continuous encouragement and inspiration.
Thanks so much, Zertab! 😃💕Awesome!! I adore hearing that! That was exactly my hope when I built this community. It’s so much easier when you have others to inspire you with their work and cheer you on!
Loving the journey. Thank you for inviting us to join you.
Thanks, Mary! 😃💕So thrilled you joined the ride! 😉
I love that little palette, I won one of them last year during #worldwatercolormonth and I use it almost quite often.
Yay!! So thrilled you’re enjoying it! It was the model for the World Watercolor Month icon so it was fun give them away. Thrilled you got one and enjoy it! 😃💕
I really like your simple set up! Would you share what 9 colors you use the most? Thanks for your encouraging blog posts about sketching!
Thanks so much, Cathy! 😃💕 I’m actually playing with 3 new colors, so it’s everything listed minus Indigo, Vermilion, and Aureolin. But I’m really digging them, so my 9 could change soon. 😉
I am totally envious of your set up. LOL. I am not much for painting out doors either. When we went to the Grand Canyon, I took all my supplies along with every intention of painting but I never had a chance.
Thanks, Viki! 😃💕 I enjoy my set up! hehe… and it’s totally economical as well! So true… I always bring my supplies thinking I’ll paint outdoors and end up scribbling my hotel or Air Bnb later that night. Unless you’re with someone who is also sketching, it’s a bit rude and tough to pull off as well! hehe
Unfortunately, the discount code you offered above is invalid, per the website.
Ugh… sorry about that… I just put a note into Cheap Joe’s to see if they can fix it. 😊
I love this painting with all the reflections. It really is a pretty setup. I would say art supplies is right up there with a new pair of jeans. If I had to choose though, it would be the art supplies for sure.
Thanks so much, June! 😃💕 You know how I love shiny things!! hehe Yeah, I would totally choose art supplies first. But that “just right” pair of jeans, when your butt looks perfectly awesome? hmmm…. might be a toss up! LOL
Lol 😁😆
I love you, Charlie! You’re the best! You answer all the questions I have rolling around in my brain, so when I’m done reading your daily posts, all the punctuation has been completed. Thank you for taking the time to do all of the kind and time-consuming things you do for us (me) on DW. You make this a great arena and a ‘safe’ paint zone. THANK YOU! 🙂
Fanna Turano
Denver, CO
Aww… I love you back, Fanna! 😃💕 Thank you SO much for your kind words and encouragement! (and inventing the sunflower tote in the shop!! hehe) Showing up each day is a true challenge, and when someone loves what you do and takes the time to tell you, it’s the greatest gift in the world!! THANK YOU! I’m so appreciative!! 💕
You know that I love nature and while I totally admire plein air painters, I’m with you on painting indoors in a comfy chair with decent counterspace (and a stocked kitchen!). I constantly sketch and take notes in the field, but then I come home and make things look pretty. And while I wish I had the means and time to travel a lot more, thankfully I live in a location that’s actually a vacation destination so I’m kinda on vacation every day. 🙂 Thank you for sharing your colors and your system of doing things. This is great encouragement for people like me who don’t have a “studio” of their own. Creativity can happen anywhere!
P.S. Have you shared your 9 fav palette colors? If so, what are they??? 🙂
Aww thanks, Tonya! 😃💕 I’m SO thrilled I’m not alone there. I can sketch outside with the best of them, but painting is just different for me. I enjoy the indoors when it comes time for color. hehe… and also… here in the super hot heat of summer, it would screw up my washes by drying too fast!! I mentioned the original 9 in a previous comment, but to be honest, my 9 is currently in the process of changing a bit… playing with a new DV trio. 😉 Indigo is going to be a new regular player I think!