Written by Today is the first day of a brand new Doodlewash Adventure as we explore all of the fun bits of autumn! I’ll be sticking with watercolor and ink, but as always, your pen and ink sketches are totally welcome and you can always choose to follow my prompts or simply make whatever you like! So, if you’re participating in #Inktober2018 then all you need do is also add the hashtag #doodlewashOctober2018 when you post and you can effectively conquer two challenges at the very same time! Cool, huh? I thought about using a bit more ink in honor of Inktober, or going with an ink only sketch here and there, but I just love color too much and, for me anyway, that comes from a bit of watercolor wash. All through college I only really enjoyed drawing, but today, I can’t possible leave a sketch alone without splashing some watercolor on it. And I couldn’t be happier! Just like I couldn’t be happier that it’s autumn here again. I can’t wait to visit a farmer’s market or, better yet, an apple orchard like I did when I was a kid. Though apples are certainly delightful as they come, I’m equally thrilled about the apple pies Philippe makes this time of year.
When we were at Trader Joe’s this past weekend, Philippe bought a gigantic bag of apples saying that he was going to make a pie. A day later, when no pie had appeared, the little kid in me couldn’t take it anymore. But the adult in me has much more couth, so I simply started hinting at the issue. Moving something on the edge of the table where the prize was sitting and casually saying, “Oh wow! I totally forgot you bought all of those apples!” When this failed to trigger the proper reaction, I moved on to what I hoped were more explicit suggestions, but still no pie was appearing. I finally broke down and just begged. I’ve no pride at all when it comes to dessert and no shame at all for admitting that fact. So last night he unveiled, not a pie, but his newly imagined apple crumble and tonight, I’ll be having another happy scoop. It’s truly amazing and worth every bit of begging it took to make it appear. It’s funny that he always manages to take what I thought were my childhood favorites and improve upon them. This crumble was insanely good, and made from a third of the sugar and butter one might typically find there. He’s truly a culinary magician.
While I’m quickly sketching whatever appears here, Philippe is making dinner. I love this ritual because it’s like we’re sharing an art studio, while working in completely different mediums. But as he thinks out loud and makes he choices for the night, I learn a lot along the way. With so many choices when it comes to my daily sketches, I can often feel a bit overwhelmed. Sometimes, I have an idea that’s burning in my soul for a post, so I know exactly what I need to illustrate for it. Other times, I’m rushed and glancing at the prompt just as the work day ends, with absolutely no idea in mind. And though I would love to be that someone who always has the most clever idea to display, sometimes, like today, I’ll just end up with a basket of fruit. I’ve realized during the course of my sketching journey that it simply doesn’t matter what we create. What matters most is that we simply show up each and every day to create it. Those clever ideas will surely appear, but in the meantime, there’s gold to be found in just showing up and picking apples.
Join Us For The October 2018 Art Challenge!
Click Here To Learn More!
About the DoodlewashDa Vinci Paint Co.: Aureolin, Vermilion, and Indigo (My “Vintage” Trio!). 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! |
 |
|
Love your apples! They’d be a lovely tabletop decoration. I know it means I’m a bit flaky, but I never cared for pie crust. Apple crumble on the other hand …. sigh. Not on my diet!
Thanks so much, Sandra! 😃💕hehe… nothing wrong with being flaky… at least I have to believe that myself! lol And yeah, even this apple crumble, with it’s decreased sugar is not really on anyone’s diet, but it’s soooo good! hehe
Those apples look so delicious and the basket looks real. I love the colors you chose. I think I might just take myself to the orchard tomorrow. Apple crumble is a wonderful dessert. Nice of Philippe to make it for you. I am sure he enjoyed it as well. His recipes always sound so delicious. I am going right now to your shop and buy that cookbook I promised myself. 🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎
Aww thanks, June!! 😃💕 If you buy that cookbook! Do let us know what you make from it! We would love to hear it!! I’ve actually requested things from that book and Philippe asks me what he put in it. I always say… “We have a BOOK! Look it up!” lol He does and is delighted that we managed to capture a few things. 😉
Yep, bought the book. Can’t wait to receive it. Thank you.
Aww yay! Thanks so much, June! 😃💕Hope you enjoy it! Please let us know what you think!
Love the idea of having a variety in terms of a changing landscape, colours, temperature and wardrobe! :D.
Not something we have here in the tropics where it is either rain or sunshine; but we do have our seasonal fruits like Durian, Rambutan and Mangosteens when we stuff ourselves silly, and then pine for it for the rest of the year when the season is over 😀
Keep those autumn colours coming!
Hehe! I love your seasons, Maria! They sound perfectly grand! 😃💕I think the idea of seasons is a wonderful concept. It simply means you have to wait for certain things and that just makes them all the more special!
Your Apple n the basket are fabulous. Here session of Apple started.u r basket is very cute for decorating the table.but if i will copy it people will throw me haha. Don’t worry not so.Thanks lie.
Thanks my friend! 😃💕 Hehe… copy away if you like, just add a credit. 😉 Or, better yet, let your mind wander a bit and see what version it inspires!
Amazing basket and apples! I love apple crumble. My mom made the best, but my adult daughter makes a very close second.
Thanks so much, Sharon! 😃💕 Yeah, apple crumble is insanely good! I think I prefer it even to apple pie!
Now you have me thinking apple pie! I think I’ve eaten four apples so far this season and I was perfectly happy with that until you said pie! Dang it! 😁😁
Lol… yeah, “pie” changes everything… it’s when fruit gets its party on and proves just how amazing it is! 😉 😃💕
Charlie says: “there’s gold to be found in just showing up and picking apples.”
Yes!
That is a crisply delicious piece of wisdom and truth!
Thanks, Sarah! 😃💕 I think that’s all I really do these days. Show up, think a bit, and write and draw. I’m so thrilled you find wisdom and truth in what comes out!
Wonderful apples, Charlie!! Love this time of year when you walk through the doors at the grocery store and you can smell the fresh apples. Love that smell…brings back wonderful childhood memories.
Thanks, Mary! 😃💕 And I agree! All the smells this time of year are even better! hehe…. such wonderful memories there!
Will Phillipe share his crumble recipe with your subscribers? You had me at insanely.
I’ve just asked him, but he never writes anything down…. which is why I coerced him into making our cookbook. I’ll keep working on it though and see if I can’t get him to do so! 😉
Very nice apples and basket…I am participating in inktober2018 for the first time….I also find it difficult to use only one ink or color…Watercolor is definitely more interesting and colorful…But to understand the light and shadow, textures, value etc , I think the ink and wash and pen and ink studies are helpful. I totally agree with you that it is more important to create daily…Afterall, the Rome was not built in a day….
Thanks, Anita! 😃💕 And so true! I always use ink and love inking my way through things. But my use of color is uncontrollable when it comes to watercolor. hehe… I tend to blend the two into something singular, and that’s come across as quite as Inktober then. 😉 But in tonight’s post I discovered mashing up the Inktober prompts with the Doodlewash ones can be really cool!
Love this story, Charlie – you and Philippe at home, each perfecting what you do best, Phineas, I’m sure, licking up the spills. The painting is a masterpiece – this one you should hang. I can see a whole wall of these watercolors running around the perimeter of the kitchen, showing off the bounty of the seasons and the passion of your avocation. All while Philippe serves something delicious for dinner.
Thanks, Sharon! 😃💕 hehe… can you believe we don’t have one of my watercolors hanging? This mostly stems from the fact that Philippe changes his mind each day on which one we should print. 😊So I’m thrilled at least we have a copy of our cookbook sitting out so at least in some small way we have a visual of our fun interaction!