this is like having a new bag of potato chips to eat when you have only eaten tortilla chips for a year

These are my new little watercolor/sketch pads.  I needed something I could easily throw in my purse or the car.  The one on top is 6x6 square and the one underneath is a landscape orientation and measures about 5 1/2 x 8 1/2.  

It was very fun experimenting with how this cold press paper takes ink and watercolor.  Very different from the hot press paper I have in my other journals.   I like it.  It really draws the ink and water in quickly.   The water soluble ink does bleed but it takes a bit more water to make it happen.  I am still in love with hot press paper, but this is like having a new bag of potato chips to eat when you have only eaten tortilla chips for a year.   If you know what I mean.  

I fully intend to draw this bottle of ink no less than 10 more times, but holy crap - the first time was fun!  So was doing the zinnia and practicing writing with my new paint brushes with water color.   It is very freeing to grab an inexpensive little book and just start without thinking too much. Thinking is so over-rated. 

I sketched the nasturtiums out back and the columbine out front.  The squirrel out front with the big nut in his mouth that went scurrying across my porch did not stop long enough for me to capture his image.  It might have been because I told him he better not even think about burying that nut in one of my pots.  

Comments

[Amy at love made my home]

I so enjoy your sketching and drawing Carol, you have such a great free and relaxed style that I love. xx

[emie]

I love seeing your sketches.... thank you so much for sharing.... I think the sketching bug is catching on and this is one "bug" I don't mind having!

[Janet Ghio]

I really like these small sketchbooks--very doable!

[Heidi]

Inspiring! I intend to follow your lead today and sketch and paint outside...and try to be loose (not my strong suit).

[Diamond Cloud Studio]

Yes sometimes thinking is so over rated! Love that.and your books are looking so yummy, I so much want to start drawing too!

[Loretta]

I am having a similar but opposite bag of chips - I am learning how to use hot press after years of cold press. I love the larger Handbook and just bought the moleskine size one. I like the paper in the watercolor Handbook better than the moleskine.

So many chips to eat!

[Sharron]

Great minds provisioning with metaphorical bags of potato chips together!
Yesterday a visit to my local art store resulted in an unprecedented acquisition of three new Stillman & Birn sketchbooks, didn't seem to be able to choose which size to get...so.....
Hugs!

[Joan]

sorry for this double post...I put this in the comments in yesterdays blog posting about the bathing suit and eating your friends lunch...so kind of you!

So here it is: Just a FYI, Carol: Fabriano Artistico makes a paper called "soft", it's a cross between hot press & cold. Better for fountain pen ink drawing as it's smoother than cold press, but also allows watercolor paint to retain that sparkle that we all love about watercolor.

Noodler's bulletproof ink is good to draw with. Lexington Gray fades right into the watercolor...

So glad you're enjoying your new sketchbooks, play is so important.

[Diana]

Love your nasturtium leaf sketches so much - they're so fresh and spontaneous-looking. The blue shadows - perfect!