Departure

I was reminded this week that I used to do drawings/paintings of all kinds of things, from recipe ingredients to flowers to street scenes, in my sketchbook, but that since I took up portraits, that's all I have painted for a few years now. And, well, although they are still my first love, it is possible to get a little stale no matter what your subject matter. So when I saw a photo of Lynn's hollyhocks on Facebook this week and remembered having painted them once before, I decided to do a new painting of that subject, with nary a face to be seen.

This is pencil and watercolor on 90-lb. Strathmore watercolor paper, 9x12 (including a 1/2-inch border all around). It's good to keep your skills up with other subject matter occasionally!

Here are my other hollyhock paintings—one done in France in 2013, the other done from a photo in 2019 as part of the 30x challenge.

Canine Cutie

Today's watercolor and Uniball sketch is Marlie J. Dogg, the bookstore manager and all-around potentate in the household of L.S. Quinn, Executive Director of The Reading Room CLE in Cleveland Ohio, aka Galinda Upland (don't ask me!).

Marlie has ruled that roost for several years now as the worthy successor of Cha-Cha the Beloved, and I have signally failed thus far in my duty to memorialize her in art. So today, here she is in all her heavily ironic glory, giving us a slightly jaundiced grin and a wink from the comfort of her car bed (which I took the liberty of rendering in color instead of sticking to its rather dull charcoal). I know she is a highly discerning critic, but humbly hope she will be at least satisfied, if not flattered by, this fond portrait.

Drawn in Uniball pen and embellished with Paul Jackson signature watercolors on 90-lb. Strathmore watercolor paper, @ 9x12 inches. All Hail Mighty Marlie.