Multiple Sketchbooks

I always have multiple sketchbooks on hand to work in. I like a multimedia sketchbook that can handle watercolor and has a nice smooth surface for ink sketching too.

I’m still enjoying painting figures in watercolor and trying to remember that less is more.

Figure painting is a great way to warm up and explore.

I pulled out my ink brush pen not knowing what I wanted to sketch. I thought about the fun shapes the pen makes and started to experiment with flower centers. I kept playing and created this nice floral. I love the contrast in this sketch.

Sometimes you have to just jump in and sketch. If you don’t like it you can always turn the page and try something else. It’s a sketchbook after all and there are no rules. 😊

In this poppy painting there was a lot of experimenting with leaves and seed heads. The painting could use some darker colors. Maybe I will explore this further in another painting on heavier watercolor paper.

I hope you enjoyed this quick trip through my sketchbook. Until next time, share a smile and shine on!

-Patty Anne 💜

Join me on Instagram @pattyanneart

Inktober and Mini Landscapes

Today I have a few more #Inktober sketches to share as well as a few mini landscapes.

Hope your day is wonderful! 💚

I really enjoy sketching potted plants. For this sketch I used a few micron pens. I have a variety of sizes and colors in my collection. 😉 I decided to use sepia and burnt orange colors for this one.

This sketch I started with a few light pencil marks as a guide for the leaves and vines. It was fun to play and see what kind of shapes I could make with the pen.

When I attempted to remove the pencil markings with an eraser things started to go a little sideways… the ink smeared on me. Oh well that’s how it goes sometimes.

I worked on a few more mini landscapes in my 5 x 7 inch sketchbook. This one above was a quick five minute painting. I love the freshness you can achieve with when there’s no time for fussing.

I spent a few more minutes on this mini. These little landscapes are a nice warm up and a great way to build painting skills. I hope theses little paintings also lead to new ideas. I’m thinking about filling an entire sketchbook with more of these quick paintings.

I hope you are inspired to create art and have fun. Until next time, share a smile and shine on.

Patty Anne

Join me on Instagram at pattyanneart

Inktober Sketching 2022

Today I have a few ink sketches to share with you. My sketching time has been limited this month but I was able to find a little time to play in my sketchbook.

A little botanical sketch using my Pentel pocket brush pen. It’s been a very long time since I’ve used this pen and I’m not sure why. I love this pen!

A quick little floral playing with patterns on the flower petals.

Magnolia sketch playing with the brush pen

This sketch was done a little before October. I was really exploring what I could do with the long lost brush pen. 😊 I like that you can make delicate marks and fine lines as well as large bold stokes using this pen.

I hope you are inspired to create and have fun. Just grab a sketchbook, pen, and see what happens!

Until next time, share a smile and shine on. 💜

-Patty Anne

Join me on Instagram @pattyanneart

A few pages in my sketchbook

It’s been a while since I opened up my sketchbook for you. Today I have a variety of sketches made using pens and markers.

It’s been challenging getting nice photos of different pages in my sketchbook. It always seems to be either too bright or too dark when I’m taking photos of my artwork in winter… 🙂

I layered tiny flowers and vines in this sketch using both Tombow markers and Micron pens. The little unexpected blue leaves and flowers make me happy.

A practice page of flowers and leaves. I love how this little sampler turned out. It was a good way to try different colors together and see what works. Most importantly, it was fun and very relaxing.

A simple little bird sketch found its way into my sketchbook. I think I’m going to start adding more birds in my sketchbook.

Tulips with marker pens. I love how the stripes of different green markers look on the leaves. I played around using the large and small tip of the markers. Parts of this sketch I really like and other parts not so much but this is a sketch and it’s important to explore and try different things.

This was an in progress piece. While prepping the photo for this post, I accidentally rotated it to the left and now it feels complete. In my sketchbook the top of the page has the three magenta vines on top. I really like it better with them on the left as you see here.

I’m going to have to remember to try this with my paintings as well. Sometimes simply changing the orientation can make all the difference.

I hope you enjoyed this walk through my sketchbook. I encourage you to play and have fun sketching. I really need to remember to do more of this myself.

Until next time, share a smile and shine on!

🌻 🌼 Patty Anne 🌼🌻

Join me on Instagram at pattyanneart

Visit my shop on Society6

Inktober 2021 Sketching

Let’s take a stroll through my sketchbook today and I’ll show you a few of my recent #Inktober sketches.

Happy Thursday, friends! 💚

Sunflower

There are sketching prompts for each day of the month. Many people like to use the daily prompts but I like to sketch whatever inspires me at the moment.

Floral pattern play

This was the first page in my new sketchbook. I didn’t know what to sketch so I decided to just play and see what happened. I love this type of sketching because it often helps me develop ideas that I can use in future sketches or paintings.

Playful cityscape

I worked on a quirky cityscape in my small sketchbook. Something very different for me but kind of fun.

Happy Flower

One more flower to finish off our tour.

I hope you grab a pen and some paper and join in on the sketching fun. Until next time, share a smile and stay excellent.

🌸 Patty Anne 🌸

Join me on Instagram at pattyanneart

Visit my shop on Society6

Going back to the sea

I painted the base for an undersea sketch last month. I finally got around to adding more life to it with some ink sketching. Hope you enjoy seeing my progress.

Sometimes I need to leave a painting on my desk for a while and return to it later when the time is right.

This is a close up view as I started my sketch. I usually work on the ink detail over a few evenings. That way I’m not rushed and can enjoy the process. It also gives me an opportunity to step back and make decisions about where go next.

At this point, it was starting to feel more complete but not quite there yet.

Undersea – watercolor and ink sketch on 7 x 10 inch mixed media paper

After adding more leaves and other details below, I decided to call it finished. I wish I had used my larger mixed media sketchbook. Hopefully I’ll remember that next time. 😊

I’m getting excited about #Inktober2021 just around the corner. I purchased a new sketchbook and will be participating when I can. Hope you will be joining in too.

I hope you are inspired to create art and do more of what you love. We all need more of that. Until next time, share a smile and shine on!

🌸 Patty Anne 🌸

Join me on Instagram at pattyanneart

Visit my shop on Society6

Sunday sketchbook

I thought it would be fun to take you on a walk through my sketchbook today.

Happy Sunday! 💚

My sketchbook is filled with a lot of quick sketches. As you will see, I don’t spend much time on detail or shading. Below are a few of my recent favorites.

I like to play with shapes and work on different ideas.

My sketchbook is all about playing and having fun.

I do most of my sketching with a pen and that means no erasing. 😊

I think sketching that way builds muscle memory and confidence.

Sometimes a little floral sketch will inspire a painting.

I like to use a variety of micron pens in different sizes and colors. A colorful sketch like this one makes me smile. It’s fun to play with color and try out different combinations.

I love to doodle and sketch underwater life. My hope is that these little sketches will lead to more ideas and bigger projects.

I hope you enjoyed this quick stroll through my sketchbook. Until next time, keep playing and having fun.

🌸 Patty Anne 🌸

Join me on Instagram at pattyanneart

Undersea painting – watercolor and ink

I thought it would be fun to work on an underwater scene. I’m fascinated with sea life and really love visiting Aquariums.

Happy Sunday, friends! 💙

I painted some circles and fun shapes first. Then once it was dry, I started sketching on top.

In my sketchbook I practiced a bit and played with different pens and colors. It doesn’t look like much but it really helps build confidence before adding all of the ink detail on the final piece.

This is a close up of the finished piece. I really like this color palette of blue, green, and gold. I layered different shapes and used a variety of pens and markers from my stash.

It’s so much fun to just let go and see what happens.

7 x 10 inch mixed media- Ocean

I hope you are inspired to create art and do more of what you love. Thank you for stopping by and following along.

Until next time, share a smile and stay excellent!

🌸 Patty Anne 🌸

Join me on Instagram @pattyanneart

Soft flowers with ink detail

I have a sweet little floral to share with you today.

Happy Sunday, friends! 💚

I started out painting some pretty watercolor flowers and layered in some leaves and buds.

Soft pink and yellow petals combined with green gold leaves make up this palette today. I just love the layered petals and peekaboo flowers.

Adding ink sketching came next.

Outlining the petals and adding some detail in the center always wakes up my flowers. Some ink leaves and vines were added to balance things out and add some playfulness to the painting.

I hope you are inspired to create art and do more of what you love. Until next time, share a smile and stay excellent!

🌸 Patty Anne 🌸

Join me on Instagram @pattyanneart

Joyful flowers

I have a joyful sketch to share with you today. This simple piece makes me happy. I hope it brings you a smile as well.

Happy Sunday friends! 💙

I started out with some playful flower shapes using my two of my Tombow watercolor brush pens. Nothing difficult, just having fun. Oh, I love those colors!

9 x 12 inch – Love is Love

Then I used a pen to outline my flower petals and add a few simple touches. The ink pulls it all together and brightens up this playful piece.

Once again I am reminded that less is more 😊

I think this would make a lovely card. I’ll have to give that a go.

I hope you are inspired to create art and do more of what you love. Until next time, share a smile and sprinkle kindness everywhere!

🌸 Patty Anne 🌸

Join me on Instagram @pattyanneart