watercolors and gouache in pocket moleskine sketchbook

after the last post we had a couple of weeks of hot, smoky weather, then it cleared up and cooled off - and i was outside walking as much as i could.  seeing what the end of summer looked like in the forest.  here it is september 8...

i finished the pocket moleskine sketchbook i was working in; the painting above is one of the last pages.  instead of buying a new book for my 'daily book', i'm using the book i made with arches text wove (last post).   

this paper is truly a joy to paint on; having the pages be a little thicker is the only improvement i can imagine...   i'm doing pencil drawings on the backs of pages when i don't want anything to show through on the front side.

watercolors and gouache on arches text wove

paintings i did before i made  it my 'daily book'.

watercolors on arches text wove

if you research arches text wove you'll often read that it's good for 'light watercolor washes'.  i've found it to be good for light and heavy applications of watercolor.  it's strong paper and colors layer beautifully on it.

my newest love...   i read about watercolor paper coming in 'pochettes', which is a fancy way of saying pieces of paper inside a cover.  i thought 'aha!  i can make a pochette!'  

watercolors on BFK rives

i cut the text block out of an old book, then i ripped up sheets of BFK rives printmaking paper and saunders waterford 90# hot press watercolor paper.   these paintings are on BFK rives, a 100% cotton paper that i *love*.  i bought the cream color and it is luscious.

BFK rives on the left and saunders waterford 90# hot press on the right.  the saunders waterford is smooth but still has a bit of tooth.  it's the only hot press paper i've ever tried that i like.  and it's off-white, not white, which is a big plus for me.

using the same colors i painted on BFK rives (left) and in my little arches text wove book.  i couldn't choose a favorite - they're both gorgeous papers.

the front of my 'pochette'.  it was a book of fairy tales by nathaniel hawthorne...  i made the closure with 1/8" elastic and an old button.

watercolors in strathmore 500 series mixed media journal

and one more new paper!  a 40% off coupon was burning a hole in my pocket when i went to the big city to get my car fixed, so i got a soft cover strathmore 500 series mixed media journal.  again, *nice* paper!  also 100% cotton and a joy to paint on.

watercolors and gouache in strathmore 500 series mixed media journal

you can buy series 500 mixed media paper in sheets, too.

 maybe my biggest painting love - the little watercolor book that i take out walking.  i'm almost finished in it...

there's something special about painting outside, and i know i've said it before.

flies may be bombarding you, and squirrels might scold you continuously until you think they'll have a heart attack, but you keep going,

doing the best you can do while swatting flies and worrying about squirrel heart attacks.

and one more big  love...   

left in this tree, which has orange paint on it because it marks the boundary of a 'partial cut unit' in the national forest. 

it's been a wonderful summer for me, and i hope it has been for you, too...  

* * *

ink in pocket moleskine sketchbook, quote found on tumblr ~ thanks M!