Advent Calendar 2024

I've completed my 14th Advent Calendar.  It's always a blessing for me to reflect, draw, and color using seasonal images and words, often taken from scripture, hymns, and prayers.

This year, with Advent starting on December 1, my calendar grid works best with four rows of six, and a center oval for Christmas Day.  So the Sunday spaces (where I draw candles) occur diagonally.  Each drawing space is small, about 1-3/4" high, and it may look a bit fuzzy or faded above.  For a better view, click on the image.

If you'd like to see my calendar drawings from past years, click here.

• Copic markers
• Pen: Copic multiliner 0.3, 0.2, and 0.1 black
• Paper: Neenah
• Words and sources:
• 12/1  We are leaving ordinary time  (My calendar each year starts with these words which point out the wonder of the Advent time, looking forward to Christmas and the birth of Jesus.  And in the church year, our long season of "ordinary time" - the summer and fall weeks after Pentecost - has now ended)
• 12/2  Holy and Mighty (Trisagion hymn, "Holy God, holy and mighty, holy immortal one, have mercy upon us")
• 12/3  Fulfill the promise;  12/4  A righteous Branch;  12/5  Live in safety (Jeremiah 33:14-16)
  
• 12/6  Be alert (Luke 21:36
  
• 12/7  Gloria in Excelsis (Luke 2:14 "Glory to God in the highest ...")
  
• 12/8  Grace 
• 12/9-10  No words
• 12/11  Greet with joy! (Collect for 2nd Sunday in Advent, Book of Common Prayer, "... that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer ...")
  
• 12/12  The desert shall rejoice (Isaiah 35:1)
• 12/13  Love
• 12/14  Lift high your praise! (Advent hymn, "Prepare the way, O Zion")
• 12/15-16  No words
• 12/17  Rejoice in the Lord always - Again I say, Rejoice!  (Philippians 4:4)
• 12/18  Hope 
• 12/19  Angels we have heard on high (Hymn) 
• 12/20  Trust
• 12/21  Dayspring (Advent hymn, "O come, O come Emmanuel") 
• 12/22  Come, Emmanuel (same source as 12/21) 
• 12/23  Bless
• 12/24   Filled with expectation (Luke 3:15)
• 12/25  Christ the Savior is born!  (Hymn, "Silent night, holy night")
  

Advent Calendar 2022

I've finished my Advent calendar, the 12th since I began in 2008.  It's always a meaningful way for me to reflect, draw, and color using seasonal images and words, often taken from scripture, hymns, and prayers.  

Each drawing space is small, about 1-5/8" high, and it may look a bit fuzzy or faded above.  For a better view, click on the image.  If you'd like to see my calendar drawings from past years, click here.

• Copic markers
  
• Pen: Copic multiliner
• Words and sources:
• 11/27  We are leaving ordinary time  (My calendar each year starts with these words which point out the wonder of the Advent time, looking forward to Christmas and the birth of Jesus.  And in the church year, our long season of "ordinary time" - the summer and fall weeks after Pentecost - has now ended.)
• 11/28 Hope of all the earth Thou art (hymn - Come Thou Long-expected Jesus)
• 11/29 A light to the nations  (Luke 2:32)
  
• 11/30 Joy
  
• 12/1  Born a child, and yet a King (hymn - Come Thou Long-expected Jesus)
• 12/2  He shall reign forever and ever - Hallelujah!  (Handel's Messiah - Hallelujah chorus)
  
• 12/3  Peace
  
• 12/4  Grace
  
• 12/5  Let each heart prepare a home (hymn "On Jordan's Bank." There are various translations of the lyrics. My hymnal reads, "Let each heart prepare a home where such a mighty Guest may come.")
• 12/6-8 and 13-15  Unto us a child (Isaiah 9:6)
• 12/9 The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him. (Isaiah 11:2)
• 12/10  The wilderness shall be glad. (from Isaiah 35:1)
• 12/11  Happy are they whose hope is in the Lord. (from Psalm 146:4)
• 12/12  Holy and mighty  (Trisagion hymn - "Holy Lord, holy and mighty, holy immortal one, have mercy upon us.")
• 12/16  Love
• 12/17  Stars keep watch (hymn - People, Look East) 
• 12/18  O come, Emmanuel (hymn)
• 12/19  Pour light upon us (hymn - O Heavenly Word - "pour light upon us from above, and fire our hearts with ardent love") 
• 12/20  Mercy
• 12/21  Wait
• 12/22  Awake
• 12/23  The day is near (Romans 13:12)
• 12/24  Anticipate ...
  

Triangles Doodle

Bright triangles balancing on a gray stairstep. 

In real life, the orange and pink colors are less similar.

• Copic marker colors used: C3, R35, Y15, YR15, G07, BG45
• Pen: Copic multiliner 0.5 black
• Paper: Neenah, cut down to 3 x 4-1/4"

Birthday Wishes

A small, sketchy drawing of birthday treats ... party hat, cake, pinwheel, and balloons ... on a black mat.  I'll mount it on some turquoise patterned paper and add a note inside for a special birthday card.  I know the recipient will enjoy it.

• Copic marker colors used: Custom color R290, R08, RV95, Y19, BG10,57, E23,25,29,37,71
• Pen: Copic multiliner 0.1 black, white gel pen for highlights
• Paper: Neenah, cut down to 3-1/2" square
• Words: Birthday Wishes

New Year 2018

A joyful verse from the Gospel of John from our Sunday scriptures.  Entering into 2018, I'm trusting in God's grace to carry me through.  I doodled a vine for "joy" and added a sunrise sky. 

• Copic marker colors used: Custom color G143, G17, B41,45, R00,02,32
• Pen: Copic multiliner 0.2 and 0.5 black
• Paper: Neenah, cut down to 4.25 x 5.5"
• Words: Joy, 2018, and "From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.  John 1:16"

New Year 2017

For the start of a new year. a doodled green "New" in a beautiful verse from Isaiah.

• Copic marker colors used: Y15 (airbrushed), G07,14,17, YG05
• Pen: Copic multiliner 0.2 and 0.5 black
• Paper: Neenah, cut down to 4.25 x 5.5"
• Words: See, the former things have come to pass - and new things I now declare.  Isaiah 42:9a

Pineapple - Watercolor

One of our art group participants brought in a pineapple last week.  So I painted it.  I'm happy with it, except for the bottom edge of the fruit. 

• Dr. Ph. Martin's radiant concentrated watercolor numbers 1A, 2A, 11A, 12A, 13A, 14A.  For more information about the watercolors, including my color chart, see this post.
• Paper: Canson Montval watercolor block, 140 lb. cold press, 4x6"

Bright Tropical Blossoms

A pebbly pot with bright tropical blossoms.  Doubling the black lines made a big difference on the flowers and leaves. 

• Copic marker colors used: Custom color YYR2000, R02,29,35, Y08, B32+"0" colorless blender+ G12 on alternate horizontal stripes, E84 + "0" and E81 for some pebbles, E87, W5, YG05, G07
• Pen: Copic multiliner 0.3 black; white gel pen for highlights
• Paper: Neenah, cut down to 4.25 x 5.5"

January Daily Drawings - Completed

I'm trying a "daily drawing" idea for January and maybe beyond, with a computer-printed grid like my annual Advent calendars.  Each rectangle is 1-7/16" x 1-5/8".  The drawings can look blurry in the blog post, so please click on the image for a better view. 

The small spaces work well for me to focus, relax, and draw what I see.  My subjects are things inside our house.
Week 1: Garlic, a poinsettia center, blackberries, a shell, a tomato, a knit hat, a silver pin.
Week 2: Flat leafed parsley, a rug motif, a cup, spool of thread, crocheted lace edge, candle snuffer on ruffle edged dish, can of colored pencils.
Week 3: Layer cake, turtle necklace, ginger root, a radish, basket with mail, small gold-tone scissors with ribbon, pottery candlestick.
Week 4: Green onions, a leaflet of grape ivy, staple remover, folded cloth, a satin bow, slice of pie (apple-cranberry-raisin), part of a tea strainer. 

• Copic markers and multiliners:  I don't plan to list them all, but if you'd like to know, please leave me a comment, and I'll be happy to add more details.  I used a Signo Uni-ball white gel pen to draw the lace for January 15 and to add some highlights on a few other days.  Also a Signo Uni-ball gold gel pen for January 19.
• Paper: Neenah

Bright Circles and L's

Our friends Andy and Sybil visited for the weekend, and of course Sybil and I needed to draw and color something.  We sat on the sofa after dinner and picked "rosettes with circles and L's" as the starting point for our drawings.

My doodle used the rosette steps, sort of, but my end result doesn't have a rosette shape.  It looks more like a mobile to me.  Sybil called it a molecule.  Simple and bright and a nice reminder of all our drawing times together.

• Paper, pen, and Copic marker colors: all from Sybil's travel bag, and I didn't write them down.
• Paper size: 7 x 7"

New Year's Drawing for 2014

A New Year's doodle with bright, simple colors.  Wishing a Happy 2014 to all!

For my husband and me, this will be a year of change - in a good way - and much in our life will be new.  I expect it will sometimes feel sketchy and improvised, sometimes mismatched and a bit too vibrant.  But with all the excitement of colors and a blank piece of paper!

• Copic marker colors used: R35, YR04,21, V17, B24, YG05
• Pen: Copic multiliner 0.3 black
• Paper: Neenah, cut down to A2 size (4.25 x 5.5")
• Words: Behold, I make all things new - Revelation 21:5

Nativity with Three Kings - 2013

It's now the end of the twelve days of Christmas - today is Epiphany, when the Three Kings (also known as wise men, or magi) brought their gifts of gold, myrrh, and frankincense to the baby Jesus.  I enjoyed drawing with simple geometric shapes to start my scene.  The rich colors and stiff shapes of the Kings are a nice contrast with the softer, more natural shapes and colors of the Holy Family.

I have two more drawings that fit with the "Three Kings" story line - one taking place before and one after this.   Click here for the kings approaching Bethlehem.  And here for the angel's warning to Joseph, after the kings departed.

For all my Advent and Christmas related drawings, click on the "Advent-Christmas" label below, or in the label list to the right of the screen. 

• Copic marker colors used: 0.2 black multiliner, W1,3,5, YR14,15,27, Y15,26,27, R00,02,56,59, RV32, B63, V000,04,17, BV04,20, BG10,53,70, YG05,21,23, G14,21,43, E000,00,04,11,23,25,41,49,53,71,95
• Paper: Neenah, cut down to 3-3/4 x 5"

2011 Highlights - New Year's Drawing

A bit of art journaling for the new year. I was inspired by Illustration Friday's word for the week, "highlight." With black Copic 0.3 multiliner, I drew some wavy lines, then wrote some words - events, moments, experiences, and choices that highlight 2011 for me as a good year.

I airbrushed with my Copic markers in rough sections between the wavy lines (not masking, not trying to be too even). Then I drew white lines, dots, and squiggles with colorless blender "0" and colored in a few small areas. It was a very good way for me to look back at 2011. Happy 2012 to all!

• Copic marker colors used: Y15, YR15, RV34, BV04, BG45, G14, C0, colorless blender "0" to make the white lines and dots on the airbrushed colors
  
• Paper: Neenah, cut down to 4-1/4 x 5-1/2"
  
• Words: 2011 Highlights - work, quiet, exercise, music, prayer, laughter, hugs, prayer, home*, pots of tea, health, the moon, veggie box, dancing, joy, love, thank yous, singing, safety, art supplies, landscape, listening, *where the heart is, friends, family, birds, ferry, good books, geraniums
  

Flower Drawing with Color-Bleed Background

A very small drawing (2 x 3-1/4") with a bright, stained-glass background. I wanted simple, heavy lines to stand out against a busy background. So I used a Copic 1.0 multiliner, instead of my usual 0.2 or 0.3 weight.

Before I colored my drawing, I scanned it for future use on greeting cards. To see how I used it, click here for the post on my other blog, Mostly Markers- Cards. If the Copic marker color-bleed background appeals to you, you may also want to click here for a different card example that I did yesterday with the technique.

The background was very easy to make using Julia Stainton's color-bleed grid technique, posted on Ellen Hutson's educational CLASSroom blog. I separated my blue-green and red-orange sections with a stripe of yellow. My background colors are Copic Y15, YG05, YR04, R35, R24, and BG45.

After the paper was dry from my "0" colorless blender drips, I added some Copic markers on top of my background pattern. I used some strong reds on the flowers (YR09, RV29, R08, and R59), and muted greens and blue on the leaves and ground area (G24 on the leaves, BG93 on the lower ground stripe, and BG53 for the upper ground stripe). For the leaves and ground, I colored gently in long soft strokes, so as not to disturb the "drips" pattern underneath. I really like how the pattern still shows through.

Paper: Neenah solar white

Sweater Love

I love sweaters. The colors, the textures, the cozy feeling. I love knitting sweaters. I love wearing sweaters. So I couldn't pass up Illustration Friday's word for the week, "sweater." And with Valentine's Day tomorrow, a few hearts seemed to fit right in.

My drawing posts on this blog are fewer lately, because I've been making greeting cards, posted on my other blog "Mostly Markers - Cards." Today's drawing also became a card - a Valentine for my husband.

• Copic marker colors used: Custom color B2000, B45, BV00, V12,15,17, RV06, R00,02,35,59
  
• Paper: Neenah, cut down to 4.25 x 5.5"
  

New Year's Resolutions for 2011

My New Year's resolutions for 2011, doodled and decorated. After the tiny drawings for my 2010 Advent Calendar (click here to see it), I enjoyed working on something larger and looser.

The words are: "2011 resolutions: More prayer, exercise, joy, gratitude, art, fruits and veggies, singing, rest." I placed "resolutions" vertically on the page, with most of the other words crossing it. Inspired by Illustration Friday's word for the week, "resolutions."

For my 2010 New Year's Blessings drawing, click here.

• Copic marker colors used: mostly RV17, BG45, B24, B26, R35, YR07, G14, YG05, V04, V15
  
• Paper: Neenah, 8.5 x 11"

Bright Flowers with Orange and Purple

After my orange and purple watercolor background (shown below) was dry, I added the line drawing of flowers and leaves, and colored them with my markers. I like the bright background combined with flowers that are even brighter.

• Copic marker colors used: G21, YG63, RV06, V04, YR09
• Watercolor background: Dr. Ph. Martin's radiant concentrated watercolors - orange 2A, cherry red 6A, and violet 10A. One or two drops of liquid watercolor in 1/4 teaspoon of water. For more information about the watercolors, including my color chart, see this post.
• Paper: Canson Montval watercolor block, 140 lb. cold press, 4x6"

Snail Trail

Garden snails. So cute. Except when they eat the flowers.

My doodle was inspired by Illustration Friday's word for the week, "trail."

• Copic marker colors used: R08,59, G14,17, B05, BG49
• Paper: Neenah
  

Teapot with Cup - and Sybil's Teapot

An early morning pot of tea is my favorite way to start the day. For this simple drawing (above), I used a heavy line - 0.8 Copic multiliner, instead of my usual 0.2 or 0.3. Inspired by last week's Illustration Friday word, "early." I drew it from life, but I changed the teapot color and added the green cloth.

• Copic marker colors used: Table E43,44; Background airbrush E43; Cloth G21 with BG93 lines and dots, shaded with airbrush BG96; Cloth edge G24,28; Cup, spoon, and tea C0,3, E00,33, B26, BG93, G24,28, Y15, R24; Teapot base color Custom color B2000, dotted with R02, E11,43, BG32,72,93, B21,45, shaded with airbrush C3
  
• Paper: Neenah
  

Added May 31,2010: See below (posted with her permission) for my friend Sybil's teapot drawing, which she e-mailed to me after she saw my drawing. She drew it a few years ago "in response to a wonderful exhibit at an art museum ... all kinds of artsy teapots." Wonderful patterns, colors, and shapes. For more of her drawings and a link to her blog, click on "Sybil's drawings" below or in the label list to the right.

Red and Blue Swirls

A pencil doodle from my small sketchbook. Lines inked with red and blue pen. Colored (including the page edges) with red and blue markers.

• Pens: Cobalt Copic multiliner 0.3; red Uni-ball gel impact pen 1.0 (does not smear or bleed with Copic markers)
  
• Copic marker colors used: B21,26, R24,29
  
• Paper: Strathmore medium drawing paper, natural white, 4x6"