Peace Angel

It's too soon for Christmas, but never too soon for an angel of peace and good will.  

Starting from my 2022 Advent calendar, I redrew it to be larger and with a full set of wings on the left.  It will be the image for my 2023 Christmas card. 

• Copic marker colors used: BG10, B01,21, BV31, V25, R02, E37,41,53, Y21, YR21, C0,1, Custom color G143
• Pen: Micron 03 black
  
• Paper: Neenah, cut down to A2 (4-1/4 x 5-1/2")
  
• Words: Peace
  

Sketch - Cezanne Inspired

Getting warmed up for February's Cezanne inspired project, I did this rough pencil sketch with a Bible verse that echoed the feeling of abundance in the original painting.  I added a bit of coloring, then set it aside, thinking I might use it for another drawing. 

But the longer it sat on my table, the more it seemed complete in itself, and the words developed layers of meaning for me as time went on.  So three months later, I'm calling it done.  Sometimes my scratchiest sketches make me happy without needing a polished end point.

• Copic marker colors used: W1, 3; Y13; YR21, 30; YG05, 21; E81; V000, 22; BV31; B41
• Colored pencils, a very old set of Venus Spectracolor: ultramarine, orange, olive green, scarlet lake, terra cotta, and orange-yellow
• Paper: printer paper, cut down to 4-1/4 x 5-1/2"
• Words: From His fullness we have all received grace upon grace. - John 1:16

Lenten Calendar 2019

Since I didn't draw a calendar for this past Advent season, I was very ready to start one for Lent!  I've kept it simple, just a few words from the season's scriptures or prayers, as they connect to my daily events and experiences, with a bit of drawing and coloring.  Note: each drawing space is small, about an inch wide, so you may want to click on the drawing for a better view. 

Added Saturday, April 20, 2019:  This is my finished calendar update, with the drawings complete through today in Holy Week. Though my drawings end with the sorrow and darkness of Holy Saturday, there is joy in our faith of Easter's resurrection.

In the past, I've used a variety of templates (click here for more of my Lent and Easter posts, or here for my Advent calendar posts).  You can find this grid and other templates on my friend Sybil's Praying in Color blog, along with her current Lent calendar drawing. 

• Copic markers; colored pencil for April 1 bench
• Pen: Copic multiliner 0.3, 0.5, and 1.0 black
• Paper: Neenah
• Words:
• Week 1: Ash; Slow; Draw near; Wash
• Week 2: The time is now; Rough; Give me vision; Walk - put one foot in front of the other; Look for truth; Make in us new and contrite hearts; Spare your people, O Lord
• Week 3: Sustain; Gather; Trust; Seek Him; Wait patiently for the Lord; Show me your way, O Lord; Sounds of great gladness
• Week 4: Deeply; Keep me safe; Read and meditate; Come to me, all who are weary and heavy laden -
• Week 5: And I will give you rest; Teach me; Mercy; Be reconciled to God; Who gives life to the world
• Week 6: For our sake; Lift up your hearts; He remembers that we are but dust; I will guide you with my eye; Now is the day of salvation; Hide not; Forgive
• Week 7: Hosanna; Oh... hush... ; Gifts of God; Darkness.

Nativity - 2018

Though I took a break this year and didn't draw an Advent calendar, I finished a small Nativity drawing today.  Wishing the blessings of Christmas to all! 

• Copic marker colors used: Custom color B2000, B000,63, R00,32, RV55,66, YR21,24,27, E00,04,25
• Colored pencil (for halos): Venus Spectracolor, sand 1437
• Pen: Copic multiliner 0.3 black
• Paper: Neenah, cut down to 3 x 3-3/4"

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"

Lenten Calendar 2017

It's been several years since my last Lenten calendar, and it felt very good to create one this year.   I used a cross template drawn by my friend Sybil, adding a few lines and a "Lent 2017" heading.

The drawing spaces are quite small, typically 3/4" - 1" wide, and in my post, the image will look a bit blurry, so please click on it for a better view.  Each day's space is very simple - a word or phrase chosen from the daily scriptures or prayers in a Lenten meditation booklet, with a simple drawing or just a bit of color.  I like the little icon spaces and the overall color and energy that emerged.

If you'd like to consider this for next year's Lent, click here for more info, including several templates.  Sybil posted her completed 2017 calendar here.  For all of my Lent and Easter drawings and calendars, click here.  For my Advent calendars, click here.

• Copic markers
• Pen: Copic multiliner 0.3, 0.5, and 1.0 black
• Paper: Neenah
• In filling in the template, I moved back and forth unevenly from the bottom, saving the spaces in the cross for Ash Wednesday and Holy Week.  So I'll list my words by row (row 1 is at the bottom) instead of by date.
• Cross: (starting from bottom) Ash Wed. We are dust. And God loves us.; you welcomed me; entrusting; (Holy Saturday) no words; (Left to right) Love one another; good; how very good; Hosanna; (Top of cross: Easter Sunday) Risen!
• Row 1: wilderness; connect us; bound by love; all things in common; our hope for healing
• Row 2: mighty to save; fellowship in Jesus; love one another; we are God's field; where 2 or 3 are gathered
• Row 3: humility; no words; if we satisfy others' needs, he will satisfy our needs; embrace and hold fast; he is our peace; revive my soul
• Row 4: we are created in God's image; do not fear; show mercy; no words; keep us; your will be done
• Row 5: in one spirit; serve one another; Christ the true bread; compassion; no words; that we may have life
• Row 6: no words; do not be afraid; varieties of gifts; glorify; grace to love; persevere
• Row 7: peace be with you; encourage one another; break every yoke; no words

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

Red, White, and Blue with Tan Frame

Some red, white, and blue for the Fourth of July.  I'm thankful for my country and those who protect our freedoms.

After I airbrushed the tan frame with E33 and 44, I drew a tan line with the E33 marker. 

• Copic marker colors used: B24,26,39, R24,29,56, E33,44
• Pen: Copic multiliner 0.5 black
• Paper: Neenah, cut down to 4-1/4 x 5-1/2"
• Words: Thankful - July 4, 2016

Curls of Ribbon

Curving lines that flow like curls of ribbon.  Just a few colors, with narrow white borders.

• Copic marker colors used: FV2, BG32, RV17
• Pen: Copic multiliner 0.2 and 0.1 black
• Paper: Neenah

Daily Drawings - January 2016

Updated through January 23 (Final)

I've completed my four weeks of daily drawings for January 2016.  I tried the idea last January with objects around the house.  This year I wanted to keep it simple with a few lines and colors each day.

Added January 23:  I found it refreshing and relaxing to stay with the simple lines and coloring.   It felt like a "vocabulary review" of lines, shapes, and patterns that I enjoy using.  At the beginning, I made a list: Circles, squiggles, lace-like, v's and u's, landscapey lines, fill patterns, swooping curves, spiral, diamonds, zigzags, wavy lines, angles, dots, and stripes.  Looking back, I see them all except the spiral.  Overall, I really like the drawings (some more than others, of course) and I'm glad I tried this.

I'm using 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. 

• Pen: Copic multiliner 0.5 black
• Copic colors:  If you'd like to know the colors I used, please leave a comment here, and I'll be happy to add them to this post.
• Paper: Neenah

Doodle with Green, Blue, and Purple

A doodle with curves and dots.  Tall flowers, maybe, or glass vases?

• Copic marker colors used: G12,40, B000, BG53, V12,20, with "0" colorless blender to mottle top areas of shapes
• Pen: Copic multiliner 0.5 black
• Paper: Neenah, cut down to 4.25 x 5.5"

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"

Blue Vine Doodle

Just a few curving lines and rounded shapes. 

• Copic marker colors used: B01,05, BG57
• Pen: Copic multiliner 0.3 black
• Paper: Neenah, drawing area about 3 x 4"

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

A Scrap of Lace - Pink and Cream

Just a doodle - imagining a scrap of pink and cream lace.  And this time of year, it makes me think of angel wings. 

• Copic marker colors used: YR30, RV13,32,34,91
• Pen: Copic multiliner 0.2 black
• Paper: Neenah, cut down to 3x5.5"

Advent Calendar 2014 - First Day and Notes

My calendar drawing for today, the first day of Advent.  Click here for my explanation of today's words, and why I draw candles for the Sunday dates.  I'll continue to post at least weekly during December, as I fill in the calendar spaces through Christmas. 

Today's drawing is about 1-3/8 x 1-5/8" in size.  You can click on it for a better view. For the template and more information about the calendar, as well as links to past years and to my friend Sybil's Advent calendar drawings, scroll down or click here for my template post.

Warm wishes to all of you for many blessings of the season!

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"

Leafy Branch with Wine Red

There's a hint of fall in the air this week, so a touch of wine red in my leafy branch. 

• Copic marker colors used: YG95,97, R56
• Pen: Copic multiliner 0.3 black
• Paper: Neenah, 3.75 x 5"
• Mat: Hero Arts grenadine layering paper,  4.25 x 5.5"