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 2023

I've finished drawing my Advent calendar, the 13th since I began in 2008.  As always, it's been a meaningful way for me to reflect, draw, and color using seasonal images and words, often taken from scripture, hymns, and prayers. 

Because Advent ended on Sunday 12/24 this year, my calendar grid has double-wide spaces for the Sundays (moving down diagonally from the top left) and for Christmas Day.

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; also some colored pencil for 12/3
  
• Pen: Copic multiliner or Micron
  
• Words and sources:
• 12/3  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.)
  
• 12/4  Make haste to help us (Psalm 70:1 and Book of Common Prayer, evening prayer liturgy)
• 12/5  O come, thou branch of Jesse's tree (Hymn "O come, O come, Emmanuel")
• 12/6  Joy
• 12/7  Keep awake (Mark 13:35-37)
• 12/8  Grace
• 12/9  Good news - Jesus Christ the Son of God (Mark 1:1) 
• 12/10 Joyful hope is springing (Hymn "Sleepers, wake!") 
• 12/11 Mercy and truth have met together (Psalm 85:10) 
• 12/12 Restore (Psalm 80:3) 
• 12/13 The day is near (Romans 13:12) 
• 12/14 Stir up your strength and come to help us (Psalm 80:2) 
• 12/15 Peace shall be a pathway for his feet (Psalm 85:13) 
• 12/16 God so loves the world ... (John 3:16, with "loves" in place of "loved")
  
• 12/17 Rejoice, rejoice, believers, and let your lights appear!  (Hymn)
  
• 12/18 Listen 
• 12/19 Holy and mighty (Trisagion hymn, "Holy God, holy and mighty, holy immortal one, have mercy upon us")
  
• 12/20 The Lord is not slow about His promise. (2 Peter 3:9) 
• 12/21 Son of God - Savior - Emmanuel - Redeemer - Son of Man
  
• 12/22 Praise
  
• 12/23 Patience
  
• 12/24 May the Word sent from God lead us in the way of love, hope, joy, and peace. (Advent candle-lighting sentence from our church bulletin)
  
• 12/25 Joy to the world!
  

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 ...
  

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

Cezanne Inspired

My drawing: Rounds and Angles

Last month, by coincidence, my friend Sybil and I both created and sent birthday greetings that were inspired by paintings.  It gave us the idea, just for fun, to choose a piece of art that we'd each use as inspiration for "something" of our own.  Our simple rules: "Anything goes - any medium, any outcome, any close or remote connection to the inspiration piece."

My drawing, above, is inspired by the Cezanne painting at the end of today's post, Still Life with Fruit.  As I was looking at the painting, at first I noticed the colors - warm yellows, yellow greens, oranges, and grays, with cool blues and purples - and the subject matter - fruit, fabric, pottery, baskets, and furniture.

Then I began to see it as a collection of shapes and lines - rounds and angles - and that's what I drew. I enjoyed making the wall and floor backgrounds with the small snippets of shape and color in between.  Before starting my "rounds and angles" drawing, I sketched a more traditional still life, which I might finish and post later.

Below is Sybil's drawing, a very fun and playful take on the inspiration.  

Sybil's drawing: Anglican Tea Party Prayer Beads

Image source

My materials:

• Copic markers (many colors) with some colored pencil
• Pen: Copic multiliner 0.3 black
• Paper: Neenah, cut down to 4.25 x 5.5"

Advent Calendar 2019

I've finished drawing my 10th Advent Calendar.  After taking a year off in 2018, I was happy to do one again.  It's been such 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 worked best with four rows of six, and a center oval for Christmas Day.  So the Sunday spaces (where I draw candles) will occur diagonally.  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 0.3, 0.2, and 0.1 black
• Paper: Neenah
• Words and sources:
• 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)
• 2. Sometimes a light surprises (hymn)
• 3. O come Emmanuel, thou Branch of Jesse's stem (hymn, Veni Emmanuel)
• 4.  I will make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert (Isaiah 43:9)
• 5. Await
• 6. Hope
• 7. Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight (Matthew 3:3)
• 8. Then you shall see and be radiant (Isaiah 60:5)
• 9-10. Peace - be still
• 11. Shine
• 12. Let every heart prepare a throne, and every voice a song (hymn, Hark! a loud voice! the Savior comes)
• 13. Rejoice with joy and singing (Isaiah 35:1)
• 14. Trust in God's promise
• 15-16. Patience 
• 17. Brighten your heart (from an Advent blessing)
• 18. Already - Not yet
• 19. Savior
• 20. Every valley shall be lifted up (Isaiah 40:4)
• 21. Wonder
• 22. Grant us your Light (from an Advent prayer) 
• 23. Glory to God in the highest!
• 24. Grace
• 25. Christmas Day

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

Advent Calendar 2017

With the Nativity scene drawing for Christmas Day, I've completed my annual Advent calendar drawings.  As with past years, I've enjoyed taking the time to enjoy the hope, joy, and wonder of the season with my pens and markers. 

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 might like to try something similar, click here for more information, or here (my friend Sybil's blog) for 2017 template formats, including my calendar grid that I'm using.  Or click here for my eight completed calendars from past years.

For a listing of words, sources of words, Copic colors, and other materials used,  see below (or click on "read more" to see it.)

Advent Calendar 2016

My 2016 Advent calendar is finished. Always a good experience for me as I draw and color my way through Christmas.

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.

With my daily drawings, I set aside a bit of space and time to reflect on the Advent season, and its message of hope and love.   If you might like to try something similar, click here for more information, including 2016 template links.  Or click here for my seven calendars from past years.

For a listing of words, sources of words, Copic colors, and other materials used,  see below (or click on "read more" to see it.)

Seven Years of Advent Candles

A friend was wondering how I draw candles for my Advent calendars.  Her question prompted me to think of all the candles together, and so I created this collage in PowerPoint.  It's seven years of Sunday candles, cropped from all my calendars.  I like the variety of shapes, colors, words, and styles -  realistic or abstract, simple or detailed. 

Each drawing space is small (about 1-5/8" high) and it may look a bit fuzzy above.  For a clearer view, click on the image.

The columns are years 2008-2012 and 2014-2015;  I didn't draw a calendar in 2013.  The rows are the four Sundays in Advent, with a candle added each week, somewhat like the traditional Advent wreath. 

For more about my calendars, including the words and the drawing materials, click here and here. 

Advent Calendar 2015

I've finished my 2015 Advent calendar drawings.  As in the other years, it felt like time well spent.

This daily activity helps me reflect on the hope and joy of the season.  If you might like to try something similar, click here for more information, including template links and prior years' calendars.

Each drawing space is small (about 1-5/8" high) and it may look a bit fuzzy above.  For a better view, click on the image.

For a listing of words, sources of words, Copic colors, and other materials used,  see below (or click on "read more" to see it)

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"

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"

Blue Glass Pitcher - Watercolor

A friend asked me to draw her grandmother's blue glass pitcher.  After experimenting with my typical pen and markers, I felt that watercolor would have a better chance to capture the pitcher's lovely mixture of clear and milk glass.  But my post-childhood watercolor experience has been very limited - abstract wash backgrounds for my drawings - and this pitcher made a challenging subject for my first "real life" painting.

Fortunately though, a few months ago, I joined a weekly art group at our area's senior center.  It's led by a very good artist and educator, who was able to get me started and make suggestions along the way.  I'm happy with my finished painting, and even happier that my friend likes it too!

• Dr. Ph. Martin's radiant concentrated watercolor numbers 8A, 9A, 14A.  For more information about the watercolors, including my color chart, see this post.
• Lyra Aquacolor crayon numbers 5610001, 47, 76. For more information about the watercolor crayons, including my color chart, see this post.
• Paper: Canson Aquarelle Arches, cold pressed, cut down to ~ 6 x 8".   The paper looks bluish gray in my image, but it's really a very light cream color.  

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

Advent Calendar 2014

My Advent calendar is complete for 2014 with today's Nativity drawing.  As with the other five years, I'm very glad that I did this activity.  At each Advent's beginning, I wonder how I'll ever have enough words and images to fill the page.  It's such a joyful discovery as I enter into the process and wind my way through the days.

My daily drawing spaces are small (about 1-5/8" high), so you may want to click on the image for a better view, especially if it looks a bit fuzzy above.

For more information including template links and prior years' calendars, click here.
For a listing of words, sources of words, Copic colors, and other materials used,  see below (or click on "read more" to see it)

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!

Advent Calendar 2012

My 2012 calendar is now complete. Another year of words and pictures for the Advent season.  Along with drawing and coloring, this year I experimented with some bits of colored paper, as mentioned here.

The drawing spaces are small (about 1-5/8" high), so you may want to click on the image for a better view, especially if it looks a bit fuzzy above.

Click here for my friend Sybil's beautiful and prayerful 2012 Advent calendar, in a very different format from mine.  You can read her thoughts on her first week here and her second week here on her Praying in Color blog.

For my previous Advent calendar drawings, click as follows:

• Here for 2011
• Here for 2010
• Here for 2009
• Here for 2008
• Here for all of my Advent and Christmas-related drawings and posts

For more information about the calendar and the template, click here for my template post.

For a listing of words, sources of words, Copic colors, and other materials used,  see below (or click on "read more" to see it)

Advent Calendar 2012 - First Day and Notes

Here is the drawing for my Advent calendar's first day.  For the Sundays in Advent, I like to draw candles, lighting one more candle each Sunday like the traditional Advent wreath.  In my church, blue is the color for Advent, so my candles will be blue, except for a pink or rose colored candle for the third Sunday.

For 5 years now,  I've started my calendar with the words "We are leaving ordinary time..."  These words remind me that Advent is a special time of year, looking forward to Christmas and the birth of Jesus.  And it's a fact that "ordinary time"-  the long summer and fall church season after Pentecost - has now ended. 

This year on my calendar, I decided to try something different.  I'm planning to add some bits of paper to my Copic drawing and coloring.  I've had so much fun making cards (posted on my other blog, Mostly Markers - Cards) that I thought it would be interesting to experiment with colored card stock and die cuts as part of my Advent drawings.  

Today's drawing is about 2.5 x 1.75" in size.  Click on it for a better view.  It includes some Papertrey Ink card stock - blue stripes, green leaf print, and a solid yellow-orange.  The star inside the candle flame is a hand punch, and the green wreath shape and yellow candle base are oval die cuts.  I also added some dots and lines of Copic marker - YR27, YG63, and B45. The blue words and outlines are done with a cobalt Copic 0.3 multiliner.   The calendar is printed on Neenah solar white card stock.

For more information about the calendar and the template, as well as links to past years, scroll down or click here for my template post.  And I wish all of you a joyful holiday season!