Reading Lamp

This is where I usually read my art books at night. I was reading through my Dean Cornwell book before I did this little black and white watercolor sketch. Then I went to sleep.

Where I usually read at night.

Bruster's

Bruster's

I had about 25 minutes before I had to be back at work, so I tried sketching some people at Brusters. According to the car it was 107 degrees, it made me really want Ice Cream. I didn't get any though, kind of regret that now.

Sky Hawk

I always want to sketch fair equipment whenever I drive by it. This is the first time I've ever actually been able to.

No one was at the fair until about 20 minutes after I started, then a few workers came up to the ride and started messing with things. They unfolded a couple tents and started goofing off and smoking. I'm not really sure when the actual fair opened, but only a few people (like six) rode the Sky Hawk the whole time I was drawing. I'm kind of surprised Fairs are still around. I like them, but never go to them. I think I just like looking at them. They're very strange. 

Payless in Gouache

After watching Gouache in the Wild I was really excited to try out some gouache. I've mostly only mixed a little gouache with watercolor and never really done an entire painting in it. So this was my very small black and white attempt at that (it's like 3 x 5 in.). 

   I did this while waiting for my wife to get off work a few weeks ago, but she got out when I was about halfway through so I never finished it. That unfinished page in my sketchbook was getting really annoying so I went back last night and finished it.

And If you want to learn more about gouache...

A Bored Guy and a Squirrel and a Bus Stop

I painted this at the bus stop on a 15 minute break from work a few months ago. The only person there was a bored guy on his phone who had no clue about the squirrel that was slowly inching closer and closer to him. 

He got up and took the bus, the squirrel ran away, and I went back to work... I don't think the three of us will ever meet again.

Gas Station Watercolor

I had a short break from work so I parked at a gas station and did a little watercolor about the size of a normal iphone. Cars kept parking in the way and I kept running out of time. I gave up when a Uhaul parked right in front of me and the driver started reading a book. 

Gas Station Pump

The Raley's Barn

Here's a little unfinished oil painting I did a few months ago. The sun went down before I could finish, It got dark and the mosquitos started swarming. I set up my little pochade box (you can see it in my last post) on my parents' property while they were on vacation and painted the neighbor's barn. I think I've drawn or painted this same barn at least 20 times in the last few years. 

Fun Fact: This is where Primitive Tim lives, and you can see the barn in a lot of his How-To videos. 

Painting at the Swamp

I took my paints out into the swamp a few weeks ago. The experience was interesting, but the painting didn't turn out too well. I think in the future I'll stick to simpler subjects unless I have more time.

Sketching a Gopher Tortoise

Yesterday a gopher tortoise wandered into my backyard. So naturally, I ran and got my sketchbook and pencils.

Sketching in Downtown Titusville

Here's another short video of a sketch I did on a little break from work. 

Sketching at Fort Christmas

Today I tried to record myself painting at Fort Christmas. It was interesting, lots of things to think about. But it was fun, and if people like it I will try and do it again next time too.

Sketching Chickens

Heather and I went to Fort Christmas the other day and sketched a few curious chickens. A couple of them jumped up on the bench and tried to eat my pencil at one point.

Indian River

I took a small break from work yesterday and sat on the side of the river and sketched some apartments. I was there for about 20 minutes before I had to head back.

THS Concession Stand

I'm not really sure that this building is a concession stand, I think it is. Or it was for the old baseball fields at Titusville High School and doubled as storage. When I was in high school, I remember walking to this building with another student to get a box or something to help out a teacher. I don't really remember what for. I think it was cold that day, and maybe sunny. That's all I really remember. Other than that one time, I never went near it.

October and Pumpkins.

I guess I like to paint a lot of pumpkins around October, because you can't see them for the rest of the year.

Watercolor at the Crossroads

Here are the latest sketches from my new little watercolor kit (which I'm really liking).

I had to run to Staples the other night, so I figured I'd bring my sketch kit and watercolor something before the sun went down. I parked my car in the parking lot and just kinda sketched the first thing I saw. I've always found it weird, seeing all those artificial lights when the sun starts going down. It just feels awkward and unnatural.

The Bus Stop

The other day I had a 15 minute break at work, I left as quickly as I could and parked next to the bus stop. I took out my watercolor kit and and started sketching. 

My Travel Watercolor Kit

I've been putting together a little watercolor travel kit. Narrowing my old set up down to just the essentials and trying to keep it all fitting in my pocket. I'd prefer to use brushes and a cup of water instead of a water-brush (and sometime still do if I have more time) but if you add those, it gets pretty tough to just fit in your pocket... So here's my set up:

All of it fits in your pocket.

An old cough drop tin (basically an Altoids tin), watercolor sketchbook, water-brush, and a water-soluble colored pencil. There's also a small magnet stuck to the side of the tin (you can just barely see it) and a paper towel inside the sketchbook.

Here it is opened up.

8 bowls for color, and two mixing areas. (I havn't filled my 8th bowl yet)

 I sculpted the white part out of Sculpey, cooked it, and then sprayed it with a few coats of white enamel to keep it waterproof and then super-glued it to the tin.

The tin is held on by a magnet on the opposite side of the page.

I got tired of trying to balance the tin on my leg while I worked, so I put a magnet on the other side of the previous page and it holds nice and snug, even if you tilt it like this.

Overall I'm pretty happy about it.

Here are some times where I've used it:

Dumpster Monster
 A Bored Guy and a Squirrel and a Bus Stop
The Bus Stop
Watercolor at the Crossroads
Sketching at Fort Christmas
Sketching in Downtown Titusville
Still Life
THS Concession Stand
October and Pumpkins.
Christmas Still Life


All of this was super inspired by James Gurney's Watercolor in the Wild DVD and all of his blog posts.

First Post! (fallen tree)

Welcome people!
This is my first blog post.

2B pencil in Moleskine Sketchbook

My name is Daniel New.

I'll probably be posting some art stuff, music stuff, adventures me and my wife will have, and who knows.

To start off, here's a drawing I did of a tree that fell down in my backyard.