New art supplies!!! WOYWW #24

Dear Friends, 

Happy Wednesday!  I am enjoying the day off due to ice.  I know I will be unhappy about this in June, but right now I am seizing the day and painting.  I wanted to show you some of the art supplies that I work with daily. 

 My wonderful hubby and I went this past Sunday to my favorite art store in the world- Utrechts.  Seriously, angels sing when I walk through their door.  Before I knew it I had dropped $80 and that was only with me basically running out of the store. 

My husband kept saying, "Don't you need one of these?"  

Me (eyes closed)"No!" Don't even show me!!" 

So I bought my favorite paper, a block of Arches cold press watercolor.  I am also trying a new type of paper that has a vellum feel, Utrechts brand.  The watercolor palette is the one I use the most- Yarka brand, made in Russia.  I also bought Pitt pens, brushes, eraser, and a new x-acto knife.  I hope you enjoyed my new supply tour, now I'm off to paint with my delightful toys! :)

Why do all my plants die?? WOYWW #23

 

Dear Readers,
 As you can read from the post title, this is a slightly shamefaced admittance that as a botannical illustrator, ALL of my plants die.  I can illustrate the life out of them, just not keep them alive!  I guess it just isn't my gift.  The problem that this leads to is that I have nothing to draw in the winter.  These pictures are of an African Violet that is currently ending its life on my studio table.   I was so excited when I got it as a present- I even bought African Violet food!  But nothing worked and now it is dying.  Sniff.  So I'm drawing its slow ending of life.