The Things We Do for Fun: Playing around with Photo Editing, Color Palettes and Inktense Blocks

The Upper Room, Jerusalem

Inktense Blocks

5.5" x 8.5"

This sketch was based on a photo I took in Jerusalem:

I played around with the Heat Map functionality in Picasa, and then created a collage in PicMonkey to finalize a color palette.

Tel Aviv

I'm still sketching from photographs that I took in Israel.

Date Palm

This one is for Janice, who has been adding palm trees to a picture of Palm Springs she is painting.  I can't wait to see it!  Maybe she'll publish some "in progress" pictures.

This is a date palm, the only palm that is native to Israel.  The other varieties you see there were originally imported from elsewhere.

I'm using this sketch as one half of a planner page.  Saturday and Sunday will fit nicely on each side of the trunk.

Sea of Galilee in Pan Pastels

I'm still drawing the Sea of Galilee.  I've done watercolor, Gelatos and two in pastel.  This one is Pan Pastels on watercolor paper.

Happy New Year, everyone! 

Rosh Hanrika

This watercolour sketch from my recent trip to Israel makes a nice planner page.  It is Rosh Hanrika, on the Northern coast near the border with Lebanon. 

Getting Ready for the New Year

Gouache sketch of the Sea of Galilee

At this time of the year, I start to prepare for the New Year.  I think about what my "Word of the Year" will be, and what kind of planner I will use.  I've been experimenting with planner options since November, and my latest idea is to incorporate it into my sketchbook.  I've long been a fan of Jenny's Sketchbook, so I thought I'd try next week using her format.  I painted this sketch of the Sea of Galilee and then drew in the planner information.

Coexistence Amidst the Tension

This sketch, in contrast to the last, is more of a "James Richards" kind of sketch.  Again, not of the quality he does, but more the flavour.  Richards wrote a wonderful book on architectural drawing and architects often do loose sketches of architecture concepts, showing buildings in context.

We see again here, the Dome of the Rock on Temple Mount in Jerusalem.  A worker cleans the fountain where Muslims perform their ablutions before entering the shrine.  Over on the right, Israeli soldiers (young men and women) chat informally in a group, as they seem to do all over Jerusalem. I realize now that I edited out the guns as I was sketching.  I don't like guns. 

The Dome of the Rock

The Dome of the Rock, on Temple Mount in Jerusalem, is a shrine, not a mosque.  The "rock" is the rock from which Muhammed ascended to heaven.  To Jews, it is the rock on which Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son, Isaac.  Non-Muslims are not allowed inside to see the rock.

This sketch was inspired by Tommy Kane.  My sister gave me his book "An Excuse to Draw" for my birthday.  Now, I'm not saying that it comes close to the quality of Tommy Kane, but he does incredible drawings of buildings, capturing all of the detail.  I don't have the patience of Mr. Kane, and gave up long before capturing the mosaic tile on this one.

Sea of Galilee Treasures

Date Honey

I didn't have time to do much sketching while I was in Israel.  I did manage this drawing of a bottle of date honey I bought for my husband.  

Date honey is actually date syrup made from pressing the lovely dates they grow in Israel.  It is very yummy, and can be used for cooking (as a glaze for chicken, for example), or on pancakes or waffles.  Hubby will likely put it on ice cream too.

The Beautiful and Peaceful Garden Tomb

And tomorrow we travel home after a wonderful pilgrimage!

Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem

This phrase is repeated many times in the Bible. We must keep praying!

Panoramic View

It shows the gold Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount and the Western Wall.

Our Trusty Guide

We have been blessed by our guide in Israel, Harrison. Here he explains the reproduction of the Madaba mosaic map found in Jordan in 1896. It shows Jerusalem during the 6th century.

The Roman Pillars by the Mural

A Mural in the Underground Shops

depicts the scene during the Roman empire. Excavations continue.  Can you spot the anomaly?

Fabulous Mosaic at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher

This is just the center!

The Colorful Streets of Old Jerusalem

The Day Began With Singing and Cyclamen

... at The Church of St. Anne, where choirs from around the world (including our impromptu group) test out the amazing acoustics.

Qumran Caves

The Dead Sea Scrolls were found in the Qumran Caves by Bedouin Shepherds in 1947.