Watercolor Journal

 I've been sitting here trying to figure out how to turn this into a Christmas post. Ha! It might have some Christmas colors in it. 

For whatever reason, the word "change" comes to mind. I've been working on Dion Dior's Watercolor Pencil class and one of the things she had us do was to set up a chart of our colors. At the time I didn't understand the importance of a chart and I ended up with colors spread out through two different journals.

I decided to change my procedure and I got one of the new Stillman & Birn Alpha Series journals and started over. I began with my inktense pencils and set up a block for each color.

I scribbled a swatch of color across the top of the box and watercolor washed it down the length of the box. I wrote the color number from the side of the pencil inside the box, then wrote the actual color name just below the box.

We are on vacation in the mountains for Christmas. I brought my inktense pencils and my Derwent Metallic pencils with me. I set up color swatch charts for both those sets.

When I get home I plan to set up charts for all the colors I have. Pencils, oil pastels, markers, anything and everything. And I'm going to keep them all in this one journal. It will make things easier. This "change" in recording colors will make my work flow easier and quicker, it will give me consistency in my art, it will help me assess colors better and more effectively, and most of all - it's really pretty!

What change do you need to make in your life? Of course, this was not a life altering change in my life, but couldn't I apply this same principal to the things I need to change in my life? Who couldn't benefit from more organization and structure in their life? What better time to make some changes than at Christmas? As this Christmas Day is upon us, may God bless you and be with you as you enjoy time with your family. May we all honor Him in this coming year. Merry Christmas!