Ever since I started colouring with watercolours, I've had trouble scanning them properly. Most scanners I used would suffer from highlight blow-out. The sometimes very detailed changes in colours and intensity would vanish.

By chance, I got to try out the scanner on a Canon Pixma MP540. I set it to 'photo' for the scan (I always do if the scanner has the option) and to my surprise the scan looked very good. It still differs a little from the original but it has that same amount of nuance in colour, and only required a teensy tweak in contrast to make the colours pop. On the left the image from my other scanner, it suffers from highlight blow-out. The second one looks much better.

I want to live here, with the garden on top of the house.

Or maybe on the right there, with a garden and a little fence and maybe a goat.

I haven't done much drawing but I did do a happy one recently that I haven't posted yet.

I drew this one on a rainy day right after a really sunny day. Aaah, sunshine! Swings!

Happiness.

Yesterday the second sketchcrawl of 2010 took place. I missed out on it because I got ill after doing some gardening on the balcony. To make up for it -- because I really wanted to do it -- I did a mini sketchcrawl on my own today. Perhaps even during May 15th somewhere on this planet still...

I drew some plants, some of which I've drawn before. I also drew my flowerpress, which I've also drawn before.

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The other cucumberplant-drawing I refer to and the earlier flowerpress drawing:

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I have this thing about art supplies. I get all happy and giddy when walking into an art supply store. I don't necessarily have to buy anything (although I wouldn't mind), just seeing all the colourful paper and the paints, and smell the paper makes me happy. Every once in a while I do like to buy supplies though. Last week I went out to get a tube of China White waterpaint, and I purchased a better paintbox. Back at home I ordered a few things online, including a Derwent Safari Journal, several small canvases (5x5cm and 10x10cm), one Winsor & Newton Artist watercolour half pan (finally checking myself if it's worth it or not) and a small paintbox. The paintbox I accidentally found in that online shop for 1 euro, and it holds 12 half-pans (oh, I finally figured out the difference between half-pans and regular, I have half ones = square, and regular = rectangle).

I like the small paintboxes (I bought several cough), very light and easy to open / close.

I also like the feel of the Derwent journal. The paper feels nice and smooth, but not too smooth (like the Moleskine sketchbook). I've read that it doesn't do to well with classic watercolour, however, I use pen and a watercolour wash mostly and I think it'll do just fine (unlike that Moleskine ;) ). I like how the outside cover feels nice and soft. Now to think of something to draw in it...

This morning I drew my washing up brush. It has a compartment for the liquid and when you press the button on the top, the liquid comes out a bit. I bought a bunch of them when I found them, because I quite like them. They feel nice in my hand and comfortable to use.

Earlier I drew my toy mini car. When I grow up I want a real mini. Yes, with these colours!

I found a new paintbox for my watercolours. My previous one, though not really broken, annoyed me. Every time I would toss it around or hold it sideways or upside down, they pans would fall out and everything got messed up.

With this new one, the pans sit firmly between two metal bits, and I have enough space for two small tubes (black and white) and my (water)pencils.

I made the first drawing in August of 2009, of my precious toy. The second one I made today. Months and months of not drawing...

After a week of drawing I suddenly didn't draw for a few days. Not sure why, I just had all these other things to do suddenly. I decided to draw something I wanted to draw for a while, but thought would be too hard to draw.

Pretty satisfied with how Zoji turned out. I call him Zoji 'cause we're very good friends.

[gallery link="file"]Some drawings from my drawingjournal. I have more that I need to colour still. Sometimes I like to keep them black and white, but usually I like colour :)

Currently, I have these colours in my paintbox, in this order. I still have four openings (maybe 5, I also have chinese white in a tube) and wonder what colours to add. What colours shall I add? I think I could use some orange, a lighter blue-purple and maybe some darker greyer brown and green. Ideas?