thoughts – Communicating Creatively

Things That Attract My Eye – Part 31!

Featured by communicatingcreatively, posted in Photography

Here is a random selection of images that I have taken over the last month.

The first three are of the outside of the gym I go to. When I was leaving it one early morning, the light was just gorgeous, so I just had to get a few shots.

Two of the images are from a walk alongside a river near us, the peeling paint is on an old car on my Wife’s parents’ property, and the night tree image was taken outside the meeting place where my Toastmasters Club meets.

It pays to keep an out as every day there are beautiful subjects to photograph even as we go about our normal day.

Till next time!

Written & Photographed by David Johnson

30 May 2026

The Watercolour Journey Continues…

Featured by communicatingcreatively, posted in Painting

Yesterday, it marked 7 years, 100 days since I started this wonderful journey.

Here is the image I sketched/painting yesterday, one from my imagination.

Materials:

Pleinly 8×12 inch 300gsm 100% Cotton sketchbook
Kuretake Gansai Tambi Japanese Watercolours
Aquawash brushes
Neef brush
Uni Pin Pigment Liner 0.05mm

Till next time!

Written, sketched & painted by David Johnson.

10 May 2026

Relic

Featured by communicatingcreatively, posted in Painting

Earlier today, I attended another Sketch-Meet run by Urban Sketchers Wollongong. I have been to a number of their sketch-meets over the past 2-3 years, and I really enjoy the subjects we do, the time together, the conversation, and of course, the Throwdown. It really is always so interesting to see not only the different subject matter the artists pick, but also seeing the different interpretations is a joy to behold.

Today’s outing was to the HARS Aviation Museum at Albion Park Rail in the Illawarra Region, south of Sydney.

I chose the a plane that is actually attached to the ground and is at an angle outside the museum.

I could have been closer, i.e., on the other side of the entrance however, I quite liked the angle as seen in the image above.

Here is my interpretation below.

I am pretty happy with the result especially as it is only the second plane ever that I have tried to sketch/paint.

Looking forward to attending the next Urban Sketchers Wollongong Sketch-Meet.

Till next time!

Written, sketched/painted by David Johnson

3 May 2026

Serenade of Hues

Featured by communicatingcreatively, posted in Poetry

Atmospheric Expression

Featured by communicatingcreatively, posted in Poetry

New Sketchbook Adventures!

Featured by communicatingcreatively, posted in Painting

Last weekend, I ordered a Pleinly 8″ x 12″ sketchbook via Amazon. I’ve been researching their Watercolour Easel package and am about to buy it. When you buy the Easel package you get the sketchbook below with it.

I have used it on my last three Watercolour Sketch a Day’s (below) and have to say that I am impressed with what I’ve seen so far. Every type of Watercolour paper handles differently and although I am still getting used it, I’m having a lot of fun. 🙂

A few things I’ve noticed are that it can take a lot of water, it feels different to touch and paint on than other cold press 300gsm 100% cotton papers/sketchbooks I’ve tried. Considering it has 52 pages and it is 300gsm, the sketchbook is quite light. I haven’t painted on the back of the page yet, but I am confident the paper will take it.