Take A Walk

By Tara Bell, Color Pencil Artist

Autumn, it's time for a walk in the woods, mountains or along the canal.

If you don't already do this, give it a try: pack a little notebook for watercolors (the paper will be tough enough for pencils and pen too). Find one of these tiny watercolor kits and a brush that you can fill with

H2O (buy from Cheap Joes or find sources with Google). Rubber band up some colored pencils (contrasting colors are nice), a lead pencil, a dark brown or black pen for lines, and take off for a local walk.

Find a twig, duck, leaf, rock, river, insect, tree bark, and sketch it. Hmm, what gets you in

trouble, the sketching part? Me too. Okay, here's the trick-it does not have to be a

masterpiece. In fact, it most likely will not be. Make the marks, splash the colors. Don't try for realism, be inspired by what you see, don't try to copy it...you can take a photo for that. And then put it all away and go home.

I tell myself I can "finish it later" but then, I rarely do. It is what it is. I like writing a date, or some words of inspirations, or just say "took a walk at Antietam today and saw this funny stick". There is something liberating about it all.

BTW, I have been leaving this kit in my backpack and sometimes I don't take it out during

my walks, but just knowing it there makes me feel good.

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Listed are some of my favorite places to walk, what about you? Share your sketches and

thoughts.

Cool Spring-Potomac Valley Audubon Society

https://www.potomacaudubon.org

• There is a gazebo here, and a sitting area by the creek, perfect for reflective time with a pencil.

Maryland Heights Loop

https://www.nps.gov

• There is vista here, if you like sketching landscapes.

Antietam Battlefield

https://www.nps.gov for a great map.

• Several trails to go on here, you choose for the bridge, the creek, ruins, historic buildings, vistas and creatures to sketch non-stop.

The C&O Canal

• Here is where I rarely take out my art stuff, too many people to engage with, however I may take a photo to use later.

See you at the Over the Mountain Studio Tour November 11, 12. It will be nice to see you.