Blizzard bouquet
Posted: February 16, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized 59 CommentsWe haven’t had a real blizzard in Montreal in a very long time. Maybe a decade. Which means it’s a great day to stay indoors and play in my studio.
As promised in yesterday’s post, here’s my experiment using water-soluble ink and watercolour. I drew the bouquet using Ancient Copper ink (in my watercolour sketchbook) and then painted on top of that with watercolours. I am still loving what this ink in doing — how the copper dissolves into the watercolour, adding reddish tones to contours of the greens and blues.
A few people asked me about the pen store in Montreal. If you live in the city and are looking for a fantastic retailer of pens and inks, the store is Stylo. It’s located in the Scotia Bank Centre on rue Ste. Catherine, in the basement just below Simon’s. If you don’t live in the city, they have a great website, plus it’s Canadian, in case you are trying to move in that direction these days.
Gorgeous painting!
Thanks so much Gracie!
This is beautiful! I have dabbled with ink and watercolor, and it’s very interesting. There is also a nice website for pens and ink Goulet Pen Company. I order from them, and it’s a great resource as well.
Marilyn, thanks for the suggestion about Goulet Pens. That is a great website and I have ordered from them several times. Such a nice business and they have excellent info on their site too.
Wow. Love the colors. Beautiful painting.
Cynthia, thanks!!
You always inspire me to try new things. I grabbed a sample of water soluble Diamine Pink Glitz ink from Goulet Pens and tried a quick ink ‘n watercolor flower. SOOOO FUN!
Honestly, this is not something I would have thought of myself. So thank you for sharing your beautiful idea!
And yes, always good to know of additional, trustworthy on-line resources to support. The Stylo website looks like, well, like I could spend a lotta time and $ 🙂 There is no brick ‘n mortar pen place near me, and I actively avoid the online behemoths.
I’m so glad you gave this a try! Now I have to look up your ink colour too.
If you don’t want to spend money, don’t go on the Stylo site. So many nice finds on there!
It was really nice to actually go to the store. Especially if you want to buy a pen. You have to see what it feels like in the hand, don’t you?
peachy and drenched in talent!
Ashley, I am blushing like the flowers!!
I have never worked with pen and ink. It certainly interests me. This is so beautiful Shari.
Thanks so much Laura!!
I can relate to the blizzard bouquet! I live in south western london and we are experiencing what I like to call a typical Montreal storm! LOL!!! I’ve never worked with ink so I’m keen to see your work and learn from it. So grateful for this artist community while we are burrowing in against the elements.
I hope you are enjoying the snow too!!
Love it! And yes, keep buying Canadian!
Yes indeed!!
I’m in the US and also plan to buy Canadian whenever possible!
Debra, Canadians thank you!
Lovely work here, Shari. There is a great pen store in SW Ontario in Cambridge called Phidon. Check it out: phonon.com
Elizabeth, you are not the only one who has suggested Phidon pens. It’s a great store and they have a wonderful website. Thanks for this.
It’s so beautiful. I would love an online class on your process using the ink with watercolor. I always enjoy your classes.
Mary
Great idea Mary!!
Beautiful! And thank you for the Canadian store info!
You’re welcome!!
I love seeing the lost and found lines in the bouquet. This process worked so well. Bravo!!
Thanks Joan!
Really nice! Where do you buy that ink?? Never heard of it.
Gerri, I bought that ink at Stylo.ca
They have a great website but I was in the store.
Loved your bouquet… and your comments about Canada:)
Love a good laugh!
Thanks Lori!!
Beautiful 😍
Thanks so much Sadje.
You’re welcome
Your work is beautiful, Shari.
A wonderful pen store in SW Ontario, in the city of Cambridge, is Phidon.
Thanks so much Elizabeth.
I am aware of Phidon. Also an excellent Canadian source for pens and inks. I have ordered from there in the past.
Glad you shared that too.
Enjoy!
Thanks.
That is gorgeous!
Thanks!
The two bouquets are beautiful, what a nice effect with the ink.
Thanks so much Barbara!
Loved the way colors blended with the ink, beautiful!
Thanks for having a look Adele!
Love your bouquet painting. The copper colored ink plays a big role in it’s success. Beautiful. I’m going to have to visit Stylo’s site.
Laura Kate, thanks so much. Enjoy the site!
You have sent me scurrying to order this amazing color! It looks perfect for the copper tulips in my garden. You guessed right that I am leaning northward these days!
Jeanette, this ink would be amazing for your copper tulips. It really is rich and gorgeous.
From where I am sitting right now, looking out at 6 ft snowbanks, it seems hard to imagine that tulips will come out of the ground, but I know they will eventually.
I love your bouquet painting. The copper coloured ink really lends a depth to the hues. And THANK YOU for sharing the informaiton about Stylo – I just spent the last half-hour surfing their website – definitely adding this store to my plans next time I am in Montreal.
Marion, I’m glad you enjoyed perusing the Stylo site. And yes, you really have to go to the store but give yourself lots of time. They have such nice pens and inks.
This is so beautiful, it made my jaw drop. Really special. Is this in your Hahnemuhle sketchbook? I wonder if the various sizings on different papers might affect the ink’s willingness to completely dissolve and let lines disappear. I had good results on plain old sketch paper with inexpensive Higgins Sepia non-waterproof ink, great for the budget! Also Pilot Varsity fountain pens have very soluble inks, and they can be hacked and refilled even though they are sold as disposable. This Diamine ink is gorgeous. This bouquet is just. so. beautiful.
Hi Kathryn. It’s so nice to hear from you. Yes, this is in my Hahnemuhle book. That’s an interesting thought about how the same ink might react on different types of paper. Sounds like another snow day experiment to me.
When you say you have good results on plain old sketch paper, which paper to you mean?
As for Higgins ink, I have lots of those too.
I love the Pilot Varsity pen as well even though I have never refilled one.
I just bought a Platinum Preppy which is a very inexpensive fountain pen that works with Platinum converters, so I may have to try my ink in that too.
As for the Diamine ink, it really is like a jewel when you put it on paper.
Thanks, as always, for writing.
I should have clarified–I meant the sketch books and pads that are intended for dry media, like Strathmore 400 Drawing paper. Every time I think I’ll just do some line drawings in ink, I can’t resist adding a wash. On that type of paper, the ink is less willing to lift completely, but it does on watercolor paper (I went and experimented after I left this comment, LOL). So today I learned! 🙂 I love Diamine too, I have their Oxblood and Choc. Brown, and a bunch of blues. And will be ordering this Ancient Copper! I also love Robert Oster inks that separate into two component colors when re-wetted, their Thunderstorm is just amazing.
And I second the motion for one of your future online classes to teach us more about your technique for this! Thank you so much Shari.
Kathryn, bad news for my budget. They carry Robert Oster inks at Stylo.ca! Yikes, every one of their colours is amazing. And thanks for the clarification of your paper and your experiment on watercolour paper. And the motion for a new online course. I am always open to that!
Beautiful sketch turned painting!
I had to laugh out loud at your last sentence ( humor is the saving grace for me here in USA). I was actually speaking about whether to stay in New Mexico or move to Canada. Seriously.
Thank you, Shari, for being online. I’ve been inspired and prompted to do more.
Mary Ann, I’m glad I made you laugh. What else can we do these days?
Canada is a great country. Just a teeny bit colder than New Mexico.
This is SUPERB and so inspiring!! Thanks so much for being so generous with your art and your knowledge!
Cheers from BC
LaVerna
Thanks so much LaVerna!
I love the effect of this ink! Like magic!
It was a bit like magic. Nice to hear from you, Lynn!