Robots, Robots, Robots

 My grandson, Mason and I are pen pals, even though we live 20 minutes away from each other.  He loves snail mail! He sent me some artwork so I looked in my paper stash and found some Stonehenge print paper scraps.  Using a refillable marker I drew these two robots with High Flow Acrylic paint and mailed them to him with instructions from the robots to use his watercolors to paint them.  Because the lines are acrylic they will not smear when he adds the colors.

5" x 15"

I also posted the first two robots on face book and my niece thought they were very cool.  I asked if her son, my great nephew would like a robot…. I know silly question.  So these robots are on the Snail Mail Trail and on their way to Gavin.

 5" x 15" and 5" x 7.5"


I do have to say I really enjoyed using the refillable maker and drawing these guys.
Too much fun!

First Summer Art with Mason

Lucky me I got to play with my grandsons while mommy and daddy were out of town.  What fun and yes I was totally exhausted but ready to do it again!  While they were here Mason and I were able to get in a little art time while little brother napped.

I had drawn the black lines using a fillable maker with Golden high flow acrylic paint and then Mason and I had a great time adding all the beautiful bright watercolors.

Then he had a "great" idea and wanted a big butterfly cut out of the colorful paper.  The little hearts were cut out of the left over paper.  He loved the process of laying down the colors next to each other and watching the way they blended and mixed before our eyes.

Original paper 9" x 12"

Shhh…it's a Surprise!

It's a surprise for mommy and daddy from Mason for Valentine's Day!  Mason spent the night last night and this morning we got out the watercolors and he went to town.  He loves mixing the colors on the brush and seeing what happens when it hits the paper. He actually says he likes "mud" and says mud is very pretty.

Then when it had dried I cut them into 3.5" squares and after he signed the backs we popped them into these plexi coasters.  He loved that part!  Time for wrapping before they come to pick him up.

Happy Valentine's Day!

It's a New Year…

…and I am already behind!  Well, at least I got in one post before the month was over.  Hopefully,  I can squeeze in another one before February first!


This is another Mason and Meema collaboration.  I had run out of Mason pages so I ask him to watercolor a few more pages in my sketchbook so I would have something to play with when I had the time.  I love adding the ink to his free form images and seeing what appears out of our work together.



5" x 7" Robert Bateman Sketchbook
Watercolor and Gel Pen

more collaborative art

Here is M's watercolor with a little of mom's hand in there as well….

…and after the ink was added.  Started this one at lunch and finished last night.  I do have to say these are lots of fun.

Went to lunch the other day with an artist friend and showed her the first collaborative piece and we both saw a space creature in this one right away….

….and sure enough there he was!


5" x 7" Robert Bateman sketchbook
Watercolor and Pen

a little collaboration art……

One night while out to dinner with the family I dug out my sketchbook, small watercolor palette and a Niji watercolor brush and handed them to my 2 1/2 yr. old grandson.  He loved it and did a few pages.  A few weeks later as I was looking at them I decided to get out my pen and play around with his colors….and this is where it went!  Not sure what it is exactly but don't care.  I didn't think to do a before picture but I for have the next pages so I can show you the before and after of our little collaborations.

Robert Bateman 5" x 7" sketchbook
Watercolor and Pen