The Playful Brush
@theplayfulbrush.bsky.social
Oakland, CA artist Paula Wirth capturing whimsies on paper with brush, ink, pencils, and paints. Chance of pet and people portraits, mushrooms, still life, and urban sketching.
Also @paulawirth.bsky.social
Also @paulawirth.bsky.social
Winter squash, drawn by @paulawirth.bsky.social in colored pencil on clay toned paper.
November 9, 2025 at 9:19 PM
Winter squash, drawn by @paulawirth.bsky.social in colored pencil on clay toned paper.
Reposted by The Playful Brush
Kobe the dog, a portrait drawn in Procreate to raise funds for Oakland Animal Services, by Paula Wirth
October 15, 2025 at 5:34 AM
Kobe the dog, a portrait drawn in Procreate to raise funds for Oakland Animal Services, by Paula Wirth
I used to teach an adult art class, here are some samples from when I was teaching about drawing hands. #drawing #coloredpencil
(My hand, of course!)
(My hand, of course!)
October 12, 2025 at 12:49 AM
I used to teach an adult art class, here are some samples from when I was teaching about drawing hands. #drawing #coloredpencil
(My hand, of course!)
(My hand, of course!)
Reposted by The Playful Brush
“I do not want art for a few, any more than I want education for a few, or freedom for a few.” — William Morris (socialist designer, painter, poet, and social reformer)
September 14, 2025 at 6:28 PM
“I do not want art for a few, any more than I want education for a few, or freedom for a few.” — William Morris (socialist designer, painter, poet, and social reformer)
One of my favorite drawing subjects is people in coffeeshops. This drawing was made with brush and ink.
I love coffeeshops and cafes for their social aspect, drinks, people watching, as a place to sit and be creative. It’s been my affordable outing.
Costs have skyrocketed, tho — a drink at local shops with alt milk is now hovering around $10 (including a $1 tip, which is now less than 20%).
Costs have skyrocketed, tho — a drink at local shops with alt milk is now hovering around $10 (including a $1 tip, which is now less than 20%).
September 3, 2025 at 7:34 PM
One of my favorite drawing subjects is people in coffeeshops. This drawing was made with brush and ink.
Stare deep into my eyes. — Mochi
July 14, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Stare deep into my eyes. — Mochi
I’ve never contacted my reps as often as now - nor have I needed cute dog, cat, and other cute animal videos and photos as much to cleanse my mind and reduce my angst. The rage is still there, tho.
July 2, 2025 at 8:45 PM
I’ve never contacted my reps as often as now - nor have I needed cute dog, cat, and other cute animal videos and photos as much to cleanse my mind and reduce my angst. The rage is still there, tho.
This is a tiny scrap of rice paper drawing in mixed media, probably one of my favorite drawing paintings (and the only one the curator at my grad school liked).
Illustration © Paula K. Wirth from the "Those Who Wait" series.
Brush with gouache, watercolor crayon, and sumi ink, on rice paper.
Illustration © Paula K. Wirth from the "Those Who Wait" series.
Brush with gouache, watercolor crayon, and sumi ink, on rice paper.
June 27, 2025 at 6:48 AM
This is a tiny scrap of rice paper drawing in mixed media, probably one of my favorite drawing paintings (and the only one the curator at my grad school liked).
Illustration © Paula K. Wirth from the "Those Who Wait" series.
Brush with gouache, watercolor crayon, and sumi ink, on rice paper.
Illustration © Paula K. Wirth from the "Those Who Wait" series.
Brush with gouache, watercolor crayon, and sumi ink, on rice paper.
Reposted by The Playful Brush
✒️Join us to sketch houseboats, a vintage ice cream truck, friendly goats, a giant alligator and other Burning Man sculptures.This is a tranquil spot with a lovely Bay view. Bring your lunch or enjoy a bite to eat at the Sailing Goat. (GPS tip: try 1900 Western Dr.) Hope to see you there!
May 1, 2025 at 6:02 PM
✒️Join us to sketch houseboats, a vintage ice cream truck, friendly goats, a giant alligator and other Burning Man sculptures.This is a tranquil spot with a lovely Bay view. Bring your lunch or enjoy a bite to eat at the Sailing Goat. (GPS tip: try 1900 Western Dr.) Hope to see you there!
May 7, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Live in the #sfbay #eastbay? Meet the @eastbaysketchers.bsky.social for some sketching amongst the plants Sun. April 27!
✒️ Let's meet again on Sunday, April 27th, 11am at Berkeley Horticultural Nursery. Sketch plants, people, flowers, garden tools, koi pond, etc. Indoor/outdoor space full of inspirations. Bring a stool to sit & please be courteous not to block the aisles for customers.
#eastbaysketchers
#eastbaysketchers
April 20, 2025 at 10:54 PM
Live in the #sfbay #eastbay? Meet the @eastbaysketchers.bsky.social for some sketching amongst the plants Sun. April 27!
Girl playing cards. Sketching in colored pencil at Milka in #Sacramento ©️ @paulawirth.bsky.social
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#urbansketching #coffeeshop #drawing
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#urbansketching #coffeeshop #drawing
April 20, 2025 at 10:46 PM
Girl playing cards. Sketching in colored pencil at Milka in #Sacramento ©️ @paulawirth.bsky.social
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#urbansketching #coffeeshop #drawing
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#urbansketching #coffeeshop #drawing
Sketchers, save the date! April 27, 11am, meetup with the @eastbaysketchers.bsky.social at Berkeley Horticultural Nursery! #urbansketching #eastbay
More details at www.facebook.com/events/12075...
More details at www.facebook.com/events/12075...
April 2, 2025 at 4:05 AM
Sketchers, save the date! April 27, 11am, meetup with the @eastbaysketchers.bsky.social at Berkeley Horticultural Nursery! #urbansketching #eastbay
More details at www.facebook.com/events/12075...
More details at www.facebook.com/events/12075...
Reposted by The Playful Brush
Happy Trans Day of Visibility to my friends and their families! #comicbooks #graphicnovels
goodcomicsforkids.slj.com/2025/03/31/t...
goodcomicsforkids.slj.com/2025/03/31/t...
Trans Day of Visibility | Graphic Novels
A roundup of graphic novels by and about transgender and nonbinary people.
goodcomicsforkids.slj.com
March 31, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Happy Trans Day of Visibility to my friends and their families! #comicbooks #graphicnovels
goodcomicsforkids.slj.com/2025/03/31/t...
goodcomicsforkids.slj.com/2025/03/31/t...
#urbansketching folks in the #sfbayarea, SF Sketchers has a meetup Sunday, April 6, 2025 at the #Oakland Ferry Terminal. www.meetup.com/sf-sketchers...
Oakland Ferry Terminal, Sun, Apr 6, 2025, 10:00 AM | Meetup
**This is the new date for the event:** The Oakland Ferry Terminal is a great place to sketch the estuary with views of Alameda and the San Francisco skyline, plus watercra
www.meetup.com
March 31, 2025 at 5:07 AM
#urbansketching folks in the #sfbayarea, SF Sketchers has a meetup Sunday, April 6, 2025 at the #Oakland Ferry Terminal. www.meetup.com/sf-sketchers...
Reposted by The Playful Brush
Get out your sharpener! Pull out your lead holder! Grab that mechanical #pencil! It’s #nationalpencilday ✏️
March 31, 2025 at 12:55 AM
Get out your sharpener! Pull out your lead holder! Grab that mechanical #pencil! It’s #nationalpencilday ✏️
The lack of quality of the generative AI “art” in @adobecreativecloud.bsky.social ads adds insult to injury.
Maybe we need human artists after all? #humanmade
Maybe we need human artists after all? #humanmade
March 17, 2025 at 4:15 AM
The lack of quality of the generative AI “art” in @adobecreativecloud.bsky.social ads adds insult to injury.
Maybe we need human artists after all? #humanmade
Maybe we need human artists after all? #humanmade
March 12, 2025 at 8:35 PM
This is Mochi. In this photo she is nearly nekkid, and posing in the tub. She loves a lion cut, and behaves like a kitten when her hair is short. Right now, in wintertime, she looks like a mochi ball, or more accurately, a Tribble.
#persiancat #rescuecat #rbf
#persiancat #rescuecat #rbf
February 26, 2025 at 4:23 AM
This is Mochi. In this photo she is nearly nekkid, and posing in the tub. She loves a lion cut, and behaves like a kitten when her hair is short. Right now, in wintertime, she looks like a mochi ball, or more accurately, a Tribble.
#persiancat #rescuecat #rbf
#persiancat #rescuecat #rbf
February 25, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Fruits 🍐 🍅
Yellow pears and red tomatoes drawn in #coloredpencil
#Drawing ©️ Paula Wirth.
Complementary and Contrasting Colors.
#pauladraws
Yellow pears and red tomatoes drawn in #coloredpencil
#Drawing ©️ Paula Wirth.
Complementary and Contrasting Colors.
#pauladraws
February 24, 2025 at 4:45 AM
Fruits 🍐 🍅
Yellow pears and red tomatoes drawn in #coloredpencil
#Drawing ©️ Paula Wirth.
Complementary and Contrasting Colors.
#pauladraws
Yellow pears and red tomatoes drawn in #coloredpencil
#Drawing ©️ Paula Wirth.
Complementary and Contrasting Colors.
#pauladraws
February 22, 2025 at 9:17 PM
Peculiar pelican. Drawn with vintage Prismacolor #coloredpencil
#Drawing ©️ Paula Wirth, 2024.
#artforthebirds #art
#Drawing ©️ Paula Wirth, 2024.
#artforthebirds #art
February 22, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Peculiar pelican. Drawn with vintage Prismacolor #coloredpencil
#Drawing ©️ Paula Wirth, 2024.
#artforthebirds #art
#Drawing ©️ Paula Wirth, 2024.
#artforthebirds #art
Reposted by The Playful Brush
My pretty.
Pilot Capless (AKA Vanishing Point) Black Graphite #FountainPen. Medium 18K solid gold nib coated with rhodium.
While I love vintage #fountainpens, the vanishing point Pilots are probably my favorite contemporary pen.
Pilot Capless (AKA Vanishing Point) Black Graphite #FountainPen. Medium 18K solid gold nib coated with rhodium.
While I love vintage #fountainpens, the vanishing point Pilots are probably my favorite contemporary pen.
February 20, 2025 at 9:37 PM
My pretty.
Pilot Capless (AKA Vanishing Point) Black Graphite #FountainPen. Medium 18K solid gold nib coated with rhodium.
While I love vintage #fountainpens, the vanishing point Pilots are probably my favorite contemporary pen.
Pilot Capless (AKA Vanishing Point) Black Graphite #FountainPen. Medium 18K solid gold nib coated with rhodium.
While I love vintage #fountainpens, the vanishing point Pilots are probably my favorite contemporary pen.