iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Here's some process images for my last painting "Always Together." I created five transfers before I was happy with a composition. This was also my first Pachycephalosaurus so I had to figure out how to draw him. Sketches, color tests, and planet studies....

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

But, here's the piece I made for my partner's birthday at the end of September: "Always Together," 2026, watercolor, pen, and acrylic gouache on Saunders Waterford High White 300 HP, Image Size: 16" x 20" #traditionalart #dinosaurs #watercolor #drawing #painting #originalart

Painting by Useless Degree/hbmakesstuff/heb26
Pen and watercolor on matte flat Prussian blue background

Two dinosaurs float in the center - a mint green Pachycephalosaurus and a picking orange Parasaurolophus. They are facing each other and a cupcake with purple frosting is between them. There are various objects floating around them. Starting at top left going clockwise the objects are as follows: -The planet Mars in a rusty brown is only half visible on the page
- a red apple
- the tiny planet mercury in grey
- a red chili pepper
- Uranus in aqua
- Venus in pale yellow & orange
- a donut w/ pink frosting
- a green and blue fish
- the planet Jupiter in white rust and lavender
- a green D20
- Neptune in blue under the feet of the dinos
- an ice cream cone with purple, green, and pink ice cream
- a slice of watermelon
- Pluto in grey, red, white, and cream is very large
- a yellow wedge of Swiss cheese

Watermarked in grey right side vertical "Useless Degree"
Signed in pen on front "HEB26"
SIGNED with signature and date as well as HEB26 on back of paper

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

I have a tremor in my hands that I've had for about 20 years. I grip my pens really hard. Putting a makeup sponge on them helps a bit, but I try to set a timer to take breaks when I'm going to be drawing for a long time.

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Well this is an obstacle to getting any work done... (No wonder I find cat hairs in my watercolor palettes) Typical Walter behavior.

Grey cat laying on light grey cutting mat. One paw is extended with hand spread in process of doing an excellent air biscuit. The mat and cat are laying on a dark wood table strewn with books and pencils and a hairdryer. There is a TV at the end and a bookshelf with a ceramic Buddha to the right along with a metal folding chair with a striped seat.

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

I made an error. I have an Ultramarine Violet from M Graham that is pretty damn stunning. It's the DS Cobalt Blue Violet I was ambivalent about. If you go really heavy/saturated with honey based you might get a teeny tiny sheen, but even the ultra saturated M Graham Blue isn't shiny.

Painting sample on paper of M Graham Ultramarine Violet

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Here we are. The saturation on M Graham for this shade is infinitely better. Like, it's nuts how good it is. Top L is M Graham, Bottom left is Schmincke, Bottom right Sennelier French Ultra. I also have a Cob Blue Violet from MG and it's OK. About like DS.

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Ok. Kind of hard to see but the Sennelier is definitely the stickiest. My cat stepped in it and is came off on his feet. (And yes, I'm also a paint goblin) I'll send swatches in a moment.

Plastic watercolor Palette pan with almost empty well of dark blue labeled MG Ultra.

Plastic watercolor Palette of two dark blue paints in wells. One is labeled Schmincke the other is labeled Sennelier. The Sennelier is much shinier

Water color palette showing four wells, two blue and one dark blue and one purple labeled Holbein, Sennelier Daniel Smith and Schmincke

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Was just looking through images of old work and found this ham sandwich I made for my friend Paul's birthday. Completely forgot about it. 😂 Tomato slice makes zero sense but ok. Paul's Ham Sandwich, 2025 felt and embroidery thread, measurements vary #traditionalart #embroidery

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Here's a dino piece I did for a friend last fall. His birthday is on Halloween hence the theme: Jazz Hands & This Guy #1 (2025) acrylic gouache, pen, and watercolor on paper. Image size: 9" x 12" #traditionalart #drawing #painting #watercolor #dinosaurs

Drawing/painting by Useless Degree/ hbmakesstuff/heb25
Two pen cartoon dinosaurs in black and white on aqua background in a Halloween/ fall themed picture frame. The frame is mostly black and white pen with red and yellow oak and maple leaves in watercolor and three watercolor pumpkins at the base. The center pumpkin is a Jack O Lantern. There is an even larger Jack o Lantern in watercolor at the top center. Watermarked Useless Degree in pale grey across center

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Finished my icon velociraptor. Watercolor, acrylic gouache, pen, gouache, 4 5/8" x 2 5/8" #dinosaurs #watercolor #traditionalart

Painting by Useless Degree/hbmakesstuff/heb26

Cartoon velociraptor in icon style. He is painted in shades of cobalt blue and cream outlined in pen. His head is looking up with his hands together. He has a gold halo. The background is brick read. He has little gold stars on his skin
Signed HEB26 next to lower back watermarked Useless Degree pale grey vertical left side

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Currently working on another mini dino painting. This one in the style of a religious icon Acrylic gouache, pencil, gouache on paper (Fabriano CP) 4 5/8" x 2 5/8"

WIP by useless degree/ hbmakesstuff/ heb26

Dino icon in process. Background is deep red. Gold solid halo around head.

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

Did a little thread on my other account while I made this allosaurus. 2 5/8" x 4 5/8" watercolor, pen, and acrylic gouache on paper (Fabriano)

Painting by (raccoon overlord)/useless degree/heb26

Pink and orangy yellow Allosaurus with human teeth on a mint green background. A cupcake is floating into his mouth. He's got little seaweed arms. Watermarked "useless degree" bottom left in pale grey. Signed HEB26 under seaweed arm

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

I love lil teefs (Raymond does too)

Grey cat with fangs upside down. He is laying on a grey couch with a grey falsa under him. He has sea green eyes. His name is Raymond.

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

Here's my collage for the first page of sketchbook #15. This one took a long time. 15:01, collage, pen, watercolor, and acrylic gouache on paper, 9 7/8" x 7 1/2"

Collage by useless degree/ hbmakesstuff/heb26

Black and white collage on Prussian blue acrylic gouache background.

Layers of ocean waves. In the back on the left is a sail ship in choppy waters. In between layers of waves in the middle ground is a knight on a horse. He is facing 3/4 away from the viewer and looking up. In the foreground is a topless woman from the 1800s with her hand across her chest. She is wrapped in fabric and looking down in sadness. Her lips and headband are magenta. Shadows have been painted in around her as well as around the knight in grey watercolor.

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

Gesso helps a ton - gotta do both sides. Sometimes I paint a whole page (back & front) w/ boack ink & draw with gel pens. That school wc paper is great though. Something like card stock would work well but can't use water media on it. Here's a new one (left) and finished one (right)

Image of two sketchbooks next to each other. Both have black covers with elastic bands to keep them closed. The one on the left is new and very thin. The one on the right is used and about 5x as thick. There's a lamp, wood stove. and bookshelves in the background. There's color charts and a white panel and a big poster on the walls in the background.

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

The first page of a new sketchbook is always a collage. I am starting one for notebook #15. This one is from the first page of #14, which I finished today: #14:01 Collage on paper

Collage in notebook sitting on pavement by useless degree/hbmakesstuff/ heb26

Mostly black and white collage. There is a Peter Bruegal landscape in the far background with a building with columns in front of it. There's a horse with a saddle and blanket and bags in front of that with a dead civil war soldier beneath. On the left is a shepard holding a lamb. His robe has been colored red. In the foreground are two nuns who are reading. Their lips are pink.

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

Here's another sketchbook page: I gessoed and sanded the paper first. Random notes and bits under and on top of the gesso. #12:53 watercolor, pen, gesso, pencil, and collage, 9.75" x 15" #traditionalart #watercolor #sketchbook #painting #drawing #art #artist

Watercolor and pen painting/drawing on sketchbook over two pages by useless degree/ hbmakesstuff/ heb

Sort of an arctic landscape with purple grey sky and varying shades of blue for the water. Icebergs are white with line work. There are pieces of ice in the water. There's a candy bar wrapper collaged under white on the left, "Jane Austen Persuasion DNF DNS" is written above that in pen. At top left in pencil is the note " Tried to read. Just couldn't. Not sure I can read 19th cent English anymore
Page number "53" on bottom right in pencil. Watermarked "useless degree" vertically on left in medium grey

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

Been sick so I haven't been drawing. In the meantime, here's a sketchbook page: #36 Watercolor, ink, and gel pen on gessoed paper 9.75" x 15" #traditionalart #watercolor #watercolour #drawing #painting #marinelife @mobydickatsea.bsky.social

Sketchbook painting/drawing by useless degree/ hbmakesstuff/heb25

Image is over two sketchbook pages. There are 14 watercolor rectangles across the top. 11 in the first row and three in the second row. They are a pale greenish mostly bluish color (phthalo blue) The last rectangle is a purple blue.
A brightly colored mahi-mahi fish is in the center painted in bright yellow green and turquoise. Outlined in pen. Across the center and right is the Moby Dick quote "the wild thrilling sounds that were heard were the voices of newly drowned men in the sea." The text is handlettered in ochre, rust orange, dark blue, and golden yellow.
On the left "36" is lettered in pale blue noting the page number. Below, in dark blue, "Chapter 126 "The life-buoy" Paragraph two"
Below is a black pen nib thickness chart starting with thinnest line on left moving to thickest line on right. The line numbers are incorrect and listed as 1 - 12.

Watermarked Useless Degree in pale grey bottom right.

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

Here's a painting I did a few years ago of water. Neon ink photographs in a weird way with my phone. Watercolor, pen, ink on paper 22" x 30" #artsky #traditionalart #watercolor #drawing #painting

Drawing/painting by Useless Degree/hbmakesstuff/ heb of abstracted water. A vaguely splashy shape in shades of blue and pen. There is lots of white space and big circles of white cut out of it. Big orange splatters at bottom left and top right. Watermarked Useless Degree in pale grey bottom right

Detail of Drawing/painting by Useless Degree/hbmakesstuff/ heb of abstracted water. A vaguely splashy shape in shades of blue and pen. There is lots of white space and big circles of white cut out of it. Big orange splatters at bottom left and top right. Watermarked Useless Degree in pale grey bottom right

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

What if a bouquet of flowers but instead of flowers, it's dinosaur heads? And ferns. There will be big ferns. My partner is horrified by this for some reason. Like this, but dinosaur heads: Inktober 2022 #6 "Bouquet", pen on paper

Drawing by useless degree/ hbmakesstuff/heb22
Black and white pen drawing of flower bouquet but it is made of Halloween items instead of flowers. There are sugar skulls, bats, Jack-o-lanterns, candy corn, and black cats. There are also leaves which are Oak and Maple. The stems are all tied together with a band. There is a "#6" next to the stems on the left. Signed right hand side under a jack-o-lantern "flower" "HEB22"
Watermarked pale grey left side vertically "useless degree"

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 06/06/2026

I've been waiting all day for the sun to go behind a cloud to get an ok picture. Made this yesterday "Study for Hannah's Dream", water soluble graphite & colored pencil on gessoed paper, 30" x 22" * @sheev.calamitousintent.com I finally got it right! #traditionalart #drawing #painting #dinosaurs

Painting/drawing by useless degree/hbmakesstuff/heb26

A falling long legged parasaurolophus with seaweed arms painted in water-soluble graphite & colored pencil on gessoed white paper. The eyes are large, dark, and vacant. The parasaurolophus seems to be falling. Her body curves upward with her tail almost vertical. Her approximate representation of arms reach up. She has spindly long stiff legs that point upward awkwardly and her body and tail are striped. There is a grey wash around her a touch of orangish color on her belly and knees. Watermarked Useless Degree vertically on right side in pale grey. Signed HEB26 next to the tip of her tail

Detail of Painting/drawing by useless degree/hbmakesstuff/heb26

A falling long legged parasaurolophus with seaweed arms painted in water-soluble graphite & colored pencil on gessoed white paper. The eyes are large, dark, and vacant. The mouth is closed. The parasaurolophus seems to be falling and seems to accept this. There is visible texture from the gesso and sanding underneath the main drawing. Her approximate representation of arms reach up. She has spindly long stiff legs that point upward awkwardly and her body and is striped. There is a grey wash around her and a touch of orangish color on her chest and leg. Watermarked Useless Degree vertically on left side in pale grey. Signed HEB26 next to the tip of her tail and on the back (you can't see that)

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 05/06/2026

Been messing about with an idea for a Zhuchengtyrranus piece. Here's a sketchbook trial. Those little orange fishes show up a lot in my work. Watercolor, pen, acrylic gouache on paper, 9.75" x 15" #traditionalart #watercolor #dinosaurs #drawing #painting

Drawing/painting in sketchbook by Useless Degree/ hbmakesstuff/ heb26
Watercolor horizontal lines in varying shades of blue and purple make a sort of representation of water across the bottom third of the work. They are each outlined in pen. On the left, an approximate silly representation of a Zhuchengtyrranus leaps out of the water. He's a sort of pale orangish pink and painted in matte acrylic gouache with pen line work.

Beside him little crude childlike drawings of neon orange fish leap out of the water. In front is a black and white drawing of a trout. On the right side only a few of the neon orange fish jump out of the water. There's an old library spine label taped in at top right.
There are some handwritten notes below that. Watermarked Useless Degree in pale grey

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

Here's another fish. I used a sepia Micron and some fun neon ink. All my fish live in a world I made up. I even made a map of it. Srusa Short-tail Guidon Watercolor, pen, acrylic ink on paper #artsky #traditionalart #watercolor #drawing #fish

Watercolor by useless degree/hbmakesstuff/heb.

Watercolor splotches in blue and green fading to white make up the body of the fish. There are neon orange speckles. All the line work is done in a very point sepia pen. Watermarked in pale grey bottom left "useless degree"

Detail of Watercolor by useless degree/hbmakesstuff/heb.

Watercolor splotches in blue and green fading to white make up the body of the fish. There are neon orange speckles. All the line work is done in a very point sepia pen. Watermarked in pale grey bottom left "useless degree"

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

Workspace rearrangement is still ongoing. It's A LOT. I finished organizing my books by color & size. I created a dinosaur area where the cats can't reach. Also moved my flat files which is a big project. The room is going to look nice when I'm done, I think

White cube bookshelves. There are 18 cubes. They are set on a brick floor. There is a guitar to left of the shelves. A container of pens and a hairdryer and box sit on top. Books are arranged by color and size. Starting top left and moving right and continuing to second level, book spine colors are green, red, orange, yellow, cream, white. On the bottom shelf from left to right are blue royal dansk tins, various jars, a stack of French instruction books, a large conch shell, a postal service box with aerosols, another box with glue and orderless mineral spirits.

Various plastic and wood dinosaur figurines sit on top of a white bookshelf. The wall and aluminum shade to the left are a sort of horrible greenish beige obviously chosen by a landlord who doesnt care. Plastic dinos start the procession on the left. They are of various sizes and colors. In the back on the right are three wooden dino skeleton models.

Stack of 1950s stacked steel flat files sit on a brick floor. Each set is numbered one through ten. There are white labels as well. Various assorted junk is on both sides and on top of the files. Walls are horrible greenish beige. There is a Moma poster of Julie Mehretu behind but the image is cut off.

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 30/05/2026

Rearranging the room my workspace is in today! Here's a three headed fish for you I was playing around with some neon watercolor. Image is cropped Untitled, watercolor & pen on paper, June 2024, 30" x 22" #watercolor #artsky #traditionalart #drawing #painting

Watercolor by useless degree/ hbmakesstuff/ heb

Watercolor painting on offwhite paper. A three headed fish. Watermarked Useless Degree vertical right in pale grey

The fish has its body sort of twisted to the right. It has three different heads facing right. All outlined in pen
The watercolor is most densely painted on the heads in green, blue, and neon great splotches. The color continues on its back and side. It has a very fancy long flowing dorsal fin. Color continues on his back only until it fades out at his tail. The tail is most just pen with no color

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

Ooh! Pretty! I have a colourpop custom palette (so cool they have that option available) and have a few different golds/bronze/coppers in there that are lovely. Never tried under my eyes though! My favorite was Buxom Golden Retriever which they stopped making ages ago. Kind of a deep bronze/gold.

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

This is my favorite dino piece I've made. I really hope you like it. It took a long time! John's Memory #2 Watercolor, pen, and gouache on paper 8.5" x 24" *Please note that it is hard to photograph w/ my phone. A bit dark* #dinosaurs #traditionalart #painting #drawing #watercolor #artsky

John's Memory #2 by heb26/useless degree/hbmakesstuff
Drawing/painting of bright pink triceratops. His skin is patterned with a mosaic pattern. He is looking up with his mouth open and has two teeth. His arm is raised up and he's holding Balloon strings that attach to balloons that look like ammonites in earth tones. He looks as if the balloons are carrying him into the sky. There's a lot of white space around him. Watermarked pale grey right side vertical "Useless degree" signed very bottom right heb26

Detail head close up of John's Memory #2 by heb26/useless degree/hbmakesstuff
Drawing/painting of bright pink triceratops. His skin is patterned with a mosaic pattern. He is looking up with his mouth open and has two teeth. His arm is raised up and he's holding Balloon strings that attach to balloons that look like ammonites in earth tones. He looks as if the balloons are carrying him into the sky. There's a lot of white space around him. Watermarked pale grey right side vertical "Useless degree" signed very bottom right heb26

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

This is my favorite dino piece I've made. I really hope you like it. It took a long time! John's Memory #2 Watercolor, pen, and gouache on paper 8.5" x 24" *Please note that it is extremely hard to photograph w/ my phone. That's why it is a bit dark*

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

Well, I have four favorite birds total here's the order: 1. Tie between Canada Geese and Seagulls. 2. Pigeons. 3. Mallards. I grew up in Boston and I miss all my bird friends in the city. Here's a pic I took last time I was home. Not sure if I've showed you:

Canada goose portrait. The goose is looking doubtful. The goose has a black head, beak, eyes, and neck. They also have a white patch much like a chin strap under their head that ends behind their eyes. The goose has a lovely long neck and you can see some of the sort of mottled brown feathers on their body. There is bright green grass behind them with a walking path and a lamp post. He is adorable and also mysterious and sometimes dangerous in a hilarious way. All that seems expressed in his wonderful goose face.

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 24/05/2026

Raymond would like some lessons on how to look more casual. He's having some trouble figuring it out

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 23/05/2026

"You Can Tell He Likes Being Tall" Watercolor, pen, and acrylic gouache on Saunders Waterford HP 16" x 12" in., 2026 This is a study for a larger version. Double watermarked because we can never be too careful. Text was provided by my friend, Jess. #artsky #traditionalart #watercolor #dinosaurs

Drawing/painting ©Useless degree/ hbmakesstuff/ heb 26.
Watercolor oval in grayish blue in center of white paper. Pale lime green dino type guy in center. He's got spots and teeth and very long legs.
Text underneath reads "You can tell he like being tall" watermarked Useless Degree in pale grey across body and vertically on right. Signed HEB26 bottom right

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 23/05/2026

More exciting things are happening... (detail) acrylic gouache and watercolor on Saunders Waterford #artsky #painting #watercolor #traditionalart

Painting by Useless Degree/ hbmakesstuff/ heb 2026 some kind of pale lime green little creature in beginning stages with granulated blue black background. Watermarked Useless degree vertically

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

Exciting things are happening at my house:

Painting by useless degree/hbmakesstuff/HEB

Dark watercolor circle with white space in the shape of what will clearly be an amazing little guy. Paper is set on a grey gridded cutting mat
Watermarked left vertical useless degree in pale grey

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

This is the newest edition to my dinosaur family: He's a Zhuchengtyrranus. He enjoys herbal teas & various northern berries. He has similar personality traits to my cat, Walter. Watercolor and pen on paper, 9.5" x 7.5" #dinosaurs #traditionalart #watercolor #art #painting

Drawing/painting by Useless Degree/ hbmakesstuff/ heb 2026
Watercolor and pen image of a concerned dino with many teeth and a wrinkly forehead. He's got tiny Lil arms and little spots on his nose. He is various shades of muted pink. On the bottom right is some more pale pink and orange and written in blue "Walter adjacent" Top center in red pen reads "Zhuchengtyrranus" top right is the page number 19.
In blue text reads: guuhhh herbal teas. Various northern berries. Watermarked Useless Degree vertical in pale grey.

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

From my sketchbook: @mobydickatsea.bsky.social is a bot that posts random lines from Moby Dick. @findmobydick.bsky.social is the companion bot for page citation #10. Watercolor and pen on gessoed paper 9.75" x 7.5" #artsky #traditionalart #watercolor #drawing #painting #artistsofbluesky

Sketchbook drawing/painting by Useless Degree/hbmakesstuff/heb in watercolor and pen on gessoed paper. Blue and green spotted angler type fish with an orange and purple flower growing out of its head. Very large teeth
"10" notes the page number and is written in dark plum on the left.
In teal and green gel pen serif all caps handwriting is the quote from Herman Melville's Moby Dick "the ghost is spouted up, and away. We sail to fight some other world and go through young life's old routine again" next to that in mint green "Paragraph Seven"
Sort of center right by flower stem in mint green is text saying "chapter 98 Slowing Down and Clearing Up" watermarked bottom right in pale grey "Useless degree"

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

This is my darling Walter. He is happy today. He is extremely nice and very snuggly. He has a brother named Raymond who is asleep in the cat tree.

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

What we have here is a bird doctor. Maybe he's a surgeon? Maybe he's just a bird guy with a scalpel? The prompt was "operate" Watercolor and pen on paper #art #artsky #birds #watercolor

Drawinh/painting by Useless Degree/hbmakesstuff/ heb
A pen and watercolor drawing of a blue and green bird with orange legs and feet. He's holding a little brown medic bag and has an enormous scalpel in his beak. He's also wearing a head mirror. Watermarked on left vertical with pale grey "Useless degree"

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

Forgot the hash tags so reposting: I feel like posting two today so here's another of my dino friends: This is where I became obsessed with them having seaweed arms Very Small Herd of Dinos Pen, watercolor, and gouache on paper, 9" x 12" 2024 #artsky #dinosaurs #traditionalart #watercolor #art

Painting/drawing by useless degree/ hbmakesstuff/ heb

Two striped TRex type dinos with long legs and human teeth and seaweed arms in pen on light turquoise gouache background with watercolor and pen strawberries, strawberry flowers, vine, and leaves as a half border

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

Polar Bear watercolor, white ink, pen on paper 8" x 10" This one is in grey pen. For the opaque white ink, I used Culture Hustle's Wink ink which is by far the best white ink I've ever tried. Got it when they were beta testing it a few years ago.

Polar bear by useless degree/ hbmakesstuff/ heb drawing/painting of Polar bear is grey pen with blue watercolor drops and white ink drops watermarked bottom left

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

Sometimes I make books too! Here's a sketchbook I made a few years ago for a friend. It has a fun Coptic binding and the cover is sanded wood that I varnished.

Handmade book by useless degree/ hbmakesstuff/ heb

Coptic bound books with wood cover and turquoise linen thread

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

Coelophysis Christmas Conversation (ooh alliteration!) Made this on 12-25-2025 (obviously) while watching the movie "Last Christmas" (One of my guilty pleasures is Christmas movies and that one stars Emilia Clarke) Watercolor and pen on paper. 9.5 x 7.5" each

Drawing by useless degree/hbmakesstuff/heb25 Coelophysis with speech bubble saying "I like George Michael on Christmas"
The drawing is watercolor and pen on paper. The coelophysis in the image is shades of green with a purple background. The image is watermarked "Useless Degree" Very cute hands on this guy

Drawing by useless degree/hbmakesstuff/heb25 Coelophysis with speech bubble saying "Me too"
The drawing is watercolor and pen on paper. The coelophysis in the image is shades of orange and blue with a pink background. The image is watermarked "Useless Degree" Very cute hands on this guy too

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 09/05/2026

It's been a rough week for a lot of dino lovers out there. So This Guy is here to make you smile. "This Guy" pen, watercolor, acrylic gouache on paper, 14" x 11" 2025 #art #artsky #illustration #dinosaurs

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

Sometimes I paint imaginary fishes. They live in a made up world. I even made a map for the world (though I haven't named it). The fish are how I first started messing around with watercolor. "Zleles Light Finned Daggerfish" Watercolor and pen on paper #art #artsky #watercolor #fish

Painting by Useless Degree/heb/hbmakesstuff
Imaginary fish in red and green splotchey water color with pen.

Closeup of imaginary fish by Useless Degree/heb/hbmakesstuff
Red and green watercolor with pen

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

That's a great way of putting it! I'm kind of experimenting with little swatches on the piece to show thay. Like in this landscape that I posted before:

Strange landscape by useless degree/heb/hbmakesstuff
Arctic landscapes with blue water and color swatches on the left side

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

We had a rare cloudy day and I was able to photograph some of my work. Really need to get a proper camera. Here's a long legged stegosaurus: Pen, acrylic ink, and watercolor on paper #artsky #watercolor #dinosaurs #illustration

Long legged stegosaurus painting/drawing by useless degree/heb/hbmakesstuff
A long legged dino is passing by. The Dino is drawn in pen. This stegosaurus stands against a streaky cyan background (done in acrylic ink) pumpkins, vines, and leaves are at the border in watercolor and pen.
This stegosaurus looks tired yet determined

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 02/05/2026

WIP: Worked on my memory buildings yesterday. Had these sketches for a while and thought I'd try doing a little painting. They are tweaked blind contour drawings from memory of buildings from my hometown. This is the Pru (Prudential tower) Watercolor, oil, ink on gessoed paper

Painting by useless degree/hbmakesstuff/heb26
Prudential Tower oil watercolor ink on paper strange drawing of building with textured blue background

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 02/05/2026

Here's one of my first dinos ever and the drawing that kind of started the whole long legged dinos with human teeth thing. I made this card for my partner. Marker and gouache on paper

Dino drawing by Useless Degree/hbmakesstuff
Long legged stegosaurus on blue background

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Useless Degree @uselessdegree.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

Painters: What are the colors you could never give up? For watercolor: - Phthalo Blue (my favorite color of all time) - Schmincke Forest Grey (granulated) - Quinacridone Gold

Photo of watercolor paint tubes: Sennelier Quinacridone Gold, Schmincke Forest Grey, and Sennelier Phthalo Blue

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