Sketchcrawl 21: Ferry Building, San Francisco – Part I

The weather was perfect in San Francisco for Sketchcrawl 21. Martha and I kicked off the day sketching this old dude playing off-key clarinet behind the Ferry Building. Children seemed to love the music and the pigeons looked happy, doing their funny pigeon wobbly-neck dance to the music. I’m guessing his fancy tuxedo pants were left over from better days.

As we headed to the only open table across from the musician to sketch, a young man with a perky little dog started to take “our” table. Without realizing I was thinking out loud, I said, “No, guy, don’t sit there!” He turned around and looked at me in surprise.

I was so embarrassed! I apologized and explained, “I didn”t meant to say that; I thought I was just thinking it.” He was very nice and insisted we take the table, which we did, with me still apologizing. I better be careful or I’m going to turn into one of those crazy cat ladies who wanders around talking to herself all the time (if I’m not already there!)

By 10:30 a.m. about a dozen sketchers had gathered. That number grew to 80 by the final meet-up in Golden Gate Park. Some of us  (Martha, Yoko and I) stayed around the Ferry Building to draw so never made it to the park. Note our cool Sketchcrawl T-shirts.

End of day meet-up in Golden Gate park (below).

Photo by Jim Mitchell

We had a fabulous lunch at Hog Island Oysters in the Ferry Building. I’ll post those pictures tomorrow after I add watercolor; we hogged the Hog Island table too long to start painting after we’d sketched all our food before eating it!

After lunch we took a stroll in the sun hunting more sketches. We walked out on a pier where we drew and painted these Pilot Boats (used to transport pilots of big ships between land and the inbound or outbound ships that they are piloting). Who knew they had special boats designed for just that purpose! Since they’re so tiny compared to the huge tankers and container ships, I guess that orange mast-looking thingee on the boat is actually a sort of crane for the pilot to ride down on.

Here”s a picture of our sketchbooks and our interpretations of the same scene.

It was Martha‘s idea to hold up the sketchbook in front of the scene, trying to get the boats the same size in both. She is so much fun to sketch (and lunch) with! I’m sure her sketches will be appearing on her blog, Trumpetvine Travels,  shortly.