Tag: Pen and Ink

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Landscape Sketchcrawl Urban Sketchers

This Weekend! West Coast Urban Sketchers’ Sketchcrawl in the SF Bay Area

Lake Merritt View, Copic Sepia Multiliner
Lake Merritt View, Copic Sepia Multiliner

If you’re in the Bay Area the weekend of July 12-14, you’re invited to join in the sketching fun. We’ll be meeting Friday evening in Berkeley, all day Saturday in San Francisco and half a day on Sunday at Lake Merritt in Oakland.

You can find all the details, including schedules and downloadable maps on the 1st West Coast Urban Sketchers’ Sketchcrawl website or Facebook page.

Several art supply companies are supporting the event by donating sketching supplies and the local press have interviewed Urban Sketchers and are helping to promote the event with articles and arts and events columns.

We’re expecting over 100 people each day for this exciting event taking place at the same time as the Urban Sketchers Symposium in Barcelona, Spain and the Worldwide Sketchcrawl.

If you’re around this weekend, I hope you can join us. If you’re not, be sure to check out the Worldwide Sketchcrawl site to see if there is a sketchcrawl in your area on Saturday July 13.

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Building Ink and watercolor wash Landscape Places Sketchbook Pages Urban Sketchers

Women’s Work: Rosie the Riveter and Super Wonky Singer Sewing Machine

Craneway Pavillion and Rosie the Riveter Museum, ink & watercolor, 8x10"
Rosie the Riveter Museum (left) and Craneway Pavillion (right), ink & watercolor & National Park rubber stamp, 8×10″

When my plein air group met at the Rosie the Riveter Museum alongside Craneway Pavilion (a former auto factory where “Rosie’s” riveted during WWII) on the San Francisco Bay in Richmond, everyone else painted the bay view on the other side of these buildings.

But as soon as I drove into the parking lot, this industrial backside grabbed me. From the row of street lights to the giant smokestack and thousands of windows, I was sold. I set up, sketched and painted in the parking lot. Then I toured the museum. My mother, RivaLee was a “Rosie” and worked in an airplane factory in L.A. where she was known as “Riv the Riveter.”

Singer Sewing Machine circa early 1900s, ink & watercolor
Singer Sewing Machine circa early 1900s, ink & watercolor & gold pen

I don’t know what happened to my sense of perspective when I sketched this early 1900s Singer sewing machine in a warehouse full of antique industrial equipment. It was very heavy, almost impossible for me to move, so I guarantee it wasn’t lifting off the table or sliding downhill like it looks in my sketch.

As I drew I was struck by the beautiful decoration and the rounded shapes that seemed to echo the curves of the women who used them. What a lovely tool it is compared to the sterile, boxy, plastic computerized sewing machines of today.

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Every Day Matters Ink and watercolor wash Sketchbook Pages

EDiM 14-15: Draw a Figurine (Buddha & Poodle), Draw a Pencil

EDiM 14-15: Draw a Figurine, Draw a Pencil. Ink & watercolor, 8x10"
EDiM 14-15: Draw a Figurine, Draw a Pencil. Ink & watercolor, 8×10″

I thought the Buddha with the curly hair* was a nice match with this little poodle figurine  I sculpted years ago to be part of a chess set, with dogs on one side and cats on the other. The poodle with her little pink handbag and manicured nails is the last remaining piece (of the six I made before losing interest in the project). She she sits on my altar beside Buddha and a little plastic lamb I found in the street.

Maybe someday I’ll return to the chess set project, though I don’t really need one since I don’t play.

The pencil I drew is actually a chunky wooden lead holder. I like it more for its aesthetic value than as a pencil.

*I know Buddha didn’t have curly hair. According to legend the lumps on his head are snails who crawled up there to keep him cool and protect his head while he meditated in the hot sun all day long.

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Every Day Matters Sketchbook Pages

EDiM 12-13: The Oldest Thing in The Refrigerator & Draw a Pillow

Every Day in May #12: Oldest in Refrigerator; #13: Pillow. Ink & Colored Pencil, 8x10"
Every Day in May #12: Oldest in Refrigerator; #13: Pillow. Ink & Colored Pencil, 8×10″

“The Oldest Thing in Your Refrigerator” was the cue for May 12 and that was easy since there was only one old item in there: a bottle of red wine that was a gift from a vendor at work in 2010. I don’t drink red wine (a migraine trigger and I don’t like the taste anyway).  I can’t re-gift it to anyone since the label is all about the vendor, a printing company. I know red wine doesn’t belong in the fridge but that’s where it lives until I give it away or serve it to a guest who doesn’t mind a random Sonoma County chilled red wine.

May 13 was “Draw a Pillow.” These fuzzy/furry white pillows are a favorite of my calico cat Fiona who likes it when they’re stacked up so she can sit on the highest, softest place in the room like a princess.

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Every Day Matters Gardening Ink and watercolor wash Plants Sketchbook Pages

Something Creepy and A Lock: Every Day in May 9-10

EDiM 10: Something Creepy, ink & watercolor, 8x5"
EDiM 10: Something Creepy, ink & watercolor, 8×5″

The creepiest things around my house are snails and slugs. They creep along, leaving their silvery trails of slime. Yuck. My gardeners warned me that the big Agapanthus plants left behind by the former owner of my home were snail havens and wanted to remove them. But I like the crazy purple flowers and left them. To collect snails to sketch I knew where to go: I filled a plastic cup from two Agapanthus.

Most of the snails curled up in their shells and hid. One was very curious and climbed onto a leaf I stuck in the cup. I put the leaf and snail on the table to draw but he was a busy guy so I had to keep moving him when he reached the end of the leaf. Then I put him in the cup and he started climbing up and over the side, giving me a clear view of his face, which was just a little nub, with no apparent eyes or mouth. Extremely creepy.

EDiM 9-10, Draw a Lock & Something Creepy, ink & watercolor, 8x11"
EDiM 9-10, Draw a Lock & Something Creepy, ink & watercolor, 8×11″

The lock above is one I’ve had for many years. It lives in my gym bag and even though I sometimes go long stretches without using it, I seem to always remember the combination. I keep the combination in my iPhone’s contact list just in case I forget. I don’t want to be stranded in the locker room!  I struggled a bit drawing the lock so did it several times, starting with the one at the bottom.

More about snails:

Even though I didn’t see eyes or mouth it turns out they have them. Their weak eyes are on the end of their tentacles, the mouth is underneath the head. They don’t have ears and can’t hear but have a good sense of smell (though no nose). Lots more interesting snail facts on Snail World.com.

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Drawing Every Day Matters Sketchbook Pages

Something(s) For Free and a Coffee Pot: Every Day in May 7-8

EDiM 7-8: Something(s) You Got For Free and Draw a Coffee Pot, ink & watercolor, 8x11"
EDiM 7-8: Something(s) You Got For Free and Draw a Coffee Pot, ink & watercolor, 8×11″

“Draw Something You Got For Free” was May 7th’s cue and May 8 was “Draw A Coffee Pot.” Above is the black lacquer cabinet with carvings and gold decorations I found on the sidewalk in front of a brightly painted house in my neighborhood with a “Free” sign on it. On top of the cabinet is a microwave I got for free (my son left it behind along with the car parts featured here when I took back my garage to convert it to my studio.

And on top of the microwave are more freebies: a set of Russian stacking dolls a friend brought back from Sitka, a tiny bowl a friend made and inside the bowl is some lip balm from my dentist (he applies it before working in your mouth then hands it to you) and a packet of cut flower preservative free from Trader Joe’s floral department.

On the right above is the way I make my coffee, with a ceramic filter holder from Peet’s Coffee that drips the coffee directly into my cup.

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Art supplies Ink and watercolor wash Landscape Product Review Sketchbook Pages

EDiM 5-6: Draw A Scented Product (one to counteract another) and a Pine Tree

Draw a Pine Tree and a Scented Product (perfume and cat litter)
Draw a Pine Tree and a Scented Product (perfume and cat litter), ink & watercolor 8×11″

I had fun with May 6: “Draw a Scented Product.” I sketched two scented “products” — one man-made and one cat-made. The man-made is a lovely (and expensive) room perfume (Vanilla, Bourbon and Mandarin) that I fell in love with at my dentist’s office and unlike most scented products doesn’t give me a headache. It nicely counteracts the scented product my cats produce on a  regular basis.

“Draw a pine tree” was the cue for May 5. Easy…found one in my neighborhood bigger than a house and sketched it and painted it sitting in my car on a cold, foggy, windy day.

I’m experimenting with an inexpensive ($13.00) Winsor Newton Cotman watercolor palette. I like the format, size and light weight very much and the way the paint easily re-wets. Although the colors aren’t as intense as their artist’s grade paints they’re all permanent/lightfast. But that might be fine for sketching since it might help me keep the sketches simpler and save fancy washes for real watercolor paper.

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Ink and watercolor wash Sketchbook Pages Studio

Joy, Socks and Flat File Workstation

Something That Brings You Joy and Draw Your Socks, ink & watercolor, 8x11
Something That Brings You Joy and Draw Your Socks, ink & watercolor, 8×11

“Draw Something That Brings You Joy” was the cue for May 3. The first thing I thought of was my new (to me) flat file work station. I already had one set of files and was using them as a seating area, covered by a board, foam pad and quilt. But I decided I needed a  standing work station more than a lounging area in the studio.

Months ago I started watching Craigslist for another set. I finally found one in my sister’s neighborhood and my brother-in-law was willing to help me get them home, build a sturdy base for them and set them up, with the white melamine-covered board now a table top. Yay!

Day 4 was “Draw Your Socks” but it could have also been another “something that brings you joy” day, since my wonderful Smartwool Socks bring me and my feet much joy. Especially these cute, funny ones that look like there are two or three socks in one and have blue polka dots, flowers and stripes on them.

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Every Day Matters Ink and watercolor wash Sketchbook Pages

Every Day in May, Days 1-2: A Favorite Sound (Purrr) & Bubbles

Bubbles: Dirty Dishes, Every Day in May, ink & watercolor in 8x11Moleskine
Bubbles: Dirty Dishes, Every Day in May, ink & watercolor in 8×11″ Moleskine

What better way to improve drawing skills than to practice every day! I committed to the Every Day in May (Facebook, Flickr) challenge and have been really enjoying the practice, discipline and creativity the daily cues inspire. The first cue was: “Draw something bubbly.”

I had a sink full of dirty dishes awaiting me…a perfect excuse for bubbles. I got a little carried away and didn’t realize I’d drawn the cutting board on the counter floating in space instead. Oops. Under the pasted on list of sketching cues is a failed drawing of my cat that I wanted to hide and do over (below).

Draw A Favorite Sound: Purrrr. Every Day in May, ink & watercolor, 8 x11"
Draw A Favorite Sound: Purrrr. Every Day in May, ink & watercolor, 8 x 11″

Next up was “Draw a Favorite Sound.” I cheated a bit since my cats weren’t actually purring when I sketched this. Fiona was annoyed at having her nap disturbed and Busby wouldn’t even turn around, too busy looking out the window. I sketched this one in pencil first because after the failed drawing I pasted over above, I needed a bit of success to boost my confidence.

Warm up cat sketches to study them, ink, 8x11"
Warm up cat sketches to study them, ink, 8×11″

I did some warm-up sketches of the cats in ink first, trying to learn more about their basic shapes. It’s amazing how little I really see and know a subject until I draw it. I see my cats constantly but drawing them is almost like seeing them for the first time.

Categories
Building Healdsburg Ink and watercolor wash Outdoors/Landscape Places Sketchbook Pages

Earth Day Sketchcrawl in Healdsburg

Mother Earth on Earth Day in Healdsburg, ink & watercolor, 6.5x4"
Mother Earth on Earth Day in Healdsburg, ink & watercolor, 6.5×4″

Our sketch group traveled up to the wine country for a sketchcrawl in Healdsburg. We discovered an Earth Day festival setting up in the town square, complete with Mother Earth, above. Covered in flowers and pink and green gauzy fabric, she gave a talk about saving the earth, played her ukulele and sang a few children’s songs.

Healdsburg Home, Formerly a 7th Day Adventist Church Camp, ink & watercolor5.5"x6"
Healdsburg Home, Formerly a 7th Day Adventist Church Camp, ink & watercolor5.5″x6″

While we sketched this house a block from town square, the owner came out and told us it was built in 1887 by the 7th Day Adventists as a church camp. They still have the original kitchen except for the stove, which they updated to a 1940s model. He apologized we’d missed the flowering of the wisteria vine across the front of the porch.

Gazebo in Healdsburg Town Square, ink & watercolor, 5.5" x 6.5"
Gazebo in Healdsburg Town Square, ink & watercolor, 5.5″ x 6.5″

A variety of speakers lectured and bands performed under the gazebo in the beautiful Healdsburg town square. When the speakers got too strident or the bands too screechy, I walked a couple blocks away to find something else to draw.

Bear Republic Brewing Company, Healdsburg, ink & watercolor, 7x4.5"
Bear Republic Brewing Company, Healdsburg, ink & watercolor, 7×4.5″

As the temperature rose into the 80s I found a shady spot under a tree and drew the Bear Republic Brewing Company’s outdoor patio. Later we sat under those umbrellas and had our lunch. We shared journals with the other sketchcrawlers and at 4 :00 we headed back home.

Below are the full pages as they appear in my Moleskine A4 size journal (about 9×12″ per page).

Healdsburg Lefthand page in Moleskine 9x12"
Healdsburg, left page in Moleskine 9×12″ watercolor journal
Healdsburg Right Hand Page in Moleksine A4
Healdsburg Right Hand Page in Moleksine A4

You can see the pictures from some of the other sketchers on our Urban Sketchers blog.