Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Tigard's Balloon Festival

Going to a Balloon Festival to see the balloons launch means getting there at 5:30 am. I felt like quite the dedicated sketcher when my alarm went off at 4:45am. Armed with strong coffee, my camp chair and my sketching gear, I tried my best to capture these beautiful balloons.

Here's one sketch.



 Maybe I should have shown the sketches first THEN the beautiful photos!
20110626-045212.jpg

20110626-045220.jpg

20110626-045228.jpg



20110626-045252.jpg

20110626-045301.jpg

20110626-045308.jpg
I sketched these on pages of my Flexi Sketch sketchbook that in some cases I had already added splashes of watercolor and even pasted on some random scraps of paper. I've had fun playing with water color paint while I watch movies. I'm finding that I sketch a little more freely on these pages that aren't glaringly white, which is a nice bonus!

Sketches also were posted on my blog

Friday, June 24, 2011

Canvas Art Bar

Stopped in at the Canvas this past Monday. Enjoyed drawing the model. Came away with one sketch I think is worth posting. Hoping to get out to more of these live model sessions. They seem to be very helpful and I enjoy them quite a bit.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Riversplace Sketces

I thought I might get back to Riverplace on another sunny day to add some color to my sketches, but it hasn't happened yet. On this first sketch, part way through, I realized that I was drawing two boats instead of one, so I added the little one in front to make it three. The boat in the foreground really wasn't that short, but if it were, I think I'd like to zip around in it.


Here are a few of the others sketchers. My apologies to those included.


Hat not yet red.

It was a great day to be out sketching with the Portland US. Now, I'd like to see Kalina's boat with laundry, so I know what colors to paint mine.

Friday, June 10, 2011

Multnomah Village Sketchcrawl

Portland Urban Sketchers went to Multnomah Village to sketch.
I copied Mike and tried sketching some of the signs

I love eating at Marco's Cafe, so I figured I should try to sketch it.
I don't usually draw hydrants, but I thought I'd give it a shot:
This is one of my favorite sketches....I find that I love to draw people, and especiall trying to draw someone I know! Here's Mike Porter sketching in the Lucky Lab

street scenes
sacrificed drawing, but I figured I'd post it anyway. It was about sitting there, in the sun, pen to paper, definitely not about the end result!

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Open Studio: Linda Daily's Piece of Cake Papers

Linda Daily recently invited us in to her new studio space
so that we could peek in to her sketchbooks

get some decorating tips,
and daydream
about our own future studio space

a place for our art books
and inspiration boards.

Thank you, Linda, for letting us come take a peek!

Riverplace sketching

I agree with Alanna about those...bridges! My eyes seem to skim over those pesky details and then I am disappointed after to see that I have created something that doesn't really exist.
Below is my corresponding sketch of Carrie. Since I am not a people person my drawing is more about the things surrounding Carrie than a portrait. It was a fun sketching day on the waterfront.





Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Sketching at Riverplace

Portland Urban Sketchers met at The Riverplace.
Riverplace was developed at the south part of the Tom McCall Waterfront Park after the Harbor Freeway was replaced by the park in the 1970's. It's got a little marina, some restaurants, and some shops as well as apartments and condos and the Riverplace Hotel. The greenway extends north through Governor Tom McCall Waterfront Park up to Steel Bridge and, eventually, south through the South Waterfront.  You can watch the Dragonboat races from here during the Rose Festival (or watch the teams practice during the year).  Riverplace is connected to downtown and the South Waterfront development by the Portland Streetcar.The Streetcar is in Fareless Square - pretty handy. (source: portland-neighborhoods

I realized that sketching these fancy boats are as much fun as sketching cars.


I did get a good likeness of Carrie, sketching happily in the sun.
 I'm always tempted to draw these darn  bridges we've got everywhere, but every time I curse their complicatedness.
 I finished a sketchbook while out, so I started a Flexi Sketch. With its 300 pages, I should be working in it for a while!
 I tried to capture kalina in that great hat of hers.
 I also tried to capture the sail boat with laundry handing out and man in hammock, a dragon boat, and dogs...


Monday, June 6, 2011

River Place Marina in Downtown Portland

(click image to enlarge)

We all met in front of the Little River Cafe right in front of all kinds of river worthy craft just waiting for some warm weather and today we had it.  I saw Alanna and Kalina at a large table scanning the view. Deb showed up right after me then Vicky and Linda.  There was just so much going on and so much to draw, we all thought we could sketch here for a month.  I got a few I'm happy with. Thanks for looking.
Carrie

I saw Deb was sketching me so I did a quick one of her!


Turned out Vicky new this couple that had leaned their bikes against the tree so I added their names under their sketch.  Pretty soon the rest of our group will add their sketches and drawings so come back soon.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Multnomah Village sketchcrawl

Multnomah Village is an enclave of small shops and cafes.






Viewed as a visitor it has all of the components of a destination trip...
including the traffic and cars parked along the streets. It seemed a little busy for me so I went looking for a place where I could see the shops without cars parked in front. Later on I got interested in all of the traffic signs at this busy intersection.