Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Peach season

Today I did this sketch at the Farmers Market in the South Park blocks.
It was bustling but I found a little concrete ledge to sit on across from the peach stand.
It was the lovely orange umbrella that caught my attention. I am happy with the colors
but wish I had shifted the composition to the right. I ran out of time to finish.

I had a great time and,of course, came home with some of those beautiful peaches!

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Sketching this week

Hi everybody,

Here's some sketches that I did this week, incorporating a few ideas from the symposium.

I also updated my blog with more sketches from Europe:  http://rrrollybag.wordpress.com

It sure is lovely out!  Great for getting out and sketching.

Andrea

Jameson Square 
Urban Center Plaza 
Hollywood

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Channeling Sara Midda

Some of you may be familiar with a little book called "South of France: A Sketchbook" by Sara Midda.
It is full of vignettes and tiny sketches and impressions of her time spent in France. I love some of the Watercolors she does that seem to be done without drawing,just the brush.
Well, a condo patio in NE Portland has little in common with Southern France but I thought I'd give it a try! The container garden I planted is doing so well I thought I would document it.

Bike helmets

I visited PAM last week to see exhibits of artist's books and bikes. I enjoyed both!
I took a minute(well,OK,a few minutes) to sketch the 'banner' outside made of brightly
colored bike helmets. Clever idea!

Barcelona Symposium

Here are a few sketches from the wonderful symposium in Barcelona. If you want to see more, there are three posts (before, during, and after symposium) on my blog http://draw2c.blogspot.com

The Sagrada Familia, from the first sketch crawl...


The market, from a workshop with Ea and Marina...

A church, from the workshop with Inma...



Some fellow sketchers and Lynne Chapman, (who I could never sketch accurately because she's in constant motion:)...


and the final sketchcrawl at the Arc de Triomf...


In my workshops, I tried for a looser style. Can you tell?

The symposium was a fantastic opportunity and I will treasure the memories of the lovely people and the beautiful city. 




Monday, July 22, 2013

Symposium Final Evening

OK, Andrea, this is for you...


This was our final night, right before the closing with the wine, paella, and other delicious food. We look happy, even if a bit fatigued. So many great memories!



Portland Urban Sketchers in Barcelona

Here's a few of us at the Arc de Triomf on the last day of the symposium: Deb, Andrea, & Gregg.


I also did one blog post while I was there, and it's got a few sketches: http://rrrollybag.wordpress.com

I plan to do more soon.  I've been going through my photos tonight.  I only took about 300 this time.

Now Vicky, it's time for you to post the photo of all of us (except Rita wasn't in it)...

Salmon Springs Crawl

We had a good turnout on Saturday despite the chilly weather.  A lot of people were walking in the area, so we had ample people-sketching opportunities, although understandably no one ventured into the fountain for a dip!  I couldn't decide whether to focus on the bridge, the fountain or the street light so got a bit of all of them in this sketch.  Besides, just a slice of the complex Hawthorne Bridge seems less daunting!  I sketched the other half at a sketchcawl a few years ago, so do I get credit for the whole thing? 

Salmon Street Springs Fountain

It was a busy Saturday, so I only popped by the Urban Sketchers meetup for about an hour. But it was delightful meeting new people as well as seeing old friends! And I managed to fill up a page before I headed out to tackle the rest of the weekend. * ¡Que sábado más ocupado! Sólo pasé una hora en la reunión de Urban Sketchers, pero fue un gran placer conocer a gente nueva y ver a los amigos ya conocidos. También logré llenar una página con dibujitos antes de correr a mis otros quehaceres para el fin de semana.


Sunday, July 21, 2013

Salmon Springs Sketchcrawl

We had a chilly morning sketching at Salmon Springs yesterday. Some sketchers left earlier, but this was our remaining group by noon. It was fun to have two new sketchers show up yesterday in addition to the always welcome familiar faces.


 Here are the group sketches, including Carrie's watercolor in progress...



 and here are mine...



A few of us stayed and had a picnic lunch and eventually we were down to two. This was my last sketch, when some intrepid children were beginning to go in the water.


It was fun getting together with the Portland sketchers. Many of us are already looking forward to the next sketchcrawl.

Monday, July 15, 2013

Sketch at Salmon Street Springs this Saturday!

Join the Urban Sketchers of Portland this Saturday, July 20, to sketch the Salmon Street Springs Fountain! It should be a lovely chance to enjoy the Portland riverfront in all of its summertime glory.

  • 9:30 a.m. Meet up  at the Starbucks at 910 SW 2nd Avenue, at the corner of Taylor. MAP
  • 10 a.m. -12 noon: Stroll to Salmon Street Springs Fountain, at intersection of Naito Parkway and SW Salmon in Waterfront Park. Map: http://goo.gl/maps/4Ffs0 Sketch! 
  • 12-12:30 p.m. Meet back at fountain to share sketches. 
  • 12:30 pm: Optional lunch--picnic style! Bring your own snacks and drinks, and we'll relax in some grassy shady spot in the park together. 

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Bike and Sketch

 Better late than never in posting my sketches from the pedalpalooza bike and sketch event! I have to admit that being pregnant has definitely impacted my motivation and concentration to sketch...maybe it's because I feel so much more tired these days.

It was great to get out and enjoy the day of biking and sketching. Katura was dressed quite cutely as Beatrix Potter and gave a great introduction to the group assembled. I jotted down names of folks that were there.
 Because I was on the back of a tandem, I did a quick sketch as we left Ladd's circle (color NOT added while biking!)
 Feeling out of practice, I sketched the Eastbank Esplanade, and tried to get a water skier in the scene, but alas, the skier went down and I got a cartoony impression of him.
 Sketching the sketchers on the esplanade then on to the goats!
 the goats were quite a challenge. Maybe I should have taken Kalina's approach and just tried sketching their butts!
 At the Lone Fir Cemetary, I was starting to feel hungry and my bladder needed some relief, which is my excuse for why I don't like this sketch very much!
 Also, a quick little sketch of Katura's bike (which isn't actually yellow, but black)

What a fun day!!!

Greetings from Barcelona!

The first day workshops have just ended and I thought I'd post them.
My first workshop was with James Richards...'Life between buildings: Capturing the energy'
Challenging in Placa de Cataluya with the crowds...but that was the point. James says "put the people in first".


The second workshop was ' Negative forms as first structures and minimal storytelling' with Omar Jaramillo and Joao Catarino. Watercolor made even more challenging with some heavy rain!
A very fun exercise though.....


The setting was in Sant Felipe Neri.....the location of some atrocities attributed to Franco.

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

7.7.13 Lucky Labrador Beer Hall, NW Portland, OR, USA. 
I dropped in for a couple of cold ales at the Lucky Lab this past Sunday. A calm and pleasant afternoon was had by more than one person......
Pen, ink, watercolor, and Porter!

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Noguchi in the Japanese Garden

I have been meaning to post my little accordion sketchbook I made and used at the garden this spring.
This is a reminder to try to see the Noguchi exhibit before it ends later this month. It is rare that his work is shown outside of his museum in NY or Japan. If anyone reads Japanese I apologize as this is a
random clipping from an old book!




Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Hawthorne Bridge Sketch, 06.30.13

Sunday, the 30th of June ~ Portland, Oregon. I rushed through a sketch of the Hawthorne Bridge. It was ninety plus degrees in the sun...  I was melting. This had to be good enough for the moment! Ink and watercolor in my little 5.50" X 8" sketch pad. Cheers from Portland!