Waterfront Sketching + a couple Tacoma sketches

Such a nice day on the water front.  Kalina & Jason had a great spot ata park bench in the shade, so I joined them.  The geese caught my eye.  I messed around with a brush pen, and then watercolor paints, and then textures that come from mashing your paintbrush in different ways.

Now here are a few Tacoma sketches I haven't posted yet.

The sketch below is telling a story of highways going through Tacoma, inspired by a discussion with Paula & Deb.

In this sketch I got excited about all the things going on in the view from the bar's outdoor seating area.  The added bonus: it was a comfortable place to sit in the shade and eavesdrop on the military guys sitting at the left.

Sketchcrawl on the waterfront

I walked around for a bit, and found myself drawn to the boats that were anchored in the river or tied up at the seawall.

Then, that evening, I found my self up in Washington Park, and did some details from "The Coming of the White Man" and "Sacajawea and Jean-Baptiste".

Sketching on the SW Waterfront

 It was a perfect day on the waterfront yesterday. The sky was blue, the shadows were dappled and the temperature was ideal. We had a small, but avid group who showed up. We did some catching up about the symposium, the Tacoma sketch crawl, Tango at Directors Square, and other places we had sketched recently and then we got out the pens and got busy.

I've always said that I wouldn't want to draw a panorama, but yesterday the conditions were ideal. I had a shady bench, friendly company, the sun behind me and a stunning view from one side of the river to the other. I didn't finish, but enjoyed the attempt.

It was a terrific way to start the weekend.

Sketching at Riverplace

Haven't been to Riverplace is such a long while...I forget how nice it can be there.

I used a thicker sort of brush pen (Kuretake) for these sketches. After we shared I stayed on to add some color.

Aug 27 Sketch Crawl - UPDATE and REMINDER - Slight Venue Change

4th Saturday Sketch Crawl - Saturday, August 27

Looks like there have been some changes in the last couple of years down on the waterfront.  So, there have been some changes in venue for this Saturday's sketch crawl. 

Next Portland Sketchcrawl: Saturday, August 27. Let's crawl South Waterfront!

• 10:00 am: Meet in front of Bean and Tree Upstream Coffee for coffee and snacks: 0315 Montgomery St., #210, Portland.
• 10:30 am: Sketch boats, bridges, buildings, plants, dogs, the river, and/or people on the South Waterfront.
• 12 noon: Optional sketchbook sharing and lunch: Thirst Bistro Little River Cafe - 0315 SW Montgomery Street #310, Portland.

See you there!

Tacoma- West Coast Sketchcrawl

Andrea and I journeyed by train to join several other Portland sketchers at the West Coast Urban Sketchers Sketchcrawl in Tacoma. We were there for just the day on Saturday but the West Coast Sketchcrawl is an all weekend event.

Many people up and down the coast (I also met a sketcher from Missouri!) gathered to sketch Tacoma on this hot but still comfortable in the shade Saturday. All of these sketches were made with a pointed search for shade and a good view....!

Bridge of Glass with glass trees.

Bridge of Glass and the Museum of Glass funnel

A sculpture installation at the Tacoma Art Museum called the Blanket Project and Old Union Station

Structure with steps leading down to the base of the Museum of Glass funnel

Bridge of Glass and Old Union Station

A couple of years ago I had traveled there with some other sketchers and knew what a wonderful place Tacoma was to sketch. Unfortunately with just one day of sketching it was not enough time to explore widely so I pretty much stuck to the area around the History Museum, Art Museum, Old Union Station and the Museum of Glass.
A wonderful day filled with sketching along with many sketchers to meet.

Tacoma

.I joined my husband on a business trip to Tacoma and then on to Seattle for two nights.

Here are a few quick sketches I did in Tacoma and about a half hour sketch in King Street Station waiting for our train back to Portland.

For those of you considering going to the sketch crawl in Tacoma...you won't be disappointed. There is so much to sketch there! Fantastic architecture could keep you occupied for weeks.

I'm not able to attend but just wanted to report that it is a fun place to draw! 

August Sketch Crawls

Normally we have our sketch crawls on the 3rd Saturday of the month.  But this month, Tacoma is having a great event, and that's nearby.  So let's postpone the Portland Sketch Crawl till the 4th Saturday.  See below.

Annual West Coast Sketch Crawl - Tacoma, Washington
Aug. 19 - Aug. 21

Schedule:
Friday Aug 19
6:00 pm, registration at Picasso Catering
6:45 pm, dinner & 5 minute portrait sketch party at Picasso Catering, $25

Saturday Aug 20
8:00 am,  registration + Welcome & Orientation at Auditorium Lobby, Washington State History Museum
9:15 am, depart for sketching from Auditorium Lobby, Washington State History Museum
11:30 am, sketch sharing & group photo, Plaza of the Museum of Glass, then lunch at area restaurants
4:00 pm, sketch sharing & group photo, Plaza at the Museum of glass

Sunday Aug 21
9:00 am, announcements, Tacoma Art Museum
11:30 am, sketch sharing & group photo, closing remarks, Tollefson Plaza (across the street from the Tacoma Art Museum)

Summary:
Join us in August, 2016, in another fabulous west coast city, Tacoma, Washington, for the fourth in a series of annual west coast urban sketchers sketch crawl events. We have been in the San Francisco Bay Area, Portland, and San Diego over the past three summers, and this coming summer we offer up Tacoma, the second largest urban area in the state of Washington. Tacoma offers an historically and architecturally rich downtown area that cries out for the sketcher/artist to pay it homage, and we are excited about sharing that opportunity with the global urbansketcher community.

Because we offer no workshops or demonstrations, these annual west coast events are FREE. Each is designed for simply a few days of pure sketching in another of our fabulous west coast cities with others who share the same passions about sketching in urban environments.

More info & registration:
http://4thwcuskskcrawl.blogspot.com/

4th Saturday Sketch Crawl - Saturday, August 27

Next Portland Sketchcrawl: Saturday, August 27. Let's crawl South Waterfront!

• 10:00 am: Meet in front of Bean and Tree Upstream Coffee for coffee and snacks: 0315 Montgomery St., #210, Portland.
• 10:30 am: Sketch boats, bridges, buildings, plants, dogs, the river, and/or people on the South Waterfront.
• 12 noon: Optional sketchbook sharing and lunch: Thirst Bistro Little River Cafe - 0315 SW Montgomery Street #310, Portland.

Regularly scheduled 3rd Saturday Sketch Crawl of September:
- Saturday, September 17.
Tentative: Sextant Bar & Galley - or close to there.  It's got views of the airport and I think Mount Hood.

3rd Saturday Sketch Crawl: Saturday, Oct. 15
Tentative:  Laurelhurst Park - should have nice fall colors.

"Urban" sketching

Following are a couple of sketches I worked on while visiting southern Washington's Gifford National Forest last weekend near Mt. Adams.  Scenes from Panther Creek and Peterson Prairie National forest campgrounds.

I've been working on landscapes, trees, distant mountains, etc.  Still struggling with water. Moving water especially.

NW Glisan at NW 18th

Wednesday was a beautiful day to do some sketching. I have always wanted to draw one of the brightly painted Victorians that line this block. It took longer than I thought so I only tackled one house.

I'd like to return and try the whole row from a different angle. I just love all the bright colors on these homes! They remind me of the Painted Ladies of San Francisco.