Virtual Sketchcrawl #8

 

Virtual Sketchcrawl #8- Sketching in a Grid

For the time being we are back to our regular sketchcrawls of once a month.

Please join us for our eighth virtual sketchcrawl on Saturday, September 19th

 For this sketchcrawl we suggest you use the device of a grid on your page.

Your grid can be regular or irregular, whichever you prefer. The subject is open as well. You might try; selecting objects within a room (as Vicky Porter did in the illustration); select objects that have some connection to each other; or how about use the grid as frames like in a comic book and tell a story?

Other grid ideas from Barbara Weeks post on the Urbansketchers Chicago blog https://urbansketchers-chicago.blogspot.com/2015/03/off-grid-designing-page.html 

In this sketch page, Vicky Porter first taped off and painted in the grid spaces, then drew objects in a room.

As always, this challenge is optional, and you can be as strict to the subject or as loose as you like. Your participation is welcome whether you choose this challenge or not-- just make sure to work from life and to include contextual information, so it stays in the realm of urban sketching!

We will start at 10am.  At noon, which is when we would normally be meeting up for lunch to share sketchbooks, we'd love to see your sketches online in whichever forum feels comfortable for you:

(1) posting to this blog
(2) emailing to our mailing list
(3) posting in our Facebook group

See you there!

Postcards from the Industrial Refuge

I managed to find my old sketching kit yesterday, and measured off some 4x6 rectangles in the sketchbook (last used in 2014).  Then I wandered off into the Industrial Refuge this morning.  There's hardly anyone there on a Saturday morning, just a few runners and bikers, and people camping in their vehicles.  It wasn't too awfully hot yet, but hot enough that I only sketched from spots in the shade.

First off, I did a water tower on top of a building near Montgomery Park.  I've gazed at in for years while waiting for a bus, but never had time to sketch it.  Because, well, buses.

Then I walked down to the ESCO office building and did a bit of 'art' in their parking lot.  It could pretend to be sculpture, but I suspect what it really is is an old rusted drill bit.

And then, just a bit further to capture the last remaining bit of ESCO's old No. 1 foundry.

Postcard sketching

 I got to Wallace Park in NW a little early to try to beat the crowd and heat. There were still loads of people there at 9:15  but the park is large enough to handle us all. 

Here are my postcard sketches all done in or around Wallace Park (in front of the Chapman School) at NW 25th and NW Raleigh.

I used my usual watersoluble inks and Lexington Grey ink in a waterbrush....added some white Gouache too!

Virtual Sketchcrawl #7- August 15th

Virtual Sketchcrawl #7- Sketching a Postcard

For the time being we are back to our regular sketchcrawls of once a month.

Please join us for our seventh virtual sketchcrawl on Saturday, August 15th!

This time we suggest sketching a postcard.

Postcards are approximately 4"x6".....some I've measured at 4 1/4" x 6" and some older postcards are

3 1/2" x 5 1/2".

I suggest that you pick a size and then mark out that size on your sketchbook page. You might have room for two or even three on a page.

If you want to make your own to send out to a friend or fellow sketcher use cardstock or you can purchase watercolor postcards at your favorite art supply place.

• Sending a postcard is an extremely affordable way to communicate when you’re using the U.S Postal Service—regular postcards cost only $0.35 to mail! To qualify for postcard pricing, your mailer must be at least 3 ½” high, 5” long and 0.007” thick (approximately the thickness of an index card), but no more than 4 ¼” high, 6” long.

 

Because of this smaller size format it might be an opportunity to change up something else in your art practice........you will be working smaller so why not make it a quick sketch, say 10-15 minutes instead of your usual? And with several postcards to do you can work on a variety of subjects too!

Andrea Matthews organized a postcard activity at the Manchester usk symposium in 2016. This is a postcard that she did in Paris.

As always, this challenge is optional, and you can be as strict to the subject or as loose as you like. Your participation is welcome whether you choose this challenge or not-- just make sure to work from life and to include contextual information, so it stays in the realm of urban sketching!

We will start at 10am.  At noon, which is when we would normally be meeting up for lunch to share sketchbooks, we'd love to see your sketches online in whichever forum feels comfortable for you:

(1) posting to this blog
(2) emailing to our mailing list
(3) posting in our Facebook group

See you there!