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!!!

Scavenger Hunt: Fire Hydrant, Bike Pile, Musician, (and a little shoe distraction)

I drew several fire hydrants, thinking I would get a better one, but I think I just got more fire hydrants.

The most challenging item so far, has been the bike pile.

The best thing about the bike pile is it's near Fluevog shoes and they were gracious enough to let a few of us sketch inside. Their shoes, in all the different shapes and colors were really fun to draw.

This next shoe, was designed by Urban Sketcher Correspondent,  Zaza . You, too, can enter their Open Source shoe design contest and maybe get a prize and a shoe named after you. I'm already imagining 'The Vicky', winning enough to buy a gorgeous pair of sandals that I have my eyes on.

We go out to hear a lot of live music, so I sketch musicians often, but I thought I'd post a slightly different one, and test the rules to this hunt.  I'm trying to learn how to use Brushes on my iphone and this is an early attempt. What do you think, is iphone sketching legit?

By my count, that was 12 for me, narrowing the gap to Katura:)

Scavenger Hunt Item 23: Bird on It

The first thing I sketched with a bird on it was a t-shirt that was clearly playing off the hype of the Portlandia show. Funny, but too commercial to stand on its own.

I was beyond thrilled when I found the second bird-on-it: a bike parked in front of a martial arts studio had splendid hand-painted "FLY FREE" sign on the milk-crate, with two rather lovely paintings of white crows on black backgrounds on the side panels of cardboard. Now that is old-school DIY bird-putting if I've ever seen it.

Scavenger Hunt, Item No. 14: Bike

Walking home down Belmont last night, I noticed a rather nutty bike parked outside a bar. Quick sketch with a copic marker and a pale gray brush-tip pen caught the gist of it fairly well. A classic example of kids' bikes adapted for adults...with style being a bigger consideration that safety, of course.

Wandering further down the street, there was quite a party going on at the park--at which I sketched this bike that was crazier by far:

OK, it was actually two blue BMX bikes welded together side-by-side; I've simplified it for the sake of clarity in this sketch. The bikes were attached to a giant welded steel dome that I can only describe as a sort of hamster-cage. I suspect that when the riders slam on the brakes, they may well end up doing a full summersault with the cage rolling them in a flip before they come to a landing. (You'll be happy to know that there were two bike helmets hanging from the hamster-ball structure, by the way.)

I had intended to look for a stretched out cargo bike, one of those that hauls a whole heap of children on the front or back, for this element of the scavenger hunt--but these two raised their hands so charmingly, I just couldn't resist!