Lan Su Chinese Garden

Another great turnout today at the Chinese Garden.  Many of us sat on a sunny path over the water.  I think more than one of us sketched this particular bush.

Afterwards we met up for conversation and sharing drawings at Floyd's.  I enjoyed seeing drawings from sketch crawls past.  Memories....

The sketch below is from OMSI yesterday.  This view had a lot of lines in it, including the long line to get into the museum.  Instead of standing in it, I drew it.

What New Years resolutions do I want to have for drawing?  ????????   Here's a start:

1. Keep trying out new materials, including the water color pencils I got for Christmas.

2. Work on developing a good color palette.

3. Blog every week.

On that note, I just added some sketches from the holidays to my blog - http://rrrollybag.wordpress.com

Mark your calendars!

Fun upcoming sketching events to have on your radar...

Lan Su Chinese Garden. Sketch by Katura.

• Sunday, Dec 29: Our friends at Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School are doing circus-themed figure sketching. 7 pm -10 pm, $10 charge. Event details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1439980602887573/
  
• Saturday, Jan 4: Our friends at Portland Drink & Draw will be sketching the Sherlock Holmes exhibit at OMSI! Museum charges admission (though you can sketch in the free public areas of the lobby if you're on a budget, of course.) Event details: http://www.meetup.com/Drink-and-Draw-in-Portland/events/144606152/
  
  
• Sunday, Jan 5: We, the Urban Sketchers of Portland, are meeting up to sketch at the Lan Su Chinese Garden! Bring a donation of non-perishable food to get the free admission. Meet near the entrance at 10:30 am, regroup to share sketches at 12 noon. Details on the eight free days that the garden offers to celebrate the new year: http://www.lansugarden.org/things-to-do/events/eight-free-days/ (Rumor has it that this can get quite crowded, be advised)
  
• Saturday, Jan 18: Our regularly scheduled Urban Sketchers meetup will be in the North Mississippi neighborhood near Fremont. The entrance of the ReBuilding Center, which is sculpted like a 3-D forest, could be super fun to draw, and there are lots of neat little cafes and shops all through that neighborhood in general. Gather at 10 am at Muddy's Coffeeshop (http://muddyspdx.com/) and then share sketches at 12:30.

Snapshot from Kennedy School outing

Cool panoramic photo of the group, courtesy of Karl!

Hanging out at the Kennedy School

At least 15 people were at the Kennedy School sketchcrawl, so cool! We kind of took over a big table in the restaurant and I spent most of my time there chatting and sketching other sketchers...

But I also took a crack at that nifty iconic fireplace/chimney thing in the courtyard.

December sketchcrawl at Kennedy School

It was great to see all of the regulars and some new sketchers at the Kennedy School.
I stayed away from doing any people and concentrated on some interior and structure outside in the courtyard.

Some 'warm up' sketches were needed since I needed to get in the grove. I sometimes forget this step but when I do a thumbnail it usually is very helpful to the final sketch.

exterior fireplace chimney- watercolor pencils and Noodler's Lafayette Grey ink in a waterbrush

interior scene- watercolor pencils

Wishing all sketchers a very merry holiday....and hope to see you at a sketchcrawl next year!

Tubas and the Kennedy School

Tuba Christmas last Saturday - a little too hard to see tubas because of crowds.  So I drew friends and crowds instead.  Finished my little water color sketchbook, and the Pete Scully sketchbook too.

      

Kennedy School today.  I started off drawing people like I've been doing lately.

There was a lot to look at in the Courtyard Restaurant, a lot to think about drawing.   I started drawing the room we were in and kept messing with the drawing until lunch time.

I enjoyed seeing everybody today.  Looking forward to seeing you all again in the New Year.  Happy Holidays!

Kennedy School Sketchcrawl

We had a wonderful sketch crawl at Kennedy School today. Katura came with the precious Magpie, who modeled for some of us.

There were some new folks as well as some returning sketchers. I'm sorry I didn't get everyone--or the best photo of each person.

It was such a pleasure to draw people again...

and who could ask for a better group to draw?

Thank you for a lovely morning, all who were here...and to everyone, the very best holiday and New Year's wishes!

Watching From The Sidelines

I've been following all of your adventures, but haven't been participating much. I went to the bar across the street and brought the sketchbook with me tonight. Here's a  link to a of a video of a couple sketches from tonight. I couldn't figure out how to embed the vid.
Hope to join you all again soon.


http://even-sketchier.tumblr.com/post/70669524832/fridaynight-at-the-bar-the-local-watering-hole

Sketchcrawl at the Kennedy School

It seemed like a good time of year to go sketching indoors with a big warm fireplace...

Join us on Saturday, December 21, from  9:30am – 1:00pm at the Kennedy School, 5736 N.E. 33rd Ave. Portland, OR 97211 (map)

 

We will meet at the Courtyard Restaurant (part of the Kennedy School) to welcome new people and introduce ourselves. Then let's spread out (or stay put) to draw. We'll re-convene for sketchbook sharing at noon at the Boiler Room Bar (also part of the Kennedy School).

 

 

More at Portlands Tuba Christmas

It was great to see other Portland sketchers at the Pioneer Courthouse Square to hear (and see) the Tubas.
We had initially a pretty good spot for viewing but it would have been better to be a little further down to have a better view of the whole Tuba ensemble.
Eventually more people arrived and we were 'forced' to sketch those other intrepid Portlanders around us. Most of my views were from behind....!

Tuba Christmas- ink with some watercolor pencils and some not

Other spectators- Lafayette Grey Noodlers ink in waterbrush

Umbrella Man with hand knitted sweater- ink and watercolor pencil