Travel Sketches: Santa Fe

I made my first trip to Santa Fe last week. Luckily, the weather didn't turn out to be the predicted rain and thunderstorms, so there were plenty of opportunities to grab a sketch in the afternoon sunshine. The big dramatic skies, changing colors of the adobe, and the large expanses of landscape  (as well as the friendly people) all are reasons to return.

There are more sketches on my blog, http://draw2c.blogspot.com.

3rd Saturday, June - Sketch Crawl at the Fields

JUNE 18, 2016 - THE FIELDS

Let's go to one of Deb's favorite places to sketch: The Fields Neighborhood Park.  There's a great view of the Fremont Bridge, Cedar Mills, people, buildings, dogs, train tracks (maybe even trains) and a playground.

• 10:00am - Meet at Ovation Coffee & Tea (941 NW Overton St ) for coffee, snacks, and socializing.
• 10:30am - Sketch the park, the bridge, or other such things from 10:30-noon. 
• 12:00noon - Optional lunch and sketchbook sharing at the the Ecotrust Building, 721 NW 9th Ave.

JULY 16, 2016 - SOUTH PARK BLOCKS

It may be really hot so let's go to a leafy area.  You can't go wrong with the South Park Blocks.  Always lots of shade.

• 10:00am - Meet at Museum Grounds Coffee Shop (1219 SW Park - it's the coffee shop at the Portland Art Museum) for coffee, snacks, and socializing.  It's small in there so we may have to take turns getting coffee.
• 10:30am - Sketch the farmer's market, trees, people, musicians from 10:30-noon. 
• 12:00noon - Optional lunch and sketchbook sharing upstairs at Smith Memorial Student Union (1825 SW Broadway).

Painted Gurls in the Alphabet District

We see these sweet homes on the way to our vet, and on walks.
They are no where near special enough to be saved when the bulldozers come,
which they will, and so very soon the
ugliest high rises in the world will be sitting here….
 

These are not grown up Painted Ladies,
they are teeny bungalows, so charming, a slice of history.
They probably started out identical to the center one,
with little trim applied and no fancy front porch.
Over time they were painted different colors,
one added a bigger porch, and two a LOT of trim…

But they kept the RED DOORS!  They’ve been repainted so the reds are

a bit different, ranging from orange-red to brick red, but they are all still red!

I am charmed, and would love to have one — I’d fight to save it when the bulldozers came, chain myself to the porch and make them drag me kicking and screaming into the street.  The stuff they are building here in NW Portland are not charming.

That one in the center will be our house,
with the clear red door and the prayer flags…

BTW, Thank you for comments in advance. 
FYI I read the blog and want to comment on other posts as well,
but there is a glitch and it won't allow me to comment.  It has been this way for months (probably because I don't have a blogger or gmail account),
and when I try to write you it won't take my email address either.
Doesn't ask me to verify and doesn't allow me to post though
I hit post when it refreshes, as if it is going to take my comment.

Trinity Episcopal Church Doors

Trinity Episcopal Church, at the corner of 19th and Everett,
across from where the NW Outdoor Market is often held has lovely red doors.  
The three doors around the side are amazing, shocking high-gloss bright red.
I can imagine these doors glow in the dark, if you are visiting the church at night, with their bright happy color illuminated by the overhead lanterns.

Colors used, above, mixed on the page:
Stone is Tigereye, Shungite, and Hematite;
Doors are undercoat with Quin Coral and overbushed with Perylene Red.
Undercoats done in field; overcoats in studio.

Rhododendron Garden

This place is a good idea you guys.

I settled on some markers that I plan to always be carrying around with me.

Then went home and added some watercolor.  I'm going to carry that watercolor around too.

 

Near Lindy Ltd., Vaughn curves into 18th and there is a lovely set of older buildings. I've seen chickens in the street in this odd quiet part of the city.  Quick studies, not that happy with outcome -- trees are overworked -- I need to get more paint on my brush and less watery washes. Continuing on around the curve, Pomarius Nursery with two of the chickens out front pecking around, I-5 and The Castaway in the background. 

Strathmore Journal, Pentalic HB woodless pencil,
Platinum Carbon pen, Lamy Al-Star with De Atramentis Document black ink;
and Greenleaf & Blueberry, Daniel Smith, and QoR watercolors.

Sketching at the Zipper

I did some old cars and close ups of new cars.  I mostly sketched from inside the 7 Virtues coffee shop.  Maybe I should have done 7 sketches.  Then I could label them all for you.  Well, fine I'm just going to go for it.

Courage

Humility

Charity

Fidelity

Diligence

Pro Photo Supply, 18th and Marshall, NW Portland

Had little time to sketchcrawl last weekend, but found a great corner near us in NW.
Around the corner from the main Pro Photo shop on 19th is the new-old building, where they've taken a dull green-grey corner at 18th and Marshall and brightened it up.
I used deep colors, with layered dark colors on top and tried a deep shadow.
Not to bad, running colors (I like) and fine for the field.

This entry used to be unnoticeable; the colors all around it
have popped it and made the entire entry cheery and inviting.

 Strathmore Journal, Platinum Carbon pen, White Uniball Signo pen, and Greenleaf & Blueberry, Daniel Smith, and Holbein watercolors.

Sketchcrawl at the Zipper

First, a former home of Hollywood Vintage, now empty and looking for a new tenant.

  

Then I turned around and tossed off some quick sketches at their current home - an old Dodge, with tail-fins, and a gargoyle.








And a couple of fellow sketchers who obliged by staying still.




A little bit of Cuba in Portland

Seems I may have been inadvertently channeling Cuba today at our monthly sketchcrawl.
Comfortably sitting on an opposite corner I was able to try my hand at capturing this iconic building on NE Glisan housing a well loved Cuban restaurant. Love those bright colors. I am told by Jason (who sketched there with James Richards) that is typical of Cuban buildings.

watercolor and non waterproof ink.

 I spent the majority of my time on the above sketch and then headed over to the Zipper. There I joined other sketchers looking across to the Vintage Vendors trying to capture two older model classic cars. Something that I have heard is typically seen in Cuba...maybe not these as they are 50's cars but a feeling of a bygone era was definitively there.

watercolor and ink

So happy the rain held back very nicely to allow for our outside sketching. A very good day!