Catching Up On Life Drawing Sketches

A busy time last week and the beginning of this week, so I am a little bit behind in posting.  Art Bash, Art League North's offering to the Tulip Festival festivities, opened Friday evening to a great and supportive group of neighbor's and friends.  The economy must be perking up a tad, as there were a few sales, two of which were mine!  Thank you, local art lovers!

I didn't post last week's life drawing sketches, because I wasn't too excited about them, even though I always learn something and appreciate the experience.  I am not sure how "experienced" last week's model was ... not too inspiring, but she was fun to sketch in her silky black slip.  Her naturally curly hair and the filigree on her slip were fun to draw with my Doc Martin Hydrus Watercolor droppers.

Yesterday, Burt posed, and I like the results more.  I especially like the one with the sweat pants.  It seems to capture more the moment and the character.  

Too blue ... Avatar or Smurf?

Sketching with the Whidbey Island Sketchers

I spent the afternoon sketching with some great folks from the Whidbey Island Sketchers group in Langley at a tiny little micro brew place.  As the new kid, I felt very welcomed and comfortable.  Since I haven't been out sketching with a group very much, I was a tad tentative at first, but shortly got in to the swing of things.  I brought my Doc Martins [paints not boots] and continued to experiment.  Although I have yet to master them, I had a lot of fun, and lots of excuses for being loose!  I guess the paints were a hit, because several of the artists said they are probably going to order some.  Hey, Doc Martin [and Cheap Joe] do you do finder's fees?  I understand a lot of Hydrus watercolors are being bought by Pacific Northwest artists!

Here's one more of Sue ...



Sue ~  A little overworked ~ Do you think they'll invite me back?



Today's Life Drawing

Patricia ~ 30 minute pose with Flair pen and Doc Martin Hydrus watercolors

Am pushing through my feeling of awkwardness with the Doc Martin Hydrus watercolors, but still don't feel I have accomplished what I have been hoping for.  I want to be looser, yet, have an economy of strokes and clear and confident applications of color ... not necessarily the "right" colors, but colors that "work."  The pose was Patricia's best of the day.  She is the same model as the one in the cowboy hat in a recent post.  I have to say, she is still not my favorite, and the drawings I have done, are not my favorites either.  I could say it doesn't matter, it does, but there's always next week, and lots of room for improvement.

Sketching at Gere-a-Deli's

Some of my students just started a sketch group recently, and I was able to join them on Monday because I didni't have to teach.  It was great fun and, now that I have been snowed in for a couple of days, I appreciate the opportunity even more.  We met at a local luncheon place, and because it was President's Day, there was more activy than usual, and lots of subjects to sketch.  We had to work quickly, which in its way was good skill building, but the results were varied.  In any case, fun was had by all.  A few sketches below ...

Composite of three folks at separate tables

Family of seven ~ Mom, dad, five kids and a sixth on the way

Love the beret.  This guy was fun to sketch.  As I was finishing up, I noticed his anarack was not the same as it had been, and I saw it move in a funny way.  All of a sudden, a little dog's head popped out of his chest to finish reading the newspaper.  The beret and the pup got up to leave before I could "catch" him.  Amazing!  You never know what will be next when you sketch in public places!