Flashback Sketch Series: 2017-08-09

2017-08-09

The 10:53AM train was delayed.  Two stations later, a young family of three (Mom, Dad, Daughter) boarded the train with a baby carriage.

  
That afternoon, I decided to visit the MET Museum.  At the corner of Lexington and 59th Street, around 2:24PM, I sketched the scene before me with the intention of using the leaning lines.

Several blocks later, I found myself sketching the water tank tower above 19 East 66th Street.  Then my eye caught the black chimney tubes on the rooftop of 17 East 66th Street.

There wasn't enough time left to sketch when I finally got into the MET Museum.  I know I did some people sketches from the balcony looking down at the main entrance.  

At half-hour prior to closing, I somehow ended up sketching this face from one of those Greek artifacts exhibit.  It was a happy day.
  

Portable Sketch Easel: A Test Run

There was only one thing left to do with this sketch easel.  Got to put it to the test!  Off to the city I went today even though the misty raw weather was in the forecast.  Surely, it wasn't the case once inside the MET Museum. 

I sat on a bench and set up my tripod.  I thought I'd attach the easel in the flat, open, upright position.  This to use it as a "desk" to make pencil mark on the sheet of watercolor paper.  I carefully measured the reference line and transferred that onto the paper.  Easy.  Having the paper on a fixed plane position without me holding it was very helpful.  I'm happy with the dry run results but I want to make further tests.  Plein Air sketching!   

P.S.  A new and different kind of hinge was ordered but UPS delivery got rescheduled for tomorrow.  Stay tuned!

Portable Sketch Easel

James Gurney developed a lightweight sketching easel and created an instructional video that comes in a downloadable format and the DVD.

Last week, after hours of looking at his website, I decided to make one of my own.  Here is my lightweight sketching easel!

There is just one thing I don't like about the hinge, which is the 12 degrees angle left between the two sides due to the height of screw head.  I want one with the two planks flushed or reasonably close enough together.  My creative mind is already on it.  Stay tuned to this blog!

Acadia AMC

A British Racing Green Mini Cooper S easily pulled into this parking spot.  Previously, an Acadia AMC SUV was parked here.  A mother with a toddler girl and a young son emerged from the corner bakery shop.  The SUV lights blinked twice.  She opened the SUV passenger door and carefully tucked them into the back seat.  A minute later, they were gone.

Moleskine 3.5 in x 5.5 in
Pentel Slicci 025
Daniel Smith Watercolor Essentials Set  

Flashback Sketch Series I

I want to introduce you to several of my sketches predating the creation of this blog.  Platinum Carbon Ink Pen and Moleskine 3.5 in x 5.5 in. 

2016-11-20

Not one minute after the last PA call, a flight gate attendant was heard shouting "LIMA!!! Para Lima, Peru" for flight PUE 301 11:00am.  Several passengers were seen scurrying to be on that flight.

My flight was delayed.  I kept sketching the scene at the departures waiting area.  It would be another hour and a half before they started boarding my flight at 12:20PM.  

At JFK, the ROLEX analog clock caught my attention while waiting at the Baggage Claim #3 area.  It was 11:25AM.

Flamenco Show

We went to see a show at Joe's Pub last night.  Part of Flamenco Festival NY, the virtuoso guitarist, Daniel Casares, and his Flamenco Quartet (dancer, violinist, percussionist) left the crowd truly delighted.  In dim light, I hastily marked squiggly lines on my Muji Passport size notebook. The Pentel Slicci 025 didn't disappoint.  Added some pencil colors this morning to break the black and white monotony.

Reportage drawing

CT - Stamford - March for Our Lives Event, March 24 12:00 PM.
Mill River Park
1055 Washington Blvd.
Stamford, CT 06901

I wanted to be there today.  Excited to see many people line up at the Park entrance.  'Text "March" to 64433 and be counted!', this lady repeatedly shouted.  Too bad, I didn't write down what her printed shirt message was because I couldn't remember it now.  Inside the park, speakers took turns one after another.  Young and old alike.  The message echoing loudly in the distant background on this bright and sunny spring day.  Nary a white cloud in the azure blue sky.  It's windy.  I feel the chill in the air.  I feel the sadness.  I feel the energy.  I feel the change.  It is blowing in the wind.

The Boat Landing Area

Two other cars were there at the parking lot in front of the shrink wrapped boats in off season storage.  A man presumably was readying one of these boats.  I settled in my driver seat but couldn’t figure out what pen to use on this Moleskine sketch pad.  The pencil works well but I prefer the fountain pen.  In the end I used them all - fountain pen, mechanical pencil, watercolor pencil.  Final coloring touch ups added at home.

A resource discovery

I've been glued to James Gurney's blog!  He's the author of Dinotopia book series.  I remember reading them to my daughter and son at bedtime during the 90's.  Together, our imagination easily transport us to that make believe time when people and dinosaurs live together. 

As I slowly track back to the older blog entries, it became clear that his blog is a treasure trove of information.  What a joy to find this resource!  Now, if only I know when to stop backtracking because I need my sleep, too.

Spring 2018 - Day 2

It looks pretty outside.  This month's fourth Nor'easter left a white blanket of snow on the ground.  Accumulation wasn't bad as was projected but enough keep the plow busy.  As I stood outside, I noticed the slight yellow orange glow of the morning sun hitting the scene before me.  What a refreshing sight!  I have to get this down on my sketch pad (minus the color).

TWSBI Diamond 580 with De Atramentis Document Brown
Platinum Carbon Ink Pen with De Atramentis Document Brown

Terra Cotta Roof

I found this entry made on February 24, 2017 from one of my finished sketchbooks.  This must have been made using the Platinum Carbon Ink Pen because of the very fine lines.  Note the visual color reminders entered on the upper right corner.  I guess I was planning to watercolor the terra cotta roof tiles.

Thumbnail sketch

Drawing big scale isn't in my comfort zone and yet I've been trying to make it happen.  I must say, I'm just as happy with some nice looking small art sketches I made in the past.  However, something happened along the way that made me want to upscale the size of my sketches.  I guess seeing bigger size work from others is just too inviting not to try.    

There are advantages to doing smaller sketches: 

1.  Working in a smaller scale isn't as intimidating.
2.  Working with details is easier because it is smaller in size.
3.  Finishing the work is faster.  Well, maybe.

Anyway, I think I know what to do next.  Here's a small sketch I did today.  It's small, it may even qualify as a thumbnail sketch!

  

A Monday Sketch in Port Chester, NY

After filling my car with gas at a station in Port Chester, I drove by this interesting building along Grace Church Street.  Diagonally across from it is the Fire Engine Station and an open parking spot.  Perfect for sketching!  Once I got most of the lines, I went home and added more details and watercolor.  You'll see the paper buckling in many areas because I really went to town with applying watercolor!  

Stone Church

I love the architecture of the St.Roch Church in Greenwich, CT.  At each visit, the urge of making a sketch becomes a constant reminder.  This morning, I made it happen and here's the result.  Color added later at home.  

Direct ink lines (no pencil) thus the stray lines.  Still playing with the Daniel Smith Watercolor Essentials Set.  Pilot Custom Heritage 912 with De Atramentis Document Black Ink.

Village of Tarrytown, NY

Yesterday afternoon, I took a short drive that led me at the intersection of No.Broadway and Main Street in Tarrytown, NY. 
Luckily, I was able to park at the head of the off-street parking spaces right on No.Broadway!

The unobstructed view was fantastic up until this pickup truck pulled in front of my spot with its flashing blinkers.  Suffice it to say, it sat there long enough to be included in my sketch.  And that turned out to be a good thing!  

Apartment room scene

Across from where I sat on a couch last night was this scene of the dining area.  Don't know but I might have sketched it once before.

Sailor Fude de Mannen with Higgins Eternal Permanent Black Ink.

Strathmore Toned Tan Sketch Paper 5.5 in x 8.5 in. 80lb.

Brunch!

Breakfast they say is the most important meal of the day.  Also, no food two hours before the morning yoga class.  Well, a compromise -  half of a banana would tie me over and prevent me from passing out in class.  Two hours later, I ordered lunch at DIG INN, picked the same table for two at the front corner, exactly where I sat and made the tiny people sketches last week.  This time though, I sat facing the other way.  The indoor plant looked like it would make for a good sketch but this lunch bowl I barely touched was calling my attention.  Okay, it would be the sketch of the day!  Watercolor added once I got home.

TWSBI Diamond 580 with De Atramentis Document Brown Ink.
Strathmore Toned Tan Sketch Paper 5.5 in x 8.5 in. 80lb.

Weekday Sketching at Chelsea Market

It wasn’t a problem finding the weekday USK group once inside the Chelsea Market considering I was already an hour late.  It also meant I’ve only one hour left to sketch before the show-and-tell at lunch time. Of course, the Platinum Carbon Ink Pen with Brown Ink was my pen of choice for this scene.  That counter table along the wall provided the perfect spot for my open sketchbook and I don't didn't mind the standing while doing the sketch.

After we went separate ways, I stayed behind and watched this cellist (Sean Grissom) performed to the crowd.  Short renditions of familiar tunes delighted everyone that kept the tips flowing.  A lot of passers-by took phone pics while I sketched using the Sailor Fude Manen Pen this time. Once I got home, I applied some water wash to my sketch though I know the ink wasn’t waterproof.  However careful I was, the ink line has its own quirks when wet.  Tell me, which is the better of the two versions?

Original version.

With the water wash version.

Another Nor'easter!

Thankfully, the much-hyped Nor'easter in 15 days added just about an inch or so of snow today.  Last week's Nor'easter snow hasn't thawed out yet.  It's beautiful to look at, alright, but I was puzzling out how to draw the scene before me.  There's only one way to find out.
DRAW IT!


Pilot Plumix pen with diluted Diamine Grey ink and Platinum Pen with Carbon Ink Black.

   

Weekend in Vermont

The spectators and the like.

There were five of us from the Bikram Yoga Rye Brook studio - 2 males in 50+ division and 3 women in adult division - competing at the 2018 Northeast Regional Yoga Championship last weekend in So.Burlington, VT.  It was a full day event that started with group photos, the division events, and finally the awards ceremony.  My division finished before noontime.  To keep me busy the rest of the day, I brought along my Moleskine sketchbook and did some people sketches.  

Me doing the Rabbit Pose.

To end the day, we dined at a local eatery called Duino Duende Street Food International at 10 No.Winooski Ave, Burlington, VT.  Can't help but sketch while waiting for our food to arrive. (Note: Watercolor added later that evening at the hotel.) 

Duino Duende

Finally, before driving 320+ miles to get home yesterday, we made sure to get a nice brunch at Penny Cluse 169 Cherry Street - Downtown Burlington, VT.  Here's a sketch at the counter.

Penny Cluse