Marilyn Sculpture

Last Wednesday morning, I sketched this giant 25-foot-tall, 15-ton Marilyn Monroe sculpture by Seward Johnson at Latham Park, Stamford, CT.  I think this, along with other human-like sculptures scattered throughout Stamford, are there only through the summer.  We can count the number of summer days left, right?   I sure was glad to have done a quick 1-hour sketch of Marilyn's iconic pose.  This was done in direct watercolor with the intention of maybe adding lines and more color later.  However, I'll leave it as is.  Note:  I chose this vantage point because Marilyn's legs framed the First Congregation Church marker sign. 

Mianus Railroad Bridge

Yesterday afternoon, I went back to the spot where I did a thumbnail sketch of the Mianus Railroad Bridge last week.  Only this time,  I discovered a new and better spot - a covered dock and waiting area that belong to the Mianus River Boat and Yacht Club.  No posted sign against trespassing neither anyone guarding the site.  And there was constant nice breeze under the cover!  Good thing I wasn't thrown out as I didn't ask for permission to sit and sketch there.  They were actually nice to me.  A few of them stopped by and looked at my very sketch.  

Earlier, an accident with a happy ending:  just as I was getting my brushes out from the container, a gust of wind knocked that #2 Squirrel brush I won in Porto and sent it rolling into the water.  Fortunately, I was able to find a way how to retrieve this now favorite watercolor brush of mine. 

Later, I met Fred and had a nice casual conversation.  I think he works there.  Before we parted, he asked if I would come back again and sketch, to which I said I would, now that I know I am welcome there.

A Deli & Barber Shop

There is a very interesting scene at the intersection of Russell and Aqueduct Streets in White Plains, NY - the Varvaro's delicatessen and the J & C barber shop next to it.  Every time I pass by this intersection, I'm always attracted to that small Deli between the two buildings.

Yesterday afternoon, I found an open street parking space diagonally across the deli that allowed me to see and sketch the whole scene.  The day temperature was high, very humid, a light breeze was blowing intermittently.  I persisted and sweated it out in my car until I got a sketch  Here's the result.

Angelica Restaurant

Back in April last year, Anne and I spent a week in Malta.  The beautiful small island of Malta is steep in history and legend.  We stayed at an AirBnB rental inside the walled city of Valletta and made day trips to other points of interest.  One evening in Valletta we decided to try the "best rabbit in Malta" cuisine at Angelica restaurant.

While waiting for our order, I did some sketch of what was in front of me including the silhouettes of the three workers there.  Eventually, our rabbit dish came and we enjoyed every bit of it.  Before we left, I asked for their names so I could indicate it on the silhouettes: Jelena, Stojan, and Mahmoud.  Of course, I said it was ok for Jelena to take a picture of it.  Maybe for a Facebook post or something.  I don't know.  Stojan followed.  Then I heard another lady protest "That's unfair!  I'm not in the drawing."  It turned out Andrea also worked there.  I said "Why don't you go stand at the far left corner of the bar and I'll sketch you in."  Lucky, there was just enough space to insert her.  She later joined taking pics until we heard Mahmoud in the background saying "Ok guys, we have some work to do here."

Checkers

The traffic was heavy on I-95N yesterday afternoon near the Bay Plaza in Co-op City, Bronx, NY.  I was driving back home from attending a friend's surprise 50th birthday party in Malverne, NY when I thought it might be a good idea to make a detour at the Checkers Burger shop.   I haven't been there in many years.  As I got closer to the drive thru stand, I noticed the absence of activity and realized that they had closed up shop for good.  There was only one thing left to do - sketch it!  I pulled into one of those empty parking spaces and sketched what was visible from the driver's seat.

Harvest Bar & Restaurant

While waiting to have lunch with a friend two days ago, I made a pencil sketch of this building where the Harvest Bar and Restaurant is located at the bottom of Greenwich Avenue.  A day later, I decided to put some watercolor on it.   The paper wasn't meant for even a light wash so it buckled at the slightest hint of water against the grain of the paper.  That's the grey shade you see radiating from the roof and side of the building.  Anyway, I already knew that that was going to happen but this was the only sketchbook I had on me that day and I want to color it.  The reason why I want to color it is to show how much ivy growth has taken over this building.  Overall, it was a good exercise in coloring and sketching.

Dog sketches

Sage chose to keep me company yesterday morning.  She comfortably settled by my desk and kept still for a while.  That gave me an opportunity to sketch her poses.  There were moments when she would stir and move to a new position yet there were some similar and favored poses over a certain period of time.  You just need to be patient and watch her.

Tikky 0.5mm technical pencil with HB lead.

And here are other sketches I made of her in the past.

Ghost signs

I was driving along Main Street yesterday morning in Port Chester, NY when I noticed the flashing lights of a police car by a pedestrian walk path detour to my left.  Another building demolition.  There used to be an old building that stood there but has now been reduced to rubble.  The partially exposed wall of the adjacent building revealed some nostalgic painted advertisement signs of years gone by.

Wedding Cakes A Specialty

   Phone 549

Delicious Refreshing

Drink

Coca Cola

I had to make a sketch of that wall but not really sure how I would tackle it.  Even the thumbnail sketch here look so complicated.  Having looked closely at the photo, it struck me that people were asked to phone 549 - three digits only!  This must be an early 20th century billboard sign.  Blue, Green, and Red background.  I feel very nostalgic about it.

Sketching at Domino Park, Brooklyn

The weekday NYC Urban Sketchers outing was held yesterday at the Domino Park area by the Williamsburg Bridge in Brooklyn.  The new park is located at the former site of the Domino Sugar Refinery.  It recently opened to the public in June so it was nice to have our sketch outing there before everyone else learn and discover this gem of a park with a great view of the eastern side of Manhattan.

I came in late but managed to do this backside sketch of the sign from the elevated walk path.  The food court sign says “Tacocina”. 

Ideas for sketching

There are some local spots I'd like to explore and make a note for a future sketch.  Yesterday afternoon, I pulled into a Cos Cob parking lot next to the marina by the Mianus River.  The not-so-distant turquoise colored railroad bridge was visibly busy with the southbound and northbound trains from Metro North and AMTRAK Acela trains running on schedule.  That long red line on the bridge was a northbound Metro North train that passed by as I was doing a thumbnail sketch of the scene.  Hopefully, I'll turn this thumbnail into a bigger sketch one day.

 

Indoor Sketching

There's this tray of beautiful tomatoes begging for me to sketch for days now.  Some are probably the heirloom tomatoes.  What to do?  On a cloudy Monday afternoon, I challenged myself and sketched it.  Borrowing a write up from Julie, a fellow sketcher, here's the procedure.

1.  Figure out how to film and sketch it.
2.  Create the thumbnail using a ballpoint pen.
3.  Sketch the actual piece with a 0.2mm Muji technical pencil.
4.  Play with watercolor.
5.  Add shadows using Tombow pens.
6.  Add fine lines using dip pen and Diamine Grey ink (not waterproof until dry) for the tray wires.
7.  Savor the result of the challenge.  See the 0:17 second video at the end of this post.

The Final Video clip.

The work in process.

Weekend Sketching at Governors Island

Last Saturday's urban sketching event was held at the Governors Island in New York.  The weather was very hot and humid!   I took the 10:00am free ferry from the Battery Maritime Building in Manhattan along with six other sketchers.

I found a breezy spot by the Liggett Arch and decided to sketch part of the archway looking up and part of the tree lined Colonels Row promenade. 

After lunch, I found a breathtaking view of lower Manhattan to sketch at the end of Clayton Road.  The Castle Williams to the right.  A seemingly distant gray cloud of rain shower eventually reached us sooner than I could complete my sketch.  Additional lines and color added later at home.  Not pleased with my paper choice here.  Even a light wash really buckles the paper.

Lunch!

I thought I'd make a sketch of this beautiful and delicious lunch:  Bruschetta and Tortellini.  By the time I finished the direct to watercolor sketch, the pasta was already lukewarm and the bread soggy.  Never the less, still very good.   Lines added later.  Must learn how to sketch faster to have a decent meal.  Or forget about sketching the food, and eat it while it's still hot...Tough choice sometimes.

Weekday Sketching at Christopher Park

Last Thursday, the weekday NYC Urban Sketchers group met at the Christopher Street Pier for two hours of sketching.  Around 12:30pm everyone gathered at this cool and shaded spot near Pier 46 where everyone took turns to show what they sketched that morning.  We even had three out-of-town visitors/guests from Vermont, from China, and from Austria!

After the sketch meet, there were a few of us who lingered awhile.  I did a sketch of the Pier 46 jutting out to the Hudson River.   A faint view of the Lackawanna Terminal, Hoboken, NJ can be seen directly across in the distance.

Trying something new

It has always been a dream to sketch the beautiful Grace Episcopal Church of Gothic style architecture at the corner of Church and Main Streets in White Plains, NY.  Last Sunday afternoon, on a hot and humid day, it became a reality, sort of.

I pulled into a just vacated Church street parking spot almost by the rear side door of the church.  Some light rain falling.   No way to sketch the front side of the church without me or my sketchbook getting wet so I stayed in my car.  Where I parked was perfect, showing the red side door, a little garden, and the beautiful iron gate posts.

It was a good subject for an Ian Fennelly inspired urban sketching.  After deciding on the composition and orientation of the sketch, I put in blobs of watercolor on paper, let it dry a bit, before adding the lines, the tones, and then the details.  I wasn't sure how it would look like.   Usually, what I have in mind doesn't translate well on paper.   Some three hours later, I got this sketch.  I think it came out alright.

CT Primary Day

Last Tuesday was the Connecticut primary day.  It was a quick process, hardly any line at the school voting precinct.  Once my ballot got scanned, I exited the side door of the school gym where the voting took place.  Before I left the parking lot, I made a sketch of the side door and affixed the sticker on it.  Watercolor added later at home.

Fourth Week of July 2018: Friday

Friday, July 27

After my morning walk with Dad, I decided to take an afternoon visit to the Royal Palace of Aranjuez, a former Spanish Royal residence.  It was just a little over an hour by train from Parla.  The Aranjuez Train Station has a nice cafeteria called "La Estacion Cafeteria" where I ordered a "cafe cortado" and sketched some of the beautiful tile patterns adorning its walls. 

A sugar packet for my cafe cortado.

After walking several blocks of the Aranjuez downtown and the sprawling grounds of the Royal Palace, I settled on one spot.  A group of young boys passed by as I was drawing the lines for the Iglesia de San Antonio de Padua.  Curiously they looked over then moved on.  Later as I was adding the colors, they showed up again.  One of them flashed a right thumbs up exclaiming "Si, Maquina Tu!" at least three times after I showed him this sketch of the church.  I don't know what it meant but I wrote it down on the lower left corner of the page.  I did a time-lapse video using my left hand but the camera was incorrectly aimed and very little footage of the actual coloring was useable in the below video.

Iglesia de San Antonio de Padua, Aranjuez, Madrid.

Here is a different view of the Royal Palace from the north side facing the gardens and the water cascades.