Core Drawing Class: Week 6

I purchased another set of 4 evening classes at Goshen Art Academy.  Tonight's class was the start of an eight week long pose session with the sitter.  Our first task was to make several sketch studies in charcoal on newsprint paper.  This would serve as the roadmap of where we would like to take our painting in our medium of choice.  I would like to try oil painting for this next round.

I did a full figure outline sketch, followed by sections of body parts but I was having a hard time trying to get what I want.  Eventually I settled on this one pose.  Next, we were asked to only make a line sketch of the choice gesture on a fresh sheet of paper.  It would be interesting to see how this one will develop over the next seven weeks.  Stay tuned.

  

Hiking and Sketching at the Rockefeller State Park Preserve

I hiked at the Rockefeller State Park Preserve today with the weighted backpack I plan on taking with me on my next Camino walk.  I have about 6 weeks left before trying a new route to Santiago de Compostela.  Since I was by myself training today, I had the luxury of stopping and making a sketch whenever the opportunity comes like this equestrian I saw near David's Loop.  I understand they have the right of way so I moved over to one side of the path to let them through.  Then I remember picking up my A6 size sketchbook from my cargo pocket and doing a sketch before she got too far ahead of me on the graded trail.  

There's a clearing and a maintained dirt road overlooking a farmland.  I think this area belongs to the Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture.  I thought it would be a nice sketch souvenir of this walk.  

The last sketch I did was inside a greenhouse that's open to the public, I saw the amaryllis flowers in peak bloom.  It was so beautiful, I had to sketch it!

A Sketch-meet at the Essex Market

This week's sketch destination was at the Essex Market.  The place is still open; only the basement food area was closed off to the public permanently.  I have been here once before so I know the balcony dining area is the other best place to do some sketching.  I arrived a bit late but it wasn't a problem.  Once I settled in a spot, I stayed there the whole time.  This was the view looking down the food shop alley.

 

Core Drawing Class: Weeks 4 & 5

The long pose drawing class ended on my third week with the Goshen Art Academy.  I posted my work from that session.  The two weeks after that, we did the skills-building exercise where we draw with a white chalk pencil against a black drawing paper.  The focus was getting the main highlights and the subtle lighting of the sitter.  I moved to the opposite side of the room so that I have a side-lit view of the model this time.

The following week, value, chroma and hue in color theory were discussed.  A sepia chalk pencil was handed out in the class and we were given the task to use that for the limited color palette.  So back to the drawing board and we finished the drawing we did last week.  I'm proud of how this one came out.

  

The Brooklyn Bridge Park

Last weekend, the NYC Urban Sketchers spent a day of sketching at the Brooklyn Bridge Park where the views all around was just amazing.  You add to that a nice spring-like weather and voila! - everybody's happy!  Except that the warm temperature didn't last long.  It was a false spring day.  By noontime the winds picked up and turned cold and the grey clouds covered the sun.  I did a sketch of the Jane's Carousel and the East River view looking toward the northern direction.  

Core Drawing Class

I signed up for the Core Drawing Class at the Goshen Art Academy in New York City.  The art studio is one block away from work so it was easy to attend the 6:00-9:00 pm Tuesday class.  The studio is run by Ken Goshen, an artist who I admire in the way he explains the art concepts in pure simple terms.  I've done figure sketching in the past but all of them non-instructional.  Here I was able to get some advice and feedback on my work.  

On my first day, I was struggling to get my direction as the approach to classical drawing was totally different than what I was accustomed to doing.  Here I was asked to do some sketch studies of the model.  Plus, drawing with charcoal sticks is very new to me.  Anyway, at the end of the three hour session, I was able to get a respectable sketch study.

On the second week, a new instructional twist was added.  We were given a bigger sheet of paper that has more tooth compared to the newsprint paper material from a week ago.  Different other tools were discussed, some of which I am already familiar with.

We finished the live nude model drawing session on my third class this evening,   It felt like something is working for me.  I'm slowly beginning to understand the assignment and the way the drawing tools are handled.

After the 3rd week.

After the 2nd week.

     

FIT Museum and Impromptu Ace Hotel Venues

The FIT Museum on 27th Street and 8th Avenue was the original venue for last Saturday's NYC USk meetup but the place was rather small for the sketchers to share with the regular museum visitors.  Furthermore, the challenging indoor light conditions made it a no-brainer for the most of us to seek an alternate location at the Ace Hotel a few blocks away.  I was able to finish three sketches for the day.  It was my way of catching up on sketching having missed the last two weekend events.

Nice to add the Asian mother/daughter's name to my sketch.

Alan, Jin and Melanie captured on my sketch using a purple pencil.

Pen and ink used here to emphasize the challenging light conditions in the FIT museum.

Organic Iced Tea

Made it to the Grand Central Terminal some 25 minutes early for the next train to Stamford yesterday afternoon.  At the same time, a new pop-up event was happening inside the Vanderbilt Hall.  It was for a brand called Saint James Iced Tea.  I got a sample Mango flavored black tea which I saved for later.  My priority was to make a 15 minute sketch of the event before I hop on my train on Track 35.  Met some of the people from the company including the young owner(?) I was told.  I enjoy sketching these fun events at Grand Central Terminal!

Tax Preparation Help

The AARP offers a free tax-filing services at the local library so I went there to get mine done today.  There were nine others already on the list at 9:30am when I got there.  However, I came prepared with a mini sketchbook to keep me occupied, while waiting, until they were ready to help me file my taxes.

The Vault by Nespresso

After that one day fashion show event last week, they tore down the props and cleared the Vanderbilt Hall for another type of event.  The Vault by Nespresso opened a three day promo event showcasing a new selection of coffee pods you can try for free!  I made a point to stop and sketch last Wednesday morning before going to work and in the process, was able to meet some Nespresso people who are responsible for the event.  Showed them the sketch and they were grateful that I shared it.

Before heading home, I sketched the view once again even though the venue has closed for the day.  It was nice to capture a different view which I later finished adding color at home.  On Thursday morning, I showed up there once again for the free coffee and made sure to share the colored pieces to the people I met the day before.

My evening sketch of the coffee bar.

The morning sketch that I had added some color to it.

 

The New York Fashion Week at GCT

The New York Fashion Week started last Thursday.  That morning, I made my way out of Grand Central in the Vanderbilt Hall direction and saw some finished props for the show.  I caught the tail end of the show after work just before my train ride home.  Trying to sketch quickly was nice and enjoyable.  I added some color to the sketch once I got home.

The Tournament of Champions

This is my second year of sketching the J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions - Squash.  It's a one week indoor tournament event being held inside the Grand Central Terminal.  They built a glass court in Vanderbilt Hall with seating spots for paid spectators.  As a transient city commuter, I get to see the events here both in the morning and evening trips at GCT.  

Last Thursday, opening day, I tried my luck in securing a nice spot with the media people in front of the glass court behind the people watching from the hallway entrance to GCT.  I spoke to some staff workers and explained that I sketch and that I did one last year.  I was told to approach Michael who is the supervisor.  After finding him and showing him my work, he not only was willing to get me a front spot among the spectators by the hallway but he gave me a wristband allowing me inside the downtown court wall seating area.  Wow!  I was so happy he did that.

The following day, I made a quick sketch in the morning, with Gus there, the security guy I met the night before.  In the evening, I also stopped by and made more addition to the earlier sketch.  On Monday, I finished the line work on site and added some watercolor at home.

The Pontaut Chapter House

I hosted the NYC Urban Sketchers last weekend at the Met Cloisters, together with JT, my co-host.  Once we were inside, I chose to sketch the Pontaut Chapter House.  I was curious to see how my current sketch would compare with the sketch I made in 2017.  Seeing the two sketches now, I think my focus back then was capturing the scene in true scale, which took me very long time to finish.  This time, I was more interested in balance of the overall scene.

February 22, 2017

January 25, 2025

Sketch the Grand Central Terminal

We had an amazing turnout of urban sketchers at the Grand Central Terminal last weekend.  I co-hosted the event with Shawne Cooper, together with our special host, Judy Garza, who provided us many highlights and secrets of this amazing building.  The event was a terrific success!  Fun was had by all.  It was crazy busy but I managed to get two sketches done.

The Christmas Tree at the Met

The Christmas and New Year holidays came to a pass but the Christmas Tree and Neapolitan Baroque Creche was still there when I visited on January 4th.  I know some urban sketchers were there inside the Met but I don't know where.  It was a very busy day especially when it has gotten so windy cold outside.  I mainly stayed inside the Medieval Art Gallery and finished the rough sketch of the scene.  Finished the hatching later at home.

The Christmas Tree and Neapolitan Baroque Creche