Line to Color Workshop

This weekend, I took an Urban Sketchers Workshop with Gail Wong and Frank Ching, in Seattle. It was terrific and filled with useful, individualized instruction as well as lots of time to practice what we were being taught.

We started Friday evening with a short demo from Frank and then we spread out in the Ballard neighborhood to draw some buildings or street scenes. (I'm not going to post my first sketches.) Later, we had more instruction over antipasto, salads, and pizza.

The next day, we got an early start in the Fremont neighborhood. Here is my sketch of the canal. (We went straight to pen in this workshop, so all the guidelines and mistakes, remain.) At one point, the bridge opened and a tall sailboat passed through.  It held a violinist playing at the bow, playing as the boat moved along the canal.

Besides trying to use appropriate perspective and measurement, we were trying to have our subject placed in context (i.e. the surrounding area). I was pleased to see that those plants (with clusters of three leaves) that were surrounding me, were blackberries and not poison oak.

We moved up the hill where I drew a view of Saturn (with solar panels) atop a building. On our walk to the next site, Frank pointed out a view that would have included Saturn, the building under it, and the rocketship across the street. Lesson: finding the best view is the important, first step.

We concluded the morning with a value sketch of the Lenin (yes, that's not John Lennon) statue. This would lead into our afternoon lessons on value and color with Gail.

I made the head too large and the legs too short, so I did a second sketch of his head. I think it's appropriate that someone painted his hands blood red. For the story of how this statue happens to be in a Seattle neighborhood, here's a link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statue_of_Lenin,_Seattle

After a quick lunch, we headed over to Gasworks Park. Here we mixed our watercolors to get a neutral gray scale and used those paints to establish the values of one of our views. Originally, we were trying for atmospheric graying (in the distance), but the view didn't really lend itself to that concept. Here's one of my attempts, which was a real challenge for me without using lines.

The view of the blue sky and sparkling water was gorgeous by late afternoon and perfect for the outdoor wedding that was being held. I added the color to this sketch later, trying to practice "selective coloring" that we learned this weekend.

On the final day, we had lessons again from both Gail and Frank and put to practice our new skills at Pike Place Market. I did a quick sketch of an alley as the vendors were setting up their fruit and vegetable displays.

Later, from a place on the crowded sidewalk, I sketched this iconic view. (Full disclosure: a few of those lines are Frank's.)

 A couple of children came by and painted with us for a few minutes. Here is one of the little charmers...

and here are a couple of quick sketches of my fellow sketchers.

Back in Portland, I decided to try some of my new skills on a view I've sketched before. Here's the result....

and here's a slightly different view of the same spot last spring. 

I think I've improved!! Thanks to Gail and Frank and my fellow sketchers.

Seattle Sketchcrawl

Last weekend, some of the Portland Urban Sketchers rode the train to Seattle to join urban sketchers there for the 33rd Worldwide Sketchcrawl. Seattle has a big, welcoming group, some of whom were familiar from the symposium in Portland two years ago. When we passed sketchbooks around, it was very impressive seeing so much talent in their group. To see more of their work, you can go to their blog Seattle Urban Sketchers

On the train ride north, we talked and sketched eachother, (as well as an agreeable young woman who offered to model for us).

After arriving in Seattle and posing for a large group photo, we split into two groups, one going to the international district and the other (mine) to Pioneer Square. Unlike Portland's Pioneer Square (which is failry new and called "our livingroom"), Seattle's is an area of some of the oldest buildings in the city, housing galleries, coffee houses, and boutiques.

The first sketch I did was of Merchants Cafe, Seattle's oldest restaurant. It still seems to be pretty busy.

Then I sketched in the park. Lots of tour groups left from here. There was an artist who was displaying his work in hopes of sales. 

Windows and signs... It's pretty hard to imagine that rooms were once that cheap.

 After the group sharing of sketchbooks, we went down by the ferries which were unloading huge numbers of soccer fans. I sketched the viaduct which was covered in ivy, changing into fall colors.

This man, all in purple head to toe, was smoking near the garbage can.

 This family seemed to be waiting silently for a ferry to come in.  Maybe they were entranced by the gorgeous bay and mountains.

It was a beautiful fall day in Seattle and it was very fun to meet the other sketchers and to sketch in a different place. We're already thinking about and looking forward to another group sketchcrawl together.