Tag: urban sketching

Etchr Mini Workshops, 2021

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Etchr is an online art supply company. I’ve been following them since I began my watercolor journey just a few years ago, and I’m pretty sure they were brand new at the time. They have quality, innovative items. Their thinking-outside-the-traditional-box-products continue to make an impression on me.

Recently they started twice-weekly online demos with popular artists doing a sort of paint-with-me tutorial… 1 hour zoom sessions, free to those who can catch them, then available on Youtube (Also free: go search them. Go. I’ll wait. They have a pretty impressive group of offerings. But come back, don’t forget about me)

(piped in elevator music while we wait. And here is a picture of my dog for you to enjoy.)

(And my messy house. Okay, everyone’s back, let’s continue.)

Each artist offering the free demo also has a 90 minute mini workshop you can purchase from Etchr… a live zoom session 300 people can participate in, which is recorded, so each person can refer to it multiple times… and if the class is sold out, we can also just buy access to the recorded video.

FOR FIVE DOLLARS AND FIFTY CENTS.

I’m serious. These are some internet icons, too… and a bunch of really good artists I just unfamiliar with because my scope is limited. $5.50. Did you get that? FIVE. DOLLARS. And change.

So… I have purchased a few and have been waiting for the workshop dates to arrive. Today was my first one (though I think they’ve been going throughout 2021), with an artist named Paul Kelley. “Urban Sketching with Ink and Watercolor.” Oooooh… that does sound like something I’d like! And I did.

My video cut out partway through… I could still hear but had no idea what he was doing which started to hinder my successful participation, so after about ten minutes of struggling, I logged out and back in (reboot is always the answer, right? But I’m always too stubborn to try it right away) But it was really fun AND I LEARNED STUFF. So, win all the way around.

Here is the reference photo we used (Except I didn’t really, I just mostly did what Paul Kelley did as he did it …with the exception of those *ten critical moments in the middle, when I was more or less on my own.)

*My computer’s issue, not Etchr’s

Here is what I ended up with after about an hour of work:

Mine didn’t come out quite as I’d hoped, and I didn’t see some things accurately on the tiny photo I tried to access on my phone (again my fault not Etchr’s) but I learned a lot of things and am really happy with my attempt. I feel much more prepared for my next urban sketching session.

We used only three colors, and a pen, and no pencil sketch first. I actually prefer to sketch in pen, but sometimes am not brave enough to do, and I find myself wanting such perfect lines. Learning to make something nice without perfect lines was really good for me.

You can find this workshop at Etchrlab.com, and lots of others, too. I am not (yet!! ha!) affiliated with Etchr, although I own a lot of their products, and plan to review their Perfect Sketchbook soon. (Spoiler alert IT IS, INDEED, PERFECT!!)

ARTING again!! Finally. :) And making tiny watercolor palettes, too!

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I apologize for my lack of posts… Where have I been??!! At home, just staying busy with work, and everything EXCEPT art. But finally, my dry spell has ended! (I hope) Thanks to a friend kindly inviting me to her painting party Thursday, where we all painted the same thing,

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and the Hampton Roads Urban Sketchers September outing in Hampton this morning… thanks for the push, friends!

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Everybody’s art from today:

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Yeah, it’s a boat.

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This is the little sketch someone else did… great, huh?? She hasn’t drawn in forever and is still so good!

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A dog joined us for a few minutes while we sketched. He was cuter than his sketch. The weather was perfect. I’m surprised more people weren’t out!

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A sketch of some sketchers, before lunch, discussing some sketching moments. I hope they aren’t offended by the sketch… they look better in real life, too. 🙂

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(This is actually from last month, finding Clara and a toad sitting side by side on the back steps. I just used the rest of the page today at the outing.) There’s not much to this one… I just wanted to remember the moment.

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We went to Baked Cafe for lunch. Got my lunch in the sketchbook, too. Sort of. 🙂

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I couldn’t find my little travel paints. Well, I found LOTS of my travel paint sets but not The One I wanted. So I made this one from a business card holder. I hope to list some of these in my Etsy store soon, maybe before Christmas? What do you get the urban sketcher who has everything?? A personalized mini paint palette, maybe?

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I thought I had every color I needed, and some extras,  but at lunch I did miss quinacridone gold. I think I might remove schmincke’s helio turquoise to add daniel smith’s quin gold. I love love these teensy slim lightweight sets!!

This spring I purchased a stack of mats at a great price… I thought… but I finally used some and now I see why they were such a deal… they are not 5×7, but 6×8! A hard size to purchase ready made frames for. I found a set of inexpensive frames and got it, but they aren’t very pretty, and the cost of the pieces will be so much higher for the buyer with the added shipping cost! I don’t want to sell an unusual size without a frame, I also would rather not ship frames… I dunno… we’ll see. Kinda bummed about the little setback. Maybe I will just go purchase new mats.

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So… what have you been doing??

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thirty Days of Everyday Life: Day 8

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I was lucky enough to accompany a friend to her citizenship test and interview in Norfolk. Then we relaxed at the restaurant (and ate!), and later spent some time sketching at MacArthur Center. MacArthur has brought in some giant games: chess, checkers, connect 4, a litebrite-like thing… all the kids seemed drawn to them. (Can’t blame them, I was too!) But I focused on the mermaid again, and she does seem improved, except perhaps a slightly shortened torso causing one arm to be shorter. Or maybe just a slightly too long arm? Either way, the GoDiva mermaid is one of my favorites in Norfolk, a city full of mermaids.

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Thirty Days of Everyday life: Day 4, sketching at MacArthur Center

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I met with the Norfolk Urban Sketching group for the first time Saturday at MacArthur Center in downtown Norfolk. We were asked to try to tell a story with our page… I found the sculpture of the herons, being both ‘art’ and ‘nature’, a sharp contrast with the merchants and shoppers surrounding it, capitalism at its height. Plus, I really wanted a pretzel dog.

Indoor sketching is very difficult for me. So many lines, and all of them in 3D! When sketching outside, for example drawing the building across the street, my mind quickly converts the scene to 2D. When I am in the center of all of these lines and vanishing points I find it confusing.

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Everyone in attendance was quite skilled. It was a nice couple of quiet hours, and I may have learned a thing or two as well. (Plus, the pretzel dog…)

Urban sketching with the hampton roads group this evening

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At the beach!! My favorite.

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Some beach-goers (and Donna 🙂

 

 

It was a beautiful evening, perfect for being outside. Okay, actually, the wind was an inconvenience to the paints and the paper, but felt so lovely that it was worth it!

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100 people in a week???

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So the challenge was 100 people in a week. I didn’t. I only participated one time, while stuck in a waiting room. All these people were waiting, too. 🙂

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My favorite (he is SPOT ON!!!) :IMG_8655

So. A fail for the challenge, but a win for me. I never would have just sat and sketched people without it.

 

PS. The advent of the personal cell phone aka pocket computer and entertainment system has really been an urban artist’s dream come true. Everybody just sits still.

 

The Vet… And urban sketching set up.

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To be honest, Emmett and Clara like going here. They just don’t like getting weighed (!?)

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Travel palette I used:

(although I’ve created one I like even more since this sketch, which I will show you soon)

My colors here are all daniel smith: lemon yellow, perylene red, ultramarine (which I rarely use), cerulean blue chromium, phthalo turquoise, green apatite genuine, and lunar red rock. I really enjoy playing with phthalo turquoise and lunar red rock together! And the case is a pill box I found on ebay for about a dollar, using little empty makeup pans with magnets beneath them, for mixing areas. (Wait till you see my next palette, though! Stay tuned!)

I clipped the journal to a dollar tree clipboard for sketching and painting, and attached a heavy magnetic clip to the board, which held the paint palette and a water cup (also with magnets)

and I used this little bag, made for a mini iPad and its cords etc, to carry everything.

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It is $15 right now on Amazon. I love it. I got the next size up, too, which was on sale that day for $9!! I love the color, it holds what I need, and I attached a shoulder strap from another bag to it (it comes with a wrist strap) If it held my clip board too it would be PERFECT. I’m working on that. It has two separate zippered compartments… the front has elastic and pockets, and one larger zippered mesh area. PERFECT for holding my water brushes, pen, ruler, clips, and even a thin palette. The back has a pocket that exactly holds my moleskin or pentalic journal, then two mesh pouches in which I put my two large magnets. Here I show it with the palette and my terry wristband (I use this like a paper towel) but the day I was out painting I actually had those in the front zippered mesh section,  and this bottom pouch held my water cup.

This is NOT a great bag if you want to take a ton of stuff, but it is perfect if you need pen or pencil, eraser, sharpener, travel or water brush, clips, phone or charger, and medium sized journal. The shoulder strap I added from my own collection really makes it convenient.

(Disclosure: I’ve included an Amazon Affiliate link to the bag… if you purchase through the link, it supports this blog, but costs you the same amount.  However always shop around for deals. I generally find my best prices on Amazon and buy many of my supplies through them, however their prices can fluctuate daily.)

(I’m going to add one more link because it is (Currently!) such a good price…this set of 6 Daniel Smith Primatek paints… The primates are made out of minerals ground into paint, and most of those I’ve tried I really love. This set is $23.98 right now… Even at $30+ to me it would be a good deal for 6 -5ml Primatek tubes! It contains Mayan Blue Genuine, Rhodonite Genuine, Hematite Genuine, Jadeite Genuine, Piemontite Genuine, and Amethyst Genuine (which has the sweetest little glittery sparkle to it!) I haven’t tried some of these, but just added Piemontite and Rhodonite to my newest travel palette, I love them so. Good luck, if you try them! Let us know what you think!)

So… what suggestions do you have for an urban sketching kit?

Urban sketching in my neighborhood, part 2

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My house, this time.

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I’m really proud of myself for not using a pencil at all on these!

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(The brick wall curves around.)

A closer view, from March 31st.

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Urban sketching in my neighborhood- part 1- 4/4/19

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It’s funny how perspective is seen in a photo vs in person. I never would have realized how different it is if I weren’t doing this urban sketching so often lately. I will finish drawing the scene, take a photo, look at it, and think “Huh. That isn’t what I saw!”

Anyway, here’s a little piece of my neighbor’s house. There’s a brick wall on one side of it, and the brick pillar is part of the wall in front of the house. This particular house is very long, the two car garage you can see in the photo behind the tree, then there’s a little breezeway type room, then the full house with another two car garage.

I guess it’s really a sketch of a pillar and a tree, with some house in the background, since I didn’t didn’t draw much of the house!

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