Lamberton

The Lamberton Conservatory is a hidden gem in the city of Rochester. For $3 you get to explore room after room of plants and animals. 
My girlfriend wanted to take some photos of flowers and I wanted to sketch so this place was a perfect fit! I parked it on a bench for a while and watched the turtles fight over rocks, the mini-Quails fight over the seed and weird people talking about things you shouldn't talk about in public! 

[namiki falcon with DeArtementis Document ink, D+S watercolors in a S+B Epsilon Series sketchbook]

Apples and oil paints

My lovely girlfriend and I got up way too early on a Sunday and headed out to the Apple Farm for an "art date"--she takes pictures, I paint. The day was wildly beautiful, sun and clouds and a crisp fall air blowing in from the wrong direction. I hiked it way out to the far corner of the property trying to find something to paint. It wasn't for a lack of scenery, it was the opposite--TOO MUCH SCENERY! I started one painting and about 45 minutes in I was not happy with the design so I wiped it all down and moved to start something different. The results were much better! 

All the while I was visited by some nut-hatches, a cardinal, a disc-golfer, and a family of turkeys. 

Oh, and the best part about painting at an apple farm? No need to bring snacks! They grow on trees! 

(Thanks Bejan)

first attempt

better attempt!

sketching seems to help with my design

Rockin' coffee shop meetup

We had a meet up a local coffee shop that hosts an open mic night every wednesday. Let's just say the acts were "interesting". They ranged from Ukrainian death metal, to biker rock ballad to whimsical 2 piece bands with a violin. I will post some videos of the action below. 

But now for the art. It was VERY poorly lit and I couldn't see ANY colors I was laying down. I went for value as best as I could and guessed at color. I was getting frustrated, but when I saw the sketches in the parking lot light, they didn't look too bad! 

[Sailor bent nib with J. Herbin pearl noire ink, Hero 1077 bent nib with J. Herbin olive ink, namiki falcon with DeArtementis Document ink, D+S watercolors in a S+B Epsilon Series sketchbook]

Thousand Islands

But has anyone "really" counted them?

We had a dudes weekend planned and the weather decided to be less than favorable for the time we were in the 1,000 Islands. Mid morning I took break from our usual shenanigans and headed down to the water to paint. It was a dreary morning, gray and more gray, rainy and did I mention gray? 

I decided to use a limited palette to reflect the grayness. Indigo came in really handy! 

the image needed some editing--it was so gray the pic was dull! 

Greenfront Creepin'

If you live in the area, do yourself a favor and head over to the Greenfront and get a burger. They are delish. You might see me in the corner sketching people and stuffing food in my mouth. 

[pilot V5 pen, PITT cool gray markers, uni-ball signo white gel pen all in a gray toned Strathmore sketchbook]

Meetin' and Creepin'

The first few days of school are chock full of meetings and more meetings. I cannot sit there and pay attention without doing something. Doodling got me through HS Chemistry and sketching during my meetings gets me though my adult life. 

[Uni Pin pens, D+S watercolors in a S+B Epsilon Series sketchbook]

Zoo time!

Things I learned while sketching at the Seneca Park Zoo:

1. Rhino farts are loud. Really, really loud.
2. Animals, not even sloths, sit still for very long.
3. Elephant roars, grumbles, whatever you want to call them, are terrifying.
4. People in public places think they are the only humans in existence at that very moment.
5. Lions like presents that contain goat heads and cow legs.
6. Lions are terrifying.
7. Orangutan's are eerily similar to humans.
8. I know how to spell Orangutan now.
9. For 12$ the zoo is a great sketching haven
10. Kids are way more interested in what I am sketching than adults. 

[pentel brush pen, Lamy Safari M-nib with Deartamentis ink, uni pin pens, pitt gray brush pens, W+N watercolor markers, D+S watercolors in a S+B Epsilon Series sketchbook]--basically whatever my front pockets could carry. 

Boulder Coffee Meetup

Last week we met you at Boulder Coffee to sketch a musician. Turns out the musician cancelled and a DJ spinning some tunes took his place. Regardless we had a great turn out and had a god time sketching with some other art-geeks! 

1--[pentel Graph Gear 1000 pencil w/HB lead, in a S+B Epsilon Series sketchbook]

2, 3--[namiki falcon with DeArtementis Document ink, D+S watercolors in a S+B Epsilon Series sketchbook]

4--[uni pin 0.2 pen, PITT warm gray markers, a gigantic PITT white marker in a toned gray Strathmore sketchbook]