Ribbbit

Just a lunch time sketch of a frog from a nature book I had laying around for the students. 

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

New outlook

After seeing the "pro-artists" come through town and seeing their point of view on very boring subjects, I have a whole new appreciation for the subjects in my town. I learned a lot just by peering over their shoulders! Like this one, or here. 

[pentel pencil, namiki falcon with DeArtementis Document ink, D+S watercolors in a S+B Zeta sketchbook]

bejeweled-farm-blitz-gram-book

My lovely girlfriend was getting some alone time in while playing "bejeweled-farm-blitz-gram-book" on her phone. She had this cool pose going that was a combination of comfortable & intense. I thought it would be a good idea to try and sketch her! I've always avoided sketching "pretty women" because they come out all "not pretty". But since her knee was in the way--no fear! 

[pentel Graph Gear 1000 pencil w/HB lead, in a S+B Zeta sketchbook]

Winsor + Newton Watercolor markers

I have been reading A LOT about Winsor + Newton's new (Swasky and I were chatting about them on Instagram) watercolor markers. Yes, watercolor markers. I own bleeding-markers, as they all usually do, but these are lightfast, actual watercolors--in a marker. Too cool! I really enjoy Inktense watercolor pencils and I really enjoy markers, so these seemed like a marriage of both things!

While in Michael's I noticed that a few sets were already on clearance--how convenient! So I grabbed a large 6 marker set and a smaller 3 color "Dark" set. 

I quickly tore into the package and tested these guys out. I was quick to notice that they didn't work as I had imagined. I would make a line and then hit it with water electing watercolor-like results. Instead I got a wet line with minimal bleeding. I tried a cool skull sketch and the markers were fun. I could imagine doing an underpainting with these, or adding quick details after a watercolor wash. 

that is supposed to be a peach!

The next day I tried them in my classroom and showed my students how cool they were--but they didn't work! What I mean by work was they didn't bleed, they just sat there. You can see my VERY sad attempt at sketching my peach I was about to have for lunch dessert. The ink/watercolor just sat there and had minimal interaction with the other colors around it. The only thing that bled was my cheap black pen I happened to have with me that day. The results were so bad I sad I wasted a sheet of my sketchbook on the test. I quickly tried another test on some cheap watercolor paper (bottom of image) and that was a little better. So I began to wonder if it was the paper? or me? A quick internet search and I found that Stillman & Birn paper is internally and externally sized. The Zeta series holds up to anything, I was surprised it didn't work with these markers! I sent a note to W+N who was quick to respond with "We do manufacture a Winsor and Newton paper that is suitable for them but there are also other brands that will also work  well.  I have used them on Arches CP and Rough with good effects." Oh great, it only works on their paper!? That sounds like a poor marketing scheme to me! If they don't work on my S+B paper, than the markers are no good to me. S+B sketchbooks are fantastic and I am a loyal customer for life--looks like the markers are going to go back to the store. 

Bummer.  

Trains, Planes and Fire Trucks. Well, no planes

45 degrees and rain are perfect ingredients to exercise one of two indoor memberships I have: The Lamberton Conservatory, or the NY Museum of Transportation. We went with option B. 

If you haven't been, please head over and visit Jim and his hard at work volunteers. The museum is a whimsical collection of trains, a few cars and a lot of dust. It's like getting lost in grandpas basement. They are only open on Sunday's and from now until fall they are offering train rides on 1/2 mile HAND LAID TRACK! It's amazing! The experience is like jumping in a Delorian and heading back in time--AND you can sketch there! 

We hid in a dark corner in front of a cool 1941 Mack Fire Truck. I eventually snuck over to an old International Truck, which was very dark to start and then someone hit the lights after I had painted it. I guess it's another excuse to visit!

We also got a rid on the hand-laid 1/2 mile track on a refurbished cable car. While the conductor was giving us a history lesson Genine and I sketched furiously! 

[fancy pentel pencil, namiki falcon with DeArtementis Document ink, D+S watercolors in a S+B Zeta sketchbook]

Canandaigua Boathouses part 73

I've tried and tried to get these historic boathouses drawn well a few times now. I think they keep getting easier and easier, but this time was no different. 

I scheduled a meetup and had a few artists meet me out for an afternoon of drawing on Canandaigua's City Pier. I plopped myself down and tried to capture the beauty of these crooked, well-loved floating homes. They are so unique, and old, with a ton of character. I especially like all of the wire hanging from pole to pole. They are an interesting tangled mess. For temporary homes, they seem to have a lot of need for wires! 

Drawing 1:

-I used a pencil to plan out my attack and a thicker nib Lamy Safari for my lines. I added some watercolor as well--trying to be patient and not have my sketch turn to mud. 

Drawing 2:

-Same subject but I tried a "single line" drawing. I started on the left and cruised to the right with only one line. If I missed something, so be it--keep on going! 

Drawing 3:

I parked myself under a shady tree with some may flies and people galore. There was a bench situated right in front of me and people would come and go making perfect models! 

[pentel pencil, namiki falcon (and all of my pens!) with DeArtementis Document ink, D+S watercolors in a S+B Zeta sketchbook]

Single line drawings

Surfing around the internet reviewing (read: stalking) the artists I like, I came across a few artists that were experimenting with "single, continuous, line drawings". They would start somewhere, put the pen down, and leave it until the were done on the other side of the page. It was like a blind contour line drawing (my favorite) but you could look. If you forgot a detail, oh well, keep on going. 

I added the watercolors in haste since I was being "interviewed" by a few young Mormon gentleman. 

[uni pin 0.2 pen, D+S watercolors in a S+B Zeta sketchbook]

Curriculum night

I had two hours to kill between work ending and our spring curriculum night/vote night starting. I inhaled a cheeseburger sub and sketched the view outside the pizza shop. During the wicked good performances I sketched the paparazzi, I mean, parents. 

[pentel pencil, namiki falcon with DeArtementis Document ink, D+S watercolors in a S+B Zeta sketchbook]

Downtown afternoon light

With this awesome spring weather, the sun is actually up past 3:30 in the afternoon. So now when I walk around downtown the light and shadows are magnificent! I found a nice park bench on main street, parked it there for an hour or so. 

My watercolor skills haven't been very strong as of late (were they ever?) so I stuck with some gray markers to add my depth. I was on a roll, and then the sun dipped behind a building and put my bench in a cool shadow and I started to get a little frigid. Which is middy silly considering 9 weeks ago it was -9 degrees out here. 

[uni pin 0.2 pen, PITT cool gray markers, a gigantic PITT white marker in a S+B Zeta sketchbook]

Mangoes, or is it mangos?

I was unhappy with my watercolor application on my "Buffalo Springfield" sketch, so I practiced some more with a few mangos sitting on the counter. I realized that:
A) I am impatient waiting for watercolors to dry 
B) adding watercolor pencils afterwards added some nice depth and shadows that I was desperately craving. (see the before and after pic)
C) much more skilled adding watercolor pencils than actual watercolors

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

Mall creepin'

I hate, and I mean, HATE, Starbucks coffee, tea, desserts, even their napkins are horrible (try using them to clean brushes while painting). BUT the devoted fans lined up tapping on their cell phones, ordering half-calf, double espresso, caramel, non-fat, non-sweet, chocolate, cappuccino, latte, iced coffee dessert drink make for great subjects! 

[pilot V5 pen, PITT cool gray markers, a gigantic PITT white marker in a gray toned Strathmore sketchbook]

NY Transportation Museum

On the way to a friends house I saw a sign for the Transportation Museum. I thought "What a cool place to sketch!". I emailed the owner/curator and he was more than happy to have some happy sketchers out to his place! 

When we got there words cannot describe the place. I thought it was as if your grandfather had a REALLY BIG garage and attic and he collected train, bus and car stuff. He then just laid it around kind of haphazardly and worked on the collection when he could. Leaving tools here and there, and piles of parts in aisle and aisles of dark cinder block walled buildings. It was quite spectacular! 

It was too nice of a day outside so Genine and I planted ourselves outdoors and sketched some of the pieces they had by the entrance. I picked the "Buffalo Springfield" (no, not the band) and attempted a large sketch of it. The sketch was ok, but the watercolors came out a little, well, off. Oh well, that's why we learn. 

[pentel pencil, namiki falcon with DeArtementis Document ink, D+S watercolors in a S+B Zeta sketchbook]

Bluegrass Jammin'

A local coffee shop (Greenhouse Cafe) has these awesome jam sessions about every other week. Anywhere from 10-25 musicians show up and rock out for a few hours. They synchronization and mastery of their instruments is very impressive. They take a quick glance at what the others are doing and jump in. We artists then sketch the musicians all the while sipping on great coffee and even better toasted panini sandwiches. 
[pentel pencil, namiki falcon with DeArtementis Document ink, D+S watercolors in a S+B Zeta sketchbook]

Canandaigua Boathouse

The historic boathouse are a really cool subject. I have drawn/painted them a few times now and can't seem to capture their character. This was the first nice day we had in a while, but the cool breeze made 50 degrees feel like 20. I sketched quickly and then hobbled my way to lunch then home. 

Airport sketchin'

Nothing better than a captive subject matter oblivious to their surroundings! Oh and a gigantic layover helps too! 

[a whole assortment of tools in a Stillman and Birn Zeta--giagantic--sketchbook]

Sketch meet up with Lapin and Freekhand

As many artists/sketchers do, we follow the many artists on Urbansketchers.org--add in the opportunity to travel to Barcelona where some of these artists live and I had a recipe for one of the coolest artistic moments of my life to date! 

Before I left on my trip to Europe, I emailed both Lapin and Miguel "Freekhand" Herranz to see if they wanted to meet up and go drawing and they said yes! We happened to have a free saturday together and with the support of my trip director I made it happen! 

We met up at the Hospital St.Pau in Barcelona on a gorgeous 60 degree sunny day! I got there super early and enjoyed an espresso in the shadows of a splendid modern masterpiece of architecture. 

Lapin was the first to show up and we traded some stories, and of course, we got to peek at each other's sketchbooks. I've seen a ton of his work on social media and I always thought he sketched in large ledger books--turns out--they are very small! I am envious of anyone who can sketch small-scale! (this will be a new goal for in the up coming weeks). 

Next to arrive was Miguel! I've been swooning over his toned sketches for a few years now, and to meet the man behind the work was especially exciting! We chatted about materials, as well as teaching--he was amused that I teach little ones!

Eventually we got our sketchbooks out and started to sketch. I was intimidated by a few things: 
1: sketching with these two great artists
2: the enormity of the structure we were sitting in front of!

Regardless, it was a super fun afternoon and I enjoyed every second of it! I look forward to meeting up with these gentleman sometime soon. 

my horrific attempt

5 different views from 5 different artists! 

Lapin and Joel's sketches matched up perfectly! 

Lapin's signature hat

Miguel

our view

Miguel's artwork

Lapin's artwork