Paper and Threads

The Battery Park Conservancy has several free adult art programs from May through October, weather permitting.  I love to go to Figure al Fresca, the 2 hour figure drawing session using clothed models.  But between our beach travels and weather, this was only my second session for this year.

We started with 15 one minute poses - which I did on newsprint to loosen up.  These are the 4 five minute poses which were all done on a large sheet of watercolor paper with a General Sketch and Wash pencil so I could add water for shading.  The sheets were photographed because of size. 

Here are two 10 minute poses, one 20 minute pose and one portrait done during the 20 minute pose because I had so much trouble sketching her head shape. 

This program continues through October - in the South Cove area of Battery Park.  It is from 2:30-4:30 on Wednesdays and art supplies are provided for visitors.  So join us if you visit NYC. 

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This is the final day of Sketchbook Skool Semester 2 - Seeing.  I think that I will continue to work on some of the exercises again, just to play a little more!  But I wanted to post some new sketchbook pages now.  Here is my Mug Collection on a double page spread - which I posted previously only as a work in progress.  I added more mugs - and still may add more.  But it also may be finished!

One more Selfie for Koosje's class.  I decided that I would try to do an occasional one over the next few months, even though I did my homework exercise during her class and did 6.  I try to work on portraits in general and as Koosje says, "where else could you always find a willing model?"

Last weekend I saw a Facebook entry for Drawing Club on how to paint water drops.  I couldn't resist trying, and listing the steps for when my memory fails me because I was unable to save a link.  Here are my 3 water drops! 

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This was Liz Steel's week, and I've sketched with Liz in New York City during each of her visits, so it was a real treat to be in her class.   I don't have any tea cups in my apartment, so I chose the only decorated cup we have - an Antoni Gaudi espresso cup.  Here are my preliminary exploratory drawings, followed by my cup/saucer painting.

I was at the Conservatory Water - Toy Boat Pond when I began Homework Assignment 2 - draw a building.   

Here are my preliminary thumbnail sketches of the Boat House, where they store remote-control boats for the weekly races and the rental remote-controlled boats.

And this is the Kerb Boathouse, which is adjacent to the Patio Café. 

I really enjoyed Semester 2 of Sketchbook Skool - and will go back and use many of the techniques used in homework assignments in the future.  It was possible to watch each teacher during their week, and to do homework assignments, but there is so much more to get from the videos/demonstrations.  I took notes and saved transcripts - and look forward to more sketchbook play using these exercises.

Semester 3 is being filmed - and I look forward to learning who the teachers will be! 

Posted by Shirley at 4:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Andrea Joseph, whose blog I followed for years, was our week 5 teacher in Sketchbook Skool - Semester 2.  I have always been amazed at her ballpoint drawings and that was our first demo and homework assignment.  I used a Staples black ball point pen and my sandals for the exercise. 

Equally mysterious, mainly because it was impossible to imagine someone taking the time to draw these, were her collections of buttons, keys, matches etc.  Over the years I tried to picture Andrea, this incredibly patient artist, and I was finally thrilled to meet her on multiple videos.  Drawing a collection was our second demo and homework assignment.  She doesn't use watercolor for hers, but I seem unable to leave out color.  So here is my mug collection done in my own way.  It is a work in progress - one mug per day.  The pencil outlines for my next two mugs can be seen on the 2 page spread.

Posted by Shirley at 2:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

We were back at the beach for the last time this summer.  Three of our grandchildren just returned from sleep-away camp and we gathered to celebrate their return.  This bunny was sitting in the yard, eating in the grass, and I only had my camera in hand.  I took several photos without breathing or moving and did this sketchbook page.

Dinner with our daughter, her husband, and their 3 children at LT Burger in Sag Harbor.  These gumball machines were hard to resist. 

Our oldest grandchild, 11 year old Henry, went on our 2 mile early morning beach walk again this year.  He is delightful because he has a natural curiosity about everything we see.

He loved watching the waves roll in and generate foam.

And spent time with me examining and photographing a dead spider crab.  We saw the poor crab again today and it really did have 8 legs and two claws at one time. 

A battered 4 leaf clover and one of the variant hydrangeas at our daughter's house.

Posted by Shirley at 1:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)