Paper and Threads

The heat in NYC was unbearable Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  So even though we rarely go to the movies, my husband and I went to see Woody Allen's new movie "Midnight in Paris.  It was great - especially the fabulous Paris scenes that started the minute it opened and didn't end until the final second!  So many memories of our vacations there flooded into my mind and I came home wanting to do a Paris journal page. 

Our last trip there was in February 2005 and I wasn't keeping travel sketchbooks then.  I always wanted to draw the Eiffel Tower, but was almost paralyzed by the complexity of the construction in my photos.  So I searched for Eiffel Tower drawings and actually found a tutorial - which was just perfect.

I decided to scan and print a Michelin Paris Guide map for the first layer, then absorbent ground to partially cover it, and finally ink and watercolor drawing/painting.  This is a technique that I saw on Jane LaFazio's blog in 2010 and use periodically in my journals.

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The models this Thursday at the Society of illustrators sketch night were dressed for the beach - with a parasol, sunglasses, tropical drinks, wraps, and flip-flops.  These were fun accessories to draw and the models were just great.  Nineteen sketches were done, but I'm only uploading several - all of the same model.

These are 2 two minute sketches, a 5 minute sketch, and a ten minute sketch:

I switched to a watercolor pencil for drawing and large sheets of watercolor paper for the 20 minute minute poses and used the time to draw the models and shade and paint the sketches.  This seems like a good way to work with watercolor before I'm ready and able to "sketch" the figures with my brush.  These sketches were photographed because the paper is bigger than my scanner.

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I am posting several journal pages that I did recently, to include some variety on this blog.  Tonight will be my last figure drawing session until after Labor Day, so my next blog entry will be more drawings from Sketch Night in costume.   

This plant was a gift from friends and it just keeps flowering.  I read about gloxinias and know that they need to die back and hibernate later in the season.  I only have one set of windows that have a wide window sill and enough light, so I'm afraid that this plant will not be with me next year.  I'll try to repot it next Spring, but would love to hear what others do with their indoor gloxinias.

I'm still sending weekly postcards to my dear friend Melly as she enters phase 3 of her breast cancer treatment.  She recently mentioned "dancing" when all of this is over, so I redrew my model's shoes from last week and painted them for her for last Saturday's postcard.  I hope they make her laugh!  Neither of us are the 5 inch spiked heel type of lady.

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Sketch Night on Thursday night at the Society of Illustrators is a great change because both models are in costume - partial or complete.  This past Thursday was Bastille Day and they both wore French-inspired dresses, very high heels, and wigs.  Props included a baguette, wine bottle and two glasses of wine.

Here are a few 2 min sketches, one 5 min sketch, and one of the 20 minute sketches which was drawn and colored with watercolor pencils.

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These are the journal pages that I did on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday - the last until the end of the summer.

Sydney and I sketched together and she drew hydrangea blooms while I sketched her - which was her request.  It doesn't look like 6 year old Sydney, although she said I got the hair drawn correctly!  I never used to draw family members, so at least I'm now trying to capture a likeness.

I love sweets and was tempted by a freshly baked cookie and a Dunkin Doughnut most of Saturday afternoon.  I succombed to one, but not the other!

I was awakened when a bathroom hairdryer slipped in its holder, turning it on, and couldn't get back to sleep.  So I moved out to the sunroom and listened for the birds to wake up while I read.  There was suddenly a very different, insistent chirp, right outside the screen door and it was a beautiful cardinal.  This was drawn from a photo since he flew off pretty quickly.

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