Paper and Threads

I was invited to applique a square for the Empire Quilt Guild 2011 Raffle Quilt.  All of the eighteen 11 inch squares are based on New York City subway mosaics and I was thrilled to be assigned the Chambers Street IRT mosaic of Kings College.  We are a Columbia University family and Kings College was the original college which became Columbia University after the Revolution.

I was gvien an applique pattern that was drafted from a photo in a NYC subway book, but decided that I wanted to make my own.  I photographed many of the mosaics which run along both the uptown and downtown platform walls trying to find one that wasn't too damaged by age.

I drew and painted the mosaic in my daily sketchbook, to try to familiarize myself with the complex design before making a new pattern and selecting fabrics.

I just completed the applique square - which required more time than any single 11 inch square I ever made - mostly because I decided that I wanted to applique every stone of the building on individually! 

Posted by Shirley at 6:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (12)

I retired on July 1st and last night finally went to my first Figure Drawing session.  If you follow this blog, you know that I was practicing for this moment by sketching figures as 90 sec. sketches of posemaniac images, or 5 minute figures from one of two nude figure photo books for artists that I bought.  I'm very glad that I did the prep work over the last several years because I never felt overwhelmed last evening.

I met my dear friend Istar at the Society for Illustrators so I would be with someone who knew the location and process.  The setting is lovely - very open space, live music, a small bar for a glass of wine during the 20 minute break, and hundreds of inspiring illustations lining the walls on all floors.  We had two models - one short and full figured, the other tall, thin, and beautifully coifed.  I frequently couldn't see below their ankles, but on the short poses, I didn't even have time to worry about it.   

The 3 hours flew by - and I did all 19 sketches - 2, 5, 10, and 20 minutes in length.  I'm just so thrilled to finally sketch live models that I'm uploading a total of 7 to this page.  All of the sketches were done with a Koh-i-noor Progresso 6B pencil  on 8 x 11" paper in a Working Class Studio, bound, sketchbook that I bought for half-price at Barnes and Noble.  I have no idea where I got the pencil, but it was smooth and wonderful on the paper. 

Two of Ten 2 minute sketches:

Two of four 5 minute sketches:

Both 10 minute sketches:

Two of three 20 minute sketches: 

Posted by Shirley at 10:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (12)

Today the group met at John Lennon's Strawberry Fields Imagine Mosaic and then walked to a rocky promontory on the Lake.  I stayed for 2 hours and did the following sketches - in bright sunshine.  It was a glorious day after a gray rainy Saturday

There were two turtles on a rock in the green-brown water - and I could just see their silhouettes.  In front of me, at the edge of the rocks were purple flowers that I had never seen before.  I spent most of the first hour watching for more turtles.

                       '

Aprroximately 5 minutes before we met to share our sketchbooks, I quickly sketched and painted the lovely woman sketching in front of me. 

During the second hour, I moved to the other side of the rocks, faced south, and sketched the Central Park South skyline.  I was very happy that I brought my watercolor pencils with me to quickly block in the trees.

I'm really enjoying the Meetup Sketching sessions.  Although you can work on one thing for the entire time, the goal of the session is to sketch quickly in several different locations - which both sets parameters for space and time.  And it is so much fun to see the work of others - who may have had different tools and paper sizes, but had the same scene to observe and document that you did.

Posted by Shirley at 5:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

National Academy Museum:  I visited the National Academy Museum for the first time this week to see the current exhibit "Reconfiguring the Body in American Art."  The Museum and School of Art are in a wonderful building on Museum Mile in New York City, just north of the Met and Guggenheim.  I loved this bronze sculpture and sketched it with a watercolor pencil. 

Cricket in Times Square:  Our oldest grandchild came for an overnight visit before starting school this week and we finished reading The Cricket in Times Square, by George Selden, a book from our library from his mother's childhood.  We read 1-2 chapters right before bed each time he stayed overnight and he remembered the characters and plot better than I did.  After he went to bed, I sketched the main characters, based on the illustrations by Garth Williams.  Henry loved seeing the journal page in the morning and suggested that I do another page inspired by the Goodby Party that ends the book!

Statue of Liberty:  We told Henry that he could choose what he wanted to do the following day and he requested a trip to the Statue of Liberty.  Like many New Yorkers, my husband and I had never been there.  We passed it on boats many times, but never landed on Liberty Island to see the Statue up close.   We had a fabulous time (in spite of long security check lines) - great boat rides to and from on the top deck, a visit to the Museum, a walk up 156 steps to the observation deck on the top of the pedestal, and a walk around the base.  We had 10 minutes before we caught the return boat and I sketched Lady Liberty very quickly and painted her at home.

Posted by Shirley at 7:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

I continue to practice figure drawing even though I have yet to go to a Figure Drawing class.  There are many drop-in places in New York City, so I have no excuse now that I'm retired and have more time to just play!

In these two journal pages I sketched hands from ads in the New York Times Fashion Magazine and then started to work my way through photos showing American sign language letters.  The drawing was done with a watercolor pencil and then water was applied.

Posted by Shirley at 8:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)