Let's Draw Google Bikes!

On a day with some amazing clouds I had a little drawing adventure / art materials testing session at the Google Visitor Experience Center. I enjoyed Etchr Hot Pressed sketchbook for the first two sketches and Strathmore Drawing Paper for the last sketch. Lots of different materials were used here and there, but my freshly cleaned flex nib fountain pen was my main drawing joy for this outing.

Drawing Bikes with Kids!

I had a blast drawing bikes with kids (and even some adults :) at a local event promoting safe biking routes and habits. It was a very hot day and quite a few attendees ended up with half-drawn bikes as a chance to make a cold smoothie while pedaling a stationary bike. It was a very cool addition to the event this year. But it was a blast nonetheless! I brought some fancy markers this year but sharpies were the most requested drawing tools. Conversations ranged from how many lights one should have on a bike to how to accommodate all the flowers that someone might want to carry on a bike ride.

Drawing Bikes with Kids!

I had a wonderful opportunity to draw with a bunch of young bike riders and some of their parents at a local bike event. Another step to returning to in-person events and what a blast I had!

I planned to draw bikes and talk about parts of this amazing mechanism but we got sidetracked by adding all sorts of creatures riding the bikes and adding some special equipment to our rides. 

From pigs and crocodiles to tigers and owls - all, including Godzilla and Mr. PileOfGoldenMoney were having fun riding bikes in our drawings :) One thing though - they all wore helmets - even the Mr. Invisible and Mr. Pile of Money :)

Some of what I overheard:

- You gotta have a banana holder on your bike - it is the best snack!

- I included a pretzel dispenser - it will be handy.

- On my bike is a non-gender invisible person - their name is Mr. Invisible. Yes - in a yellow neon helmet!

- This lizard you drew on the bike is probably rich - you used a gold marker for it. 

- My bike bell will be playing horns!

- I want heart-shaped lights on my bike!

I snapped a few pictures at the beginning of the event:

Bike and Sketch Adventures Continue! A House with Artichoke Front Yard

Extra long days (happy Summer Solstice a little over a week ago!) and extra large sketchbook with extra great company this week means I went to more biking adventures! 

This time - to paint wonderful purple artichoke flowers :) 

Gouache and stencils in my A3 SKetchbook - process photos are below. 

Bike and Sketch Adventures.

Bike and sketch with my current large (A3) sketchbook and my propensity to take all my art supplies with me (a problem which I claim is a leftover from the stay-at-home covid era*) make for some interesting choices of stops: benches are preferred, sitting on the ground is great too though I take a lot of space around me. But so far I did not find a way to work in this sketchbook while standing and holding it. It is just physically really hard. I am yet to find a pay to prop it against the bike though - this is something I will try next.

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* though anything that lasts this long is no longer a leftover but a new reality - I should just give this new setup a name and then face it. Naming things is important for me - here are some options: "bring all you can paint with", "unlimited choices make you mad", "can you promise to use at least half of this?", "Imagine traveling with this all", "really? printmaking on a bike?" :)

Bike and sketch outing with birdwatching.

I took my bike for some quality time together and we saw a pod of white pelicans, a commotion of coots, a raft of mallard ducks that were looking for mates, a gulp of cormorants drying off on what used to be a pier, and some great and snowy egrets. I am looking forward to a chance to use a word for multiple egrets nesting in one area - since I know where that rookery happens in May not far from me. 

100 Views of Silicon Valley: Baylands / Shoreline Park

The Baylands Nature Preserve and adjucent to it Shoreline Park are an amazing part of Silicon Valley and home to many birds, amphibians, mammals (some of those are running, biking, flying kites and kayaking on she lake).

April: Treasures everywhere!