A Beautiful Bouquet - a series of experiments.

I recently got a beautiful bouquet to enjoy and sketch - looking at the same subject many times, in the course of several days is something I highly recommend to anyone - especially to someone who sketches. It was glorious when permeated by the morning sun and illuminated in the evening rays. And it inspired some experiments!

Ink outside, color at home

My Urban Sketcher's Workshop "Creating Collections of Everyday Moments" on April 22.

I had a great time teaching an Urban Sketcher's workshop "Creating Collections of Everyday Moments" on April 22. The Los Altos location worked out great as we were able to have some comfortable sitting spaces in the center of a busy street but not trampled over by many people walking by.


I shared my sketchbooks while working through my talking points and then gave out some samples of paper and stickers I use and showed a bunch of my own tiny sketch kits which we used in the workshop extensively.

I was too busy teaching and did not take any photos of the process but these are some of the sketchkits and my current sketchbook as well as handout I gave to all the participants.


The group was working hard and asked many interesting questions. I learned a lot from them while we worked through three different exercises.

I am looking into putting together a workshop around using liquid inks / liquid watercolors and another one on gouache painting in the field. Let me know if you are interested in any of those!

Sketchbook #100: My Life Drawing Class

Sketchbook #94: Irises

Sketchbook #94: Bay Shore

March 2015: Canyon Trip - Antelope Canyon

There are two parts of the Antelope canyon - upper and lower - and I drew both and will make two separate posts about them. But my posts are not about upper and lower parts - my posts are about vertical sketches and square ones.

Antelope Canyon is another place where I can sketch forever and ever. Very challenging sketching though - narrow passages, lots of people in constant motion - one group comes after another, everyone wants to take pictures and run ahead, treacherous light, unbelievably complex juxtaposition of curves, shadows and colors, it's cold and hot at the same time, sand everywhere and kid is so stunned with all this he gets lost every other turn or tries to climb the wall to show you iron deposit or bird nest or tumble weed and then jump onto you to show how spooky the place is.

In short: liquid watercolors in waterbrushes was the only way to capture at least something! But oh what a beautiful subject!

 

August 2014: Alum Rock

Having fun with spreads and liquid watercolors on a  rather hot but breezy day.

Freesia

Liquid watercolors are a joy to play with with the nib as well as with the brush :)


And when the paper bleeds to another page it's a sign to paint the same flowers again :)

Liquid Watercolors

I've been playing with the liquid watercolors - enjoying brightness and purity of colors (which will probably fade pretty quickly as liquid watercolors are not lightfast) but the most intriguing for me thing is that I keep diluting them :) It's already 1/3 from the original (image below if painted with the original and I hope to scan some more recent images to share soon :)