Sketch crawl and coffee

My adventure is winding down...but you can bet I've packed in enough sketches, paintings, photos and memories to last me months of delicious review.  

Kelly met me in the corner bar yesterday for coffee before we headed off (2 buses, 1 tram and a short walk) to her new studio space. On the third floor of a school ( middle-ish) she shares a large room with two other artists. A huge wall of north windows sheds gorgeous light over the areas where they have each established their own spaces. 

I'm being silly here but this great organization happened because I convinced her that shelf assembly was one of my fortes and together we made this IKEA piece come together. Now she is one huge step closer to working en situ! 

We headed out to sketch the city...since it was the most gorgeous day ever we headed to a park to lunch and draw. 

Rome is filled with my favorite tree ever; umbrella pines. They are the source of the versatile pine nut and are so graceful and personality-filled. I have painted them often and could draw them forever. This is a quick sketch before I pulled out the Watercolors. 

We hopped all over tackling some challenging areas (I'll post Kelly's work seperately).  I decided to work on some perspective and got part way into this fence before we decided it was wine o'clock. 

While I used to freeze in fear while drawing in public, it doesn't phase me now. It's rather fun to see what happens, no final pieces, all studies and it is interesting to see people's curiosity. One "brava" can make your day. 

The sun was casting a golden hue to everything as we left the park. My forest of umbrella pines looked magical with all the shadows. That's me on the bench raising my  arms in joy and sending up prayers for a return trip. 

Ciao,

Cindy

Feeling Sketchy

Hopefully while you are reading this I am pausing on a mountain trail high above Zion National Park, sketchpad in hand, recording important details for a future painting.  Hopefully....but no guarantees.
Why am I so sketchy about sketching?  Lots of reasons I'm sure but a few include the embarrassment of someone peeking over my shoulder at a less than perfect drawing, the pressure to execute a finished piece regardless of time, and the fear that without the help of paint I cannot achieve the depth I desire.  Excuses all....and all to my own detriment.

Sketching is the foundation for good art work, sketching is what helps you record impressions and fleeting moments, sketching is what gives you artistic license over the composition.  And yet many of us find it difficult and challenging to do. 

To conquer that fear I have really tried to use my sketchbook more often.  To take away the fear, I have pushed the results bar very low...so low that if all I do is get a few lines down then I have met my goal.  I took the pad hiking, I took it picnicing and I took it to the winery.  Things are getting better:  I am losing the fear of drawing in public and I am happy that marks are on the page...

very simple line drawing of some things I saw on a waterfall hike

 

these are quick drawings of a couple of scenes I might later want to paint

and a written reminder about the wonderful smell of pine

 

finally, some easy renderings of faces in a Modigliani-esque fashion

for an idea I am squirreling away for a future series...

 

 

Now that I have stated this fear/goal (and put it in black and white!) I do feel an obligation to give it even more emphasis in my continuing study.  So, cross your fingers that my fingers will grip a pen or pencil for some of next week and make sketches, no matter how simplistic, of the western canyons we are about to visit.  oh my......