Quick Sketch of a Church in Whittier

This is a quick sketch of a church in Whittier, California. I am experimenting with drawing less and painting more. I took about three minutes to make the sketch, paying no attention to detail - I just outlined the big shapes and remembered the values. I ignored the cars, just letting the paint go right over them. The windows are mere strokes of dark grey, and the people just blobs. This is a very small sketch: 6" x 9", done in my Aquabee sketchbook. I am pleased with the effort because it has an energetic looseness, a sense of light and dark, and an interesting composition.

This Week's Sketchbook Work

I was able to do a few sketches this week. It is always a challenge to carve out a few minutes during the rigors of the day to make a drawing, and many times the best opportunities are while waiting. In these cases: waiting to pick up my son, and waiting for my car to get washed (on two separate occasions). That's why I am rarely without my sketchbook. 

For my portable studio these days I am using a vintage Art Bin, a throwback to my days in art school. This one is perfect: it has ample room for brushes, paints, my Holbein folding metal palette, pans, pencils and everything else I need.

Sketching People

Here are a few sketches done while waiting: to vote, for breakfast, and for church to end.

Back Seat Sketching

I have been taking a few road trips lately where I have been sitting in the back seat. This gives me plenty of time to practice quick sketching. Most of these sketches were done in five seconds or less. That five seconds is for the basic line drawing. I paint them later in my studio, remembering the colors and values, or just making something up.

Please note that the second sketch took a little longer, about 10 minutes or so. 

This is a good way to keep your eye/hand coordination in excellent shape.

Back Seat Sketching

Here are some recent sketches done from the back seat of a car as we traveled from late afternoon on into the evening.   I only had time to make a quick 10 second sketch in pen, and came back later with watercolor and pastels to finish them off. 

Five-minute Sketches

One big advantage of having a sketchbook with you at all times is that you are never bored. I did these two sketches in ten minutes while waiting in the car for my son. Do this every day to develop good eye-hand coordination and to stay in practice.