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.

My Minimal Travel Sketching Kit

I have mentioned my equipment before, but felt it was time again to share my minimal gear: the supplies that travel with me everywhere. Here it is:

6" x  9" Aquabee Super Deluxe Sketchbook
Winsor & Newton Artist's Field Sketchbox filled with Holbien Watercolor paint:

Gamboge Nova
Permanent Yellow Orange
Cadmium Red Light
Alizarin Crimson
Olive Green/Greenish Yellow
Raw Sienna
Burnt Sienna
Burnt Umber
Cerulean Blue
Colbalt Blue
Marine Blue
Ultramarine Deep

Sable Travel Brushes from Daniel Smith
0.5 mechanical pencil with HB lead
Sanford Unibal Micro pen
Pentel Sign Pen
Mars Staedtler Eraser
Tube of Titanium white

Everything but the sketchbook travels in a small black nylon pouch that I carry in my attache/satchel (or if on the weekend, my back pack). With this simple set I can paint anywhere, anytime. I can practice drawing, sketching, and painting everyday with minimal effort. 

I hope this is helpful.

Saturday In The Park

I went to Maranatha High School yesterday with members of the Mid Valley Art League to participate in the ninth annual Saturday In The Park with the Masters event. These are images from my first painting session. It is a scene of the formal garden that has a large grassy area with a vine-covered pergola at one end and a covered veranda at the other. The morning sun was casting long shadows across the space.

I did a quick study sketch in my Aquabee Sketchbook to work out the composition, design, and colors using pen, watercolor and gouache. I used a 14" x 20" 140# Arches cold press paper for the final painting, beginning with a rough sketch in pencil, going over it with a Uniball Micro pen, accenting the shadows with a Pentel Sign Pen before painting it with watercolor. I finished it with white gouache for the highlights and a few touches of white and bright yellow pastel in the foreground.

Saturday Sketch Hike

I went on a hike a few weeks ago  and as usual, brought along my sketchbook. I had some down time waiting for my companion so I did a few quick sketches at the trail head, one at the top of the hill, and one on the way back (which I did while walking). I used a Sanford Uniball Micro pen, and enhanced the major lines with a water-soluble Pentel Sign Pen. I painted everything later in my studio, making up the colors.

I snuck in a sketch of a car wash that I did earlier, and then revised the other day with gouache.