On Tuesday I participated in a sketch crawl. Well, it’s not really a crawl or a walk or a stand – but maybe – Yes! a stroll. We spent an hour strolling around the Bayard Park area, near the East Branch Library which was sponsoring this class.
This area is made up of beautiful old houses just ripe for sketches – and in my case, picture taking. The sun was bright so the images aren’t as pretty as I would have preferred, but the best I could capture for that time of the day.
This is the first house we came to and probably my favorite in this area. I really love the porches.
Donna decided to sketch the side porch which I also found interesting.
Carla decided to make it a sketch sit-in and put her blanket in the grass under the trees to sketch this beautiful house.
However, I really was interested in the details more than the actual houses.
Then some great patterns on sewer and water covers. I had to watch out for traffic while shooting these!
But the one picture that got me to sketching was this beautiful gate.
I started with pencil, moved quickly to watercolors and finished with Pitt Pens and Copic Markers. I’m such a novice at sketching. I realized quickly that I needed to complete the background before I added the gate. (Duh!) And I’m still learning about shading and making things look like what I want them to be instead of blobs of color. I also know what I’d change with this sketch. But here it is, my first sketch from this sketch crawl.
I really enjoyed this – both the crawl and sitting down and working on this sketch. I know I have a long way to go, but I’m real encouraged. Now is the time in my life that I want to stretch and try some things I’ve not had the patience for in the past. Will I ever be a great sketcher? Don’t know. But if I don’t try and that means practice, I’ll never know.
What I do know is that I’ve grown these past three years by pushing my boundaries. I’ve become less afraid of making art. If it doesn’t turn out, nothing happens. But if it does, what a feeling!
So as with most of the stuff – really all of the stuff – I create on this blog, if I can do it, you can do it. Just posting this sketch is a bit out of my comfort zone, but I hope it encourages you to stretch a bit, maybe do something this week, or this month that pushes you out of that safe area. And if you are so inclined, leave me a comment on what you are planning to create that pushes you out of your zone. Have a wonderful, creative day!
Your sketch is amazing! I see you have a lot of fun! I think this weekend I’ll do it with my daughter!
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Your sketch is lovely Lynda! I am learning how to sketch too, and it’s so much fun! A very new technique for me, but like you I’m pushing myself to try new things! I think I’ve fallen in love with sketchbooks!
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Anne, that would be fun to do together! Thanks for dropping by.
Kim, Thanks. It is fun but kinda scary. I signed up for the Sketchbook Project that is due Jan 15. I need to get started but I want to practice a little before I mess up that book. So you’ve fallen in love huh? Thanks for dropping by.
Lynda, your sketch is awesome! Really great job! And I hear you can only get better with practice! This whole event sounds like fun…except for being out in the heat. I hibernate with these temps.
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Lynda,
Your photos are a wonderful reminder of the fun we had that day. I have a “visual” of you standing in the middle of old Hwy. 41 taking a picture of a man hole cover! Too funny :O) Thankfully, there was no traffic at the time. I’m impressed with your art work. Great job of being “fearless”. I’m still working on my watercolor. Ronda
What a fun way to spend an afternoon – and I love your sketch! I also like to take lots of pictures of close-up details – like the water drain – not sure what I’ll use the pictures for, but it’s a great way to save the inspiration for later, just in case.
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Yep, I was out there in the middle of the street! Glad you had fun. Would love to see your sketches.
Kathy, Thanks.
I love the idea of a sketch crawl, and I applaud you for being brave and posting your sketch. I started sketching this year and find it fun and scary at the same time.
Rinda
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Nice photos and loving the sketch! Seems so easy how you explain things… But i struggle on Draw Something lol!
Hi Lynda, I live by that house you drew! Thanks so much for coming through our neighborhood and noticing all of the details.
Hi Dan, your neighborhood is beautiful. Years ago I lived spitting distance from there. Thanks for dropping by and commenting.