Remember the sketch meet in Chinatown?

Yes, that one - back in August? Well, I did two drawings there and only now managed to blog about them. Here they are:

These are the two of the 12 Zodiac statues several of us drew. I think this was one of the most fun sketch crawls USk Chicago did. Check us out :)!

Surf's Up!

There are beach hazard warnings today in the Windy City. I was running some errands this morning and had to stop and take a look. This is a quick 4 inch square sketch I did  at Oak St. Beach. It's hard to believe it's just one block off the Mag Mile. "My Kinda Town Chicago is"!

Urban Sketching on an iPad

I love my little dog. I really do. So when you see me do something that looks like torture to the poor thing, please don't hate me.

It's for his protection. I mean he squints in the sun and he swims in (ugh) lake water. So we got him these wonderful mini swim goggles, just like the kind Michael Phelps wears, right?

Only Miles did not see the connection. In fact, I'm not really sure what he actually could see through those tinted orange lenses.

If Superman's color of peril is "green" (Kryptonite), then surely my dog Miles' color of peril has got to be "orange" because once we strapped these on his head, he froze in place like we had just administered some kind of corporal punishment.

So, long story short, we took the goggles off of him--right after I captured this image on my iPad. No, I didn't make him wait that long. I snapped a photo of him, threw off the goggles, or "doggles," and gave him hugs and kisses.

Sketched on my iPad using the "Paper" app by fifty-three. Awesome app, by the way, in case you are thinking of adding the iPad to your Urban Sketch Kit. If you'd like to learn more about what I have learned on the iPad for sketching, send me a reply and ask away.

Sketching in the north woods.

My brother and I are visiting family in Hayward, Wisconsin.  We found a beautiful spot to throw down a blanket and sketch for hours. We had a wonderful peaceful time watching the clouds roll by, shooting photos, exploring the waters edge and sketching. Here are two results. 

Watercolor with pencil. 

Intense pencils and water brush. 

Sizzling Chicago

Buckingham Fountain: It was hot and hazy afternoon at Buckingham Fountain. I'll bet it was 90+°. There was one little spot of shade by a concession stand and it was just that - only a spot but it was enough! A large lemonade, a sketchbook and a few sketching friends made for a nice afternoon despite the heat.
(I have no clue what happened to the upper right hand  corner of the scan.)

Chinatown Revisited

Sunday, I went sketching with the Urban Sketchers Chicago group.  It was really wonderful to meet some sketchers I had not met before.  We revisited Chinatown, where we had sketched last year.  We are thinking this should be a yearly event.

I arrived early (really?), so while I waited for the others to appear, I did a few sketches, sitting on Cermak Road, facing north.  The first sketch is a portion of the Three Happiness Restaurant, and the view up Wentworth Avenue.

(Pencil, Micron pen, watercolor in Holbein post card book)

Next, I sketched people who were passing by or standing around.  I loved the young woman who was listening to a tour group leader giving a lecture.  The young woman kept fidgeting her legs around, while keeping her arms crossed.  Even from across the street, it was obvious that she was bored out of her mind!

(Pencil, Micron pen, watercolor)

The next two sketches were done at Chinatown Square, a block or two north of Cermak Road, on the west side of Wentworth Avenue.  We were happy to discover that there was a Chinatown Festival happening – and it was very festive!  We were entertained with music, young children dancing, many different people and even a procession of monks.  I set up my little, bum-numbing stool, and began to draw.

When I finished the drawing of the horse sculpture, I acquired a small fan club – two young girls, around 10 and 11 years old, and their twin cousins, the most adorable four-year-old boys.  The older girl asked me to draw Angry Birds.  (I had to use my phone to find an Angry Bird to draw – the red one, of course!)  Then the boys had to have Angry Birds as well.  One of the boys asked me to draw a big house.  (The house I drew could only have been inhabited with stick figures!)  While I was drawing and looking down at the paper, one of the boys kept putting his face under mine, bringing our foreheads together, and staring into my eyes.  I’m not sure what that was about!  Then the younger girl asked me to draw flowers.  I drew everything and gave them the pictures.  They hung around for about an hour – a very appreciative audience – and I enjoyed it immensely!

(Both pages done with pencil, Staedtler pens, Micron pen, and watercolor 

in an Arches Travel Book, 140 lb. paper)

I copied the symbol for “horse” from the base of the sculpture.  Then, the oldest member of my fan club asked if she could draw the “new” symbol on my page.  I was delighted with that!  All in all, a great day with the Urban Sketchers!

Chinatown sketches, Sunday, August 18, 2013

Ink drawing

Chinatown people-Tombow markers

Pagoda-Tombow markers

Sculptures-Tombow markers