Weekend Sketching

Overcast days are the best to paint because the lighting doesn't really change. 

Hanging out at The Lab in Costa Mesa. What I like about painting on location is the interactions I get with passer-by's because I guess they don't see someone with a paint set everyday painting. I have realized that it was mostly older people who actually stopped by to talk to me, the younger ones were too cool for school and just tried to sneak glances haha. 

My favorite- creep sketching at coffee shops. I need to get better at speed and memory because people tend to move, if you didn't know that. 

Instagram Fridays: Sleeping Through The Noise

When I am stuck on what to draw I usually default to drawing my dog, hands, or figures. You know you are a crazy dog lady when your dog has her own instagram and facebook page. And when your dog's instagram has more followers than your own. Don't judge me!

Ink and watercolor in a Moleskine sketchbook. 

Color and Composition Studies

Color and composition studies of Thomas Moran, N.C. Wyeth, Mead Schaeffer, Albert Bierstadt

Since being part of Noah Bradley's Art Camp this previous summer, I found out how important master studies are. I have learned how to see compositions as shapes, focus points and contrast, and not to be bottled up in the specifics. The new session has begun and here I am again still in my 9-5 chair wishing there were more hours in a day counting down the days until February 20th. 

Currently listening to: Boogie Belgique. 

Instagram Fridays: LAX to ORD

Sketched this during a 3 hour plane ride from Los Angeles to Chicago. I have always loved urban sketching, its when I am most in my element. All I used to sketch were people, so now I am trying my hand at complete scenes and to be mindful of the composition.

I bought The Art of Urban Sketching: Drawing On Location Around The World (which is an amazing book that shows you how other urban sketchers see the world as well as their tips and techniques) and took a really good tip from one of the artists: to sketch close to far, it worked very well for me. I really wanted to sit out in downtown Chicago and sketch the beautiful skyline and the quaint houses but I was with a group of four girls and were constantly running around.

I will now go and dream of this deep dish Chicago style pizza that ruined all pizzas for me. Damn you Pequods!!

Creep Sketching Saturday

My love for sketching strangers, aka creep sketching, has been my favorite past time for years now. It allows me to be super observant about everything, to notice the tiny details that makes a person an individual. However when the person notices you drawing them, the drawing is over, so I have to make it quick since I'm not the most inconspicuous person. 

The first three were done in one of my favorite coffee shops, its weird being here mid-aftertoon since I'm always just here in the mornings before work. When the shop was winding down, or when I have ran out of victims, I drove myself to Barnes and Nobles to look for fresh ones and was there for an hour or so. Markers are still a learning process for me but I need to start adding value to my sketches. Next will be watercolors! Eep. 

Gesture Drawings

I'm lucky to have started my figure drawing studies at the age of 16 and throughout college, its my favorite thing ever. Gesture drawings are quick 5-10 second sketches of the movement and dynamic of a pose. I used this sports photographer's awesome photos as reference. 

I have done all of these in pen (fountain and gel ball point) in about 5-10 seconds each. 

So Metal

Just did a study of a metal tea kettle. I found out that I really like painting metal.