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Monthly Archives: November 2017
The Christmas Cactus Again
A good thing about keeping plants in the house is you always have something quick to sketch. This is the same plant as the one I painted on Monday, and in this version, I simplified the cactus and background but … Continue reading
Pilings Under a Bridge
My plein air group went back to Torrey Pines State Reserve today for a last session at the north side. Pedestrians can access the beach by walking beneath an enormous bridge supported by massive pilings. I went planning on painting a beach … Continue reading
At the Cactus Garden
Balboa Park in San Diego has a rich variety of specialty gardens, including a gorgeous cactus garden, which is where I painted this morning. The big shapes were striking, and I worked to capture them with long brushstrokes. This is a … Continue reading
Christmas Cactus
I kept looking at this lovely Christmas cactus all Thanksgiving week. I like its shape and cheerful colors.
Playing Games
Thanksgiving week is winding down, and our kids are on the way back to their homes. One of the many delightful parts of holidays is playing games together. We learned a new game that involved convincing others of the believability of … Continue reading
Posted in Body Language, Facial Expression, Groups Interacting, Telling a Story
Tagged Board Games, Procreate, Thanksgiving
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Watching Videos and Nodding Off
It is late on the day after Thanksgiving and we are watching videos, nodding off, and sketching. I have my iPad and am sketching using the Procreate app. It has been quite some time since I have drawn using … Continue reading
At Fir and Date Streets
This morning the Wednesday painters painted in San Diego’s Little Italy. This is a sketch looking down Fir Street towards the San Diego Bay and is more of a drawing than a painting. I was going to smooth it out … Continue reading
A Second Moonless Night
This is a second attempt at sketching our street from photographs taken at night. Last night’s sky had reds in it and I think that is more interesting than today’s purples. Both skies were made with lots of wet paint dropped … Continue reading
Streetlight on a Moonless Night
The moonless sky was gorgeous tonight. There were layers of color in it and the lights on the canyon across from us gleamed. I took a few photos and used them for guidance on this sketch, working in the light … Continue reading
Poinsettia Season
The huge poinsettias are in the stores and that means it is time to bring a few home and paint them again. This is probably the first of several that I will sketch in the next month or so. This … Continue reading
Mediterranean Garden
I was planning on refining yesterday’s sketch but when I got up to the college a large delivery truck was blocking the view that I painted yesterday. As it turned out, this was good luck for me. I walked on … Continue reading
Posted in Cityscape
Tagged #San Diego State University, California, Gouache, Mediterranean Plants
4 Comments
Near the Student Union
Sometimes I walk up to the college at the end of the day. Now that it is getting dark so early, the campus has a wintery feeling. I really enjoy the light in the windows and archways, against the dark walls … Continue reading
Torrey Pines Beach
It is worth the 30-minute drive to paint at Torrey Pines. The day was gorgeous, slightly cold, and windy enough for good wave action. I focused on capturing the water current and cloud action with my brushstrokes. This is a … Continue reading
A Mid November Night
This evening I revisited my fireplace sketch from last week and had the same issue with the colors not being deep enough. Last week I applied heavy coats of pastel over the gouache in order to deepen the color. This … Continue reading
Posted in Body Language, Interior, Telling a Story
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A Steampunk Penguin?
Today was the fourth week of my Photoshop class and the night we handed in our first assignment. We were to construct a steampunk animal by combining photographs of gears, machine parts or metal. I am not completely certain that … Continue reading
Worldwide Urban Sketchers Sketchwalk
This afternoon our San Diego Chapter of the Urban Sketchers participated in the Worldwide Urban Sketchers Sketchwalk. All across the world local chapters met and sketched together for assigned 30-minute intervals while posting to social media. As I walked up to … Continue reading
From the Gallery Desk
Today I sat awhile at the gallery desk for the San Diego Watercolor Society. It was pretty quiet at the start and so I pulled out my pastel pencils and sketched this view of the hallway.
Looking Downward
This morning I worked on figure drawing at a nearby open studio. I like this one because I caught his dejected look.
San Diego Bay
It was a gorgeous morning and I painted with the San Diego Watercolor Society’s Wednesday Painters. We were at Seaport Village looking out on the San Diego Bay. This view has the Coronado Bridge in the background. The tide was moving … Continue reading
Posted in Landscape
Tagged Coronado Bridge, Gouache, San Diego Bay, SDWS Wednesday Painters
3 Comments
Kwaay Paay Peak above the Sycamores
It has been a few years since I visited the Padre Dam area of Mission Trails Park but now that I am reminded of its beauty I will go back more often. Sometimes I start the day by doing several … Continue reading
Posted in Landscape
Tagged California, Gouache, Kwaay Paay Peak, Mission Trails Regional Park, San Diego
7 Comments
Lollipop Trees with a Touch of Color
I walk along this street a few times each week and enjoy the way the lollipop trees recede around the slight curve of the street. I have been pointing out to myself for a long time that I should try to … Continue reading
First Fire of the Season
It was cool enough this evening to have a fire, our first of the season. I thought it would be an easy sketch but capturing a flickering fire and the shapes of the furniture in the mixed lighting was tricky. … Continue reading
Skyfari!
I was sketching at the San Diego Zoo today and this scene brought back good memories. My kids used to love waving from the Skyfari, or tram ride. So I relished the enthusiasm of this small child as she waved at … Continue reading
Posted in Groups Interacting, Telling a Story
Tagged California, Gouache, San Diego Zoo, Skyfari
3 Comments
Los Peñasquitos Lagoon
A few weeks ago I sketched at Los Peñasquitos Lagoon. Although I liked that sketch I thought it was missing signs of life. Today I went back and did a rough sketch of the same scene, this time using much … Continue reading
Posted in Landscape
Tagged California, Gouache, Los Peñasquitos Lagoon, San Diego, Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, Water
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