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Author Archives: Sarah Sullivan
The Living Room
I live near a coffee house that is a haven for readers and has air conditioning and great coffee besides. This afternoon I tucked my small 8 X 8-inch sketchbook into my purse and set off for a few hours … Continue reading
Posted in Body Language, Telling a Story
Tagged Coffee House, Gouache, Readers, San Diego, The Living Room
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Finishing Up on Backgrounds
Last week I took a workshop on integrating figures with backgrounds. We used our personal photos as the reference and with watercolor on white paper. I learned a bit about the emotion of color and brushstrokes, but had trouble recognizing … Continue reading
Posted in Body Language, Telling a Story
Tagged Backgrounds, Body Language, Gouache, Watercolor
1 Comment
Backgrounds
This week I am taking a workshop to learn how to integrate figures with backgrounds. The idea is that the body language of the figure should be amplified by the rest of the painting. The background should be suggestive without … Continue reading
Napa Vineyard II
I started this sketch last Thursday but did not have enough time to finish it. It is very similar to the Napa Vineyard sketch that I posted that day. That sketch, though, had a disconnect between the mountains and vines, … Continue reading
Redwood Picnic
We went for a long walk at Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve near Guerneville California. Redwood forests are among the most incredible natural wonders ever and by the end of our hike I wanted to capture the feeling of being … Continue reading
Posted in Landscape
Tagged Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve, California, Gouache, Guerneville, Plein Air
1 Comment
Napa Vineyard
Napa Vineyard We stopped for a few hours today so that I could sketch the rows of grapevines in Napa Valley. I liked the shapes of the rows of vines against the mountains. The sun was so bright that the … Continue reading
The Polite Listener
It was so nice to be at the gallery and paint a live model, even if the poses were only for twenty minutes. The model was awesome, on the older side, and had a way of looking at us while … Continue reading
Posted in Body Language, Facial Expression
Tagged Body Language, Gouache, In- the- moment, Sketches of People
3 Comments