Trees on a Plaza
I walked up to the college this morning and did four rapid sketches of the trees on a plaza. All four are abstracts painted with white and the three primary colors, yellow, red and blue. I wanted to remind myself to let the color and shapes be strong.
This is a 9 X 9-inch gouache sketch.
I was trudging away at my computer but distracted by the poinsettias at the other side of the room. It has been a few days since I sketched and I wanted to get back on track. I painted quickly and did not get the shapes and colors of this gorgeous plant right. Often when I work fast, it results in a relaxed and fluid painting, but not this time. I don’t really like this gouache and pastel sketch but the point of sketching every day is to keep up a steady pace of learning. So, I will count this an hour well spent despite not being pleased with the outcome.
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 made the pot more complicated.
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 scene, but as I walked beneath the bridge I was captivated by the size and sweep of the pilings.
This is a 17 X 12-inch gouache sketch on black paper.
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 12 X 12-inch gouache sketch.
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 an idea or concept. I like this sketch because the incredulity on the faces of the listeners shows.
This sketch was developed between turns on an iPad with the app Procreate.
