A Mid November Night

Posted on November 14, 2017 by Sarah Sullivan
Sketch on a man working by his fireplace by Sarah Sullivan

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 week I am leaving it with just the gouache and the bits of pastel I used in the initial line drawing.

I like the way the figure sinks into the couch and think this composition has promise. I expect to keep at it in the next weeks.

This is a 17 X 12-inch sketch on black paper.

Posted in Body Language, Interior, Telling a Story | 4 Comments

A Steampunk Penguin?

Posted on November 13, 2017 by Sarah Sullivan
A Steampunk Penguin?

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 my penguin looks like a steampunk penguin, but I did enjoy learning how to make selections, mask, and work with layers. The background is more free-form and made by using the Photoshop tools.

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 7 Comments

Worldwide Urban Sketchers Sketchwalk

Posted on November 11, 2017 by Sarah Sullivan
Sketch by Sarah Sullivan of San Diego Urban Sketchers Participation in the Worldwide Urban Sketchers Sketchwalk

San Diego Urban Sketchers Participate in the 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 join the group, I thought how great they looked sitting and sketching together. Although we were asked to sketch in groups for this event, I had to go to the other side of the pond and do my best to capture the spirit of Urban Sketching.

This is a 12 X 12-inch pastel and gouache sketch on black paper.

Posted in Body Language, Cityscape, Facial Expression, Groups Interacting, Telling a Story | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

From the Gallery Desk

Posted on November 10, 2017 by Sarah Sullivan
Sketch by Sarah Sullivan of the view from a gallery desk

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.

Posted in Interior | Tagged | 5 Comments

Looking Downward

Posted on November 9, 2017 by Sarah Sullivan

This morning I worked on figure drawing at a nearby open studio. I like this one because I caught his dejected look.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

San Diego Bay

Posted on November 8, 2017 by Sarah Sullivan
Sketch by Sarah Sullivan of the San Diego Bay

Looking Down the San Diego Bay towards the Coronado Bridge

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 and although the color was flat you could see lots of movement in the water.

I have been looking at Emily Carr’s paintings since Saturday. She mostly painted along the Canadian Northwest Coast and her brush strokes infuse her paintings with movement.  I think I already see her influence on my work, especially in the movement of the waves and sky,  but also in the feeling of cold, which it was not.

I like this painting but wonder if it might be better if I crop it between the bridge and the bay.

This is a 12 X 12- inch gouache sketch.

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Here is how I think one reader thinks it could be cropped.

img_0952-1

 

And here is what I was considering doing.

img_0951-1

 

Posted in Landscape | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Kwaay Paay Peak above the Sycamores

Posted on November 7, 2017 by Sarah Sullivan
Sketch of Kwaay Paay Peak above the Sycamores by Sarah Sullivan

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 quick sketches before beginning a longer piece. This is one of those, probably a ten-minute sketch, and my favorite of the day. I like its rough and abstract look, especially on the face of the peak.

Posted in Landscape | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments