Hillside Near Rancho Bernardo

Posted on September 27, 2017 by Sarah Sullivan
Sketch of Hillside Near Rancho Bernardo by Sarah Sullivan

Hillside Near Rancho Bernardo

It is hot and dry in San Diego County just now and there was not a lot of shade this morning where I was sketching near the Bernardo Winery northeast of San Diego. I love the brown and yellow in our hills this time of year and wanted to capture the dried out feeling of the plants as we all look forward to the fall rains. I also wanted to practice using gouache to get lighter tones and the dried out grass and hillside was perfect for this.

This is a gouache sketch in a 17 X 12 inch Derwent sketchbook with black paper.

Posted in Deliberate Practice, Landscape | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Back to Alcazar Garden

Posted on September 26, 2017 by Sarah Sullivan
Sketch by Sarah Sullivan of Alcazar Garden

Back to Alcazar Garden

Our landscape class painted again at Alcazar Garden in Balboa Park. Before leaving the house this morning, I looked at my sketch, ‘Among the Hedges‘, that I made on September 28 at Alcazar Garden. I thought it was much too dark and planned a brighter sketch for today. Even with this plan, I think today’s sketch is still too dark. I was able to get an idea of what a brighter sketch might look like by editing today’s sketch, which you can see below.  Tomorrow I will push myself to go really bright and explore the possibilities.

Today’s sketch is mostly gouache with some pastel pencil lines.

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Negative Space

Posted on September 25, 2017 by Sarah Sullivan
Sketch of a figure with a focus on the negative space by Sarah Sullivan

Negative Space

In the figure drawing class today we worked on making the figure pop by developing the negative space around the figure. For example, the bedding the model is sitting on got much more emphasis than the model herself.

This is a charcoal drawing on a 24 X 18 inch sheet of newsprint.

Posted in Deliberate Practice, Learning | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Woodie Fest at Moonlight Bay

Posted on September 23, 2017 by Sarah Sullivan
Woodie Fest at Moonlight Bay

Woodie Fest at Moonlight Bay

The San Diego Urban Sketchers met today at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas to sketch vintage cars at the Woodie Fest. As I was looking around I came across three men making music along the edge of the show. I quickly sketched them with a white pastel pencil and gouache.

Posted in Groups Interacting, Telling a Story | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Plumbago over the Wall

Posted on September 22, 2017 by Sarah Sullivan
Sketch by Sarah Sullivan of Plumbago hanging over a garden wall

Plumbago over the Wall

The plumbago in San Diego is gorgeous right now and catches my eye everywhere I go. I had to stop today and try to capture this particular hedge in a gouache sketch on black paper.

Posted in Landscape | Tagged , , , , | 10 Comments

Between the Dorms and the Parking Structure

Posted on September 21, 2017 by Sarah Sullivan
Sketch by Sarah Sullivan of a man between a parking structure and a multistory building

Between the Dorms and the Parking Structure

San Diego State University is always building something. I like the look of their new parking structure and their yellow and orange dorms and think they are perfect for practicing one point perspective. I also got in some practice showing shape with the direction of my paint strokes on the hedge.

This is a 9 X 9 inch gouache sketch on black paper.

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Potatoes and a Bouquet for Dinner

Posted on September 20, 2017 by Sarah Sullivan
Sketch by Sarah Sullivan of a man eating Potatoes and a Bouquet for Dinner

Potatoes and a Bouquet for Dinner

Possibly the only good thing about being a fast eater is that it gives me extra time to sketch. I worked fast, going for the big shapes, and exaggerating the bouquet.  It is out of proportion but I had fun with the sketch. My favorite parts are the black and white place settings on the table.

This is a 12  X 12 inch gouache sketch in a Derwent sketchbook with black pages.

Posted in Telling a Story | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments