Sunflowers for Marci

Posted on September 11, 2017 by Sarah Sullivan

Sketch of Sunflowers in front of a Couch by Sarah Sullivan

Sunflowers for Marci


I bought five huge sunflowers and as I sketched began to think of a school counselor I worked with years ago who loves sunflowers more than anyone else I know. At the start of each year she poured her heart into making a schedule for our school. She was one of the few people who could make a schedule that met the needs of children and kept life sane for teachers, her schedules were practically magic. And she kept up a demanding pace for the rest of the year. She ran groups, helped staff, kids and parent solve problems, and was fun to work with besides. So Marci, these sunflowers are for you!

This is a pastel and gouache sketch in a 12 X 12 Derwent sketchbook with black paper.

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A View from SDSU 

Posted on September 9, 2017 by Sarah Sullivan
Sketch of A View from SDSU by Sarah SUllivan

A View from SDSU

This was my first sketch from yesterday. I abandoned it before adding paint because I did not like the way the second tree to the left aligned with the corner of the building. I also thought the placement of the man was too far to the right. Today, since I did not go out sketching, I decided to go ahead and paint it. I was able to move the corner of the building a bit towards the right and that helped. I could do nothing about the man’s placement but used a blue color for his shirt similar to the sky’s and that seemed to integrate him into the sketch.

This is a pastel and gouache sketch in a 9 X 9 inch Derwent sketchbook. 

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West Side of SDSU

Posted on September 9, 2017 by Sarah Sullivan
Sketch of the West Side of SDSU by Sarah Sullivan

West Side of SDSU

I had forgotten how much I like sketching up at the college. Between the gardens and patios there are many inviting scenes to sketch including this one on the west side of campus. I like the southern California feel of people studying on the patio and wanted to convey it with this small gouache sketch.

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September Street in San Diego

Posted on September 7, 2017 by Sarah Sullivan
September Street in San Diego

September Street in San Diego

I walk up this street a lot. My attention is almost always taken by the way the sidewalk disappears at the top of the hill and the lines that the tree trunks make. Today I finally stopped and sketched it in a small 9 X 9 inch sketchbook with gouache. Then, after looking at it this evening, I drew over portions of it with pastel pencil. I like the composition and may go back soon with larger paper and an easel and develop it further.

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Close-up of an Unnamed Plant

Posted on September 6, 2017 by Sarah Sullivan
Close-up of an Unnamed Plant by Sarah Sullivan

Close-up of an Unnamed Plant

This afternoon I walked up to the college and sketched closeups of the flowers and leaves that belong to a plant whose name I do not know. When I got home I propped up my two sketches on my desk and looked at them. Although I liked them, each seemed too scanty to do justice to the hardy bush that had been my model. Eventually I imported both images into Procreate and superimposed one over the other. I adjusted the brightness and decided I liked combined image, which is above. The two original sketches were mostly gouache with a little pastel pencil and are below.

 

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Torrey Pines Morning

Posted on September 5, 2017 by Sarah Sullivan
Sketch of the brown cliffs at Torrey Pines State Reserve by Sarah Sullivan

Torrey Pines Morning

This morning our plein air landscape class met at Torrey Pines State Reserve just north of San Diego. It was foggy and the boundary between the sea and sky seemed to shift throughout the morning. I used a large brush and went for big strokes with texture to show the landscape and foliage. 

This is a gouache sketch in a 12 X 18 inch Derwent sketchbook with black paper. 

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Monday Afternoon

Posted on September 4, 2017 by Sarah Sullivan
Sketch of a table in the afternoon light by Sarah Sullivan

Monday Afternoon

Lately I have been noticing reflected light. This afternoon I saw how the floor, table, chairs and window reflected so much of it in the afternoon light and I began to practice capturing it.  This is a gouache and pastel sketch on black paper. 

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