Resting on the Couch

Posted on January 10, 2017 by Sarah Sullivan
Resting on the Couch

Resting on the Couch

My sister was resting in the cool of our seaside rental after sightseeing in Mazatlan all morning. I was glad she was holding still because that meant that once again I had a terrific model to sketch. Her body language was an interesting combination of tired alertness. She was propped up by the arm of the couch with her legs clearly enjoying the opportunity to recline, but her intense focus on her hands showed a mind that was not yet ready to give into a nap. I sketched across both sides of the sketchbook to emphasize her horizontal state.

This is a pastel and gouache sketch on black Bristol paper.

 

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Sitting on a Seawall

Posted on January 9, 2017 by Sarah Sullivan
Sitting on a Seawall

Sitting on a Seawall

I was bogged down in a complicated sketch of the sea and city beyond it when two women came and sat on the seawall near me. They looked over the edge, perhaps admiring the breakers below. I liked the way the hillside contrasted with the two figures and did a quick sketch on the spot in pastel and gouache.

 

 

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All the Time In the World for a Good Book

Posted on January 8, 2017 by Sarah Sullivan
All the Time In the World for a Good Book

All the Time In the World for a Good Book

Vacations are great. It is such a treat to have an abundance of time for reading and sketching. This morning my brother-in-law was at that point in his book where he could not put it down and so was a perfect model for me. He sat in a large comfortable chair and the combination of his relaxed posture with the way he stared at the book caught my eye.

I used gouache and pastels, as I have for the past few weeks, but this time on a much larger sheet of white watercolor paper rather than on a small black sketchbook page. At some point I began to treat the gouache more like transparent watercolor and the white of the page shows through the paint. Additionally, because the sheet of paper was large, I drew more detail and got quite a different look from my recent gouache sketches on black paper. It is interesting how much of a difference the color and size of paper makes. I like both looks but plan to work in the small black sketchbook for the time being.

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Into the Sun

Posted on January 7, 2017 by Sarah Sullivan
Into the Sun

Into the Sun

Sunshine floods the common area of our rental in the afternoon. I like the way the afternoon light falls across the tile floor and was working to capture it in this sketch. As I was completing it my nephew went to the window and looked out, his hand raised to shield his face. I was able to fit him into the sketch and think the figure with his raised arm enhances the feeling of the intense sunshine.

This is a pastel, pen and gouache sketch.

 

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At the Beach

Posted on January 5, 2017 by Sarah Sullivan
At the Beach

At the Beach

We left the historic area of Mazatlan for the day and went some 20 miles north to Los Cerritos Beach. We could see people out enjoying the many beaches along the coastline, much like along the southern California coast in the summer.

We ate at a small seaside restaurant, just above the beach. The view was amazing so I pulled out my small sketchbook as soon as we ordered, hoping to get a sketch of it all before our food arrived.  As it turned out I had enough time to use both sides of the sketchbook, which is why the size of this sketch is long and narrow. I began with a simple pastel line drawing and then made quick strokes with gouache to suggest the movement of people and water. Later I went back with more white pastel lines to strengthen some of the elements of the sketch.

This is a pastel and gouache sketch in a black sketchbook.

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Beachcomber

Posted on January 4, 2017 by Sarah Sullivan
Beachcomber

Beachcomber

At the beach this afternoon a girl wading along the shoreline searching for shells and stones caught my eye. I noticed her focus as she bent forward to peer into the water and liked the way the wind blew her hair.

I used pastel pencils and watercolor on multimedia paper.

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Seaside Glow

Posted on January 3, 2017 by Sarah Sullivan
Sketch of a Man Enjoying the Seaside Glow by Sarah Sullivan

Seaside Glow

We welcomed in 2017 with our house full of kids again. It was wonderful and we loved each busy moment of it.  Then they all left and we set off for the warm seaside in Mazatlan, Mexico.

We were out and about around this gorgeous town this morning and then came back to our rental in the afternoon for some quiet time. The late afternoon sun illuminating my husband as he nodded off in the warm afternoon sunlight was striking and perfect for a gouache and pastel sketch.

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