Tag Archives: People

Guimarães and Children

Posted on June 18, 2018 by

We are in a new-to-us city, Guimarães, Portugal. It is an UNESCO World Heritage Site because the city has maintained its medieval character while also developing into a modern city. The city is quite a change for me from my … Continue reading →

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Late Night Scrabble Players

Posted on January 23, 2018 by

While my fellow Scrabble players carefully and slowly calculated potential Scrabble moves last night, I happily documented their efforts. I like this sketch because the figure on the right seems to be thinking strategically while the figure on the left … Continue reading →

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Afternoon Gathering

Posted on January 16, 2018 by

We seem to gather in the late afternoon, a group at the table with their crossword puzzle, a group with their books, and a lone sketcher trying to capture it all with pastel and gouache.

Posted in Groups Interacting, Interior | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Settling In

Posted on January 7, 2018 by

We, my brother, sister, brother-in-law, husband, and I, have been here in Mazatlan less that a day and already we are settling into relaxation mode- sleeping in, reading, playing Scrabble and sketching. Although I like this sketch because it caught … Continue reading →

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Napping on the Couch

Posted on December 26, 2017 by

  My son drifted asleep on the couch, taking a needed nap after driving down from the bay area. His sleeping face still reminds me of his baby years, and I could not resist sketching him. I guess you should … Continue reading →

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Stopping for a Taco

Posted on December 25, 2017 by

A few days ago I stopped for a taco in the late afternoon. The shop was quiet, and I got an excellent seat for drawing. The ceiling of this shop has lots of interesting shapes and color, and I have had … Continue reading →

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

My Brother and Grandson

Posted on December 18, 2017 by

My brother met his grandson this week. Of course, it was well documented, and I have looked at one particular photo many times. It shows the contrast in age and size, the beauty of the child and in particular, the complex mixture of … Continue reading →

Posted in Body Language, Facial Expression, Telling a Story | Tagged | 2 Comments

On the Steps of the Student Union

Posted on September 14, 2017 by

A group of students met up on the steps of the student union at San Diego State University  just long enough for me to do a quick sketch with pastel pencil and gouache. It was late in the day and … Continue reading →

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Plants and People at the Food Court

Posted on August 28, 2017 by

This was my first sketch of the morning yesterday with the San Diego Urban Sketchers. When I got home I propped up both sketches on my desk and decided I liked the one I posted yesterday best because it had … Continue reading →

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Balboa Park, on the Sixth Avenue Side

Posted on June 24, 2017 by

I did such a quick sketch and then told myself I would finish it at home. I had no time yesterday and this morning I found that I like it the way it is, especially the rough shapes and the … Continue reading →

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Discussion at the Fire Pit

Posted on June 20, 2017 by

This is the unfinished sketch from yesterday with gouache added today.  By the time I finished today I had unintentionally changed the mood of the sketch from upbeat to tense. The figure on the right now has his lips pursed and … Continue reading →

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Happy Father’s Day!

Posted on June 18, 2017 by

How could I not keep sketching these two as they worked together, and how can I not think of their father/ son relationship as I sketch on this Father’s Day eve? My father worked with his six sons, teaching them … Continue reading →

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A Last Sketch from Cuernavaca

Posted on June 13, 2017 by

I was sketching in a cafe off of Cuernavaca’s city square while my sisters were taking a salsa lesson. When they came to get me I was not quite ready to go. Although I told myself I would finish this … Continue reading →

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Poolside Chat

Posted on June 6, 2017 by

My sisters are so much fun to sketch as they chat around the pool. I think I have now drawn my sisters and this small pool where we are staying in Cuernavaca from all four sides and am getting the … Continue reading →

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Climbing up to Tepoztlan Pyramid

Posted on June 3, 2017 by

Tepoztlan is a small town near Cuernavaca with many attractions, including a gorgeous path up its rocky mountainside to the remains of an old Toltec pyramid. Today it was filled with families enjoying their Saturday by climbing up the mountain … Continue reading →

Posted in Groups Interacting, Landscape, Telling a Story | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

I Want to See!

Posted on May 25, 2017 by

This morning I went to the zoo with a friend and we sketched giraffes, elephants and people. It was great seeing so many young children out with their families learning to appreciate our diversity. These are pen and watercolor sketches.

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A Very Thin Woman

Posted on May 22, 2017 by

It was good to go to figure painting class today. The model was wonderful, she was older, had a soulful expression, and her thin limbs were interesting to sketch. Our goal was to paint directly on the paper without first … Continue reading →

Posted in Facial Expression | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Mother and Child

Posted on May 18, 2017 by

I always say I can’t draw from a photo, but I got to wondering if, after 23 months of daily sketching, if this is still true. I took so many great photos on our trip and would love to use these … Continue reading →

Posted in Body Language, Deliberate Practice, Facial Expression | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

The White Dress

Posted on April 10, 2017 by

Our purpose today in our figure painting class was to show the dimensionality of white by using pastel shades of complementary colors. Although we were to do this with just one pair of complementary colors, I somehow used both red and green as … Continue reading →

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The Presenter

Posted on April 7, 2017 by

  One of the perks of living within walking distance of a university is the ease of sitting in on presentations by thinkers from near and far. Not only is this an opportunity to hear ideas, it is good for sketching … Continue reading →

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Back to Back

Posted on April 3, 2017 by

Our goal today in the figure painting class was to achieve harmony by painting with a dominant color and, if necessary, small amounts of the colors adjacent to it on the color wheel. This was an awesome assignment because it made me think … Continue reading →

Posted in Body Language, Deliberate Practice, Facial Expression, Learning | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Breakfast in Kauai

Posted on March 26, 2017 by

  What better way to start the day than to sketch with pen and watercolor? Especially a sketch of breakfast in a cheerful kitchen with a backdrop of the Pacific Ocean and the Kauai landscape? I like this sketch because … Continue reading →

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Bev Makes Dinner

Posted on March 23, 2017 by

It is so much fun to try to capture a lively scene. My friend Bev moves around her busy Hawaiian kitchen with a confidence that inspires my deep admiration. My only complaint is that she never holds still!  I sketched … Continue reading →

Posted in Telling a Story | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Simplifying the Shape

Posted on March 13, 2017 by

It is so worthwhile to go to art class and work on projects alongside my fellow students. Not only do I have the chance to learn from the wisdom of an amazing teacher, I also see how other artists interpret the … Continue reading →

Posted in Deliberate Practice, Learning, Telling a Story | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

The Watercolor Critique

Posted on March 12, 2017 by

Yesterday I attended a watercolor demonstration and paint out. As we ended, the artist critiqued the paintings that attendees made. During the critique I drew 2 sketches of this scene with simple pastel lines on black paper. Today I added color. My major deliberate … Continue reading →

Posted in Body Language, Deliberate Practice, Groups Interacting, Learning, Telling a Story | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Frisbee Golf at Kit Carson Park in Escondido

Posted on March 12, 2017 by

I went to the San Diego Watercolor Society Paint Out in Escondido this morning for a demonstration by an inspiring landscape artist, Shuang Li . Afterwards we painted in her style along the duck pond and I was near two artists who really … Continue reading →

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This Is What Democracy Looks Like!

Posted on February 21, 2017 by

This is a second sketch from the San Diego March in Solidarity with Immigrants. I made many line sketches Saturday of the march and am finishing them with gouache and comparing them for impact. Both of the two sketches, yesterday’s … Continue reading →

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Live Sketching at the San Diego Opera

Posted on February 16, 2017 by

The San Diego Opera season opens this Saturday with Falstaff. Local artists were invited to live sketch the Wednesday working rehearsal and I was so glad to be part of the group yesterday evening. We sat in the orchestra section … Continue reading →

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They Must Be Snowbirds

Posted on February 7, 2017 by

We sat on the seawall feeling cold but sketching away, bundled up in jackets and long pants. They were down on the shoreline. Their limbs were bare, the kids played in the water. How could they stand the cold? They must … Continue reading →

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We Were Refugees, Too

Posted on February 3, 2017 by

This evening I attended a meeting, Immigrants and Refugees: A Jewish Call-to-Action. There was standing room only. People listened intently as a panel of elected officials, rabbis and thought leaders explained why it is imperative that we advocate for immigrants and … Continue reading →

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