Sutterfield's Shop

There were lots of dangerous medieval machinery thingies that looked like they would be efficient at body part removal. Looked around for something interesting to sketch but everything was grayish brown grease color and unidentifiable (to me at least). Finally zeroed in on the red welder and trotted out to the car to fetch my little pocket sketchbook.

Started sketching and after about five minutes (wait for it) Hubby decided it was time to go. I'm beginning to see a pattern here with Hubby. I think when he sees the sketchbook come out he starts getting a rash. Sigh. Anyway, I madly scribbled bits and pieces trying to fill in the spaces. Added a few finishing touches to the inkwork at home.

I think the stuff I scribbled in a hurry is actually better than the stuff I tried to draw accurately. Hummm.....

Chicago River from the Wabash St. Bridge

Because I am old and married and have no life, I have nothing better to do on Friday night than to sit at home and play Doodlypaint Urban Sketcher from 800 miles away.

I've noticed the watercolor paintings that make me purr have strong, dark, almost black elements. Somehow that gives the painting a more realistic feel rather than an illustration look. That's true even if the painting is flowy and "watercolory". It has something to do with "value" but I need to study that concept a bit more. The old brain cells aren't computing.

Thought I would give the black element thingy a shot. I like it.

Process notes:
Need to pratice painting clouds. These clouds are so cartoony I expect to see the Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote running across the bridge. The building on the right, Marina Towers, looks a bit unstable. It's supposed to be a round building with balconies that bloop out like flower petals.

Need to work on water too. This is the first time I've attempted to paint water. Granted there's not a lot of wave action going on in the Chicago River but there needs to be a ripple or two here and there.

Decided to quit doing experiments in The Fail Book and do them in the big new sketchbook. It's pages are 8.5" x 11" but I ended up painting tiny because I was tense and the finished size of this (paint edge to paint edge) is 4.5" x 6.5".

Oh well, at least the paper didn't crinkle up like a Ruffles potato chip.

Photo courtesy of blogger bud Uncle Buck; taken on his morning walk to work.

St. James Episcopal Cathedral

Drawn from Google maps street view. The view of a tall building like this one warps the proportions into a fish-eye lens effect. All the buildings lean in towards the center.

My brain said to straighten them out and that's where I got into trouble...some parts are curved inward and some are straight. Arrggggh! Oh well, I'm happy with the bell tower at least (curving nicely to the right).

Drawn lead-free with a Pigma Micron 005.

Lunch in Copenhagen

Showed this sketch to Hubby. He said, "Oh! Benjamin Franklin, how nice!"

Sigh.....



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Photo "Lunch in Copenhagen" by gabrioladude
Used with permission.

Riverboat - Tight vs. Loose - Two Sketches

First sketch - Tight - Fail


Worked on this first sketch for about 45 minutes and wasn't pleased with it. The proportions were wonky (drawing lead-free) and there was too much dead space on the top deck. The only thing I liked was the contour line of the trees. I did however enjoy the zen of all that crosshatching.

What drew me to this scene was the bright red smokestacks. That's all I really wanted to capture, but two red sticks and nothing else would look funny.

Found a quote by Andrew Wyeth

"If you clean it up, get analytical, all the subtle joy and emotion you felt in the first place goes flying out the window."

Exactly! I had analyzed all the joy out of this.

Started over just trying to capture the smokestacks and the essence of the rest. The second sketch took 2-3 minutes, tops. The proportions are still wonky, but they are joyfully wonky.

Second sketch - Loose - Joy! LOL!


I can see an improvement in my watercolor sky and clouds. I didn't fight with it so much this time. Practice, practice, practice! I like the way the distant riverbank came out gray and hazy. That's just lucky happenstance.

Inside the Green Bridge

Drawing this was like drawing a plateful of agitated spaghetti worms. I kept losing my place. I was ending up with the dreaded "beams to nowhere" but that's how they are from this perspective.

After finishing I noticed it had kind of a Tommy Kane-ish flavor to it. That was entirely unintentional but I was secretly pleased because I adore Tommy's artwork.

I have two more views of these bridges I would like to draw, but not for a while. My drawing pen is all bridged out. Phew!

Lead free.