One Veteran

"Veteran" sketch on grey toned paper, ©Laura Gable

Hi Friends. I finally accepted Jim's invitation to post on your blog. So I'm making my maiden entry here. This is the sketch I did of the Korean Veteran who was sharing coffee with his other veteran friend in the sunny coffee shop of the new Yokes's Fresh Market on Keene Road. Was that in November? It was an enjoyable time shared sketching and sharing art stories, art foibles and various joys & woes with my artist friends. I used my graphite pencils, on a Faber Casteel grey toned sketch tablet. The darker tones were added using a black china marker (grease pencil), and highlights were made with a white china-marker (my favorite tool). Some small strokes of colored pencils were added at the end to liven it with a touch of color. He really wasn't sleeping, tho the sketch does tend to have that somber quality. Enjoy;-)

I welcome your comments.
--Laura Gable

Drawing the Santa at Columbia Center Mall, Richland / Kennewick WA, lapoynte

"Wednesday Morning Sketchers"

L to R:  Dave Poynter, Patty Kirch, Cindy Rutherford, Jimmy Butts, Nancy Thurston

 

After the sketching we met up in the food court for our "sharing" of our sketches. 

Great conversation with new ideas and thoughts. 

 

 

"Christmas in the Mall"

A couple of quick sketches from this morning's Christmas Sketchabout with the

USkTC's group.  The one on top captures how I am always thinking bout, and

working on, perspective; and capturing only the essence of what is before me. 

 

  

This one doesn't have much to do with perspective except maybe in the boxes lying about at the base of the tree.  This one represents my interpretation of the excitement of Christmas to a child:  Santa, the tree, the presents are a part of that image, but so are the bright, jump-off-the-page colors.  To a child, Christmas is a smashing event, larger than anything - and that's what I am depicting here.

 

 

 

9x9 Super Aquabee Sketchbook, Noodler's ink, watercolors

Black & White or Color?

I can see that I am probably going to be trying something new each week.  I keep getting all these idea's from all the other sketchers. New paper to try, new pens, and inks...so fun.    I tried toned paper this week.  Next I want to try some of those neat pen's Jim uses.

 

 I am really enjoying the practice and the community of artists.  Sorry I had to scoot today for the after gathering.  Come January I will be able to hang around a bit more and I am looking forward to doing that!

PALLET

I got my pallet from a great artist, Ovanes Berberian, when I signed up for his workshop.  He is the BEST colorist and the pallet has served me well over the years!  I purchased a plastic watercolor pallet holder (EMPTY!) and then bought these watercolors in tube form.  I squirt the empty squares full of paint in the order he lists them here and let them dry overnight.  This is SO much better than the little watercolor kits that have the paints already in them - some of the colors are yucky...

1.Titanium White

2.Yellow Ochre

3.Cadmium Yellow Light

4.Cadmium Yellow Medium

5.Cadmium Orange

6.Cadmium Red Light

7.Quinacridone Red (this it the bright red you liked, Dave)

8.Alizarin Crimson

9.Platinum Violet

10.Thalo Blue

11.Ultramarine Blue 

12.Thalo Green 

13.Green gold

14.Cadmium Green

15.Burnt Siena

16.Burnt Umber

17.Ivory or Mars Black

If there are colors you prefer over what is listed here - let me know!  Have Fun!

WEDNESDAY SKETCHING!

This morning The Great Group met at the Columbia Center Mall

and drew around the Santa Claus area.

We did this last year as well (there was only Jim and I) and I remembered:

the area is HUGE and BUSY and CROWDED.

My drawing reflected that (and SILLY, I might add).

This first drawing was a warm up to keep me focused on ONE thing - a wrapped gift.

The last drawing - I was ready!  I started with the soldier's hat and went from there.  

Lots of detail and lots of steady as she goes round and round to the edges of the tree.

It made little sense until I painted it.

Again, Great Group - so fun!!!

Roaster's Coffee - 12/11/13

With the gang at another coffee shop today. I'm finding that sketching folks is fun!

Learning the Sketch Crawl

Trying to find my grove! Simple or detailed?  Not sure what my style will be, but I am learning a lot from the more experienced gang of Tri City Sketchers.

At Roaster's in Richland today.  I kind of really enjoy my coffee just a tad bit more with the smell of graphite and ink.  

Hey Dave what was that eraser you suggested again?

Wednesday Sketching!

 This first drawing was inspired by Jim's wild painting!

I figured a crooked lamp on a table at Roasters fit the style...

Here are a few of the TONS of Sketchers who showed up today - WHOO HOO!  

What a group!  

Cyndi is on the left (a little over-sized), then there's Regular Dave, and the new Patti.  

Welcome everyone!

These coffee cups were all over the tables we were drawing on - lovely!
 

"Roaster's"

 

Sketching at Roaster's, Richland WA, with Urban Sketchers, lapoynte

"Post-Industrial Coffee Complex"

I saw this coffee maker this morning in Roaster's Coffee where the Wednesday Morning USkTC group met to do some sketching.  It reminded me of some industrial complex sitting on a hilltop so I tried to portray it as such.  Then I added the watercolors in this splotchy style hoping to lend some atmosphere to the piece.  I'm liking the energy and expressive qualities I'm getting with this splotchy painting thing.  For me, it seems to free the image to move about the page, sorta.   

 

  

 

6x9 Super Aquabee Sketchbook, ink, watercolors

 

"Being Loose in the Coffee Shop"

 

As I continue on my journey into looseness, some really interesting and fun things sometimes happen.  Such was the case with these two sketches.

The one of the bottom was the first, and the one that took the most amount of time in both laying down the lines and the color. Each person is represented in totality however, no compositing of multiple people to each figure as I used to do frequently.  

The one on top was a blast: both in the fun doing it, and in the speed of laying it down - the main group of four people in the middle in just over 4 minutes - really fast.  The other three people and the background were added afterwards.  Adding the color may have taken 3 minutes.

 

 

One of the fastest sketches I have ever done, and one of the most joyful to do.





Slower sketching, but quick enough to capture the whole person. 

6x9 Super Aquabee Sketchbook, ink, and watercolors




At The Local on Gage - 12/4/13

Another fun day with the 509 Urban Sketchers group!  And what made it extra special was that my good friend Jimmy Butts joined us!

Thanksgiving Day 2013 - my attempts at the Turkey Day Sketch. So far togo!

A long day of food and football.

It was just me, my husband and brother-in-law so we opted for a turkey breast instead of a full bird. We did have all the trimmings though!  If you can't tell, part of the trimmings were roasted butternut squash and carrots in a brown sugar glaze and rolls.

"Bird, Bird, Bird ... B-Bird, Bird, B-Bird ..."

My offering for today's USkTC challenge to do something having to do with the Thanksgiving day feast.  It's similar to the one I did last year, but not exactly the same.  Rav reviews about how juicy and tender the breast meat turned out.  A good overnight brining and master chef work at the smoker...yeah, right...  Oh, it was onion, apple slices, peeled oranges and orange peels stuffed inside for aromatics and then tossed afterwards. 

Thanksgiving 2013

I don't care what day it is, I have to have my coffee first!

Bad.

Most of the time I don't post the bad drawings but I thought I'd show this one because I don't always get them right and some of them are downright awful.  This guy was eating lunch with friends but I struggle with people moving!  The background was okay but his chin really bugs me...

It is so fun drawing on Wednesdays and hanging out and chatting with other artists.  It's encouraging and calming and really, really good practice!  

WEDNESDAY MORNING SKETCHING!

Got to Yokes, met up with Jim, Laura and Patty, pulled out my materials, 

looked around at all the groceries and drew what was in front of me...  

This is my pencil case (open), my paints, my cool antique double barrel water holder (and lid) 

and a pencil all laying in front of me in the bright, bright sun.

Yokes on Keene - 11/20/13

Surprised myself today by choosing parsnips and turnips as the subject of my sketch.  I could have chosen any number of brightly colored fruits or veggies from Yokes vast produce department but instead I picked some basic roots!

Thanks to Jim and Laura for helping me figure out how to post on the blog.

"Another Wednesday at Yokes"

"A Pear of Threesomes"

Wednesday morning sketching with Nancy, Laura, and Patty.  Lucky me, eh?  I grabbed this threesome of pears and found a table with some sunlight coming through.  Just think, someone will purchase these pears never knowing they went worldwide today. 

 

9x12 cropped, Strathmore Toned Tan Sketchbook, ink, Tombow pens, and watercolor.

He was checking his phone to learn what the Urban Sketchers: Tri-Cities have been up to lately.
 



Moore Mansion

Met up with Jim Bumgarner to sketch this beautiful old Pasco, WA classic.

"The Moore Mansion" - 3rd Sat Sketchabout

 

Patty Gardner and I met at the Moore Mansion in Pasco this morning for our 3rd Sat. Sketchabout. Too cold to sit outside, we hunkered down in my pick-up truck and had a great time getting to know one another better and sketch the mansion at the same time. 

 

9x9 Super Aquabee Sketchbook, pen, ink, watercolors

"Wednesday Morning Sketch"

Out with the Urban Sketchers today at the Columbia Center Mall and I sketch Gayle at the See's Candy stand.  Gayle moved around a lot so I pencil sketched in a front and side view and thought I would pick one at the end but I put them both in.Gayle hands out free chocolate samples to people in the mall! Gayle is a very popular and important person.

"The Food Court at the Local Mall"

L to R:  Patty, Cindy, Dave, Jim at the Food Court in the local mall.

Two new members joined us this morning, Patty and Cindy.  We met at the Food Court because it is much warmer there than sitting outside somewhere this morning.  We had a great time doing art, and talking about art, and the Kennedy assassination. 

 

My addition to the collection of sketches this morning.
 

For some reason this old ledger book I bought at eBay for 8 bucks seems to tell me, "go ahead, let'er rip, Son."  I wish all my sketchbooks talked so clearly to me.  The rest of them seem to be a bit more uptight than this one.  I'm starting to prefer it to the others, but don't tell them I said that.

7x11.5 Ledger (1902-1905), Faber-Castell Pens, Tombo Pens, Lamy
Safari with Noodler's Lexington Gray ink.

 

"Urban Sketching and Photoshopping"

Having some fun this afternoon with a couple sketches from earlier in the week and photoshop.  The image on top is actually a group of people standing on the sidelines at a youth football game; the bottom is a couple enjoying a fast food meal at a local Jack-in-the-Box. 

"Mall Perspectives"

Stopped in at the mall today and using one of my old ledger books as a sketchbook, worked on some "mall perspectives."  I forgot to put the Jimbirds in.

7x12 Ledger (first entry 1939), Noodler's black ink, pens, watercolors

"Mezzo Thai From the Backside"

 

Mezzo Thai restaurant from the backside this morning while waiting for the art gallery to open. 

 

6x9 Super Aquabee Sketchbook, Noodler's Lexington Gray ink, pens, watercolor

WEDNESDAY SKETCHING

So if I make this GIGANTIC, will it show up?  

I found Dave seated at a table looking at this extremely difficult perspective study in the Kennewick Library and sat down to talk to him about it.  After a lot of discussion as to where to begin, I just borrowed his mechanical pencil (he IS an engineer) and drew this on a very rough piece of watercolor paper.  Not only do you have bookcases, you've got this pyramidal fireplace, chairs scatterer all over and dang if they didn't curve the couch on the left.  Whoa.  Mine is boring compared to their's but I kept it in the pencil.

Library Fireplace Featured in Sketch

The Wednesday Morning Sketchers went to the library on Union in Kennewick this morning to do some sketching.  I was with them and this is what I came away with. 

6x9 SuperAquabee Sketchbook, ink

Library Sketching

 

Went out today with other Urban sketchers to the Kennewick Library and I sketched the lounge area. I was trying a new way of starting a drawing and I was having difficulty with perspective. Anyway, this is what came out on the other side.

Wednesday Morning at Yokes

 

Wednesday am at Yokes on Keene with Nancy and Dave.  This was a fun event as we each did our sketching, and had some great conversation while doing so.  I was quite reluctant to put the black behind these onions, but I knew it would cause them to pop.  Now I'm glad I did. 

 

6 x 12 Antique Ledger Book, ink, watercolor, photoshop

Wednesday Morning Sketching

 

Out on the regular Wednesday Urban Sketchers Tri-Cities Sketch-About. We went to a local Yokes Market and I sketched the produce and soft drink section. The problems I had brought up a big discussion about prospective and how to start and control a drawing. Great stuff and everyone got drawn in and I learned a lot; the hard way.

WEDNESDAY MORNING SKETCHING!

Just some of the lovely bottles of VODKA at Yoke's. 

I am pretty sure it doesn't taste as nice as it looks!

"Wednesday morning at Yokes"

The produce rack at the new Yoke's on Keene is drenched in the morning sunlight streaming through the big east-facing windows on the wall.  I decided I didn't want to try to capture the entire produce section as it is filled with way-too-many details; but I did want to capture the sunlight.  So, using some photoshop to darken the background, I offer up this group of tables filled with pomegranets, melons, plantains, cantaloupe, pineapple, and mangoes.  By the way, no one approached me, no one asked what I was doing, no one told me to leave. 

 

 

 

Emboldened by my new found freedom, I picked up these three pomegranates and took them to a table where I had my coffee and bagel waiting, set them up as a still-life and sketched them.  My watercolors were in my truck, so I tried to capture the values by cross-hatching ink.  Colors were added a few minutes later when I sat in outdoor café area in that wonderfully warm sun. 

  

 

 

 

6x9 Super Aquabee Sketchbook, ink, watercolors

"River Island"

I couldn't keep the serenity I experienced with the WWSkcrawl in Leslie Groves Park out of my head, so I gathered up my art supplies and drove back over the next morning. An absolutely gorgeous set-up spread before me with the island in the river with the distant background along with some people practicing their kayaking skills in the slow slackwatered foreground along the banks. (Sorry, you won't find them in my sketch.)

 

 

11x14, ink and watercolor

41st World Wide Sketchcrawl - by Lapoynte

 View down the Columbia River toward Richland WA, From Leslie Grove Park

 Two Moms drawing at the latest SketchCrawl.

Greg Ashby, one of the local Urban Sketchers.