Mt. Pisgah Aboretum, Eugene, OR

Despite threatening rain & last minute cancellation, three of our sketch group made it to the designated sketch spot, only to discover the place overrun with kids. But that didn’t stop them.

        An employee told Peggy about the barn south of the buildings where we were going to meet, and she found a cozy sheltered spot.

By the time Laura and Marsha got there, the weather had cleared a bit, and they were able to take advantage of the picnic table.

      Here’s Laura’s sketch of the park ambiance, Peggy with her sketch of nearby mossy trees, and Marsha’ sketch of a park building. Great!

Oakway Mall Courtyard, Eugene, OR

What a busy group! Sandy, Laura (under umbrella), Pat with Marsha beyond her, Hugh in the bushes in back, Katie, Peggy, Barb Sh, Tricia.

      Glimpses of the action – Barb Sh, Katie; Peggy, Marsha, Katie, Sandy; Marsha & Laura.  We never get too busy to check on one another!

      Barb Sh was so busy sketching the group of sketchers, she sketched them twice – one with her left hand, the other with her dominant.

      Hugh might have seemed above it all, but he took precautions when folks drew near, and enjoyed the perspective from his perch.

      Jane’s sketch was quite a departure for her – a pencil sketch of the architecture, then a brush pen, and then the duck got some color!

      We’ve missed Katie, but you can see what she’s been doing if you take a look at her sketchbook! Look at her sketches at the bottom.

      I almost missed Laura in the shade of the shelter – she picked up where she left off last week, adding more little vignettes around her.

      Marsha had a productive day – a sketch of  Barb Sh seated on the wall post, one of a couple at a nearby table, & one of Sandy, below.

      We were happy to have Pat back with us. She recently got a book she had given to a departed friend, & enjoyed sketching from it.

      Peggy is so quiet – what’s she up to? Sketching another pot of flowers in the courtyard, but she didn’t like their pot, so…nice!

      Sandy was sketching sketchers, too – here’s her ink sketch, then she added color when she got home. It makes a difference, she said.

      Tricia is a big picture kind of gal, and she didn’t mind staying awhile to get it all down – look at the size of that brush, and what she does!

      Finished sketches layed out for show & tell – Barb Sh’s two versions, Hugh, Pat, and Katie.

      Laura, Marsha’s sketch of Sandy (art prompt: graceful), Peggy.

.  Sandy’s second sketch of the sketchers, color added, too. Sweet.

Oakway Mall Courtyard, Eugene, OR

Who are these masked sketchers? Can you guess?      

If we did unmask while we sketched, we were at a careful distance.       If it doesn’t look like the right distance, it’s because the camera was zoomed, or the photo was cropped.  But careful didn’t mean no joy.

      At work: Barb Sh, Daisy (with Marsha in background), & Helga.

      Marsha with a sketch of…Peggy! Sandy with a sketch of Laura!

      Laura; Jane with yellow marker in mouth taking pics; Hugh.

      Sketches by: Peggy, Jane, Hugh, Daisy, ?; Barb Sh.; Sandy’s sketch of Laura, Laura’s sketch, & Marsha’s sketch of Laura!

     Finished sketches by Hugh, Jane (oh, that’s why the yellow marker!)

From the Gazebo at Owen Rose Garden, Eugene, OR

Nearly all of the intrepid sketchers: Bitty, Sandy, Daisy, Sharon, Marsha, Hugh, Katie – Jane behind the camera, Tricia yet to come.

      We all took a gazebo post to stay appropriately distance. Here’s Bitty deciding which way to look, then her sketch on toned paper.

       Daisy started out amidst the roses, and when it started to rain she brought her sketches to show us. Lovely treatment for the roses!

     Hugh set up on the sidewalk until the rain forced him inside. His sketch showed the gardener who refused to be deterred by water.

      Jane’s sketch was finished at home. She had a good time adding rain clouds and the lyrics from Annie Lennox’s song to the page.

   Katie braved sitting on the floor, sketching the floor medallion, and then the roses above her on the gazebo trellis. Nicely done, too.

      Marsha tried the over the ear mask style set by Jim Hinton last week, but mostly stayed face masked, & did a delightful sketch.

      Sandy got right at it, sketching the sketchers. Later she added the colorful background context, and wondered if that helped…hmmm.

     And who sneaked in to sketch just beyond Marsha? It’s Sharon! What a pleasure to have her back sketching with us again.

      Tricia set up on the sidewalk, too, before the rain brought her under cover. Here’s last week’s tree sketch, and this week’s. Terrific!

So you can see we’re enjoying being together, still being cautious about physical distance, staying outside, and wearing a mask when appropriate. I think we’ll keep doing this if the weather cooperates.

Owen Rose Garden, Eugene, OR

This is our first get-together since the corona virus shut down. We were careful to wear masks, and stay 6′ away from each other.

   It was hard to take a group photo since we were so spread out. Here are Helga, Jim, & Katie. Then a glimpse of Jim sketching canna lilies.

    Helga came prepared for the weather – hat, mask, sweater layer. And it did get warmer, perfect for sketching! She did cannas, too.

   Ah, that moment of deliberation…Katie pauses, then gets right into it with her lovely watercolor treatment. See her work at the end.

   Jackie joined them, and did a nice sketch of the cannas within the garden setting. It’s so hard to choose what to draw here!

      And here’s Hugh! He set up his tripod shelf for his sketchbook, got out his clever container of crayons, then it was water brush and on!

   Sandy wandered on through one of the rose beds before settling down to do her sketch. It’s so great to be back with one another!

    Barb Sh found a cluster of red oriental poppies, and did she have fun sketching them. Look for her sketchbook painting at the end.

   Daisy loved sketching here so much she did two sketches! Her sketches just burst with color, very fitting!

   Laura gets the award for the cutest chair! But, hey, it worked. And she captured a whole variety of flowers at the garden in her sketch.

      Jane’s back at using the frames template – such a handy way to include all kinds of images on one sketch page.  Love the rose.

      Tricia came a little late, so didn’t get to share at the review because she was still painting. Look at the size of the brush in the middle.

Then we gathered (6′ apart) for a sketchbook review.

   Barbara Sh, & Hugh; Jane & Jim (lower right).

Oh you have to see that one! And around we go.

Katie, Jackie.

And everyone rotates around the tables to see all the sketches.

Sandy, Helga, Daisy, Laura.

And here we are, suitably attired for undercover work, and happy to be together sketching at last! Jackie, Sandy, Barb Sh, Daisy, Katie, Helga, Laura, Hugh, Jim. Jane behind the camera, Tricia at the tree.

Marsha’s yard, Eugene, OR

As we’re entering Phase 1 of safeguards for combatting Covid 19, we decided to try a limited gathering of the TDs – carefully keeping a 6 feet distance, deciding whether or not we need to wear a mask…

   Lona & Marsha, Marsha & Bitty; Jane behind the camera.

      Marsha is having fun playing with Caran d’Ache crayons on black paper, but always goes back to colored pencil on white. Lovely work.

      Lona starts with a line drawing in ink, goes to watercolor, then back to ink for definition. Marsha’s yard had lots of floral inspiration.

      Hair tied back, she’s ready to sketch. Bitty is having a great time with crayons on black paper, too – moves so smoothly, like butter!

      Jane took the opportunity to test drive all her fountain pens, making notes as she went. Then she made two quick sketches to show, too.

   Marsha & Bitty have very different styles, but same tools.

        Lona and Jane use ink lines very differently, too. Fun sketches.

Meanwhile, Bill was off sketching, too – he calls this one “Jerry and Dave’s I Scream.”

 Sandy was sketching in her own backyard!

While Hugh was reminiscing about a bike trip in France.

5th St. Market, Eugene, OR

This is a popular place, but we’re finding different views here – Sandy, Barb Sh, Laura, Jim, Erik, Bev, Hugh, Daisy, & Danita.

      Barb So, Laura; Erik & Hugh; Barb Sh checking things out with Erik.

      Bill challenged Barb Sh to sketch with her mouth last week, and this week she did it with her right foot! Then a sketch of people here.

       Barb So was sketching people here, too, but got frustrated with Hugh who kept changing positions. Finally, that leg is believable!

      It’s going to be hard for us to see Bev leave us, going back to Brookings. We’ve enjoyed her & her unique design style so much.

      No one was surprised to see Daisy sketching her pastry, but then she showed us her tool test palette on toned paper – what a clever idea!

      I think Danita has been watching Jim H, here taking on the cafe across from us in all its detail. She said, I added the blue backdrop.

      Hugh discovered that if he put a clear adhesive shelf paper on his iPad it gave him “tooth” to sketch on – and here’s the result today!

   Jane sketched her pastry, and then chairs, chairs, chairs. Doing the design in red, white, & black was fun to do, too.

      Jim H (remember Jim?) was doing the same scene Danita picked, but at a slightly different angle and style. Love the layered watercolors.

      Laura chose the chairs to sketch, too. They’re HARD to do, to get the angles right, the perspective. Who’d have thought. Nicely done!

      Sandy is having a wonderful time sketching people. What delightful grouping and lively color. Well done, Sandy. Don’t stop!

Along Came Trudy, Springfield, OR

We kind of filled the place up – Bill, Jim, Jude, Barb So., Lynda, Danita, Sandy, Daisy,  Bitty. But that’s not all!

  Danita, Daisy, Hugh, Bitty, Laura, Jude, Barb So., Jim, Bill, Lynda; Sandy, Erik, Marsha. And yet there’s more.

      Sandy was really concentrating on sketching Laura, who kept moving, she said! But she did a great sketch of her anyway.

      Marsha uses many mediums well – pencil, ink, and iPad! With the latter, she created a black page & then started erasing. Terrific!

    Erik used a watercolor wash for the dark sky, and doesn’t that tree just pop off the page! He keeps his tools sharp for tiny branches.

      Danita showed Erik some mesh drywall tape she brought to share. It’s repositionable on paper. Jane drew pencil guide lines with it, Barb Sh painted over it for the floor texture in her sketch.

      Oh look, Danita used it, too – perhaps these guidelines will be used for one of the quotes on the wall in the cafe.

   Barb Sh often sketches with her non-dominant hand, & Bill challenged her to draw with her mouth, so she did! What a fabulous spirited sketch of one of her dogs.  Here are Bill’s people sketches.

      Barb Sh found an old rusty water pump along with other items, sketched them with water soluble ink, took a wet brush to the lines.

   Daisy & Barb So discovered that Bev sneaked in, and they were eager to share sketches with her. Here’s Bev’s sketch.

     Daisy’s really getting good at sketching pastries! Then she did a charming sketch of a shelf display in the cafe.

    Barb So made great progress on her sketch, using a frame around part of it, then adding items from around the room. Interesting.

      Bitty is playing with some of the art tools she got for the toned paper workshop with Pat Southern-Pearce, surprised at color changes.

    Hugh’s getting to be an old hand at using toned paper. Here he used Caran d’Ache wax crayons, water soluble, but without water.

      Jane was using the frame template, laid it on top of the page & Bitty said “Leave it!” She liked the abstract peek-a-boo effect!

      Jim took a hint from Ken O and went back to a previously done sketch to add color. He’s not a clean palette believer, can you tell?

   Jude likes the soft effect she can get with colored pencils, and adapted the frame template for a rectangle page shape.

       Laura cleverly incorporated the leaf design from the cafe plates in her sketch along with shelf artifacts – lovely whimsical touch!

      Lynda did some nice pencils sketches of items, and said “I think I’m ready for ink.” We think so, too. She’s taking a class next week!

Along Came Trudy, Springfield, OR

Mostly all of us: Bitty, Daisy; Danita, Erik behind Hugh, Marsha, Katie; Peggy, Sandy, Jim H., Barb Sh, Bill.

      Daisy was really at task sketching everything that was in front of her, including the leaf design on her plate! Nice collection of sketches.

      Danita zeroed in on a part of a shelf display – wonderful job on those complicated cones!

      Jim H. took a little wider view of a shelf display – delightful in black & white, but it really comes to life in color.

      A display in the corner caught Sandy’s eye, and again though the jink sketch was wonderful, the color makes it sing.

         Jane sketched the same corner, then added things from other shelf displays. That dressmaker’s dummy was a challenge for lots of us.

      Lynda came a little late, so she didn’t get a lot of her sketch done, but paid attention to details and shading on the edges of things.

      Peggy is having fun playing with colored paper –  here sketching cotton bolls stuck in a metal container. What fun, indeed.

      Hugh consults with Marsha who has done digital sketching before, discovering the various tools, and here’s his finished sketch!

      Meanwhile, Marsha plays with water soluble crayons for an upcoming class in toned paper, then a portrait sketch in pencil.

   Bill got a little sidetracked by all the quotes on the walls before he was back doing portraits in ink. He’s so good at this!

      And Barb Sh. had a great time sketching her hand in various angles to play with the pre-stamped shells on her page. So delightful!

.      Helga finished her sketch from last week, then went on to sketch another woman on her Japanese scarf. Nice graphic touch.

      Bitty continued to work on sketches of the orchids which caught her eye in a photo. Very elegantly done!

         Katie & Erik crack up. She says she was busy copying the wall quotes in another sketch book, so only added two items to this one.

When Erik got through his chocolate cake, he went on to work on some landscape sketches from the files in his mind. Whatta guy.

Theo’s Coffee House/Whirled Pies, Eugene, OR

This time we came early enough to grab tables by the windows for the light! Katie, Marsha, Laura talking to friend, Peggy, Jude, Bev; Jim, Bill, Hugh, Carol.  A few more drifted in later.

      Bev, Peggy, Helga, Katie, Marsha,Laura, Jude; Bill, Jim, Daisy, Carol; Sandy & Hugh (who was getting ready to sketch with his iPad).

         Jim did another big view on his page from a different angle – here you can see how he framed the space, gradually adding detail to it.

        Jane went small on a big page – artifacts of the place in the frame format (you can see her inking the frames), then watercolor.

       Jude focused on some of the unique chairs in the cafe, a real challenge, using pencil & water soluble colored pencil.

         Katie, a former elementary school teacher, just had to sketch the colored abacus – she’s a master at controlling watercolor!

       Laura had a pre-stamped page to work with, and tremendous restraint as she sketched her cookie, water glass & coffee cup.

        Daisy did a knock-out job on her blueberry danish (she earned that bite!), then sketched a person nearby – ink and watercolor.

        Bev likes sketching people in context, so you get the whole shebang. Here she’s chosen to leave the people without color – nice touch.

      Bill, on the other hand, enjoys paying particular attention to people’s faces and expressions – he uses ink and watercolor.

     Carol is drawn to drawing people, too, and had a new breakthrough using the suggestion of continuous line on the paper.

      Marsha is another portrait sketcher. Her next project is using a photo of herself as the inspiration for a graphic design.

   Hugh tried sketching using an iPad. He chose my favorite people perspective, the rear view with no noses! Fun capture, Hugh.

        Peggy brought her own source of inspiration – a magazine photo of a scene she’s very familiar with (but couldn’t find her own photo).

       Sandy brought her own prop, a quince branch in blossom! After a quick pencil sketch, She finished the sketch with watercolor – nice!

       Helga brought her own prop, but forgot her reading glasses! Go for the big shapes, people said, and she did a terrific job!

     Lealan, a woman of many projects (she has a book to be published), dropped by to show us her latest sketch & plan for making a print.