Jane’s yard, Eugene, OR

Just a small group of us today – Bev, Serge, Marsha, Ken, Erik, & Jane (behind the camera) – but we enjoyed the time together outside.

          Serge, new to sketching from an engineering background, started with pencil and was curious to know more about sketch booking. He sure has a good start – lovely backyard sketch going here!

      Ken is always eager to talk about the spirit of the rough sketch, and shared both his and Erik’s sketchbooks to show varied examples.

       Marsha is relatively new to sketching, too, and picked up on Ken’s advice to “go darker” to push the bench away from the flowers.

         Ken and Erik in the corner, where Ken picked up a watercolor brush and water soluble colored pencil to sketch the cyclamen. Nice!

        Erik did a small thumbnail sketch to test how his colors worked together before going into a larger sketch -note colors used on right.

        Bev is so adept at sketching that she was able to turn out three sketches during our time together, incorporating stamped pages.

      Jane did a series of vignettes of what she saw, even her dog Tutti. Last page in this square sketchbook! Hooray! On to the next.

          Tricia used her Goliath paint brush to make up for lost time, and did a two page spread including matching the new color on Jane’s house.

Jane’s Place, Eugene, OR

    The design stamps and stamp pads were all ready for folks to start adding backgrounds to their sketchbook pages. The interest grew…

    and grew and grew. People had fun playing with stamp patterns.

    Tomomi brought her three children and they quickly grasped the  making of stamped backgrounds, & sketching over the top of them.

       Katie added stamp designs to pages she’d already sketched, then went on to prepare pages for future use.

      Helga first said she didn’t know what to do with the stamped design borders, then started sketching, and it all turned out just fine!

      Laura baffled herself with stamping, and resorted to just sketching.

     Marsha did some corner stamping, then finished up previous work.

   Daisy did some border stamping, then went out the door to sketch Laura on the inner deck.

        Barb So began sketching the side yard on her pre-stamped page.

And there were lots of people on the side yard deck, too, sketching!

     Danita finally had time to finish the sketches she began when we were at Cortesia Sanctuary – lovely lush green.

      Sandy was sitting next to Danita in the shade, still determined to conquer sketching white on black paper – always up for a challenge.

      Hugh enjoys working white on black, but also enjoys adding color with Caran d’ Ache water soluble wax crayons.

     Hugh also did a quick sketch down the path, and who are those people? Ken & Barb Sh, looking at her sketchbook. Nicely done.

    Barb Sh’s sketchbooks tell the story of where she’s been – 5th St. Market, Tuesday Farmers’ Market, and Jane’s backyard – charming!

      And what’s Ken doing? Getting a ground level look at the patterns in the Hosta leaves – wonderful design development with brush pen.

       Jane got in a sketch of the potted cyclamen when she wasn’t running around taking pictures & chasing the dog who stole Barb Sh’s brush.

          Tricia did a lovely sketch of Jane’s side yard, prayer flags and all.

       On the other deck there were more sketchers at work, then Ken & Tricia (& Tutti, the dog) joined them, too.

      Bev was doing a sketch of the miniature roses in the table pot.

         Bev takes a look at Barb So’s sketch, and Tomomi looks, too.  And finally here is Tricia’s sketch of her view from this deck.  A nice time!

5th St. Market, downstairs courtyard, Eugene, OR

Marnie, Lealan, Bev, Erik, Marsha, Helga, Daisy, Barb Sh, Penny & Laura – what a nice gathering of sketchers on this warm day!

    Here’s Bev’s geraniums, and Erik’s coast painting – both wonderful!

          Penny sketched the edge of the pool and the plantings beyond, while Marnie went for the baskets and railings just above that spot.

        Barb Shirk did a monochromatic sketch of that scene, too, while Helga and Daisy did unique  multi-colored sketches.

        It’s always so interesting to see what different artists include or exclude – here’s Helga’s sketch, and then Daisy’s “goes for a walk with a line” ala Paul Klee and starting a painting on top of that!

5th St. Market, lower courtyard, Eugene, OR

     We were clustered around in the lower courtyard, staying in shade while sketching things mostly in the sun. Nice combination!

        Barb Sh was across the courtyard under shade, tackling the fountain sculpture of “Swifty,” a tribute to chicken packing done here.

      Daisy dutifully sketched her breakfast treats before moving on to the rooster, and then flower baskets on overhead railings.

      Laura got up close and personal with the fountain pool before moving on to the flower baskets, too. (Nice to sit near the splash.)

      Helga was looking at the fountain pool from a more distant view, and did a terrific job with all that perspective challenge – way to go!

        Katie said, “I just got started!” to the photographer – but that’s how we show people the way a sketch develops. “Well, ok,” she said.

        Bev began with  pencil sketch, then on to watercolor, and more details from the courtyard (& puffy comforter for the kitten stamp).

        Erik thought he had a “T” terrific strategy for doing bricks – hmm. Then he was back out of his mind (so to speak) sketching a memory.

      Penny did a quick sketch of Laura across the courtyard, then a loose seaside sketch in watercolor followed by inked in lines for definition.

      Marsha took on the rooster sculpture from a different angle, then “Anyone sketched strawberries lately?” No, but eaten them!

           Jane had a simple sketch of her berry Danish & iced tea, then things kept appearing reflected on her page, colored with Lealan’s markers!

        And here’s how Lealan uses her markers – first a light blue outline sketch, then color layers and more layers. What a great effect!

Cortesia Sanctuary, Eugene, OR

We just couldn’t give up this inspirational spot!

       Tricia never stops tending the garden, and her efforts show off!

       Barb So found a quiet spot to sketch her hat & nearby flower basket.

       Danita was despairing of her wet on wet technique which requires drying between layers, but look what a nice effect she got!

      Helga, Marsha, and Katie found a shady spot on the deck, and here’s the beginning of Marsha’s sketch looking over the deck to the trees.

        Helga tried her hand at the glass centerpiece, and learned a trick from her friends: rolling a kneaded eraser lightens pencil marks!

      Katie showed her work from last week, then tried a watercolor first approach to compare with her usual ink first strategy.  Hmmm….

     Inspired by Tricia’s usual two page spread, Jane started a new landscape orientation sketchbook with a two page view about her.

        And here’s Tricia working on that two page spread – she always puts  in some text to add to the visual experience – Nice!

      Sharon began her sketch with a light pencil sketch, then started adding interesting layers of color – and who’s that in the sketch?

      It’s Ken! Searching through his collection of tools he ends up using a brush pen with brown paint, and then goes even darker, of course.

Nearby were Sandy and Hugh, back from walking the Camino in Spain, and the Pieterpad in The Netherlands. Welcome back!

Tricia started the sharing part of the morning telling us about the watercolor pouring workshop with Winnie Givott – fascinating!

Then Sandy and Hugh shared their sketchbooks from their recent hiking adventures in Europe. They each wore out one pair of shoes!

      From Sandy’s daily journal with illustrations.

Marsha helps Sandy show one side of her accordion style sketchbook – one side was for the Camino, the other the Pieterpad.

      Hugh started showing Ken his daily journal (mostly words, some images), then showed us all his accordion sketchbook of the walks.

This is Hugh’s Pieterpad side, with images overlapping the folds.

       About that time Lealan emerged from the woods (terrific sketch), and we took a break for a potluck picnic (which was superb!).

Cortesia Sanctuary, Eugene, OR

       Tricia invited us to her wonderful place outside Eugene – what a treat to have garden and woods and sweet spots to sketch!

      Several of us settled right down on the deck to begin sketching.

      Tricia started by showing folks around her wonderful space, then settled down to show her “GREEN” painting, and do a new one.

      Jane started with a table ornament, then added a cup, and then finished at home by adding glimpses of treasures at the Sanctuary.

      Helga chose a flower box on the deck with an interesting trellis. She even attempted to get the wood grain in the flower box – super.

          Marsha began her sketch of flowers on the deck with a light pencil sketch, then inked it and added colored pencil. Nice job!

        Katie took one look at the tall trees, the tall peace posts in the labyrinth, the tall flowers, and made rectangle “windows” for them.

      Bev fell in love with Tricia’s ancient cat – what charming sketches!

     We caught a view of Lealan & Ken below the decks – talking art? No, exchanging downsizing ideas! But Bev got in a sweet sketch of them.

      Then Ken was off to the woods, doing first a brush pen impression, and then a far-away view of the valley and  hills beyond.

     Meanwhile, Laura had found a hidden garden, and filled he page with  treasures from it. What a sweet place, a sweet sketch.

We knew Satoko was around somewhere. Here she’s showing Tricia the watercolor she did of the area, so full of light, color and life!

Penny’s Farm near Mt. Pisgah, Eugene, OR

   What a lovely day to be at Penny’s Farm, so much to sketch, too. Left is the view from the deck & the host, right are Laura, Daisy, & Katie.

   Here’s Penny herself, color coordinated with her hanging flowers, and then her sketch of Marsha who was sketching out in the garden.

    Here’s what Marsha was sketching, ink then colored pencils – nice!

       Katie did a loose watercolor, then went to an ink contour drawing. Laura did a terrific job capturing the back garden gate.

     Daisy started with the sugar peas, then used a multi-colored pencil to sketch the deck scene on the page, too – delightful effect.

       Jane picked the folding chair as her starting point, then kept adding items from the deck, and finally a closeup of the tree blossoms.

          Jan was just glad to be there, and Tutti was glad she was, too. This sketch is from Roger Mitchell, Yukon tent camping with wife!

     And where was Ken? At Hidden Springs in Ashland, Oregon, but still sketching (of course).

Owen Rose Garden, June 19, 2018

There’s a blue cast to the shadows, and a brilliant blue sky with roses blooming all around us. We spread out, and people kept coming.

   First arrivals Penny J., Erik, and Marsha were soon joined by Bev.

      Around the corner, Katie and Bev, then Marnie, and Pat! Where have you been Pat (around another corner), show us your sketch!

      Jane took a brush pen to sketch the Tartarian Cherry – darks, leaf clusters turned into cotton balls, color?, losing the whites, ack!

      Marnie was having far more success with her selected sketch of the garden flowers – lovely to see it unfold.

      First from Katie’s sketch class in Sitka, Alaska, then beginning a garden sketch here, and into the full sunlight, yay!

        Trish launched into her typical loose watercolor sketch, fretted about needing to add details, and started right in on another.

           Penny J fretted about perspective, then took on the arched rose trellis in front of her – more to come on this sketch, I think.

        Bev started sketching a rose bush in full bloom, which caught the eye of a passerby who begged her to sell it to her! Then on to the next.

          Marsha had sketched on a pre-decorated page, then took on the challenge of the bench & flowers beyond her. Such lovely detail.

      All the while Erik had started and finished a sketch of a crow, then began a new sketch…keep checking back to see what this will be.

    Look who’s here! Ken! You make it! I think they call him Fast Draw, because look what he did just standing there! Wow.

Lone Pine Farms, Junction City, OR

      Another produce outlet, along with goats and a kindergarten field trip. Yes, we had a lot to choose from for sketching!

     One of the highlights of our time together is sharing and learning from one another. We really cherish those times!

        Satoko is looking at the booklet of sketches Barb Sh put together after her recent cruise, and Barb Sh is adding more sketches.

       Satoko took the landscape view of Lone Pine Farms – so much to see.

     Marsha had a different angle on the nearer landscape, including the table in front of her! I think she’s going to add color, so check back!

     Barb So did a second sketch of the elephant planter from Cathy’s, then did today’s sketch on a pre-stamped/spattered page – perfect to hint at the windy day blowing dust and pollen around!

     Penny M finished her bird watercolor sketch before she turned to  the kindergarten kids’ scavenger hunt by the goats & the tractor.

      Bev sketched the lily pond, Daisy some treats just purchased, and Jane some produce from the market. What wonderful items!

      Marnie did an outstanding job of sketching the cluster of tomatoes.

     Lealan got to sample a bakery item from the store (yum!), while her friend Penny J got started on the farm scene in front of her.

     Then Lealan turned around to sketch the kindergarten kids and their chaperones eating lunch before their scavenger hunt. Fun for all!

Thistledown Farm, Junction City, OR

Behind the produce building, there is a wonderful courtyard, with hot houses to the left, and farm animals across the covered bridge.

       Marsha and Lealan, Bev, and Ken – lots to sketch, oh boy!

      Ken was sketching the covered bridge, then got into the poppies.

        Barb Sh was eager to share her sketches from a recent river trip with her sister (also a sketcher) in Europe – what an adventure!

        Marsha loved doing the poppies, enjoying the wonderful lines of the flower pods. What a glorious day to be sketching them.

       Bev was sorry she didn’t have her watercolors, but she made the markers work, and even used chalks in her last sketch! Way to go.

      Speaking of markers, Lealan said she thinks she’s getting the hang of them, and looking at this, I’d certainly agree with her!

      Jane said she was really feeling scattered, but she did a bunch of little sketches, using the last one for her daily gratitude sketch.

       Daisy found interesting things to draw inside the hot houses, but ended up in the courtyard with…the poppies, of course!

Meanwhile, Erik was recapturing a memory he had of the sun in the morning mist – “Does it work?”, he said. Wow, does it ever!