Vero Espresso House, Eugene, OR

   We enjoyed gathering under the umbrellas (although there was neither rain nor sun) to sketch at Vero. From the left: Sandy, Erik, Jan, & Penny. Next photo: Ken, Penelope, Erik. (You can see Jane’s preliminary composite sketch in the middle of the table.)

   Here’s how Jane’s quick composite sketch evolved. She claims the secret is in not taking anything too seriously! (She also swears she will never purchase another 70 lb. paper sketchbook – too flimsy.)

    Barb So came, too – here are her updates on prior sketches – sweet!

     Then Barb showed her trick for doing straight lines, while Penelope pondered how to get fireworks to show up on her prior sketch.

   Ken & Erik a long time sketching pals – look at Erik’s rich colors!

   Ken chose to sketch what was in front of him, of course – Erik, and a strikingly colored petunia.

     Sandy started sketching the guy over Erik’s shoulder, who then put on his hat and left mid-sketch! So she sketched Erik instead. Too.

    Penelope didn’t waste any sketch time – first a quick pencil guideline, then into watercolor, and on to capturing that elusive bluejay. Yay!

Owen Rose Garden, Eugene, OR

            It certainly started out with roses! Even the gazebo had them.

      Barb Sh immediately started adding the old fashioned roses to her page with the bird over the stenciled feathers – perfect! Will the rest of the group sketch roses, too???

        Penny McAvoy, new to the TDs, sat next to Erik, and got right into it. When Erik revealed his sketches he’d tried water on the background of the flowers (new for him!), and then got into another foggy scene.

        While Penny is new to our group, she dove right in, sketching that challenging gazebo (ack! those angles!), and a joyous cardoon.

         Jane sketched the cardoon and tried the gazebo roof angles, too.

                 Barb So stopped by to share her sketch of her neighbor’s hydrangeas, and Penelope a sketch of the recent Olympic Trials.

       Then Penelope started sketching… what… ink.. and watercolor washes… keep coming back, it’s going to be last night’s fireworks!

So, roses not so much. But we had a great day sketching together.

New Day Bakery/World Cafe, Eugene, OR

After waiting for sun, here we are in the shade! (Predicted: 82º) Tricia, BarbSh, Sandy, Penelope, and Jane behind the camera.

         Barb’s daughter Manda Severin is the artist for The Meriwethers (who do a singing act about Lewis & Clarke) – here’s the latest song book she’s put together, which Tricia (being a Clarke descendant) also appreciates. Sorry about the shade making pages seem blue.

      Jane got right into sketching the day lily Sandy brought for inspiration. She’s now in sketchbook #32b; sketching since 2006.

      Sandy was excited to finish this sketchbook (sketchbook #42, since 2008), and had fun doing multiple sketches of the day lily.

        Barb’s sketches slowly emerge from the one before (so she’s “just” on sketchbook #22, started in 2010) – this page was a feather stencil, watercolor grains sprinkled then spritzed, and now a bird sketch.

Penelope joined us, ready to work on her sketch from the Solstice.

      First a light sketch of trees, a light wash, then bring on the color! She’s on sketchbook #42, began sketching in 1968.

          

Tricia’s sketchbook pages typically evolve over time, too – these vignettes are from today. Who knows how many sketchbooks she’s filled? She doesn’t know! She says she started sketching in 1997.

I’d say Sandy wins for sheer volume/time, but our beloved leader, Ken O’Connell is on sketchbook #87. Or #88. Or…

 

Hideaway Bakery, Eugene, OR

A chance to sit in the sun brought a lot of us out to our gathering at the Hideaway Bakery Tuesday moring: Barb So, Erik, Jan, Sandy, Penelope, Barb Sh, and Ken’s old friend Mike stopped by, too.

   Ken got there early, as did Erik, hence the requisite sketch of the requisite model. When he showed Jan his self-portrait, he explained that we tend to portray ourselves as younger than we are. We like it.

      Ken had just done a sketch workshop with some 4th graders at Gilham Elem., and shared the thank you sketches they did for him.

    Penelope also had children’s art in her sketchbook from a recent trip, along with some full page art projects (& solstice sketches!).

    An old friend of Ken’s, Mike showed up to sketch with us, too.

    Quietly in a corner, Barb So was sketching in her lap, so surreptitiously that her model didn’t even know. Ta dah!

    Tricia is often a lap sketcher, too, which helps when you’re on a ferry trying to capture passing scenery! This from a  Whidby Island trip.

    Jane was busy sketching some of the people across the courtyard, but then her models got up & left! So the brief sketch is all she had.

      Jan was concentrating on the people across the table from her…first the gal on the left, then our own Sandy in sunglasses!

    And across the table, Sandy was sketching Mike and Jan.  Ha!

        What will Barb Sh add to her doggie page…ah, a sketch of her father from a remembered photo prior to his leaving for military service. What a nice remembrance to do for Father’s Day.

     Meanwhile, Erik (remember Erik?) was finishing yet another sketch of the sky and trees – look how he brings depth to the sky! Wow.

Hideaway Bakery, Eugene, OR

Patti McNutt is behind the camera doing a panoramic shot!  In addition, present were Jane, Erik, Ann Tiegen, Sandy, & Barb Sh.

    Erik and Ann discover they both like to use artist’s crayons, and here they’re comparing water soluble and oil base versions.

         Across the table, Sandy, Barb Sh, and Patti talk about Patti’s recent trip to Italy, where she happily used gouache (Talens brand) paint. She says that by using the Sta-Wet palette the paint never dried out!

    Here’s Erik’s sketch of Patti, and Sandy sketching Erik!

    Patti started sketching a planter at Hideaway, then added context.

    The bakery is a dog friendly place, so Barb Sh took advantage of the available models! Lovely completed sketches in a short time.

        Jane brought a model from home to sketch – here’s how the sketch evolved from pencil to pen to watercolor. Such a nice time by all.