16 Tons Café, Eugene, Oregon

Our Valentine’s Day celebration meant sketching, of course.

  And here we are, hard at it: Erik, Barb So, Barb Sh, Hugh, Barb A, Sandy, & Ken. Bev was up getting goodies, Jane behind the camera.

      Erik, was stunned by his Choco Caliente Crepe, which didn’t last long.  Then he was busy sketching, too, what was left in front of him.

      Barb So just had to sketch the series of hearts in her latte, then went on to include the people behind Hugh in the café, then watercolor.

       Feb. 14 is Barb Sh’s father’s birthday, and here’s how her annual memory tribute to him developed – sweet memories.

      Hugh, next to Barb Sh., drew whatever was in front of him, then decided to add just a bit of color – didn’t that turn out great:

        Jane was captivated by the heart in her latté, too, and added the heart necklace she was wearing (a gift from her daughter-in-law).

     Bev not only sketched the heart in her coffee, she added the view seen through the gauze curtains of the cafe – what a nice addition.

Sandy filled in the missing images of Bev, Jane, and her darling Hugh at the table across from her.

What were Barb A. & Sandy sketching, looking in opposite ways?

       Sandy was sketching Ken, while Barb A began working on the line of the hat on the fellow at the middle counter – that’s a challenge.

      Bev, Hugh, and Sandy were interested in seeing what Ken was doing, continuing to work on the group sketch he started last week.

   Here’s what developed in Ken’s sketch today – more definition.

     Then Bev couldn’t resist sketching the young woman in the corner.

      Tricia focused on the café decor, and Bev did a quick one, too.

Of course, sketching is not over ’til it’s over, and Ken kept right working on his group sketch the next day of painting at Jane’s:

       Let’s see how a little watercolor over the the graphite sketch would look….  And it’s not over yet, folks! Keep checking back.

5th St. Market, Eugene, OR

Not much can slow down the Top Drawers & Friends…

    Penny only had a brief moment today, so she worked on last week’s sketch, while Bev showed us the sketch she did of Penny last week.

      Bev may get the award for the most sketches done in the quickest time, but what’s that on the far left…the “small” Apple French Toast!

     Erik & Hugh were too busy to notice – here’s Erik’s sketch of Hugh (foreshortened!) eating his cinnamon roll in between pencil strokes.

     Hugh was looking across the room at the piano – got the wood grain!

     Barb A started sketching the piano, too, while Bev did a drawing of Barbara (told you she was fast).

      In the corner, Lealan tried sketching a portrait with colored markers – wow, look at that sketch develop! What pizzazz!

      When Jane wasn’t running around taking photos, she did this simple line sketch of the scene on the deck, then a pop of yellow. Done!

     Ken set up shop across from the group, and began a loose left hand sketch of the group…but what’s Phyllis doing…where’s Erik?

Hugh’s getting ready to leave, Erik’s back, what’s going on?

     Seeing Phyllis’ “small” Apple French Toast was too much to resist! And here’s what Phyllis managed to do prior to her French Toast.

Meanwhile, Ken was trying to keep track of the restless crowd…

   So the next day (usually a painting day with Sandy & Jane) Ken looks at multiple photos of the group, and manages to get most of us into the sketch (under the supervision of Jane’s dog, Qi). Whew!

Now about that “small” Apple French Toast…

5th St. Market, Eugene, OR

Hugh and Ken don’t let coffee consumption interfere. Go guys!

  Heidi and Jane both sketched the fabulous cinnamon rolls, prior to deconstruction, and Barb Sh starts a new page in her sketchbook.

      Erik works on a wooded scene, while Barb So chats about the scene out the window – good advice is always available at our meetings.

Leelan Swanson, a sketcher for 50 years & new to Eugene, joined us for the first time – here with Barb Sh and Bev, all sketching away!

         Barb Sh & Leelan enjoyed sharing sketchbooks, while Bev sketched a favorite model of ours: Ken O’Connell & signature cap.

         Penny wavered about what to draw, and settled on the challenge of capturing the light reflected on the dark blue coffee cup – wow!

If you look over Ken’s shoulder out the window, you can see what Hugh is sketching – the potted plants framed by windows.

           Here’s how Hugh’s sketch developed – color makes a difference!

          Barb So was sketching the same view, but with different effects.

     Ken was looking the other way across the room – he said he was trying to capture the vastness of the space,  with Barb & Erik in the foreground. His sketch is an example of his oft made statement, “go darker” and of carefully selected color placement.

      Heidi got us into a discussion of “foreshortening” ( Jane’s first attempt at getting Siri to tell us turned out to be a hilarious to us description of the use of shortening); Penelope showed sketches from last time; and Barb A was busy getting info on our next show of our sketchbooks at the Obsidians Lodge to honor Anne Bonine.

The Pump Café, Springfield, OR

The problem with sketching in a restaurant is that the still life keeps disappearing! Sketchers kept appearing, however, to our delight.

       We started the Tuesday morning gathering with Jane and Erik. Bev & Hugh showed up, followed by Judith, Barb So, Penny & Tricia.  Then Barb Sh came with her sister JoAnne from Albequerque.

At the other end of the table, Phyllis and Ken  had squeezed in.

      Hugh was the one who said “Don’t move the toast!” Oops. Sorry.

      Jane was the one who moved the toast – how rude!

      Bev was the model of restraint, saving her fruit for her sketch.

        Barb So not only saved her scone, she also shared it with Ken!

          Barb Sh deviated from the norm finishing a sketch she had done of her daughter, but her sister JoAnne dutifully sketched her breakfast.

      Tricia and Judith were mesmerized by the decorations on the walls of the restaurant – old license plates, signs, and even saws!

     Erik & Ken are old buddies, but that doesn’t stop them from sketching – here’s Ken sketching his morning treat before he eats it!

    Erik, a more prosaic fellow, ate his breakfast long ago and saved his sketching for the pile of cream containers in the bowl.

Hey, that spot of blue is the same color as Hugh’s shirt!

          Meanwhile, Phyllis was quietly beginning a portrait of Hugh.

Oh! There’s Penelope! When did she sneak in? Despite the sketch challenges, we all enjoyed the wonderful food at The Pump Café, the great coffee and service, and the chance to sketch together again.

New Day Bakery/World Café, Eugene, OR

Ken barely had time to say hello to newcomer Bev Taylor and they were both into sketching!

        Ken sketched his rapidly disappearing Bear Claw pastry, and Bev confessed she loves to do portraits – lots of models here!

      Jane sketched her croissant & coffee, and Penny did the same from across the table from her (they had to be fast, before it got eaten up).

     Penny also shared a sweet bird she’d painted at home, and ended the morning by sketching the ethnic painting on the wall.

      Hugh intently worked on the scene across from him in a booth.

      Erik! You didn’t sketch your pie first! Aha, he said, and rapidly drew the colorful remains.  No stopping this guy.

      Barb So was finishing up a sketch she started at home of her sweet puppy – how can you not adore that face!

       Tricia started in with the colored glass windows, and her sketch quickly grew to include views from outside as well as comments.

      Meanwhile back at the other end of the table, Judith had come in and was delighting Ken with the sketches she did while in Japan.

      Barb A slid in across from Judith, and perfectly captured Judith’s pastry! There’s more than one way to enjoy a tasty treat.

And it’s never too late to get in a sketch, as Penelope demonstrates.