Sketching in the Sun – Sweet!

May 17, 2016 Marsha McCloskey

Oakway Mall Courtyard, Eugene, OR

Hard to believe that a morning which started out at 51 degrees could turn out to be so hospitable! We all loved being here!

Satoko and Erik completed their inital sketches quickly, and moved on to the next sketch. What an inspirational duo!

Tricia and Satoko have a conversation while the rest sketch, but they were quickly back at their sketchbooks. Tricia’s results are below:

Barb A started an earlier dance class, so she could be here the whole time, much to our pleasure – love her painterly sketch.

Jane started out by drawing the duck at Chapala’s to test her ink pen on a new sketchbook (Pentalic “Nature Sketch”), then surprised us by doing a portrait of Barb A – nailed those colors.

Jan and Barb S-N enjoyed a lively conversation, but that didn’t stop Jan from letting her tree sketch grow across her page.

And while Barb S-N was concentrating on architecture – look who was spotted across the courtyard making telephone calls about Italy.

Ken quickly makes up for lost sketching time, going dark & adding definition. The session ends with Ken showing his accordion book.

Flowers at Friendly!

May 17, 2016 Marsha McCloskey

Friendly St. Market, Eugene, OR

Jane was thrilled to see the cyclamen on the tables outside Friendly St. Market – here she is along with her sketches.

As usual, Ken uses whatever tools he has stuck in his pocket – lookin’ pretty good there, but what else….not done ’til you’re done!

Sandy has to make her time count because she goes to a ceramics class soon, and what a lovely count!

Tricia tries sketching the cyclamen, too, trying different styles to compare the effect. See below – charming, all of them!

All this talk of flowers reminds Ken of the photo he took at the Oregon coast not long ago – anyone know what it is???

On a whole ‘nother note, Barb Sh showed us her completed page featuring the guy with nose & ear hair, along with DC gargoyles!

Barb Sh started sketching a guy sitting near with his guitar, but the model left (!), so she reverted back to sketching from photos.

Meanwhile, Penelope is getting ready to go on a trip and is starting a new sketchbook for the occasion, beginning with a map of Oregon.

Erik sketches to his own tune, but trying to do a portrait from a photo was frustrating to him – he said he thought he did pretty well in drawing the stuffed squid. (I’ve got to see the final version!)

Phyllis Helland was walking by, and some of the TDs knew her & that she always carried a sketchbook, so they urged her to join us.

Phyllis immediately got in the swing of the unspoken tradition, and started sketching…Erik and his signature hat! Welcome, Phyllis. We hope you’ll come back to sketch with us!

Sun, Shade, Sun – What to Do!

May 10, 2016 Marsha McCloskey

Oakway Mall Courtyard, Eugene, OR

What a day to start in the sun! Barb S-N opens her sketchbook while Barb Sh shares her sketches from a recent trip to DC.

Erik is a real sun lover, and loved capturing the contrast of the crane showing through the white oak tree against the brilliant blue sky.

It was too hot in the sun for a few of us – here’s Barb So sketching.

Jane completed her sketch of the white oak tree using Qor watercolors (so vivid), while Tricia contemplates using them, too.

Then the crew in the sun tempted all of us – here’s Erik, Penelope, Tricia, & Barb Sh.

What was Barb Sh up to? A relative had bemoaned his loss of head hair, & challenged her to sketch his remaining nose & ear hair!

Penelope showed us her Winnie Givot inspired page of color swatches used for the facing page sketch – what a good idea.

Then she got busy with a sketch of her incredible clematis, with matching color swatches on the opposite page of her sketchbook.

Tricia finished up her tree sketch, and added the clematis, too.

Meanwhile, Jane was busy sketching one of the carnations a couple of girls were handing out, as well as the obligatory clematis. It was a great day for all.

A Lot to be Said for the Sun

May 3, 2016 Marsha McCloskey

Oakway Mall Courtyard, Eugene, OR

This is what happens when the webmaster is away – the stalwart people still show up, especially when sun is involved! But you have to supply the quips about what was going on yourself. Or not.

Erik, Sandy, Satoko – what a great selfie!

Erik and Satoko sure look like they’re going to be sketching.

Sandy says just as she was leaving she turned around & caught this.

Penelope!

Faces May Change, but the Game Goes On

April 19, 2016 Marsha McCloskey

New Day Bakery/World Cafe, Eugene, OR

It was a gorgeous day – hard to believe it’s just mid-April – so we gathered in the courtyard: Tricia, Barb Sh, Ken, Sandy, & Erik.

Here’s Erik checking his process – light pencil outline, adding layers of color, then ta-dah! “Sunrise at McDonald’s”

Barb Sh (behind Erik’s shoulder, above) found some shade to sketch bikes (or maybe just one) parked just inside the courtyard gate.

Jane sketched the bikes, too, but from a different angle.

Ken was just going to eat and run, but his sayings caught up with him as the group chanted, “Just draw something!” So he did.

Then Barb Sh opened up her mystery box and brought out samples of the little books she’d created (here Satoko laughs at the message). Below are some samples:

But Satoko didn’t just come to socialize – a quick sketch of the couple at the table across the courtyard and a lovely application of colored pencils. “Rembrandt pencils are so creamy,” she says.