Sketch book travels SMA #2

 This is a watercolour/pen sketch of the Parroquia in the town centre of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. We walked around on our first night here and of course the square is where you want to walk to, the sights are amazing.


The second sketch book entry below is of the house right next door and the view from the upstairs balcony (no one was renting it).

The third entry below using both pages is a view of the town square from the upstairs flat balcony. I stood with my sketch book on the edge of the balcony and happily sketched the views before me. I may use water colour to colour it in from a photo. This is a great example of urban sketching.

Sketching at an art retreat

I was lucky to be invited to the first annual "Dody's Art For All" retreat at Mabel Lake B.C. MacKenzie Camp. We had a wonderful time with everyone working on their own art (quilting, drawing, painting) at their own speed. The quilter's had their machines humming and producing as early as 7 a.m. and well after midnight on most days. Due to the dim evening light (that's our excuse and we are sticking to it), the painters and drawers enjoyed visiting with each other sipping on wine. The weather did not co-operate for en plein air painting (outdoors on location) so I walked and took photo references as well as sketched daily in my book that I have taken travelling with me. It just has regular paper so paint can not be blended on the paper (which gives it a rough look).

Ink & water colour of a quilt pattern piece.

Tangled roots above ground

One of the quilter's tables

Sketching while waiting...

I have been trying to bring my sketchbook with me when I have appointments or know I will have some waiting time. It certainly passes the time quickly! It is also an interesting way to get used to people looking at me while drawing/painting. I am not sketching long enough for to many comments or to much interaction.

This is a sketch I did of chairs and art in a couple of waiting rooms. The lighter lines were done in black ink while waiting for a flu shot. The darker lines were done in my doctor's office with a felt pen of the chairs and art.

This plant was also drawn during an office visit. To keep everything compact I have not been packing my water colour pencils or small paint box.

This is a drawing that I did a little at a time of the dashboard of my car as I was waiting for my husband Gord to come off the C-Train at the end of his workday. Some days I only had enough time to do a couple of lines and other days I got a little more done. I am not going to do any more on it now.