Sketches, Sketchbook Project and More Sketches

Sketching is a lot of fun, just relax and don't tell your hand what to do and it'll be fine...!
A Walk, A Sketch, Some Rain
Today my husband and I took a walk and enjoyed the crisp air in a nearby park along Lake Washington. The heavy gray clouds burst open as I was sketching in a non-permanent ink pen, and I caught some interesting rain drop effects on my quick sketch. Got it home later and filled in a bit of color and a few more pen strokes. This area of the lake is filled with water lily pads, old posts from a long gone ferry, and surrounded with some wetlands.

And this is what it really looked like today in our exquisite Northwest, but you do know I like color and always have to add some in my sketches and paintings...
On the way back, a stop at our favorite fruit and veggie market, the Yakima Market at 17321 Bothell Wy NE..... We loaded up with all that fresh goodness and nutrition and headed home and he started up his first big batch of fall tomato soup that he always makes. We freeze several containers of it to savor later when the really fresh tomatoes are gone. Mmmm, it's sooo good.
A Few More Sketches
From here and there, along the way, some places I have been...

.....an escape to Bandon, Oregon, one of my most favorite places, in March, fresh sea air, rocks, exquisite scenery there...
.....a plane trip to Texas to visit family in April, what else could I draw?...
.....a side trip to the Wichita Mountains, Oklahoma in May, a wildlife refuge for bison...
.....the Seattle Woodland Park Zoo in March, brisk weather, but another favorite place...
The Sketchbook Project
I just received confirmation a couple of days ago for The Sketchbook Project hosted by The Art House Coop. For this project, participants around the world are sent a moleskin cahier to fill with art however they wish, and a theme to focus on. These sketchbooks must be returned in January, and then become a permanent part of the Brooklyn Library of the Coop. But first, they digitize so everything is on line to be viewed. Then all these wonderful artful sketchbooks will go on tour to only 8 cities. Seattle is one of the lucky cities to host this exhibit at the Form/Space Atelier from June 10-11, 2011... so mark your calendars!
The focus for my sketchbook will be: a light in the distance, an intriguing theme that I selected and will enjoy... I notice this sketchbook has quite a lot of pages in it, and they are quite flimsy. I'm thinking of gutting it, and rebinding it with less pages, but nicer paper, like watercolor paper (they let us do that). And of course, arting up the plain brown covers.......

For those interested in this kind of project, the deadline to sign up ends October 31...

Sketching and Painting Boats

Moored momentarily, they had been on many journeys... and patiently waited for the next adventure.
Perhaps I am seeing a metaphor for myself, patiently waiting, for my next adventure. Perhaps it is the turning from summer to fall. As I drove down the street a couple of days ago I noticed a few leaves, turned a light tan, dancing on a breeze in front of me. It's cooler, rainy, and full of the seasons moving into change again...

This recent sketch/painting on a wonderful day out started out with a watersoluble pencil. That wasn't enough, so then I added some oil pastel. And that wasn't enough, so then I added pen work. And then heavy watercolors on top of that. And more pen work. Finally I felt satisfied with the saturated colors and look of it, I don't usually do boats. Sometimes you have to just keep experimenting.

And here is where I was doing this sketch painting with some art buddies: