Beach Sketches Part I

We've had some beautiful weather (and also some rain) lately so I've spent some time at the beach. I like that there are lots of models. Some are cooperative like this lady on her sand chair. She stayed put for a long time. Her little boy was playing in the sand in front of her and luckily wasn't one of those kids who couldn't amuse themselves and needed mom every two minutes.

This next sketch shows how sometimes people are not so cooperative. The guy in the foreground looked like he was down for a good nap, so I took my time working my way up from his feet to his...shoulder. But he got up and changed positions before I could finish. I was hoping that he would recline again so I could finish this, but he left shortly after. Instead I just continued with other people who were nearby.

Digital Dune

I hadn't done a digital sketch in a while, so between appointments the other day I went down by the bay and sketched using my ArtRage program.

Every Day in May Sketches

I've neglected posting my EDM sketches for quite a few days. Here are some of them.

A Taste of Patchogue

A few members of our Wednesday sketch group went to something called "A Taste of Patchogue" and tried to sketch the event. It was held as a fundraiser where different restaurants in Patchogue offered tastes of their food to help feed the needy. It was super crowded and there were long lines to taste anything. By the time you got the tiny sample, you needed to stay on another line. I did get to sketch the mussels, a buffalo chicken pretzel, some braised short rib, and a bit of sushi that I brought back to sketch. It was easier to sketch some of the people who were standing around eating. The samples were small enough that when I got home I had a slice of pizza because I was still hungry. It was fun to sketch the event anyway. lol

Katie

It has been a while since I joined the Wet Paints portrait group on Tuesday night. Katie sat for us this week.

At the Pump

My plein air group met the other day at VanderZalm Greenhouses in Bellport. It was drizzling so I had to find a view to paint indoors. This pump and the geraniums caught my eye, but the aisles there are so narrow. I used my tripod easel but couldn't stretch the legs out even halfway. It balanced anyway. :) This is 8 x 10.

Sayville Park

I sat on the tiny beach at the end of Foster Avenue in Sayville the other day and couldn't resist sketching the view up by the benches.

Beach Sketch

Believe it or not it was actually warm enough to sit on the beach the other day...I even stuck my toes in the water (much too cold). Just a few people nearby to sketch...soon it will be packed.

Beach Dune

Here is another dune sketch I did at Robert Moses State Park the other day. Every spot looks different and the foliage is so interesting.

Here are a few EDM sketches.

Dune Vegetation

I was over on Fire Island the other day to drop off something at the lighthouse, and I stopped for a few minutes to paint some of the dune vegetation.

Airport Sketch

The other day I went to Kennedy International Airport to pick up my husband. I brought along my sketchbook which made the wait more enjoyable. I love all the characters waiting for people.

Lilacs

My plein air group, PALS, had our first outing of the season on Tuesday at the Bayard Cutting Arboretum in Oakdale. The lilacs were in bloom...and they smelled heavenly. They are definitely not easy to paint...sort of like painting hydrangeas. Too many tiny blossoms. 

Locust Avenue Farm

As I said in yesterday's post. I didn't end up buying flowers at the Bloomin' House when I was there. It was just raining too hard to make it comfortable to walk around from greenhouse to greenhouse. I ended up at the Locust Avenue Farm in Bohemia the next day. When I parked I had a pretty good view, so I sat in the car to sketch this. It was super windy out anyway...and too cold. We are having a very strange spring.

Outside the Bloomin' House

The other day I really wanted to paint something and buy flowers for my patio. I headed to one of the local nurseries, called the Bloomin' House in Holtville. Of course I got there and it started to drizzle. I couldn't get a parking spot facing the flower displays so I sketched the view looking out of the parking lot while I sat in the car. 

Pink Tree & EDM Sketches

The pink trees have been changing into their spring greens. I will miss all that wonderful color.

Here are a few of my recent sketches for Every Day in May.

Here's my suitcase that I was packing for my trip to the graduation.

This sandwich is one that I wish I had right now...a meatball sub.

Jewelry was the prompt so I sketched one of my earrings made from some kind of nut found in the Amazon.

Last night I had to do cutlery.

Sketch of the Smith College Graduation

As promised yesterday, I worked on the sketch of Caity's graduation to finish it today. This is about 11 x 7 done on sketch paper, not watercolor paper. We got to the college at 8am to get good seats for the ceremony...and we were in the second row behind the graduates. Because we were there so early I had a lot of time to sketch this out before the ceremony started. I started with the building and the tent over the stage. Then I did the stairs and the wall. I left room (too much I think) for where the graduates would be seated. I painted the areas I had sketched. When the graduates and the faculty and honorees came in I quickly sketched that in pencil and then put the sketch away. I wanted to be able to watch the ceremony. Today I inked the graduates and the people on stage and finished painting it. I tried to include Caity's question on her graduation cap, but it is really too tiny to see it.

Here is a photo my brother took of us waiting for the graduation to start. You can see me in the turquoise jacket sketching.

Swan River View & Caity's Graduation

On Wednesday evening the Patchogue Sketch Club met at the Swan River Preserve right off Main Street. Everything was turning green, the ducks were out, it was warm (yes, warm)...a great night for sketching.

Today was my niece, Caity's actual graduation from Smith. I did sketch before (and a little during) the ceremony but the sketch isn't finished yet...probably tomorrow. Here are a few photos from today. You can see from her graduation cap, Caity is quite a character. It says "Can I take a nap now?" lol

Patchogue Train Sketches & a Graduation

I am presently up in Massachusetts at Smith College at my niece, Caity's graduation. I have my computer so I can still do a post.

Some days you get a good view on the train and some days are just so-so. When I went into the city on Tuesday I took the Long Island Railroad from Patchogue not Ronkonkoma like I usually do. What's the difference sketch wise? On the Ronkonkoma train half the seats face forward and half face back. If you sit near the center you can get a good view of someone facing you. The Patchogue train is a multi-level train and almost all the seats face the same way. There are very few people facing you. I did manage to sketch the lady across the aisle from me.

Here are the proud parents with Caity the day before graduation. Caity will go on to graduate school here at Smith College for social work.

Joe, Caity, Joan

Here she is with 2 out of her other four siblings.

Patrick, Caity, and Jaime

 And with her proud Aunt Joan (me).

Bethesda Fountain

I don't usually go in and meet the NYC Urban Sketchers during the week, but my friend, Wendy (from Australia) and I wanted to sketch in Central Park, especially at Bethesda Fountain. It is a lively spot with beautiful scenery, lots of people, and usually music.

 Wendy and I selected the fountain for our first sketch. Here is my sketch.

Here are Wendy and Toi sketching.

Then I did a sketch of the staircase and some of the flowers in bloom.

Here are Wendy and I together by the fountain.

Wendy did some great sketches too. If you would like to see more of Wendy's work, here is a link: http://wendybarrettpainting.blogspot.com

Wendy has also written a book about her challenge to return to sketching and painting. I think most of you would enjoy reading it. The book is available on Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/Grabbing-Muse-Throat-Wendy-Barrett/dp/0994366000/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1463177376&sr=8-8&keywords=wendy+barrett

Fountain sketch by Wendy Barrett.

Fountain sketch by Wendy Barrett.

After lunch I did a sketch of some of the people sitting on the edge of the fountain.

It was a great day to be in Central Park, especially with friends. It was a lot of fun spending time with Wendy while she was here. She leaves tomorrow morning for Massachusetts and will be meeting up one afternoon with another blogging artist friend of ours, Michael Perchard.

NYC Tourism

On Saturday the NYC Urban Sketchers met at Grand Central Terminal. One of the locations I sketched was the NYC Tourism counter which had a constant stream of visitors.

Train Travel

Going into the city to sketch at Grand Central required taking the Long Island Railroad from Ronkonkoma. The trip to Penn Station takes about 1 hr 20 min, but there are usually some models on the train to sketch. This was done with ArtRage on my iPad.

Here are my next few sketches for Every Day in May.

EDM April 9 - someone I love (my mom in her younger years)

EDM April 10 - candy 

EDM Day 11 - a bucket