Scavenger Hunt from Life #144: Jan 6 - Jan 14

[Jo Castillo]

Ned I love your Tomales Point and your advice. You know how it goes. I was going to put red and blue on the flags when I got home and forgot until I had it posted here and my blog.

Ai, thanks. Appreciate the encouragement.

 

[Joan T]

Fletch, stay warm down there. It is another cold morning up here...25 degrees and I'm not sure what it is with the wind chill. It seems like the wind comes right thru the tightly closed windows. A few more days and it will warm up. I had to go back and look at the gas pump sketch. You're right. It was sketched with watercolors and no ink added. In the Panera sketch I did the sketching in ink first before I added any watercolor.

Ned, thanks. I think we all belong to that "I forgot to..." club. lol I like your scene with the limited ink. Isn't it great that the little things can change a sketch so much. Some methods are good for one thing and some for another. It changes all the time.

Jo, it is good to be out sketching and be able to find things you wouldn't find at home. I get tired of sketching the same things at home...I like variety. I like that boom lift. Was it in action?

Ai, thanks. Even though it was cold out I was able to sketch from my mobile studio. It was warm enough for the first 15/20 minutes that the car was turned off. After that I turned on the car and especially the seat warmers. lol Good luck getting ready for the new semester.

2 - heavy anchor - watercolors and ink
3 - shadows
4 - vehicles
5 - xtra-large Blue Island Oyster Company building

 

[AiArts]

Joan: Wow....Your blue Island Oyster company came out gorgeous. Love your lines that enhance your watercolor.... and all the details... great perspective on the cars. Just perfect.

 

[NedL]

Joan -- you are so right, it's kind of amazing how a few little things make such a huge difference in a sketch. I agree, it's really cool! The oyster company one is great. I can tell it's cold out! I actually thought about stopping to sketch an old closed oyster company that I drove by yesterday... add it to the list....

I sketched a gigantic rock today... didn't finish it but will post anyway. It's out in the car and dinner is just about ready so a bit later.

 

[AiArts]

#2 dark ...my sandal...2B pencil

 

[NedL]

It was time to go or I would have missed having a walk... wow it was a beautiful day over there. I was planning to try to make the left side a lot darker and the right side somewhat darker with a dark shadow on the far right. I ran out of time, but also I was putting off doing it because I don't really know how. If I'd known what to do, it probably would have been done by the time I had to leave I know that if I put dark ink wash under the watercolor, it gets a dull look... so I left a lot of the shading to the watercolor.. no time for layers, and in the past I go too dark and it looks weird...so I get hesitant to add darker values. So now the rock has a giant crater in it and you can't see the arch because the darks and shadows aren't there yet

Maybe I'll try to finish it or copy it and see if I can learn more about how to do it. I can remember the colors really well... the left side was actually a pretty light-colored rock, but it was in shade. Anyway, I ate my lunch there and had a nice time trying to sketch it. The fact that I was sketching is a win.

#2 enormous rock with arch.... ink, ink wash, WC

a photo:

 

[NedL]

Ai -- we were typing at the same time. The shading on those sandals is smooth and the edges are nice.

 

[NedL]

I added some darks. I'll learn to simplify and not keep going over it eventually Ink wash might be building bad habits for watercolor... you can layer as much as you like...

 

[Jo Castillo]

Joan, thanks. The Blue Island Oyster sketch is so fine. Love the lines, vehicles and colors. Applause.

Ai, love the sandals. Nice lines and shading.

Ned the rocks are so good. Your darker shading came out great. I think each medium has its own habits! I work a bit differently with each one. I need to get out some acrylics and such. I don't care for charcoal. I like colored pencil but get bored going over and over things to get them dark and filled in. Pastels and ink are quick and done!

Really lazy today. Worked on some billing stuff and other paperwork and wanted to just chill.

See y'all tomorrow.

 

[NedL]

Jo, thanks. I think being able to quickly layer is what attracted me to getting those inktense pencils. They behave like ink and don't move or make mud once they dry, and they dry fast ( almost too fast... not a lot of time for feathering or blending... ) I think they are all are fun and don't want to fall into one way of doing things A lot to learn, but the learning is fun!

 

[AiArts]

Ned, Jo: Thanks.

Ned: I like both versions. I understand that shadow is not easy thing to do. You did great in the second version shadow. Painting rock is not easy.

 

[Grapes]

Got roses for Holidays so had to paint them, of course.
#1 Flower - white rose, oil on pizza box

The model

 

[Grapes]

#2 Red or rosy - more roses from life, oil painting sketches on pizza box.

#2a.

the model:

#2b.

the model of this rose:

 

[Grapes]

#3 Dark or dirty - this one turned out like dirty looking somehow and dark also, I wanted to keep this as a daily painting and was painting it without too much thinking of what I should actually do. Just enjoying the moment. Oil painting on wood, 20x30 cm.

 

[Grapes]

#4 Elegant - the model rose has elegant lean so I was tempted to try to paint it. Oil painting sketch on pizza box. Size small.

the model:

These pictures have the grey sides/part bc I posted them to IG and if I don't add it IG cuts part of the photo.

 

[Grapes]

#5 Purple - radishes, a daily painting and a part of a larger painting. Oil on canvas.

 

[Grapes]

Ned, your enormous rock with arc is gorgeous! Beautiful spot to stay and paint.
Beautiful color harmony in your quiet channel painting! I enjoy seeing pleinairs as I've been quite stuck inside and probably will the next two months.

Ai, good drawing of the sandals!
Lovely Artist House painting!

Joan, interesting things in the surroundings of the oyster place. Lovely painting.
Panera interior is very nice! Credits for the challenging view.
Amazing, it's little bit warmer here than where you are, we have about 32 F and some days warmer.

Jo, lovely sketches! I enjoy seeing your sketches! Good subject matters.

 

[Joan T]

Ai, thanks. Your sandals look so comfortable!

Ned, thank you. I like the variation of colors you used in the rock that make for such nice shading. It looks like a perfect model for many return visits. Want to take us along??? The fun thing about having a variety of materials to use is we learn what we can combine and what works better or worse. Keep experimenting. Your results are good so far.

Jo, thanks. Taking it easy is nice too. I never seem to be in the mood to sit down and do some billing. lol That's one of my faults.

Grapes, those roses were great models. I love the variety of colors you used and I'm amazed at how good they look on the pizza box. Maybe I should grab that pizza box that's sitting by the door waiting to go out in the trash. I like the "dark and dirty one" a lot and the white highlights on the edges of the petals. Glad your temps are a little warmer than here. It was 25 degrees when I woke up...another day of doing my walking indoors.

 

[AiArts]

Grapes: Thanks. Beautiful roses... I esp. love the one on pizza box.

 

[NedL]

Grapes -- I enjoyed all of them. I like the textures you make with the brush and the places where the colors layer and drag together. I think some of the color from the painting on the wall behind the "dark and dirty" came through... it looks great. All of them have a sense of depth.

Joan and Grapes -- brrrrr! I will count my blessings. I'll be walking later than usual today and probably won't have time to sketch, but I'll be happy to be walking outdoors.

Ai -- good luck with start of semester. I taught for a few years and my wife is a teacher - preparing for a new term can be stressful and a lot of work.