Sketching A Whale Of A Sand Pile

Posted on August 14, 2014 by Larry Marshall

Moleskine watercolor book, Pilot Falcon, Platinum Carbon Black

Fernande and I went to the Quebec Aquarium last Monday. On my way there I have to transfer from one bus to another, which meant a 10-minute wait. I quickly sketched a video rental building in a small Moleskine watercolor book I carry. Not much but it sure made that 10-minutes pass quickly.

Unlike our first visit to the aquarium, it was a beautiful day. We spent the entire day in the outdoor areas rather than in the actual aquarium buildings. I love urban ‘hardware’ and so did a couple smallish, sketches of some of the aquarium hardware. There are examples of this sign everywhere on the grounds, providing directions to visitors. Simple, easy-peasy to draw, and fun.

Moleskine watercolor book, Pilot Falcon, Platinum Carbon Black

While wandering around I found this bizarro device. It seems to have either a generator or transformer on the side of it. It is about four-feet tall. There are actually a bunch of these along a stone wall, giving the impression that they were once used as lights. The technology, whatever it is, is very old and no longer used, I think. Looks like something you’d see in a steampunk movie. I had to draw it.

Moleskine watercolor book, Pilot Falcon, Platinum Carbon Black

It was already getting hot when I started this sketch and there was no shade from which to draw this large pile of sand. Towards the end I was sweating like crazy and ready to be done. As soon as the ink was done I headed for shade to do the color. Hope you like it.

Stillman & Birn Alpha (10x7), Pilot Falcon, Platinum Carbon Black

Stillman & Birn Alpha (10×7), Pilot Falcon, Platinum Carbon Black

Nouvelle France In Quebec City

Posted on August 11, 2014 by Larry Marshall

Every August, Quebec holds a festival to celebrate the founding of Nouvelle France in North America. Lots of people dress in period dress. There’s a large food court serving traditional foods, a parade, fireworks, and a bunch of other activities. The festival attracts thousands of people who enjoy the ambiance of our old port area and this year was no exception.

It’s also the case that we sketchers took advantage of the sketching opportunities. I was there on Saturday, along with nine of my betters in the sketching world. We had a great time, though the crowds are always a bit overwhelming for me.

This year I only took a small, 4×6 Monologue sketchbook but I kept it warm with my pen scratching. Here are a few of the sketches I did during the day.

I liked the texture and angles of the arm/rifle so I isolated on these in this sketch

I wanted to do a building sketch but with all the people around, finding a subject I could actually see was difficult. I went to the top stairs of the cathedral and, looking across the courtyard, sketched the top of the buildings. The format is too small for that much landscape but it was fun regardless.

Sketching Quebec’s Aquarium

Posted on August 9, 2014 by Larry Marshall

I was supposed to meet sketching buddy Fernande at the Nouvelle-France festival but she wrote to say that it was supposed to rain and that maybe it would be better to go to the aquarium. I said ok, that I’d meet her there but that I bet it wouldn’t rain.

It rained. I was wrong – again. At least I’m consistent. When I arrived it was raining and Fernande had not yet arrived. I went to the main aquarium building sat in the corner of the foyer and sketched an outdoor scene through the window. One of the really great things about our aquarium is that there is a lot to sketch outdoors when weather permits and an equal amount of stuff to sketch indoors if it rains, even if you don’t think it will.

Stillman & Birn Beta (6x8), Pilot Falcon, Platinum Carbon Black

Stillman & Birn Beta (6×8), Pilot Falcon, Platinum Carbon Black

Once Fernande arrived we started wandering indoors, looking for sketching opportunities. Unfortunately, we chose the same day to visit as a convoy of school buses full of kids. The place was packed, prohibiting us from being able to sketch without being trampled. After a while we decided that eating lunch was the solution. And so we did.

Moleskine watercolor notebook (3x5), Pilot Falcon, Platinum Carbon Black

Moleskine watercolor notebook (3×5), Pilot Falcon, Platinum Carbon Black

In this case the virtue of patience was rewarded. The school buses packed up, the crowds thinned out, and we found something to sketch.

By this time, though, I was getting tired so I chose a small subject – a seahorse.

We’re heading back Monday for another session.

A Slow-Sketcher Approach To Bird Sketching

Posted on August 7, 2014 by Larry Marshall

If molasses could sketch, it would do so at the same rate as I do. This is a problem mostly when I try to sketch crowds of people, highway traffic, bee hives, and… BIRDS!

I love birds but gosh they won’t sit still. Audubon had a solution. It was called a shotgun, but I’m an urban sketcher and, even if I were so inclined, me thinks the authorities might frown on that method. So what can a molasses sketcher do? Ah HA, says I. A solution I have found. Here’s what you do:

1) Get a 12″ x 12″ piece of 3/4″ pine. Home Depot is a good source.

2) Using a scroll saw, cut out the profile of the bird you want to draw.

3) Paint it in suitable colors. I recommend Sibley’s Field Guide to Birds for color reference.

4) Drill a 1/2″ hole in the bottom edge of the cutout.

5) Shove a 1/2″ dowel into the hole.

6) Go to your garden and shove the 1/2″ dowel into the ground.

7) Get a nice cold drink, a lawn chair with a glass-holder, and sit down in front of your bird.

8) Draw your bird as slowly as you like. Life is sweet.

Monologue A6 sketchbook (4x6), Pilot Falcon, Platinum Carbon Black

Monologue A6 sketchbook (4×6), Pilot Falcon, Platinum Carbon Black

Group Sketching Without The Group

Posted on August 5, 2014 by Larry Marshall

Can you have a group sketching event without a group? I wonder. This was attempted, it seems, last Saturday in Quebec City. According to the published schedule of Collectif des ateliers libres en arts visuals de Québec, a local portrait group, we were all supposed to meet on Terrace Dufferin at 10AM. I was there. Yvan was there. But nobody else showed up, not even the guy who was supposed to coordinate the event.

So, our group was small, but our will was mighty. It was a very hot day, one of the few we’ve had thus far but Yvan and I found some shade, sketched and enjoyed each other’s company.

I need practice drawing stuff where I have to look up and so I did a sketch of the old postal building that sits at the end of Terrace Dufferin, with a bit of an information kiosk in the foreground. It’s an odd view and only part of the building but it turned my crank so I put it to paper. All in all, we had fun, though this is tourist season and we sort of got overrun.

Stillman & Birn Alpha (9x6), Pilot Falcon, Platinum Carbon Black

Stillman & Birn Alpha (9×6), Pilot Falcon, Platinum Carbon Black

One of the really fun things about being a street sketcher is the audience, particularly the kids. Kids are curious about anyone who draws. They relate to it. Kids are also afraid to engage with adults so they have to be invited, with smiles and words. I smile. I say hi. And before you know it, we’re engaged in conversation and they are a breath of fresh air. Unlike adults, they don’t tell you you’re sooo talented. They don’t tell you about how they’d like to do art but they don’t have the time/patience/ability. Instead, they tell you that they draw too. They ask you if you like it. They want to know how the paint thing (waterbrush) works. Maybe I like them because I think about art on this level. I don’t know. I share with you a photo of me interacting with some kids on this day. I didn’t know Yvan had taken this photo but I’m grateful that he did.

photo: Yvan Breton