Urban Sketch

5-1/2" square moleskin

Did this little sketch at Napoli II restaurant over in Wildwood, FL yesterday afternoon.  (on Hwy 301) We had about 30 friends get together from the old Pilgrim's church gang.  

Been reading and studying two new books over the last month: Lynne Chapman's book Sketching People: An Urban Sketcher's Manual to Drawing Figures and Faces and Thomas Thorspecken's lovely book Urban Sketching: the complete Guide to Techniques.  

Also playing with some new line making materials and friend, Lou, gave me a new "square format" sketchbook that is very fun to work with.  I have a long way to go on the figures in the sketch category but the thing is…I've been sleeping with the books under my pillow for a month and it has not helped.  It appears that you actually have to practice!!!  

I really expected the service at the restaurant to be slow with a group that large and I thought sketching would be helpful to get through the wait.  But the staff did a splendid job with the service!  We were all amazed.  So I really did have to sketch fast and furious and in between lots of visiting, of course.

Have a plein air event this Thursday I was geared up for but now it says rain.  Nice all week but rain Thursday.  Sigh.  We do have a rain date for that event.  Then on the 16th there is an group meeting at the Farmer's Market in Leesburg to do some "urban sketching".  No rain date for that one so have my finger's crossed.

My north woods en plein painting group in Wisconsin has a great schedule for this summer.  I missed so many of them last year….weather and mosquitoes and company.  We meet every Thursday morning during the summer beginning June 2.  Hoping for better attendance this year.  

Am showing art work in the Hawthorne Library the month of April so have been busy with getting the 7 paintings ready for that display.  Taking them down to the the display this morning.