China Camp
Some of our sketching friends were like – It’s on! 9am! paint all day!!!…I’m like – um, it’s going to rain…all day….rain+watercolors? not going to work.
We went anyway, and it actually cleared up so much it almost ruined my beautiful grey watercolors with these nasty patches of blue sky. I thought there might be god rays any second. I’d have to get my Thomas Kinkade on.
This was another day of sitting on wet slippery rocks – painting one direction with stuff balanced on a boulder and the other twisting around and reaching behind for color. Not exactly ergonomic..but it gets the job done.
Nightsketching the Customs House
Coming back from a late show in town – stopped by the Customs House and captured a few architectural details.
I’d seen these driving by – figured they’d be more interesting after dark.
I can also report, many varied and interesting people on the street on Valentines Night.
Was a night of limos and long long legs in short short skirts…not that I’d notice that while I’m busy studying my cold stone carvings.
Haas Lilienthal House
The Hass Lilienthal house is reputed to be one of the finest Victorians in San Francisco. There are so many great buildings all around this area of Pacific Heights (just east of Lafayette Park). I’m not sure how one decides. I hear there’s a tour of the interior – perhaps that’s a sketching trip worth attempting! I think I’ll come back with a full painting setup and try to do it more justice.
Moving uphill, this steep angle looking up at an ivy covered courtyard caught my eye. A tourist asked me ‘You think one guy owns this huge house?’ – moments later some kids in an expensive SUV tell me it belongs to the guy who owns the Giants. He must have a good view of Alcatraz from his bedroom window.
Muir Beach Sketching Trip
Cold and rainy today – so of course we decide to go sketching :) Rumor has it you can’t find a parking spot at Muir Beach anytime after 10AM on a normal weekend – so I thought we’d take advantage of the unreliable weather. Turned out to be a great day for it. No crowds, and an interesting overcast foggy feeling that seems typical of NorCal winter.
I’m using 6×9 Canson watercolor blocks and painting with transparent watercolor mixed with black and white gouache. Mix gouache with color ‘to taste’, depending on how much coverage is needed, ranging from none, to about 50/50.
This is pretty much a reprise of the technique Erik Tiemens showed us in Mendocino last year (see this post).
I was also doing two paintings at the same time. I don’t have much patience waiting for washes – so this is a nice way to keep working back and forth without watching paint dry. On a humid day like this, you could probably do three at the same time.
I ordered a fancy-schmancy watercolor easel – but it hasn’t arrived yet – so I’ve reverted to sitting in the dirt. (well, ok, on a camping stool). On a day like this, it’s easier to just spread your stuff on the ground. You don’t have to worry about your easel blowing over.
Golden Gate Theater
I’ve been practicing my oil painting – but finding it to be a struggle. After going out a few times and getting questionable results, I really had to give myself a break! Sketching with the pen and brush is just so natural to me… it’s pure enjoyment.
These are from yet another late night stroll down Market Street. It was pretty much ‘magic hour’ when we started at the Golden Gate Theater – then we had to kill some time over dinner waiting for the sun to go away and the street lights come on. That’s when the black and white fun can begin!
Divisidero
Quick sketch from the top of Divisidero looking back towards the headlands. There were all kinds of boats out on the bay this weekend.
This watercolor kind of jumped out from nowhere – but I’ve been doing a lot of color in life drawing class, so I guess it was about time to take it out on location :)
Sketching Cow Hollow
Spent the afternoon sketching the bombastic architecture of Cow Hollow. This upscale neighborhood offers shoulder to shoulder Victorian fabulosities.
We started with the ultimate cupola collection – the former Vendata Society building at Webster and Filbert. (1905, Joseph A, Leonard).
Nothing against Mr Leonard and his firm, but really, what were they thinking?
World Wide Sketchcrawl #21: Japanese Garden, Golden Gate Park
I haven’t been to all of them, maybe six or so? but anyway, today was the 21st world wide sketchcrawl.
We spent the day at the Japanese Tea garden in Golden Gate Park. I would guess these sketches are about 30/40 min.
I was totally planning to go into the De Young and do a big rendering of my favorite skull in there (you know, the one from New Guinea with the shells and feathers all over it), but it turned out to be this awesome sunny day! So, whatya do, sunshine beats skulls I guess :)
Pics of Pics
The San Francisco Asian Art Museum
Spent a day sketching in the Asian Art Museum.
Went for the traveling Afghan show, but found it too crowded to get much done. We were taking advantage of the free admission on “Target First Sunday” – along with a zillion other people. Thus, all but one of these are from the third floor sculpture collection.
Lots of stuff to love there. I could see going back many times for the permanent collection. I found myself wanting to do a really sustained drawing, but you know, I’m an inveterate sketcher – so I started with these ‘snapshots’. I *will* go back and get a more complex drawing! We’ll see how they react to bringing a folding stool :)
Citizen Sketcher 