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 :)
Black and White Counterchange
I was ready to quit for the night, but this caught my eye. These up-lit windows are on the south (I think) side of the civic center square. What worked for me is the black and white counter-change going on.
Black branches on lit window, lit branches on dark wall.
Something you’d only get in winter when the leaves are off. Damned cold sketching tho.
Palace of Fine Arts
The monumental dome at the Palace of Fine Arts (one of the architectural highlights of San Francisco). The place is fairly bristling with the overblown gothic detailing I love to draw.
I’ve always wondered what’s going on in with the sculptures – the male figures in the niches seem like they should be holding some relic aloft – yet their hands are empty…and the female figures on the colonnades are turned away from the viewers, heads down, staring at something that we’ll never be able to see from ground level. I suppose I could do some research on this place – the story must be on a wiki somewhere. For sure I’m bringing binoculars next time!
Funny story here – this is actually the second of two identical(ish) drawings from the same sitting. A passing stranger bought my first sketch right off the drawing pad. That’s never happened to me before! As soon as he left I pocketed his $20, turned a new page and did the drawing again.
I mean, I’d come here specifically to get this sketch, so I wasn’t going to leave empty handed! The only thing is, I think he got the better version – but I’ll never know I for sure :)
Night Sketching!
We’ve been back and forth to the city a lot lately (we’re rat-sitting for some friends). So I’ve been grabbing some sketches while I can. Here’s a view of city hall, a side door to the opera house, and one of the awesome capitals in the Jaguar dealership on Van Ness.
Afternoon at the Dickens Fair
This event is a fun Bay Area tradition. [Dickens Fair]
For years now, a group of costumed enthusiasts have been gathering in a fake village full of Dickens characters. You’ll see characters from the books, and re-creations of everyday people, along with a carnival atmosphere and a few gift shops, bars and eateries. Great fun, sort of a holiday spirit, and an excellent opportunity to sketch interesting people.
Sketching in San Rafael
The Mission San Rafael
Had lunch in downtown San Rafael…very “pleasant” town :) What can I say – maybe not the most exciting place on the planet, but hey, it’s got a good hardware store…man, that’s damning with faint praise…sorry San Rafael – really! It’s not you, its me.
Actually, they have two different drop in life drawing classes and some decent galleries, so I shouldn’t cast stones – I might be spending a fair bit of time here in the near future.
Classic Billards
November Nightcrawl
In case your new to my sketchblog (hello everyone reading Imagine FX!) nightcrawling is my variation on sketchcrawling – but I do it at night.
I enjoy the dramatic lighting in the city. Plus, the shadows don’t move. I live in San Francisco, so the weather is good for it. Plus there’s less people around while your drawing. And you don’t need the day off work…so ya – overall, if you liked sketchcrawl, try a nightcrawl!
World Wide Sketchcraw #20
Once again artists all over the world hit their streets in roving gangs wielding miniature watercolor kits and kneaded rubber erasers.
Filling up cafe’s and bookstores, congregating in milling scrums passing sketchbooks hand-to-hand. How many times are confused passersby heard to say: “Whoa, what is this, a class or sumthing, geeze”.
Here’s my architectural fragments from San Francisco’s Mission district:
Read about the event on the main site: http://www.sketchcrawl.com/
Citizen Sketcher 