Since I've been following Urban Sketchers, I've been inspired to try to keep a sketch diary. I started with a recent family camping/road trip. With little kids it is difficult to sketch, especially without their father to distract them. We'll see if I can keep it up, now that we are back home. Most of my sketches are first done in pencil or pen then colored in with watercolor pencils. Some don't get colored in due to restraints of time or motherhood. I hope you enjoy looking at them the same as I enjoy making them. The link 'Cuentos Ricos' to the right will take you to our family blog. It is only open to password accessible only members. If you know me, let me know and I'll give you access. |
Sketches Tell the Story
Camping
These are a collection of some of my sketches involving camping. They aren't in order with my other entries, but seem to be better grouped together.  (insert photo from Francisco's phone) This is our what-we-thought-was-large tent. After seeing lots of extra large tents, we realized that it was just about right.  Here Q has taken all the clothes out of the suitcase to make room for herself. Then, I thought it was so cute, I had to try and sketch the jumbled up mess. It was too much to color, so I tried to show the different textures and colors with shading.  Another day, another campsite. I didn't quite know what to sketch, so just started with whatever I could see. I think I managed to draw everything from a different perspective and scale! We finally figured out to pull out the black protective mat from the back of the Pilot to let Q get down and play. Of course, she just wanted to grab the rocks and dirt off the edge! Added 6/17/12: I drafted this entry about a year ago, but never finished and eventually forgot about it. Now that I'm preparing to return to blogging, I find this unfinished, unposted entry. I don't think I ever got Francisco's photo; I didn't find it in the file. In the interest of keeping this blog in order I'm going to post this entry as is and then do the one I'm planning on doing now. Last year I never finished posting the sketches and felt I had to finish that before posting anything else. After returning from the trip, I haven't sketched more than sporadically, but have become much more involved in knitting. Perhaps knitting is more of a Mom-friendly hobby. Or my interests tend to be intense, but changeable. Whatever the case, I decided to change, once again the focus of this blog. It will be a miscellaneous crafty blog, or whatever else holds my interest at the moment. Depending on what the kids let me do, I may post more or less regularly. But, since I don't think I actually have any readers at this time, I hope that doesn't matter. I'm just over here talking to myself. |
Mt Shasta
As we headed south on Hwy 97 into California, I worried that my Nook wasn't charging. I was hurriedly copying a knitting pattern, in case the battery died, when I look up and see:  Mt. Shasta was perfectly beautiful! I instantly wanted to sketch it and regretted the time I had missed seeing it. Some of the details may be from different perspectives, as we went driving closer and to the side. I know that by the time I colored it the colors had changed and I had to try and remember them. That is why I did the blue foreground too dark and had to lighten it up. I guess I'm so slow even a mountain can't sit still long enough! |
Rocky Point
 After Belknap, we headed South and stayed with Mom and Dad. They have kiyacks and a canoe and are always trying to take us out on the water. Dad stayed still in this position long enough to get this much detail, but no more. I'm trying to only draw what I actually see. He didn't even get a reflection. Oh well. |
Belknap Family Reunion
We've been to Belknap several times. With the hot water and cabins to rent it is a great place for an impromptu family reunion.  This is a beautiful round garden with a little river and fountain stone columns called the Secret Garden. It was the first time I've been there when everything is in bloom; before I've only been there in the winter. I was in my own little world as everyone else was taking pictures, talking or running around. My brother would jump in front of me all goofy, as if it was a photo and I would accidentally draw him in! They couldn't distract me that easy; I'm used to little kids climbing on me or trying to take over whatever I'm doing. Finally everyone left, when I was only half done. This is the first time I've tried to do a scene with this much detail. My sister eventually came back to check on me when they were ready to eat. Knowing me, they were probably worried that I'd gotten lost! Originally, I left large blank spots for the white flowers. After returning home, I bought some opaque white paint. Then I colored the white spaces green (should have been darker) and added the white spots for the flowers. It does look better.  This little sketch was done around the corner of a small building. I had to keep out of sight of Q as she played with relatives or she would cry for me to hold her. |
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