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Urban Sketchers London ON

9/26/2021

 
Great afternoon to sketch with Urban Sketchers London Ontario at Civic Gardens at Springbank Park. It was such a lovely fall day to be outside sketching! Still working in my black and white sketchbook (Book No 3, since April 8, 2021), this time using micron pen and graphite. Since I only have 10 pages left in this sketchbook, my plan is to buy a watercolour sketchbook next and work in COLOUR every day!
Photo of sketch and view at Civic Gardens
page in sketchbook showing the sketch
photo of sketches from todays meet up at Civic Gardens in London Ontario

Practice with homemade charcoal

9/5/2021

 
I am still working on my "sketch every day" challenge. When I play golf, which is usually 2, sometimes 3 times a week during golf season, that is where my daily sketch is completed. Since I made charcoal from willow sticks that I collected at Greenhills Golf Course, it is where I have been sketching with the charcoal. It is a challenge, as the charcoal is bigger chunks than I am used to working with. I am most comfortable with fine detail and working small. This is forcing me to work a little larger, and I think that is a good thing!
First 2 sketches below are from Saturday and Sunday last weekend. Last drawing was created yesterday morning at home using a photo as reference. I like the first 2 quick and free sketches better than the tight and controlled last one.  I had too much time to "think" about it, work at it, and worry about ruining good paper. FYI - 140lb watercolour costs $10 to $15 per sheet.
I think (or rather... I know)  I have more work and practice ahead of me, to be able to create the picture I am expecting to create.
Sketch using charcoal, completed at Greenhills Golf Course
Sketch using charcoal, completed at Greenhills Golf Course

Making Charcoal

8/29/2021

 
My process starts by picking up sticks, found near the willow trees on No. 18 at Greenhills Golf Course. Next you have to peel all the bark off the sticks. Cut the sticks to fit in the small tin can to be used as a kiln, which is just an old tea container. Visit friends to have a beverage, conversation, and fire the kiln. Wait until the next morning, when it’s cool enough to open and voila charcoal! Success, first attempt making charcoal! Then off to the golf course and test the charcoal our with a few quick sketches.

Charcoal is one of the oldest drawing media, appearing in cave paintings dating back 28,000 years. The medium has been refined, bound with wax or gum into sticks and pencils, and can be easily purchases at an art supply store. But making charcoal from sticks picked up on the course and then creating artwork of that course seemed like a fun process.

Charcoal can be used to produce either a soft or strong line. It can be erased without difficulty. It can be smudged to produce a different effect. Now to sketch and practice some more using the freshly made charcoal!
Sketchbook pages showing process of making charcoal
Kiln (or tea tin) of charcoal opened the morning after firing.
First sketches using the new charcoal from trees on the golf course.

Urban Sketchers - now an official chapter

8/14/2021

 
This AM the Urban Sketchers London had it's first event as an official chapter of Urban Sketchers International. Met downtown, the artists went where they wanted to and them met up at a coffee shop for the throw down. Some sketchers from Waterloo Region US made the trip. Probably our largest gathering of sketchers to date.
I have drawn/illustrated the (former) Kingsmill's Department Store building a couple of times before, but always from photographs.  Now it's home to Fanshawe College: School of Tourism, Hospitality and Culinary Arts. And this time it's a sketch completed on location. I would not say the building was "saved", but at least we still have the original facade for the Dundas streetscape. I think, when you only keep the front wall, and completely rebuild the rest, you loose spirit of the building and have not really saved it. But this is better than loosing it completely!
New sketchbook started August 1 and this time a little bigger. First 2 were 6 x 6 inches, this one is 10 x 8 inches. Still working on sketching everyday.... still only missed one day since April 8.
Picture
Urban Sketchers London - Dundas Street (micron pen, waterbrush with india ink in 10 x 8 inch sketchbook)

Sketchbook - Part 10

7/30/2021

 
Sketched 107 days in a row, and then missed one! No sketch from the travel day home, which included a rainy 18 holes of golf at Tangle Creek.... well 17 holes, we finally called it quits when it POURED on the 18th. Sketches from the cottage named "Walter" where we stayed for a week.

Sketchbook - Part 9

7/7/2021

 
Day 81 and 88, and posting these because it's golf season. First one is Day 81, June 27, playing at Forest City National, when Greenhills was closed because of flooding. Next 3 images are Day 88 on July 4 at Greenhills.

Sketchbook part 8

6/16/2021

 
Day 70 and still going. Its just too much work to post every sketch. Currently on sketchbook no 2, which started on June 8.  Buddy always makes a great model and he really does seem like he is smiling.
Picture

Sketch book - part 7

5/24/2021

 
Sixteen more days, sixteen more sketches. Day 32 (Sun May 9) to day 46 (Sun May 23).

Sketch Book ~ Part 6

5/9/2021

 
Nine more days, nine more sketches. Day 23 (Fri April 30) to day 31 (Sat May 8). Stay at home order V3. Sketch everyday from observation, no photographic reference. Sketchbook is 6 inches by 6 inches. Quick sketches... some I am happy with and some not so much! Really looking forward to "going places" to sketch, like the golf course!

Sketchbook - Part 5

4/29/2021

 
Six more days, six more sketches. Day 17 to day 22. Stay at home order number 3. Sketch everyday only from life, no photographic reference allowed. Sketchbook is 6 inches by 6 inches. Quick sketches. 
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