EDM #129 everyday people

My youngest daughter has ridden for most of her life, she was a very strong, skilled rider training her young 'green' horse his 'changes' and dressage frame and gates and even did the Jumpers on him (timed tight turning courses with a variety of complicated jumps with many a blue ribbon) . To offset the expense she mucked stalls and exercised other people's horses every weekend. Picking hooves is a daily chore - very important to clean out rocks, and wet muck from the horse's frog (center soft portion of hoof's underside ) Here she is with Spike (who is actually black with white socks) Like others I cannot depict faces well enough to attempt loved ones . Quick pencil sketch followed by pen in journal.

Maine travels

"On the Road Again" - we have been making the same trek for over 35 years (from home to hubby's hometown) where we have a home at the base of Sunday River Ski Resort. This is the first time I have created a sketch log of the trip north - I used an interior sketch to meet last week's challenge - now here are some of my sketches as we travel the 6 hour route. Ok, I know I have seen others depict their painted tooties propped on the dash and I wanted the same fun page in my journal, and they cooperated with a nice perky pose - so here they are -

All done with pencil, pen and watercolor in a new journal that I am liking very much.

(Holbein Water color and multi-media spiral book with a cloth tie)

Bass Light - Maine Series

Bass Lighthouse is located on Mount Desert Island Maine, a lovely rocky wooded area of the island (there are mountainous parts that resemble a desert, hence the name). Last summer we trekked around this area. I was not sketching then, only photographing. This view has been represented many times in many mediums. Here is my rendition. As I sit in our Maine house last weekend, I decided to do a Maine series.

watercolor in journal

EDM #128 room into room view

Last week was unusually busy and I had no time for my sketching until I got to Maine (long weekend) - Then I had three days with lots of sketching time. I have lots to post but I will start with last week's challenge, 'view from one room into another'. I choose our house in Maine, looking out the front door onto the deck and the ski slopes in the distance. I did it rather quickly as I waited for hubby to finish his packing to leave. It came together quickly and I even had time to add the color. Of course I would have done better to leave it and come back - now I see the slopes look like yellow tree trunks instead of the straw and sketchy foliage they are in summer.

Blue sky

I guess you could call this a negative space practice. again taken from a sketchbook I got recently - fun little light sketch, I am really liking this light carefree approach - I will see where it takes me. Off to Maine for the weekend, hopefully the weather co-operates to get out and do some sketching - plus I have the new challenge to work on -

Summertime flowers

Trying out a lighter style from a travel sketchbook recently purchased - I like the quick free approach and it makes things stand out individually - seems a bit looser to me. this scan is a bit drab I am afraid - but all in all a nice fresh entry, reminiscent of the abundant flowers I see in beds all around town.

Artline Pen and watercolor in journal handbook

EDM 127 Sky

I know an artist could spend their life trying to capture a skyscape with paint - there is NO artist like the one above. This challenge I tried several times and found this painting to be the most dramatic and somewhat realistic. I am working in my journal and certainly should have a larger page and better paper for sure but it is still a fun learning experience

This tree scene is reworked from a lesson with Kate Johnson (on line classes) as the dark trees contrast beautifully with the New England sky. I need to work on some simple cloudy skies and will probably post them later.

Mailbox & skyscape

Another sketch from the 4th of July as I waited for family to arrive. The box is copper and somewhat weathered so it was fun to try and depict that. The bow was my patriotic festive touch and the blackeyed susans are blooming abundantly. This could count as a skyscape too as I tried to work in the tumultuous /threatening sky of the holiday too. Certainly need practice on the sky and the flowers but I am happy with the mailbox. I will work on more skyscapes all week.

EDM #126 Sponge

Lame ! I did not want to post this entry, but I have kept up with the challenges and vowed to post the good, the bad and the ugly, so here it is. My ugly old wash sponge from under the sink used to clean up after the muddy dogs on occasion. I did not spend much time on it as I was busy finishing my NYC sketchcrawl work (see below) and I am excited to do the skyscape for this week's challenge. Sponges are interesting and require more than I gave, perhaps I will revisit this challenge again.

NYC Sketchcrawl

Well I am the last to post my NYC sketches, as my home computer got 'cranky' . Thursday, July 5th, I met fellow EDMers Shirley (from paper and threads) and Casey (from rue Manuel bis) for a sketchcrawl in NYC. After a 'greet and meet' at Shirleys Lovely home we headed to Central Park under sprinkles.

The day decided to co-operated and we skteched first at the pondside cafe in Central Park - I captured a woman working at a nearby table and the shop behind her and then a lovely, very knobby tree. I do not do figures anywhere near as well as Shirley and Casey.

From there we headed to Bethesda Fountain and sketched the Angel. I tried Casey's loose style (scary! but so fun!)

A few steps away we sat at pond's edge (see first photo) and sketched the Pondhouse restaurant where we had lunch reservations too - thanks to Shirely . The park is so lovely and varied. Lunch was excellent with a view of the pond, a gondola and the fountain we had just sketched.

After lunch we headed to the Metrepolitan Museum ofArt and decided on the Roman exhibit - see my Hercules torso and head below - later we moved to an exquisit Chariot which I attempted to capture

The day was fabulous, so much fun for me to get to know and watch these two wonderful artists work, to compare notes and enjoy the day - hopefully there will be many more crawls to come.

Thank you Shirley and Casey!! and I love every single post you two have entered!

Birdbath study

Quick sketch of the birdbath in the front garden. Working on loose/quickness - not great but fun and I am actually letting go of some detail lately.

4th of July

Happy 4th to everyone. Except for apple pie (I am on a diet) there is nothing more symbolic to me than this - my front porch with the American Flag flying freely in the breeze. Hope everyone has a good - safe - celebration and God Bless our troops. Wednesday is a pool party and BBQ in our back yard and Thursday I join Shirley and Casey in NYC for a sketchcrawl - should be so much fun and I hope I can actually sketch something descent to post!

Summer on the Shoreline

It has been a glorious weekend in the northeast US and I am fortunate to live along the shoreline and enjoy the beautiful ocean breeze and all the goodies that come with summer - so I decided to journal about a few of my favorites. I wanted to sketch a lobster too but did not have room - that will come another day:-)