Artistic License

When I sketch in a hurry, I tend to just put in the main parts and whatever attracted my attention.  Our Scavenger Hunt list had water and clouds for two items.  We went to pick up some dinner after physical therapy at Kyoto Japanese Restaurant.  It is near the therapy just across the highway so we had to wait about 20 minutes.  I sketched the water fountain which was dry and a hint of the clouds.  I added the color at home after we ate (I ate, Gene had too big of lunch he said) and watched TV for a while. 

 I left out many of the details.  I almost got the fountain off the paper in my rush to get it in and put in the flag just because I love Old Glory.  I pretty much finished the sketch in the twenty minutes with using artistic license and leaving out many of the fun things.  I used another half hour or so to add the color.

For Scavenger Hunt from Life 149  https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-149-feb-15-feb-23.7749/

Number 2 clouds (hinted at) and Number 3 water - well, a fountain that should have water in front of the Mexican restaurant next to the Kyoto.

Here is the real view.

 

Joan Tavolott in our group sketches every day and puts in sooooo much detail.  I love, love her sketches.  It really makes them special.  Have a look.  https://watercolorsbyjoan2.blogspot.com/

She reminded me in her comments in the previous post to go vote for Peoples Choice Award at the Austin Pastel Society exhibition.  You can vote on line.  I voted.  There is some beautiful work.

https://www.austinpastelsociety.org/

The artists at the APS are so generous and fun.  It is a great group.  I can't take part in the shows anymore but try to keep in touch and attend the zoom meetings, etc.  Support our local artists!

Spicy in a Digital Sketch

I sketched while listening to the baseball game.  I wanted color but in the evening the light isn't good by my chair so I played on the iPad.  I used the app, Brushes, because that is the one I use the most so don't have to "think" as much.

 For SHFL 149  https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-149-feb-15-feb-23.7749/

Number 1 spicy - a jar of New Mexico Hatch chile.  New Mexico chile is so flavorful and yummy.

 

I listened to the Longhorn game again.  It was a long game. Over 4 hours I think so I had plenty of time to sketch.   Lots of batters on base with no scoring, then batters with scoring.  Final was 14-8, Horns won over Oklahoma State.  The Longhorns ended up winning the championship.  They had played in this tournament the last 3 years and lost all 3 of their games each year.  They lost the first game on Friday so we were worried.  10 games in a row lost there, yikes!  Luckily they won Saturday and Sunday.  Broke the curse or whatever it was.  Hook 'em Horns!  

First game here is Tuesday evening against Houston.  Dartmouth comes in for the weekend.  Temps are supposed to be nice today and tomorrow and then in the 30s for high the rest of the week.  I told you it always gets cold for baseball.  Dartmouth players will be so disappointed that it isn't in the 60s.  Texas weather.......

Almost forgot, Austin Pastel is holding their annual show.  Check it out on their website:

https://www.austinpastelsociety.org/ 

Turtles Sketch

I gathered these turtles to my footstool several days ago and they sat there waiting to be sketched.  Knocked them on the floor with my feet but they insisted on staying for the sketch.

For Scavenger Hunt 148  https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-148-feb-7-feb-15.7718/
 Number 5 - turtles, the bigger ones are from South America and have been refired in our fire.  The top left is a whistle with black gunk on its head.  Both the ones on top were very colorful and now just pottery colored.  The bottom left was the bright blue and white from Chile, so cute.  The smallest is silver and I don't remember where it is from.  It sits on Gene's desk so must have been a gift for him??

 
We stopped for take out at the Lakeline Cafe close to the house.  It is an oooolllldd saloon with pool tables, smoking  and dark and gloomy.  Had to use a flashlight to sign the receipt.  I ordered ahead to avoid the smoke but had to wait anyway.  Should have waited outside, I'm still feeling smoky.  The food is surprisingly good.  The burger for Gene was done on the old fashioned flat grill.  I had catfish basket which came with two huge pieces of catfish, hush puppies and fries.  We also received a chocolate rose.  It was hollow of course but a nice gesture.  We had that for our Valentine's Day chocolate.  Hope you had a nice time.

Baseball news .. no more art.

The Longhorns opened the season in Arlington at a tournament.  They played the Louisville Cardinal and lost 4 - 3.  They were ahead until the bottom of the 9th, 2-0.  Louisville tied it up so the game went to the 10th inning.  The Horns went ahead with a home run, but Louisville came back in the bottom and scored two runs.  Such is life.  The game was called by Craig Way and Keith Moreland.  Always good to hear them.  Thought of streaming the game but the service was sketchy so stuck with what we know and just listened.

I hope this isn't going to be like the last two years.  The Horns lost all three games in the opening tournament.  Tonight they play Old Miss and tomorrow night Oklahoma State. New coach and new players so wishing them well!   Hook 'em Horns.

 

Happy Valentine's Day!

 I never know whether to put Valentines or Valentine's.  Figured it out today.  It is St. Valentine's Day so ....  Hope you have been having a good one.

Happy Valentine's Day! 

Valentine's Day related was on the list.  Gene went to physical therapy and they had a heart shaped red balloon by the front desk so I sketched that.  I had a pretty good shape with the Micron 03.  I decided to put some red on it at home.  The paper in the Canson travel sketchbook is regular paper so doesn't even take the ink very well, you can see some of the Sharpie bleeding through by the heart.  I used colored pencil which has to be layered to get dark colors.  I lost the shape doing that and also the white paper for highlights.  I added some with a gel pen afterwards.  At least I sketched.

For Scavenger Hunt from Life 148  https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-148-feb-7-feb-15.7718/

Number 4 Valentine's Day related - balloon about 18 inches tall in the small Canson sketchbook with Micron 03, colored pencil and gel pen.

After PT we ordered lunch and stopped at the local dingy smokey bar to pick up an old fashioned grilled burger for Gene and catfish for me.  It is good food but the bar is smokey and so dark I had to use light from a phone to sign the credit card bill.  They gave us a chocolate rose.  I will have to try to sketch that too before we eat it later.  That is our Valentine's Day celebration.  Gene didn't get out to find me a little toy ... maybe tomorrow.  

Likely there will be more to this story.......