Scavenger Hunt 53, Sketches

I sketched these for Scavenger Hunt 53 last night just as it got dark. Not a good time to look at things in the fuzzy change between light and dark. Both are in the NY sketchbook with the Micron 005 in purple that is giving up the ghost. Sad. Well, so are the sketches.


This is #5, Clothesline. I tried to put in background and the roof of a house behind the line looks like it is part of the clothesline. The clothes pins look a little like birds instead. Ah me. About 10 minutes. Pen only, no pencil sketch for the challenge.


#6, Chair back. I thought this wooden chair would be so simple. Not. The perspective is all wrong and you can't tell if it is coming or going. Arghhh. But, I did want to put up a couple more sketches as this Hunt ends tomorrow. Pen only and obviously no pre sketch.

I'm hosting the next Hunt and it starts tomorrow. I need to get my list posted. Hope I get more than 6 done during my Hunt. You just never know what I might do. I think about 16 is the most sketches I have done out of the 26. I have taken part in the Hunts for over a year. That is something.

Lost and Found, Michael Fay, Marine Corp Artist

Well, thanks to bag blog, I found Michael Fay's, Fire and Ice again. It had been blogjacked and someone else is using his old site for their own ulterior motives. Cruel and unjust. But we are back on track and see his beautiful artwork and read all about it.

I have to go catch up on my reading .....

View into Study, Sketch for the Hunt

I sat on the deck and sketched and had coffee (decaf). For Scavenger Hunt 53, sketch #4 View from window/door into a room, I did the view into the study from the deck. The door has a wrought iron screen so a little hard to show what is inside. The door is open with a chair, desk and the far window and ceiling fan. Thank goodness the door isn't really this wonky or we wouldn't be able to go in and out. Ha. This was done with the Micron 005 in the NY Sketchbook. Challenge to sketch with pen and no pre-drawing with pencil.

I love the Micron pens. The first ones I used were size 05 and that seems to be the best for me. I bought a package of six in a variety of colors not noticing the difference in size. These new ones are 005. The fine line is lovely, but I tend to be a little heavy handed and have worn the nub on this purple one before its time! So sad.

The sketchbook says it has 200 sheets. I have used 23 on both sides so far this summer. I have a few to go to finish it, don't I? :( I have used it for the Scavenger Hunts, only and have been doing my other sketches in other books. Again I think the lines would be better/straighter if I put the book on a table to sketch, but I enjoy sketching outside and it is supposed to be enjoyable and for practice.

I will say, that sketching on a regular basis has encouraged me to keep at it. I tend to take the art bag and a sketchbook where ever I go now. I haven't sketched too much in restaurants. I'm usually with Gene and I don't let him read his newspaper or book, so I don't sketch. Heh, heh. I did sketch in Palomas, Mexico, the other day while I waited for him. I didn't post those sketches. Sketches are not really meant for the public and so I kept those for me.

It is beautiful out this evening, so I'm off to the deck. More tomorrow.

Scavenger Hunt 53 Sketches

I'm finally getting a few sketches for this Scavenger Hunt #53. A very slow start, indeed. It will end on September 2.


#1 A Hand holding an open book, my hand with the Micron 005 pen in the NY Sketchbook. About 10 minutes. Challenge with a pen, no previous sketch. That is my everyday challenge. :) I never make pencil lines. As I've said many times it is to try to look and then draw with confidence and quickly. It works when I pay attention. This sketch is pretty accurate. The book could be a little thicker at the bottom.


#2 Something made of plastic, a watering can. About 10 minutes to sketch and about 10 to color with colored pencil. I used the Micron 005 pen. Not a very good shape. It should be wider at the bottom. Challenges, no previous/pencil sketch and with color.


#3 A magazine cover, the Artist's Magazine, about 30 minutes. Sketched with the Micron 05 and colored with colored pencils. Sooooo slow. I am trying to be patient, but....... Both challenges, no pencil sketch and with color.

Tree sketches, pastel and ink pen

I haven't forgotten the tree studies for the month. I did a study in pastels of more cottonwood on Wednesday and Thursday. I wiped off the one I had done before. I like the trees much better the second time round. The house is a house in Magdalena that I just put under the trees and I think it is a bit large, making the trees look small. It is just a study though and I will probably take it off the Pastelbord and use it the surface again.


Here it is, pastel on Pastelbord, 8 x 10 inches.

While in Albuquerque, Gene did his birthday bike ride and while waiting for him I sketched this cottonwood up close. Good for the tree study. There was one of the old adobe houses there with blue trim, but the people were outside so I didn't take a photo. I couldn't see the house from my sketching angle. I would so love to have one of those old adobes with the 2 1/2 foot thick walls and old cottonwoods around. We need to win the lottery for that. :(


I sketched this little indoor Ficus at the hospital. I was more interested in the tree part so the pot is not great. I see that I didn't even date it.


From Mom Frances' room the view out the window toward the freeway. There were interesting plants growing on the slope, chamisa, grease wood and some grasses.

Mom Frances and Kristopher Battles, Marine Corps Artist

We have been in Albuquerque because Gene's mom had a heart episode, as they say. She had a stent put in that covers two blockages on Friday. She came home yesterday and is recovering quite nicely. She is pleased to be breathing much easier. When she was at home in Magdalena, her doctors in Socorro said she would just have to live with the blockages at her age, 90. She had the episode early Friday morning and was taken to the Heart Hospital and they decided to do the stent. Different doctors, different ideas. Great results!

I didn't get any posting done. Tonight as I was going through the blogs I read on a regular basis I saw that Kristopher Battles had posted some new portraits. You should check out his great work if you haven't already. Very talented and so interesting to see the documentation of the Marines.

I did do a tree sketch and will post that tomorrow.