Maybe I shouldn't admit that I only did these sketches out of guilt. Scavenger Hunt 635
ended yesterday. My friend, Joe, was the host and I had only done one sketch. Not very nice. Therefore I did a few sketches to make up for lost time or left out sketches or whatever you want to call it and posted at the last minute.
I usually do 9 - 15 sketches out of the 26 items. A very limited number of times I did more and a couple of times I did all 26 items when it was listed as a challenge. We also had an unwritten competition for a while to see who could do all the items. Sketchers drift in and out of the Hunts so the atmosphere changes with the different sketchers.
Artists take part in the Hunts for different reasons. I like the camaraderie. I can practice my sketching which seems to help my painting. I use this blog like a journal and sketching gives me something to post when I don't paint.
Some of the artists need a place to refresh their skills. Some have the same reasons I stated. Some are just trying new things. Sometimes the sketchers get busy with a project, leave the group and return when they are not so busy.
It has been fun since 2006. We have seen children grow up. Ai's girls in Thailand for sure. Some artists have passed away, Kivrin comes to mind. wetcanvas has been an online family for me, especially the Scavenger Hunts and the Southwest Forums. I check out the Pastel and Plein Air forums and occasionally a few of the others, like watercolor or acrylics.
wetcanvas was started by some artists that wanted to share ideas. The company that printed the Pastel Journal started sponsoring it. They declared bankruptcy a couple of years ago and now I think that Dick Blick is the main sponsor or at least the main advertiser. Wetcanvas has grown to a huge community and the format was recently changed to WordPress. This has been a huge undertaking and we are all struggling to get used to the changes.
Wetcanvas is agreeable with me in that they have advertising but do not force you to look at anything you don't want to see. They have debate forums for unleashing your frustrations but do not put the posts on your section, the artist has to look for and sign up to comment and take part in each Forum. There is a category for most media and conversation. They have a huge library of photos to paint from.
Check it out. Maybe you will find a niche and become a regular. Well, after you figure out how it works.
My sketches yesterday were done on one page in the big coffee table book with a Micron 02 fine line marker/pen.
Number 2, towel
Number 3, fry pan
Number 4, cabinet
Number 5, horizon
You all have seen our horizon in many sketches. The fry pan is electric and been around a few months, the first sketch of it. The cabinet is also sketched for the first time. Because we sketch from life and not photos, it is not easy to find new items after all these years. I did take the big book to New Mexico a couple of times, so that helped with variety.
A new Hunt started yesterday so I will be back with some sketches. We may go to Austin to get a new tire for Gene's trike which he still rides faithfully. We need to eat out and support our restaurants. We went to Maxine's on Sunday. It was the first time ever there was not a wait. That is not good for business. Hope to see you all out and about.
We are thinking of having Father's Day here at home. I love eating in restaurants but holidays are not the best time for that. I checked yesterday to see if H*E*B, our Texas grocery, has brisket yet. (I was told they were grinding all the special cuts into burger with the problems in the meat packing plants.) They had it on the shopping list at $12.99 a pound. Yikes! Sounds good, though, doesn't it? Gene's special recipe on the grill with baked potatoes and corn on the cob. Mmmmm. Can you smell it?
Makes me hungry. I think I will go make some fresh flour tortillas, cook up some chile and have brunch. Later......
4 comments:
WetCanvas is definitely a family and I love that there are so many really great people that I have known there for years. It is great that people wander off and often return again. I know i'm a little guilty of that, but I try to at least get a sketch or two in for the majority of the hunts. AND I've met great people IRL from the group like you and Ai. Glad you got a few sketches done for Joe's hunt. Lately I haven't been too good at supporting our local restaurants. Jerry is following a diabetic diet and it is too hard to think of something that is good for him to eat...just not enough veggies with anything, plus I haven't been leaving him to go out unless my SIL is around. Hopefully that will change as he gets better.
Hi Joan, nice to hear you agree about wetcanvas. You are more active than I am for sure. It was fun to meet you. Diets are hard. Hope things get easier for you to get out. I know you enjoy that, too. Sending positive vibes and hoping for speedy recovery for Jerry. Looking forward to your beach scenes!
I need to do more Wetcanvas stuff, but then I need to do lots of stuff that I don't do. I seem to be in a funk about getting stuff done. I did ride my bike twice this past week. I have some art deadlines coming up. That might make me kick it into gear.
Bag Blog, wetcanvas has become very cumbersome, it was confusing before, but you could get to places easy and tell who posted last, etc. Now you have to get notices by email or visit every place you posted to see if anyone else has posted. I don't like to get all the emails so go to each place. Maybe I will get used to it. Lots of people seem to be waiting and not posting.
You do lots of stuff, I wouldn't worry about one more place. I just quit facebook, twitter and instagram. I haven't missed it except some of my art buddies. The Austin Pastel is doing all their stuff on facebook now and I just rejoined so I won't be doing anything until they meet in person again.
Thanks for coming by here. :-)
Post a Comment