Inktober Day 22 - Dune View & Dyckman Farmhouse Part 2

It was sunny and warm this morning so I decided to go over to the beach to do today's Inktober sketch. #inktober #inktober2017

The NYC Urban Sketchers continued our day at the Dyckman Farmhouse in Manhattan as part of our urban sketching day with USK Indonesia. This old, Dutch farmhouse was interesting to sketch from all sides.

At the end of the afternoon I was sitting on top of a picnic table (photo below) looking up toward where some of the other sketchers were working. I didn't have much time but I did capture some of them at work.

Just in case you were wondering why I sat on the picnic table...if I sat on the seat the hill blocked the sketchers who were working up there.

Before heading off to the Inwood Bar and Grille for refreshments we posed for a group photo on the back steps of the Dyckman Farmhouse.

As always we met afterwards for drinks and food...a great time to sketch some of the sketchers on the other side of the table. We had a lot of people for "show & tell" this week so there wasn't a lot of time for people sketching. We were too busy looking at everyone's sketches.

I will have to check to see if USK Indonesia has posted anything from their day.

Inktober Day 21 - Dyckman Farmhouse in Ink and Color

Today's Inktober Day 21 sketch was done at Dyckman Farmhouse in the Inwood section of Manhattan. I was there with the NYC Urban Sketchers today for an unusual urban sketching day. The NYC Urban Sketchers spent the day sketching at the Dyckman Farmhouse, an old Dutch Farmhouse located on Broadway, while our counterparts in Indonesia were sketching on the Spice Island on Manhattan Street. The Treaty of Breda connected Manhattan Island, the Dutch, and the Spice Islands with the trade of nutmeg. The NYC Urban Sketchers are doing a sketch trade with our friends in Indonesia. We are sending them a bit of Manhattan while they are sending us a bit of the Spice Islands. I first sketched this view in ink.
#TreatyofBredaSketchCrawl #nycurbansketchers #Manhattan_RhunSketchwalks #urbansketchers #bandafestival #malukusketchwalk #spiceTrailSketch #uskindonesia #indonesiasketchers 
#reconnectHistory

#inktober #inktober2017

I wanted to add color to the sketch because it was my contribution to the trade with the Indonesian sketchers. I hope whoever gets it in trade likes it.

Inktober Day 20 - Sayville Ferry Terminals & New Tiles

Today I sketched along River Road in Sayville. One after another there are ferry terminals/ticket booths to the different areas on Fire Island. The entire length of the street has street signs that say "No Parking April 1 - Nov 1. Of course that forces you to pay to park your car in the huge lot that was to my right. I ignored that and sat in my mobile studio to sketch this view down the street. I wasn't parking...I was sketching! LOL

#inktober #inktober2017

I recently did a few new alcohol ink tiles. I did use a different product to coat the tiles and protect them called Enviro Tex Lite Pour-On, High Gloss Finish. It really gives them a super glossy protective coating. It isn't too hard to use...just rather messy since you pour it over the tiles (which have to be raised up) so the finish coats the top and drips down and off the sides. Needless to say, your work area needs to be well covered. I'm happy with it!

Inktober Day 19 - East Islip Marina

Today's Inktober sketch was done at the East Islip Marina. This piece of equipment has been sitting in the same place for several years. At one point they were redoing that end of the marina but it has been finished for a long time. I used my twig, Chinese ink, and a stencil brush. 

#inktober #inktober2017

When I finished the sketch I decided to add some watercolors to see what it would look like. Some of the ink ran which surprised me since I thought it was permanent...which it was in most of the sketch.

The color changes the look of it a lot, doesn't it?

Inktober Day 18 - Scarecrow & People Sketches

I stopped in Bellport for a quick Inktober sketch of another scarecrow this afternoon. This is "Mylar Mermaid" and her tail seems to be made from pieces of mylar in colors and prints.

#inktober #inktober2017

The NYC Urban Sketchers almost always go to a bar or restaurant at the end of our sketching day to have something to eat, drink or just to share our work. There is always a "show and tell." The place that was selected for Sunday's gathering was Greewood Park. It was an unusual place since it is a former gas station that now houses a 13,000 sq ft indoor/outdoor pub with food, games, and a fireplace. 

Steve and Marie sketching.

Susan and Nobuko.

Here is one photo that Ruth took of some of the sketchers.

Inktober Day 17 - Huge Tree & Green-Wood Cemetery Part III

My plein air painting group went to Frank Melville Memorial Park in Setauket this morning. I've sketched and painted there many times. Sometimes it is hard to find something to inspire you when you have been there before. I think in the entire landscape there was one tree that had changed color and the red barn that usually entices me was wrapped in orange fencing because they are repairing it. So a friend and I walked around a bit on one of the paths I hadn't been on before. We found this huge tree with a strange bamboo grove behind it. It wasn't something I would paint but I thought it made a good Inktober subject. I used my twig, Chinese ink, and a stencil brush for this one.

#inktober #inktober2017

My last sketch from Green-Wood Cemetery was done from up on a hill looking back at the main entrance to the cemetery. I believe that the highest spot in Brooklyn is in Green-Wood Cemetery. Up at the top of that tall spire in the entrance is this huge nest and it is the home to the Brooklyn parrots. Parrots you ask...yes. There is a large colony of parrots that make their home in the entrance to Green-Wood Cemetery. Apparently back in the 1960s the parrots escaped from a shipment which arrived at Kennedy Airport which was coming from South America. The escapees found their way to Brooklyn. They have been there ever since. It is fun to watch them flying in and out of the openings in the entryway. I wish they came down a little closer so you could really see them.

Inktober Day 16 - Scarecrow & Green-Wood Cemetery Part II

Today was a damp day so I didn't want to sit outside and sketch. I figured that if I went back to Bellport I could find a parking spot near one of the scarecrows and sketch from my car. Moday is a fairly quiet day in Bellport. I picked "Farmer Joann" or did she pick me? LOL I didn't realize her name until I got out of the car to check. I used my Elegant Writer pen and Lamy with waterproof ink for this. #inktober #inktober2017

Yesterday was a busy day at Green-Wood Cemetery. I spied another angel to sketch. In fact, I could have spent several days there sketching angels. If you haven't heard of this cemetery here is a bit of information about it. It is a National Historic Landmark and was founded in 1838. By 1860 it was attracting 500,000 visitors a year. Today people enjoy the 478 acres of hills, valleys, ponds and paths. It has one of the largest outdoor collecting of 19th and 20th century statuary and mausoleums. Since it is so popular trolley tours are given to take you around this huge place.