Sunday, May 18, 2014

Sketching in Washington Heights.

I met up with the NYC Urban Sketchers on Saturday. Svetlana organized a wonderful day for us in Washington Heights. We met at Bennett Park which is on the former site of Ft. Washington. Inside the park are some cannons which were fun to sketch...or climb on like the little kids did.


Next we headed down the hill to Plaza Lafayette which overlooks the river and the George Washington Bridge. I wanted to try to catch the height of the bridge down to the bike path down at the bottom so I used a vertical format.


We had some regular members of the group show up to sketch and welcomed a few new sketchers. We have members from France, Germany, Russia, and China sketching with us. Most of them work here in NYC or are finishing their education. It is an interesting group.

Here are John and Mark sketching the view.

Svetlana 

Jimmy 

Lucy

Michael

And the whole group from the morning.

Our next stop was lunch. Some of us sketched a bit. I did a woman at the next table. I used my ink pen and the crayons that were on the table. That waxy smell of crayons always takes me back to beijng a kid. I usually sketch directly on the table covering, but decided I wanted it in my sketchbook...just in case it came out good. 


After lunch we went down to the park by "The Little Red Lighthouse" also known as the Jeffrey's Hook Lighthouse. It is right at the bottom of the George Washington Bridge. It is no longer operating but is a popular spot, especially since a children's book had been written about it. I liked seeing this 40 ft structure contrasted against the huge bridge. I sketched the lighthouse with a view of the workings underneath the bottom of the bridge.


There was a group having a picnic nearby so I included them in a second sketch. I did this one directly in ink...no pencil lines first.


My thanks to Svetlana for organizing a great day of sketching and to all the sketchers who showed up today to make the day such fun!

I reposted most of this from the NYC Urban Sketchers blog...I don't know how/why it came out with a colored background and frames around the sketches. I wish I knew. lol

17 comments:

  1. It sounds like such a great day, Joan, I love all the sketches especially the first ...with the cannon .......and the sketch of the lighthouse with the bottom of the bridge is fantastic!

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    1. Thanks. LOL I think the lighthouse was easier to do than the underneath part of the bridge.

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  2. So wonderful to see all the photos of the artists at work! I really like numbers one and two....

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  3. Goodness I dont know how you fit all this in and sketch so many in one day. I love the little red lighthouse

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    1. Thanks! We really sketch all day, so most of us get quite a few done.

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  4. You really manage to get a lot done in a day. Love this en plein air paintings. Looks like a great group too

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    1. Thanks, Polly. We met at 10 and sketched until nearly 4. With them you learn to sketch quickly.

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  5. These are beautiful sketches, Joan. I really love the crayon piece and the lighthouse just below it. That red is gorgeous!!

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    1. Thank you. That red took a lot of coats to get dark enough.

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  6. It sounds like a great day and people! I love seeing it all through your sketches!

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  7. You are so good to go each week. I really wanted to go to this week's sketch, but had a wedding to go to.

    Loved all of your sketches and your narrative. Laughed at why there's a colored background and frames around your sketches since I wouldn't have a clue either. It's just one of those mysteries of the computer that we don't understand. Perhaps find a 6 year old and ask.

    Hope to see you at a sketching event soon.

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    1. Thanks. I think it is because I copied and pasted what I already posted on the other blog and it has a tan background.

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  8. Oh my Joan - these are all great - such wonderful places to visit. It was nice seeing the group you sketch with also. Sounds like such fun. If I ever get to NYC - I will just have to come sketching with you. Thanks for sharing and have a great week.

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  9. Great sketches! Now you've got the bridge and cannons from both sides of the river.

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