Under the Tree

 I have a Nativity set under my tree that was used in my family when I was growing up. I remember my mom coming home after she bought it, so I couldn't have been too young. I got custody of it at some point and remember shopping with Mom one day and coming across the stable. It was a perfect addition to the scene. 

I did this on a page with a few other Christmas related sketches I did recently.

Out of the Box

I've been slowly finishing up an assortment of projects, but I wanted to get my living room ready for Christmas. Pulling out the tree is always a project even though it is in a box that only requires moving things on one side of the living room closet. lol Of course I pulled the sections out and procrastinated by sketching the pieces as they were out of the box. Yes, by noon the tree was actually put together and all parts of it were lit. Yay! Decorating it will take place soon.

Sketches from the Met

 I have wanted to sketch the Christmas tree at the Metropolitan Museum of Art for a long time. The area is dimly lit which makes it difficult to see clearly, and the crowd is sometimes a bit much. I tucked myself and my stool into a spot against a wall so people wouldn't bump into me. I worked quickly with my watercolors and ink (even though the watercolors aren't actually allowed...just dry meaterials).

I had a little time before the NYC Urban Sketchers were having their show-and-tell so I returned to the Greek collection where I found this view.

Happy New Year's Eve

 Happy New Year's Eve! 

I am closing out 2024 with a painting I did of the lobster trap-buoy Christmas tree I sketched in Northport Harbor recently. Wishing you a happy, healthy, prosperous, and inspired 2025!

Posca Tree

 I wanted to sketch our tree, but doing all the individual ornaments seemed like an endless task. Instead I used Posca markers. The colors cover each other so it made it easier to do the ornaments over some of the green and add layers of colors. I like the way it came out!

Usk Sketchmas Day 14

 The prompt for yesterday's Sketchmas was "tall building" and I had timed it perfectly with my trip into NYC. I was meeting friends for dinner and a Broadway show (Neil Diamond's, It's a Beautiful Noise) so I planned my day so that I could go to Bryant Park before meeting up with them. I sat near the skating rink and painted the view in front of me.

I didn't get to see the tree in Rockefeller Center since it meant walking another 6 city blocks and I had already walked from Penn Station (32 St) to the park on 42 St...and I would still have to walk back later.

There is a Christmas tree in Bryant Park but it pales in comparison to the one in Rockefeller Center.

Here are a few photos of my day in Bryant Park.

The view across the skating rink.

A line in front of the Stroopwaffle booth.

The yummy fresh stroopwaffles dipped in chocolate and covered with toppings. Yes, I did indulge and thought about having them in Amsterdam when I was there.

Bell decorations on the tree.

Patchogue Christmas Tree & Menorah

The Patchogue Christmas tree isn't too grand, but when I was nearby the other day I liked the composition of this scene. So I stopped and sketched it.

 

Christmas on Main Street

Since I didn't get to watch the lighting of the Christmas tree in Sayville I headed over there the next day and sketched the tree and a bit of Main Street. 

My Tree and Decorations

 As I said in the last post the theme of the week for the NYC Urban Sketchers is light. What do I think of immediately when I think of light and the holidays? Of course...my Christmas tree. I did this as a direct watercolor which means no pencil lines or guide lines.

In the Wet Canvas Scavenger Hunt that ended on Christmas Day, I drew a few of my Christmas ornaments. Many of the ornaments have special meanings or were gifts (some from a long time ago) like this reindeer ornament which was made by my niece, Karen when she was young. She is now in her early 50s. I hope that you have ornaments that are special to you and enjoy looking at them as much as I do.

Sayville Tree

 The holiday season is definitely upon us. Sayville has their Christmas tree decorated already but the lighting won't be until tomorrow night.  It was a rainy day so I sat in my car in the parking lot across the street from this view. I stayed dry, but the traffic kept blocking my view. lol

Starbucks

Yesterday was a chilly, rainy, raw day and after a few errands I wanted to go sketch somewhere local. It was raining and I needed to use the windshield wipers so sketching from the car wasn't a good prospect. I ended up at a Starbucks in Bohemia, but one that I hadn't been to before. I was hoping it would looks a bit different inside...and it did...sort of. They were set up for Christmas with a tree and decorated gift boxes beneath it. I think it is a bit too early for a tree, but I sketched the view and included it anyway. The lady behind the counter was thrilled to see that I included her in the sketch.

O Christmas Tree

I decided to do something a little different for me and use a music sheet for the background of my painting. I tried printing out the music on my regular watercolor paper but it wouldn't go through the printer. I ended up using regular copy paper. I will try another like this soon but see if I can find a better paper that works.