Inktober Day 7 - Bellport Scarecrow

For the last few years I have enjoyed being able to sketch some of the scarecrows hanging on the trees and lamp posts in Bellport. When I passed through the town yesterday they were being put up, so today I headed back there for my Inktober Day 7 sketch. Each scarecrow is decorated differently and a contest is held to see which is the popular favorite. Today I sketched Scarecrow #3, "The Ghost of Bob Ross." I used my Elegant Writer Pen, my Lamy Safari pen, an orange micron pen, and some colored fountain pens from Zebra. I am sure I will get to sketch a few more this month.

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#inktober2019

Inktober Day 5 - At Domino Park

Today the NYC Urban Sketchers met at Domino Park in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. It was built on the grounds of the former Domino Sugar Refinery. Some of the buildings and structures were renovated and incorporated into the design of the park.

Of course I had to do one sketch for Inktober, so I focused on these tanks that once contained syrup. In the background is the actual building that housed the Domino Sugar Factory. It is being restored and converted into apartments/condos. I used my Elegant Writer pen, my Lamy filled with permanent platinum carbon black ink, and an orange micron pen.

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#inktober2019

#momentsketchers

At the end of the promenade under the Brooklyn Bridge there was a view of a restaurant, the skyline, and an area with some utility trucks and equipment. How could I resist those yellow trucks?

For my third sketch I focused on what I think are cranes and conveyors that must have been used to load and unload the sugar or the raw materials off boats that came up the river. In the back is a tank used in the refining process.

Inktober 2018 - Day 14 & 10 x 10 Workshop

For today's Inktober 2018's Day 14 sketch I went to Bellport. Like in the years past the town has decorated lamp posts and telephone poles with creative scarecrows with pumpkin heads. There is always a vote for your favorite scarecrow. The one I selected this time is Scarecrow #2 titled "Charlotte Mistress of the Night." I was attracted to her gown and the black long gloves...very high society. lol
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As I promised yesterday here is a bit about the NYC Urban Sketchers 10 x 10 workshop with Laura Rosen titled "Adding Atmosphere and Form with Color." It was a great workshop but the weather really didn't cooperate. Laura had us meet her at Riverside Park South at 68th Street and the Hudson River. The morning stared with rain so by the time everyone arrived they were wet and it was chilly and windy. Laura did a demo under the umbrellas at the outdoor cafe there but the rain was falling between the umbrellas and the wind was blowing it over to where we were working. We moved from there to a covered roadway that runs along the park. She showed us some prepared examples of how the colors in the sky transition from almost an ultramarine at the top slowly changing to cerulean as you go down and then to a light area with a tint of blue, yellow ochre, and a touch of alizarin. She also showed how warm and cool colors can help to give something form.

The rain finally stopped so we joined her out on the pier looking upriver toward the George Washington Bridge. She did a demo showing us how she layers cool and warm colors as she goes back into the scene to provide depth and atmospheric perspective. Laura uses an orange micron pen to sketch. She likes the warmth it adds to the sketches and it neutralizes with the cool colors. Here are a few photos from the demo.

Laura demonstrating her technique.

Laura adding color to the painting.

Laura's nearly finished painting.

It was hard to paint in the conditions we had because it was so damp that the paint wouldn't dry on the very damp paper. We moved back by the cafe for a wrap-up. It was a little warmer there because there was a lot less wind. Except for myself and one other sketcher everyone else opted to go leave and not paint because they were too uncomfortable. I knew I wasn't leaving without painting. So Ron and I went back on the dock. We went near some kind of storage shelter that blocked a little of the wind...enough that I was able to sketch without my fingerless gloves. lol Laura came out to check on us but she was shivering from being wet and cold. We told her she should go home and we would stay as long as we could. We were comfortable and the sun actually came out for about 2 minutes. Both of us were able to do two paintings each, one facing the bridge and one facing south. With the dampness it was hard to get dark colors without layers, but I was happy with my two paintings. I did end up adding a few darks at home to make the sailboats stand out a little more.

Around 2:00 Ron and I decided to call it a day and went to get some lunch. I think it was a productive day and a helpful workshop.