Inktober Day 31 - Brookhaven View & Thoughts

Today is the final day of Inktober 2017. My last sketch was done with my twig and Chinese ink on the property where my plein air group was invited to paint in Brookhaven today. This is my first time trying to do moving water with this method...and it worked.

Was Inktober worth doing? I say yes, and here are my reasons.

#1 - It gave me the opportunity to look at and think about values a bit more than usual. Concentrating on values will help me with my watercolor paintings too.

#2 - I practiced the twig and Chinese ink technique a lot. I think I counted about a dozen days when I used this technique. Without this challenge I'm sure I would have maybe done one twig sketch in the month...if that. Doing it so often helped me tweak the technique a little to make it work better for me. I added more ink to my container than KK recommended for us, and found out the ink wasn't quite waterproof. That gave me the option to use a water brush with it too and take advantage of the fact that it might bleed.

#3 - Sometimes it is worth forcing yourself to do something even when it would be much easier to just sit on the couch and relax. 

Will I do it again? Most definitely!

#inktober #inktober2017

I would also like to wish everyone a Happy Halloween!!! I am hoping we get some trick-or-treaters today so I am not left with two bags of candy! So far we have not had anyone....this does not bode well. lol

Inktober Day 30 - Sayville Park & Scarecrow

Today I went into Sayville and sketched the entrance to the small park that is by the beach there. I like the one stone pillar and the fence. I've sketched it before but not with my twig and Chinese ink.

#inktober #inktober2017

I did another of Bellport's scarecrows. I didn't count this one for Inktober. I think she was a fairy.

Inktober Day 29 - Yaphank Garage & Pumpkin Field

Today is a stormy, wet day in New York. I didn't intend to go out of the house at all but then I remembered  I needed to do an Inktober sketch. So I figured I would go somewhere and just sit in the car and sketch. I couldn't go to any of my usual favorite places by the water because today is the Suffolk County Marathon and I have to cross Montauk Highway to get down near the water. Then I remembered the Yaphank Garage. Part of the fun of sketching the gas pumps there is their bright yellow color, but I left it black & white. I had to sketch looking out the side window of the car because it was raining too much to see out the front window without having the wipers on. lol

#inktober #inktober2017

Last Tuesday my plein air group was scheduled to go to a pumpkin farm in Manorville. It was a cloudy, very windy day and I was the only one who went. It was too windy to sit out (and dust was blowing around) so I once again painted from my mobile studio.

Inktober Day 28 - B&W and Color

Today two friends and I decided to head north a bit and see if there was any color on the trees. We stopped in Dobbs Ferry in Westchester County which is under 1 1/2 hrs from home. Yes, there was more color than here, but I think this year won't be a good year for color. We are expecting a big storm with heavy rain and high wind which will probably knock a lot of the leaves off the trees. Anyway, Dobbs Ferry is a very hilly town. We parked at the top of a rather steep street that had a bit of a view of the Hudson River. I decided that would be the view I would sketch. Of course the best spot was right in the middle of the top of the street, but I couldn't actually sit there. Instead I stood in the middle, moved when a car came, and sketched standing up. Then I inked the pencil sketch. This is how the ink sketched looked when I posted it for Inktober Day 28 today. 

#inktober #inktober2017

I just couldn't leave it as ink only. It was calling for color, color, color! So I added a bit. lol

Inktober Day 27 - Post Morrow &

I wanted to do another twig and Chinese ink sketch, so today I headed over to the Post Morrow Foundation's preserve. It is along one of the small rivers in Brookhaven that lead out into the Great South Bay. #inktober #inktober2017

The other night the Patchogue Sketch Club met at Bowl Long Island in Patchogue. Wednesday is League Night so it gets pretty crowded and noisy. We grabbed a few tables and waited for the bowlers to get organized. That gave me time to sketch in the lanes and some of the surrounding details. The guy who is bowling had come over to see what we were doing and told me I could put him into the sketch. I told him I had already left a space for him so go bowl. lol It is really hard to catch the movement since it changes so quickly and then you have only one other chance before another bowler replaces the first one. I try to combine the actions of several bowlers, and then "dress" the bowler with what they were wearing and maybe some detail that is recognizable about them. He thought it was great. People kept coming over to see what we were doing and are always amazed that we are there for the sole purpose of sketching, not bowling. We try to visit there once a year to sketch.

Inktober Day 26 - Beach View & Surf Shop

Today was a cloudy damp day but I needed to get an Inktober sketch done. I headed to the beach down South Dunton Ave in East Patchogue. I liked the view with the beach grasses, trees, and the distant view of Fire Island in the distance. The tide must have been high because there was quite a bit of water backed up onto the street. The sky had some dark rain clouds so after sketching this with the twig and Chinese ink I wet the ink that was in the sky. It bled a lot but I think it made it look dark and stormy...or like night. lol 

#inktober #inktober2017

I have passed this surf shop in Sayville so many times and have thought it would make a good sketch or painting, but there has always been cars or trucks in the way. I finally had a day where nothing was blocking my view and I was able to sketch it.

Inktober Day 25 - Lakeview Cemetery

For Inktober today I went to a historical cemetery in Patchogue that they have been working on lately.  They are having the Day of the Dead Event to raise money for the restoration. I am doing something for the fundraiser (see below). #inktober #inktober2017

As part of the fundraiser for the restoration of the Lakeview Cemetery the Patchogue Chamber of Commerce is holding a Dia' de los Muertos event at a steep price of $80 per person...too steep for me. One of my art organizations had interested artists purchase a plaster skull to decorate as a table decoration for the event. Then the skulls will be raffled off. Here is my contribution.

Inktober Day 24 - Pumpkins & Still Life

We are having a super windy day here today so my Inktober Day 24 sketch was done from my mobile studio. I didn't want my sketchbook or myself to blow away. This was done at the W & K Farm in Manorville. It was very hard not to pull out that orange paint. lol

My Wednesday evening sketch group went back to Hoptron Brewtique in Patchogue last week. Since I had already sketched the bar and patrons the week before I wasn't sure what I would sketch. But someone brought along pumpkins, we had flavored popcorn in a basket, a beer and a deer skull. I think that was more than enough for a still life.

Inktober Day 23 - Sayville House & A Sale

Today I had to meet someone in Sayville for a few minutes so while I was there I found a place to sketch. At first I was just going to sketch the fountain, but I really liked the archways in the front of the house so I included a bit more. This was done with my Lamy pen which was filled with permanent ink. I touched my water brush to the pen nib to get some washes.

#inktober #inktober2017

I had painted this painting on location at Andrews Family Farm recently. I usually paint there several times each year.  The owner saw it and told me she wanted the painting. I told her I would take it home and adjust the painting indoors. My eyes have a hard time seeing what needs to be adjusted and made darker when I'm working out in the sun. Anyway the other day I went back out to Andrews Farm and delivered the painting to Denise. I think she now owns 3 or 4 of my paintings. I guess that means I have an official collector. lol

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.

Inktober - Day 15 - At the Cemetery

Today the NYC Urban Sketchers went to Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn. It is a huge place and the burial place of some famous people like Leonard Bernstein and Louis Tiffany. We drove around to find a good view to sketch and ended up by one of the back gates. I'm going to post this first, because it was what attracted us to this area...the prostrate angel was so moving that I had to sketch it. I used watercolor pencils for this.

This next sketch is my Inktober Day 15 sketch done right around the same area as the angel. I used my Lamy pen with waterproof black ink as well as my Elegant Writer to make some areas bleed.

Inktober - Day 14 - Protest & Hoptron Brewtique

The activist in me surfaced for a while today. Some organizations here on Long Island joined together to do a "Stop the War on Women - The Handmaid's Resist & Rally" in Melville. We had a drizzly start to the day so when it stopped raining I went over early for the rally and sketched the people arriving for my Inktober Day 14 sketch. People were asked to wear red shirts and some people were in red capes like in the show "A Handmaid's Tale." It was good to see some men and children at the rally. #inktober #inktober2017

On Wednesday evening some of the members of the Patchogue Sketch Club went to the Hoptron Brewtique in Patchogue to sketch. Wednesday is a slow night for them so they didn't mind us commandering a large table and staying for a while to sketch. We did have either beer or hard cider as well as snacks. I sketched some of the people standing up at the bar.

Inktober - Day 13 and a Zentangle

Today I headed out to the north fork of Long Island to sketch and stop at the farmstands while there is still produce available. Wowak Farms in Laurel is one of my favorite places to stop and their stall is out front of the farm right along the main road. I sat across the road in my car because the road is so busy. I've sketched it before and always buy some of their fresh veggies. Today I got broccoli, tomatoes and corn. Yum!

A week or two ago I went to another zentangle class given by an accredited Zentangle teacher. This time the instructor showed us how to shade the design to make it more three-dimensional. I swore I was going to do some more of them, but haven't done any others since. :(

Inktober - Day 12 - Scarecrow

At this time of year I love going to Bellport to see all the scarecrow decorations they have. Most of the lampposts and trees along Main St and Bellport Lane have a scarecrow hanging. You can vote on your favorite. I checked out a few of them and picked "Skippy the Hippy" for my Inktober Day 12. Why did I select him? It was windy out and he was in front of a restaurant called Porters on Bellport Lane that offered a wall to block the wind and a cushioned ledge to sit while I sketched.

#inktober #inktober2017

As with most of the Inktober sketches I have the urge to add color, so after I photographed Skippy, I pulled out my watercolors. With all the patterns in Skippy's clothing I had to add the color.

Inktober - Day 11 - Weeks Boat Yard & Farm Painting

Today I drove over to Weeks Boatyard to sketch one of their rustic barns. The twig and Chinese ink work well for scenes like that.

Now I can return to posting some other work. Before I left for Maine the Patchogue Sketch Club met at Swell Taco to have dinner and sketch. We sketched there back in August when the model was wearing the taco costume. It was crowded so we ended up sqashing 6 of us at a table for 4. The waitress would stop and check if she could take anything off the table, but most of it was our still life that kept being rearranged as the night went on. lol

The chips and the hot sauce made a good still life.

So did my actual dinner...a carne aside taco and a chicken taco.

We had a lot of fun, but I think we need to make sure we do a larger table if we try this again.