My sketch for today is a time limit 5 minute sketch that was on Koosje's Inktober Prompt List. I made sure I had a good view from the front seat of my "mobile studio," set the time on my phone for 5 minutes and started sketching this view at The Farm on Lakeland in Sayville. My pen was moving quickly!
#inktober #inktober2026
Today's sketch does not follow any Inktober prompts. I did this sketch with the Patchogue Sketch Club and our theme for the evening was "cosmetics." I tried to compose my items into an interesting still life. Of course I later added some color to my ink sketch.
For today's Inktober sketch I followed Koosje's prompt list for "non dominant hand." Although I do this once in a while for the Creative Spark Scavenger Hunts, I haven't done one in a long time. It is so awkward to hold the pen in my left hand and also to make sure I am not smearing the ink as I sketch. This time I sketched the decorative shark hanging outside Claws Seafood Market in Sayville.
Inktober has just started and I am once again participating. The goal for the month is to do one ink sketch each day this month. Various people have come up with a list of prompts for the event. I sometimes follow the suggestions but most of the time I select my own subject to sketch, but it is fun to combine my ideas with other prompts. I'm including two of the Inktober lists below that I may refer to just in case you'd like to see some of the ideas that people came up with, or maybe take part. It is fine if you don't do an ink sketch every day this month, but it is fun to try and include a few.
My first sketch follows the first prompt on Koosje Koene's list - "continuous line, no lifting the pen." I really enjoy sketching that way. Kingston's Clam Bar in West Sayville is one of my favorite places to sketch...architecture, boats, foliage...
After being indoors for 2 days during our nor'easter I needed to head out. Since I wanted some fresh veggies I stopped at The Farm on Lakeland in Sayville to sketch a bit of their selection of plants. This was done in a small sketchbook...maybe 2 1/2 x 3 1/2.
The Creative Spark Scavenger Hunts give me the opportunity to combine some of the prompts and do a continuous line sketch. The promps were used for cleaning, used for travel (a travel adaptor), used for cooking (a spatula), made of plastic (a spray bottle), and used for art (a set of paints). Here is the colorized version with watercolor
With the nor'easter expected to hit Long Island and most of the tri-state area over the weekend, I headed out to get some supplies, food, and enjoy a bit of sketching before I would be stuck home. I stopped at the Bayport - Blue Point Library and sat in their reading area to sketch. It is a bright area even on dreary days. A few other patrons were in assorted places, but I only captured one lady in one of the comfy chairs near the window.
Long Island was expecting showers and the views near the Great South Bay in Sayville looking toward Fire Island were a little grey.
I like sketching the rides at the carnival...so many great colors. A good part of this was done with Posca markers. I sketched it the day after the carnival so there weren't any riders. I'm sure the packed this up for transport soon after I finished sketching it.
This boat was being worked on at Shellfish Marine by the West Sayville Dock. They always have such interesting looking boats on the premises. According to Google this is a tugboat and the tires make a good fender for the bow.
I've sketched this fountain which is in front of a home in Sayville so many times. I love fountains and the aren't very common. This was done in the sketchbook from Venice that seems to have no/not enough sizing on the paper. I'm trying to use it up anyway.
On Sunday a friend and I went to see the North East Watercolor Society's Members' Show in Garden City. The work was really good and inspiring. Since we were in the area we stopped at the Blick store in Carle Place. I bought a few tubes of watercolor and gouche as well as a few Neocolor II crayons since they sell them as open stock. I skeched some of the supplies when I got home since "bought recently" was one of the Creative Spark Scavenger Hunt prompts.
I couldn't visit Smith Point Park without sketching the actual ocean view. This was done directly in watercolor. I tried to catch the waves.
The clouds were great in the sky looking back toward the mainland from Smith Point Park. Sometimes you have to look the other way. lol
This is the front porch of the Swezey Avey House in Yaphank. My plein air group will be holding our annual exhibit and sale there in November. The patriotic bunting makes this historic house look so welcoming.
A new restaurant opened this spring in Bellport called La Plage. Passing by it today I saw this scene by the outdoor seating area. I quickly sketched the woman outside the fence just in case she moved away sooner than the other women. It was a smart move to draw her first because she moved off quickly.
As you know I do sketches for Creative Spark's Scavenger Hunts. Some of the sketches are really small like this sketch of a golf court. It is about 2 inches by 2 inches.
I stopped at the Sayville Farmers Market last Saturday. The vendors were set up around the perimeter of the field so I aimed for the vendors right actoss from where I was parked.
I had an appointment up in Wading River and when I was done I stopped at Andrews Family Farm to so a quick painting. I liked the view of the umbrella and table in the middle of the flower field.
This was sketched down at Sayville Beach looking toward the entrance. The flag was flying at half-mast since it was the 25th anniversary of 9-11.
