Long Island Aquarium - Part 1

I found out recently that the Long Island Aquarium in Riverhead allows free entry up to 7 days before or 7 days after your birthday. Since it was my birthday yesterday, I planned a trip to the Aquarium on Tuesday. I brought along my iPad and planned to do at least one digital sketch. I sat myself down in front of the octopus tank. For the most part he/she was friendly when I was by myself, but as soon as there was noise (little kids) he/she hid behind the structure in the tank. The octopus NEVER stopped moving...and that is 8 legs of movement! I'm glad I was working on the iPad because if it was a regular sketch I would have been erasing like crazy.

I also sat in front of the coral reef tank. Luckily the coral stays fairly still...but the fish keep moving. This was fun to do because it was so colorful. I spent a lot of time on this sketch and tried using several layers.

Don't worry. I didn't abandon my traditional sketching on paper. I'll post that sketch tomorrow.

Under the Sea - Part 1

 Yesterday the NYC Urban Sketchers's Virtual theme was "Endless Wonders Under the Sea." We were provided with a wonderful web page designed by one of the members with links to all kinds of videos and photos of things under the sea. I decided to use a page from a sketchbook I had received from two good friends. It is a Stillman & Birn Nova Trio and contains toned papers in three colors: tan, black, and gray. I knew the black world be a fun background for some of the sea creatures I saw in the photos, like this blanket octopus. I used gouache instead of watercolors since it is opaque enough to cover the black. I really like the way this came out.

Octopus

This was done using a sketch I had done for a "fake journal" a few years ago when I did a journal about working at an aquarium. This is another card for the art postcard project. It seems that my friend has extended the deadline so I should be able to do a few more before I send out this batch.

Porto Days 2 & 3

After a good night's sleep I was wide awake at 6:30 on Tuesday and starving. Unfortunately I hadn't shopped for food the day before and nothing was open yet. I did check the internet and the bakery by me opened at 7 so I headed there as soon as it opened. Porto and Portugal are known for their custard tarts called pasteis de nada...and they are delicious. The pastries aren't as sweet as we have at home, so that is my justification for being able to have them for breakfast. I picked up a coffee, a pasteis de nada and some kind of croissant that was also filled with custard and topped with powdered sugar. I just had to sketch it. It was hard to restrain myself. lol

I did some food shopping and then made plans to meet two of my friends at the Virtudes Park. I got directions from Googlemaps and headed off. Googlemaps gives you directions but you do not get an option for the least number of steep streets. lol It was an uphill climb until the last street. I picked a spot and sketched this scene from one of the terraced levels of the park. (Yes, that meant more climbing.)

The park was big and my friends couldn't find me. I thought I could find them easier so I had them describe their location. I found them and we all sketched a bit of this view.

For lunch we stopped at the Arvore Restaurante that had outdoor seating and a nice view that I was able to sketch. The food was good too.

I had enough time to go back to my apartment and relax a bit before a large group of us went out to dinner. I had my first Porto octopus! I was hooked!!

Wednesday morning we registered for the Porto Symposium.  We got in line and just kept meeting people that we knew from last year's symposium. It was fun to get together again. Once we registered we got to pick the demo we would be going to. I selected Ian Fennely from the UK. I liked his work and he was highly recommended by an internet friend.

Outside the Alfandega (which was an old customs house converted into a meeting venue) there were quirky little houses facing the river. Each one was different and fun to sketch. Every day there would be a line of sketchers facing that view and sketching.

Wednesday afternoon was the first sketchwalk of the symposium. All 800 of us headed toward the Luis I Bridge. There were sketchers sitting everywhere! Julie was sketching next to me.

Then I sketched some of the buildings across the Douro River.

That evening was the opening reception of the Symposium at the Alfandega hub. I was able to reconnect with friends and meet another friend who I had known just thought the internet probably for more than 15 years.

Lucy who had been part of our NYC Urban Sketchers until she moved back to France.

With my friend Tina Koyama from Seattle.

With my friend Kitty Van Den Heuvel from the Netherlands who I met in person for the first time at this symposium.