The Park in the Rain

Last Wednesday the Patchogue Sketch Club had Rotary Park in Sayville as our location for the evening. The Lazy Bunny Ukulele Band was playing. We saw them last year and sketched them. Since I had sketched the whole band the last time I decided to sketch the crowd instead. As soon as I pulled out my sketchbook a very light drizzle started falling and some of my ink lines immediately started to bleed. You can see that in the 3 people that were in front of my. I didn't care. I was going to sketch. Most of the ink lines ended up being OK, but as I started to add watercolor the drizzle got heavier. It gave a bit of a watery look to the foliage and the grass. I know two of the other sketchers did some sketching too, but I think they stopped before it got so wet. I sort of like the effect. By the way, the band was fun!

 

Concert in the Park

  Sayville Common Ground Rotary Park has concerts on Wednesday nights. My sketch club met there for the first concert of the summer and some sketching. The weather forecast predicted possible storms but a fairly big crowd turned out anyway, but few of us sketchers showed. I think there were only four of us.

People get there early to gather with friends and chat, have a bite to eat, etc. I used that time to do a direct painting of a few people and a dog.

The concert itself was by "Strange Magic," a ELO (Electric Light Orchestra) tribute band. They sounded pretty good and had a lazer light show while they performed. After about 40 minutes or so you could tell that the stormy weather was coming...but we kept sketching. Finally I looked up and decided it would be best to put away my painting materials before the rain started. I was just in time! The rain started coming down lightly and one of our members headed home. The rest of us and the rest of the crowd stayed until the end. Yes, by that time I was pretty wet. I was wearing a rain jacket but water resistant and waterproof are very different. Mark, Pat and I toughed it out and had a nice time. ELO isn't one of my favorite groups, but I was surprised that they did so many songs that I knew and enjoyed. I did snap a few photos so that I could touch up the sketch at home. Once in a while when I sketch performers I show the sketch to them but I wasn't doing that in the rain, so I looked for the band and found them on Facebook. I messaged them and sent a copy of the sketch. They loved it and reposted it on their page.