Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Opportunity: Sketchers & painters--Learn figure drawing skills this summer!



THE WORKSHOP IS FULL.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ON A WAITING LIST, CONTACT ME.
 


  My one and only (ever) figure drawing teacher, Michael Stasinos, has agreed to present a workshop in my studio in August for painters and sketchers who would like to start adding people to their paintings and sketches!  

To find out details, click on the tab above--"Learn Figure Drawing Skills for Painters and Sketchers." This is where you will find: dates, times, location, cost, PayPal button.

This workshop is being sponsored by Peninsula Art League as part of their annual Open Show event. Michael will be the juror of this international show for PAL, as well as leading this workshop.

I met Michael at the Gage Academy in Seattle (a decade...or more... ago?),  a young guy about my son's age back then (both are fifty +/- these days), sketching in the Open Figure Drawing drop-in program at the easel right next to mine. I remarked that I thought his figure sketches were really good, and, later he gave me a couple of pointers about sketching from the figure. I thought 'what a nice guy'. Later I blushed (inside my mind) when I learned he was, at that time, on the faculty of Gage Academy.

Subsequently, Michael became the full-time professor of Art & Design at Pacific Lutheran University, where my husband was a professor in the Business School. I took many excellent oil painting and drawing classes from Michael at PLU over several years, and when I could, attended his Wednesday evening (free) figure drawing sessions (no instruction there; always with a live model).

Later, when I opened my downtown Puyallup art studio, I hosted Michael for several workshops: either in plein air painting or figure drawing.

I know why Michael's  students always  love his workshops: He is a very generous teacher, offering loads of information and doing demonstration drawings from the live model. Then, it is the students' turn to practice capturing what has just been taught and demonstrated. This is repeated (at the upcoming workshop in my studio for 18 hours over three days!) Michael comes around to each easel and gives very kind feedback and suggestions tailored to the experience level of each artist.

In Michael's workshop in August in my studio in Puyallup, he will draw a lot/ you will draw a lot....and voila', you will be on the road to adding figures (which please you) to your paintings and sketches!



Above are two sketches completed by Michael for the PLU Anthropology Department, based on anthropological research information about the Anasazi Indians. These sketches were used as illustrations for a presentation to other anthropologists.


Above is a portion of one of Michael's paintings which includes figures. To see more of Michael's figure paintings, Click on the workshop tab above, and also, visit his website. Simply go to www.michaelstasinos.com


An Urban Sketch and an Urban Pub: The Copper Door


I received a note from the Manager of Tacoma's 'The Copper Door' a couple of days ago. She asked if she could have my permission to use a 'bit' of one of my sketches which she had found posted online. Her desire is to use it, as you see above.


The 'bit'  comes from my sketch (above) which I drew for marketing our 4th Annual Urban Sketchers Sketch Crawl which took place last August. ( See that 'bit' of Tacoma inside the glass? )

I'm dropping by to visit the Manager at 'The Copper Door' later this week. It should be fun to discuss this 'bit' of a project.



Thursday, November 20, 2014

Urban Sketchers: Minimalist Sketch Kit

When I first started urban sketching I brought way too many things with me for the first few sketch outings.
I wasn't sure what was 'normal' for an urban sketcher to have with them out there in the wilds of the urban setting.

I was insecure about what art supplies I might want to use to sketch, so I brought several grades of softness in pencils, sharpeners, mechanical pencils, extra leads, several kinds of erasers, masking tape, bungy cords (not sure what for), pens, watercolors-and palette-and water jug (a too large water jug), colored pencils, several kinds and sizes of sketchbooks (from tiny to huge). 

I prepared myself for changes in weather, both in the layers I was wearing...and in the supplemental garments to be found in my sturdy rolling cart. I was ready for wounds, hunger, mapping my journey, taking out trash, having a place to sit, a way to clean hands, preventing sun burns and mosquito bites...and....the list was longer, but I'm too embarrassed to go on listing items.

My first urban sketcher lesson learned: One's gear will be heavy if one's packing philosophy includes the phrase 'just in case.' 

So, now I try to be a minimalist. I decide what supplies I would enjoy using this particular day...and that is what I will happily use no matter where I wind up or what I find to sketch. I try to limit myself to what will fit in my pockets, though admittedly, I have some jackets and vests with good-sized pockets. Second hand shops are great for garments like that.


This is one of my minimalist sketch kits, including black & white ink pens, a mechanical pencil and an eraser.
One pen is missing because I used it to make this sketch.

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

National November Draw More (NaNoDrawMo) Challenge

As of November 1st I accepted the challenge to do more sketches in one month than I have ever accomplished thus far: 50! Today, I completed posting 29 sketches. That is, in itself, more sketches than I've ever done in one month, so I feel happy with the progress I'm making so far.

I have posted my sketches in the Flickr site for this challenge, however they are mixed in with 3,418 sketches submitted thus far, by the 256 artists who have taken the challenge! That averages to 13 sketches per artist....so I'm ahead of the curve with 29 today. I will post my sketches here, on my blog, under my Tab above: My Sketches and Drawings (as soon as I remember how to do that! I will be browsing "Google Blogger for Dummies" in the next day or so. Stand by! :-) )

Here's the Challenge Site on Flickr:

 NaNoDrawMo Flickr site:  https://www.flickr.com/groups/nanodrawmo/


Tuesday, November 18, 2014

National November Drawing Month

I've started posting sketches to the Flickr site: NaNoDrawMo. (National November Draw More)--will tell you more later. I think my scanner 'squashed' the Diet Coke can image a bit...but I have no idea how to correct that. I was proud of achieving the correct proportions in the original. Oh well. We artists must practice having Teflon egos.


Thursday, March 10, 2011

Sketching in Puyallup

I love when folks sit still long enough to allow a sketch! This fellow, dressed appropriately for a chilly day, still chose to wear his sandals as he waited for his bus outside the Puyallup Library. Ahhh! To live in Washington State!

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Sketching in Seattle

I thought I went to Fishermen's Terminal in Seattle, WA. to draw boats, until a fisherman parked his motorcycle in front of me on the dock.

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Sketching in Puyallup

Here are two sketches I did in downtown Puyallup at Pioneer Park, which is not too far from my studio. They are both Micron pen sketches.
Pushing little brother in the toddler swings.


Mom is holding back the family pet who is intent on trying to "protect" the child from a strange activity, as mother tries to push the child in the swing. Yes. That is a toy fish in the child's mouth.