New Sketches and Five Sketch Blogs

From My Sketchbook

I’ve been thinking, and re-thinking, as is my custom, about why I spend so much time on my sketchbook.  I like it.  I have two new pieces, one for my “Drawing Talent” series and one from our recent camping trip around the Northwest.

I’ve also been wrestling with what to say.  I drew the one of the local dentist offices that’s in an interest house in our historic area.  But, I don’t know anything about the building.  All I can say is that its a dentist office that I pass on a daily basis.  It’s Talent.

Another watercolor sketch I did was of our camper on our recent outing (please see the below).  We were camped in northeastern California.  I was sitting on a slope, looking down at the campground.  I particularly wanted to include our camper in a campground setting.   I enjoyed the work.

By the way, while cruising the internet looking for my favorite drawing blogs, I came by Rhonda Carpenter’s “Watercolors and Words”.  She had a blog post about taking sketching and watercolor material with her on trips…and never using them.  It is something I can relate to; its hard when visiting family and friends.  I was happy that I did a watercolor sketch this last trip.  Usually, I do simple drawings.

Adebanji Alade Sketch Blog

Then, I stumbled onto one of the fascinating blogs that I like:  Adebanji Alade.  Mr. Alade is an artist in the UK.  He just one the “Harold Riley Sketchbook Prize”.  This is an award unique to the UK.  Mr. Riley wanted to highlight the value of the artist’s sketchbook, which is rarely seen publicly.  Sketchbooks give insight to the artist’s work and creativity.  Congratulations Mr. Alade!

To my friends, I invite you to take a look at Mr. Alade’s sketch blog (he does have a separate one for paintings).  Just cruise the images and look at the sketches.  Aren’t they exciting?

Then, I had a flash of insight.  Why don’t I share some favorite sketching blogs?

Four Additional Blogs

• Gurney’s Journey sometimes includes sketches.  He’s been doing this for quite some time.
• Urban Sketchers, by definition: its about sketching and sketch blogs.  This particular blog gave me the idea of doing some urban sketching of my own.  Instead, I am doing Talent sketching, or Drawing Talent.  I don’t know if my little town qualifies as urban.  Back to this blog, the quality of work is amazing!  And, what a great way to get to know a city!  Their motto is “See the world one drawing at a time”.  Isn’t that a cool idea?
• Seattle Sketcher Gabriel Campanario.  Mr. Campanario sketches for the Seattle Times and is the founders of the Urban Sketcher movement. Inspiring.
• Then there is the Sketch Seattle website and blog.  The sketchers are fellow northwest artists Ron Stocke and Derek Gundy.  They offer workshops too.  I know of the artists through our mutual affiliation with the Northwest Watercolor Society.

I don’t visit these blogs and websites often, but when I do stop by, I am impressed by the quality of work.  And, I’m inspired to get busy on my own drawing!

I hope you’ll take a moment to wander through these five sites and perhaps see a bit of the world through the eye of an artist!