Alice in Wonderland in Central Park

Jesse organized another great sketch group in Central Park yesterday. This time we visited Alice in Wonderland right in the middle of a tea party with the Mad Hatter and Mr. Rabbit. You can see from this photo the challenges we faced. I almost couldn't see Alice for the kids climbing over her.

This turned out to be a rather loose pencil sketch. I'd love to go back when there's not so many kids around.

Celebrating the first day after the heat wave!

Yowza! This disgusting heat wave broke last night and I feel remarkably more human. It's amazing what dropping the high down about 30 degrees will do.

Very good timing too. Jesse Richards hosts the most fabulous sketching group in Manhattan - the Central Park Sketching Group. http://www.meetup.com/sketching/

Today he took us to the Bramble in Central Park. There were a little under 50 of us there. It was nice and shady with beautiful views of the lake and the New York City skyline. Everybody chose their favorite sketching spots. It was so good to get out again and sketch.

Here are some of mine.

All these are graphite pencil on 3"x5" white bond.

1. An overpass arch - it looked like an aqueduct. I like architecture. There's something about perspective and straight lines that draw me in.

2. The skyline of Central Park South (I think). This one was a bit tougher. I just noticed that this area has a large preponderance of eraser head buildings, especially in the South. It must be the 60s architecture.

3. Bethesda Fountain. I've done this one so many times but never the whole chaotic scene. I'm pretty pleased with the way it turned out.

Painting the New Jersey skyline

This week sadly is the last week in Joe Peller's plein aire class. Today we wound down to Christopher Street to the piers that jut out into the Hudson. It's a part of the great expanse known as Hudson River Park. One of the piers has been totally planted over and sports a soccer field complete with grass and two clumps of trees.

I don't know the clock tower that we saw in the distance but it made for an intriguing subject. In the morning, after sketching, I tried out my new palette of ultra. blue, quin. red, and trans. yellow. 

                 morning

In the afternoon, I tried the same scene in different lighting and substituted cad. red for the quin. red.

                afternoon

What a difference a few hours make. Tomorrow we'll be going to Battery Park with the Statue of Liberty views. 

The other Brooklyn Bridge

The 34th Street pier got a new makeover and they built a nice little riverside park next to it. It was high time I paid a visit. The little park is quite nice; benches are scattered about, shade trees and bushes were amply planted...and it has the most spectacular views of the river. It was quite fun seeing the ferries come in and go out. I saw one going to Martha's Vineyard.

Way south of the pier lay the Williamsburg Bridge. From a distance, the Williamsburg Bridge looks like its more famous sister, the Brooklyn Bridge. There are actually three bridges between Manhattan and Brooklyn: the Brooklyn Bridge, the Manhattan Bridge, and this one - the Williamsburg Bridge. Of course by the time I was finished strolling and gawking about, I didn't have much time to paint so I did a quick color/compositional study in about 30 minutes..

Now I can't wait to go back and paint it in different lights when I have more time. Sunrise should be quite nice.

5x7" oils on canvas board

Some more architecture in Union Square Park

This morning, I wanted to capture the arches of the beautiful outhouses on the north side of the park. This small painting was a warmup to the previous one.

5x7 oil on canvas board

The outhouse at Union Square Park

Back in Joe Peller's outdoor painting class - this week in Union Square Park in New York City. It's got one of the most beautiful outhouses I've ever seen in a public park. Here's the balustrade with some trees that hide it from the street view. I particularly liked the deep brick tile roof peeking out the corner here.

5x7" oil on canvas board

A hidden gem near Madison Square Park

Belonging to the Central Park Sketching Group has given me exposure to small parks and hidden gems of Manhattan.

One of these is the New York Met Life building that I sketched this morning. I like drawing and painting architecture - the straight lines and regular design patterns can be a challenge though. 

Here is the sketch with a photo of the building. I don't know what size it is but it's small.

 

This week's painting in progress

I've lately been inspired by the great models posing in Joe Peller's evening painting class. The model this week has a Polynesian flair. She seems to enjoy posing for the class too. She's definitely getting into all the free wine available at our end of the year class parties. A happy model makes for a good painting, I always think.

Next month Joe will be holding an outdoor painting class in Central Park and I was lucky enough to get in! His classes are always crowded so this should be good.

I could kick myself though, I chose a 9x12 canvas and its way too small. I'm having to use Barbie brushes for the face. The face is about the size of my thumb. I'll have to buy Barbie brushes to finish it.