Sketching at the Dog Park to Painting on Textile

Why sketch animals from life and not from a photo? I suppose one is trying to capture some particular things that one is seeing at that particular moment in time. Photo references are very helpful but sketching from life is exhilarating.

If a animal is doing an action, there is no way you can sketch it all as it is happening. To help with that, when sketching from life, I employ two different methods. One is to sketch bits at a time and as the animal comes repeatedly back to a similar pose, add another portion of the drawing. The other is to capture the image in one's mind and then put pen to paper. 

Sketching at the Creston, BC, Dog Park

Using the Sketches for further Art Work

Two of the sketches were combined in the hand painted textile piece. It is painted with Procion fibre-reactive dyes on mercerized cotton material.

Beginning the Free-motion Stitching

Orientating the Sketch

When stitching from the bottom to the top, I find it easiest to turn the sketch around too. 

Completed Textile Card Top

With a glue stick, the art work is attached to heavy card stock. This piece doesn't have a lot of detail but those outstretched legs of the dog and the girl who is standing almost disinterested (she actually was scrolling through her cell phone) is what I was wanting to depict. 

Grampa and Grandson Walking the Dog

Painting with dyes, even though these were thickened, they can bleed a bit. The stitching was needed to narrow the images and provide detail.

Textile card 5" X 7"

What I liked about the scene was the brisk movement of the three participants. The man, 'grandpa', slightly bent forward and wearing a plaid jacket were additional details I paid attention to. Otherwise much of the landscape was invented.  

Hopefully you are inspired to get out sketching. 

 

Sketching on European River Cruise

The Wassau Valley is full of vineyards and historical architecture - a sketcher's dream.

Sketching is so rewarding for me and I remember so much more than when I snap a photo. Fellow travelers asked will I be painting from my sketches? Maybe yes and maybe no, but practice is always necessary for keeping eyes and hand working together.

Lamps: So many to styles.

Almost an hour waiting for a Bavarian Parade to start gives me time to lean against a building and sketch what crosses my visual field. What a lot of fun.

Last summer I included 3 horses in a painting and now I am fascinated with learning to sketch them.

Salzburg: Having some time on my own I was able to sketch beside a local artist selling her wares and then to talk with her. Our languages were different but with the similarities in our lives we had much to share. Of course I bought one of her hand painted cards which I will post later.

A few minutes of waiting on the bus gave me enough time to sketch two ladies waiting for their bus.

Sketching 'bits' while cruising on the ship.

Even a fifteen minute break gives you enough time to sketch something of interest from your tour.

Getting to know fellow travelers is always great as they have travel stories to share. Lynn and Don are a couple that inspired us with trips they have taken and they are 80. I was delighted when they sat in front of me so that I was able to capture them in a sketch.

"Yes, yes, I can sketch and listen too."

Sometimes it is difficult to find somewhere to sit with the view you want to sketch. Here I found a pylon to perch on while sketching this busy street scene in historical Budapest, Hungary.