Seems like ages since I’ve taken an online painting course. But when I saw The Lively City advertised on Sketchbook Skool I thought it seemed like an exciting new approach to reportage sketching that I could try. The teacher, Jedidiah Dore, an urban sketcher and reportage illustrator in New York City, uses a bamboo reed pen and ink, bright watercolor washes, and other techniques to create uniquely expressive and highly energetic scenes of the city.
Gathering up the materials I have in my studio, I took myself out to the East Bay Waterfront in Olympia to try it out with one of my favorite views here of the bay and marina with a backdrop of the Olympic range.
In my rush to get out of the house I moved my materials into a larger bag. When I pulled them out on location I realized that I’d forgotten the bottle of India ink to use with the reed pen and dip pen. Phooey! I had my fountain pen, a more controllable tool, which however robbed me of some of the initial spontaneity and line texture which Jedidiah achieves at the get go with big expressive lines. But I enjoyed the process, which abandoned my usual approach of matching colors, and establishing atmospheric perspective. The result was purely an invention of my own of how it felt to be there on that glorious day. Thanks to Jedidiah for encouraging the play with pen and ink and spontaneity which makes painting feel more like play.
The Thursday sketch group met at the Yashiro Japanese Garden, a tiny garden enclosed in bamboo with fountain, koi pond and temple structures. Normally a peaceful, quiet spot where you can download and listen to the local symphony orchestra while enjoying the Zen-like setting. On this day we were greeted by a crew of gardeners weeding in the bushes and clearing the grasses from the path using a noisy torch to singe them. I guess that’s a way to avoid using Roundup?
Not being able to tune out the noise of the gardening ruckus so that I could settle into the peaceful fountain and pond scene, I got interested in the gardeners. And when they left, settled into the pond scene, equal parts stationary lily pads and gently flowing koi.
As I left I passed a gardener who was thinning out the bamboo and I asked for some fresh bamboo stalks to use as dip pens, perhaps for the new Lively City works that have yet to emerge!
susancornelis.wordpress.com 
These a beautiful works, Susan. Particularly the waterfront scene. It has a slightly surreal quality with the colors you chose, and yet the work is also more detailed than usual. The combination works beautifully. I might have to check out the course. Thanks as always for your inspiration.
LikeLike
Thanks Kathy! Next step, as always after a workshop, is to try to incorporate what i’ve learned by practicing, since it doesn’t come naturally. We’ll see!
LikeLike
Seems like you’ve landed in a beautiful spot! I loved how you wanted to “play” with sketching, and that really resonated with me. I looked into the course, but it is closed now. : (
LikeLike
Yes, Cathy, it’s so beautiful here! When out sketching I am aiming to be playful and sometimes have to also settle for “relaxed”. Seems to me enjoyment is encouraged by acceptance of whatever happens that day with the paint on the paper!
LikeLike
Beautiful sketches. It’s been soooo long since I was able to get out to any park. Pandemic had so many closures and my pass expired. Now, it’s too cold for my arthritic hands to endure… so, it’s waiting til spring. Sigh… In the meantime, I’m exploring the youtubes for sketchbook skool and enjoying them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sounds like a plan Bear! There’s so much to get involved with online to last us through the cold season. Good time to practice in the warmth of home and be ready to bust out on location in the spring!
LikeLiked by 1 person