Today I went to Central Park to do some quick sketches. I found some type of small expo happening—people set up at tables, selling things. Bottles and gadgets always make good sketch subjects, so I went into the library and sat in a big poofy green chair by the fireplace, facing out the window. A vendor had her back to me—but her purple jacket was hung over a chair and the color grabbed my attention. She had all kinds of bottles, baskets of items, and more. I didn’t know what she was selling, so after I finished the sketch, I went around to the front of her table where a dad and his kid were looking at her items. I saw an array of doggie bones, custom treats, and doggie shampoo. Her company was “Pet Wants”. That was cool! I heard barking dogs, and wondered what they were doing, so I kept walking down the crowded aisle and saw pet scratchboard portraits, primo pet supplies, and information about dog leash safety. I sat on a bench by the waterfall, as I noticed the next scene: a bright green and purple banner announcing–“Caring for Cats”. This table had 3 ladies at it, and a ton of cat toys, blankets, and other things stacked upon it. I couldn’t resist the colors, so I did a quick sketch.
The amphitheater was ramping up for All Breeds Obedience School demo, so I wandered past the leash safety info. table. As the demo began, I noticed three French Bulldogs, tethered to their owners, standing in front of another display. I couldn’t tell what it was, but two of the dogs flopped on the floor, their jowls oozing onto the floor, front legs splayed. I had about 15 seconds to sketch one of them before they jumped up to greet a passerby. I completed ink sketches of all these things in about 25 minutes, and added watercolor when I went home. It was a fun event and provided lots of sketch potential!