I’ve had the opportunity to sketch in several eating establishments this month. This can be a fun break from other types of sketching, and a very creative one at that.
We were in Madison, Wisconsin, a couple weeks ago and ate at the Nitty Gritty, a fun bar with lots of character and good food! After we were seated and were looking at menus, I noticed the large beer mug statue in the middle of the bar. In it were mugs that were used for 21st birthday souvenirs, so I just had to sketch it! I got a pen sketch done, then enjoyed my food and added watercolor and other elements after I went home.
Here is the finished sketch:
A couple Fridays ago when we had trees and ground with a covering of snow (yes, it does that in Minnesota!), a sketcher friend and I went to Nadia Cakes in Woodbury. I had never been there, and oh, what a treat! Specialty cakes and cupcakes and other delicious treats awaited us! There was an eating area with fun furniture, and lots to look at. I had bought cupcakes for my daughter, so drew one of those in, and combined several elements into one sketch:
This place had A LOT of pink in it, so I did a pink color block in the background. I added the text, white accents, and taped in a business card when I got home:
One day I got inspired to sketch a new recipe I tried: Coconut-Curry Chicken soup. This had many flavorful spices in it, and I had time, so I worked on a little at a time. After the soup was made, I took a photo and sketched the soup from that, as I didn’t want it to get cold. This was a super fun way to capture a very good meal!
Finally, last Friday, I went to Ze’s Diner in Woodbury, a great 50’s diner that exudes 50’s music and character. I sketched my coffee mug and some people sitting nearby. Next time I go, I want to sketch the red stools, or jukebox, or any number of knickknacks and art the diner had. It was super-fun!
Once at home, I added the checkered color block (with red pen and colored pencil), text, white accents, and I cut a little piece of the bill and taped it in.
I love looking back at these sketches and remembering the fun food, atmosphere, or recipe I tried. If you are out to a restaurant sometime or make a recipe, open your sketchbook and see how you can make it come to life!