This last month or so has been a wonderful time of sketching. As Minnesota has moved from winter (10 inches of snow on April 1st), to a short spring, and now into summer, there are more and more things to sketch!
The last week of April was cold and miserable, so I headed to the Frgmnt Coffee Shop in Minneapolis for a warm drink and people sketching. Everyone enjoyed the warmth and relaxing time out of the cold and wind! I started with the sketch of my hot chocolate and built the sketch from there. Stickers, text, and part of a business card were also worked into the design.
The spring landscape was sorely needing some color, so I looked around at Black’s in Lakeland for some inspiration. Armed with some herbs, morning glories, and other plants, I began to get my pots and gardens figured out. I noticed hot pink metal flamingo yard ornaments and just had to stop and sketch them!
We had an old gas grill that was ready to go, so we loaded it up in our car and hauled it to another city’s Clean Up Day. Long lines of cars with various items waited in two lines, which moved at a snail’s pace to the drop-off area. Beside us was a truck with a huge mattress and another with several mattresses (including a burned one), so I sketched those while we inched forward, until they pulled up further ahead of our car and were gone.
I had to pick up a sailing textbook at Hooper’s Yacht Sales in Afton, MN, and while I was there, I asked if I could sketch some boats. I was told I could, so I enjoyed walking around and looking at various boats, and I got out my Sailor fude pen and began to capture their forms. Old tires and a shed were also included in the sketch. The boat on the right was very old, which added to its character. Later at home, I added some gray values with Tombow markers.
This final sketch I’m sharing was when I was sitting at a picnic table in a local park by the playground. I liked the vibrant purple caterpillar and the gator, so I sketched those. I have a tube of Cobalt Violet Light in my paint box which rarely gets used, and it seemed the right shade of purple. This sketch was a joy to do because an inquisitive grandfather and grand kids came over while I was sketching to take a look.
There are all kinds of things to sketch when out and about, just take a look around you. I try and carry my sketchbook with me as much as possible, and when that right subject comes along, I can pull it out. Look for those opportunities, and have fun sketching this weekend!