Urban Sketches

A Visit to Chicago

Chicago is such a beautiful city. The bridges, waterways, and trains against a historic backdrop make it all very enchanting. A quick rundown of the sketches I managed while we were doing our whirlwind tour there: 

– I drew the watercolor sketch of DuSable Bridge from the Ghiradelli Cafe,

while waiting for my sister and her boyfriend to drop off the rental car. I started at sunset, but by the time I got to blocking in the colors it was already twilight/night. That’s what I get for being slow.

– The sketches from The Field Museum were from the mammals section. I was so impressed by the artistic taxidermy. Their poses were very dynamic (not captured in these sketches, hah.)

– The Goddess and The Baker is a cafe where we had a much appreciated breakfast after flying a red eye from Seattle. I loved the view of the ‘L’ / trains as they zipped across the skyline.

– The gesture drawings of passengers on the train are on the Blue Line from Chicago to the airport. There was one passenger I captured (top left with the mustache) who completely embarrassed himself the whole ride by fulfilling the whole loud American tourist stereotype. I felt so sorry for the poor British couple he was bothering. (At one point he said that he watched ‘Braveheart’ as a way to talk about Europe, yikes. My husband also noted that what that guy was drinking out of his Mountain Dew bottle didn’t look like Mountain Dew.)

Sketches

The Ocean Sunfish

My favorite fish of all time: the ocean sunfish a.k.a Mola mola. I’m really enjoying the De Atramentis Document Brown Ink I picked up from Goulet Pens. It’s waterproof and quick drying, perfect for left-handers and watercolorists. If you’re shopping for fountain pen supplies, I highly recommend them.

Sketches

Lola

As many of you may know, my grandma passed away yesterday morning. I’ve been so fortunate in the last 5 years to have lived within driving distance of her home in Vancouver. When she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, my husband and I spent 2 weekends with her: the 1st weekend at her apartment before her condition worsened, and the 2nd weekend at the hospice. Despite being monosyllabic from the medicine, she still had an awareness about her. (She actually uttered, “Nice!” and “Beautiful” when I showed her these drawings of her.)The strong, independent woman I loved was still present.

Whenever I look at an old drawing I drew, it all comes flooding back to me – the location, the smells, the sounds. It’s psychosomatic, which is exactly why I wanted to draw my grandmother. At the time, I also brought a DSLR camera with all the fancy lenses, but she was sick: I know that was all the camera will reflect.

Drawing aids you in remembering. And really, that was all I wanted: to remember. Her tufts of hair going every which way, matching her independence. (And when did she stop dying her hair?) The slight roundness of her nose. The softness in her profile. The eyes that my aunts inherited. The curves of her arms that spent many years wrapping around family and friends alike. Her knobbed fingers that were wracked with arthritis yet she continued to play piano in defiance. She always looked so comfortable and relaxed in her clothes. 

I really loved that slouch.

She looked so peaceful on her couch in her apartment, sleeping as her television went on about the afterlife, the rosary, the lives of saints. While my whole family’s world is turned upside down and everyone is scrambling in wake of the big one, the quake, here she was at ground zero, not frantic, not running away…but sitting, sleeping here waiting to be tapped on the shoulder by a gentle, familiar, friend.

May you have continued peace in the life afterwards. I love you and will forever miss you, Lola.

Sketches

Fountain Pen Fun

I recently picked up my first fountain pen, a Lamy Joy. I never used a fountain pen before, so I’m still trying to get the hang of it. (I’m learning that fountain pens are tough on lefties.) I also bought 2 bottles of J. Herbin ink: Perle Noire (black) and Terre de Feu (reddish-brown).

I’m really enjoying the water soluable nature of these inks. Being able to apply a water brush over the lines to get some quick values is a fun effect! Here are some lunch doodles of my fountain pen’s maiden voyage.

On a side note: The Stillman & Birn Epsilon sketchbook is now my favorite for inks and markers. No feathering, my pen glides over the pages, and not much buckling or bleeding.