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Saturday, March 30, 2013

Hanami on the Quad


3/30/13 Zig markers, watercolor, Stillman & Birn Gamma sketchbook
Greg wanted to try out his new camera, and we knew the blossoming cherry trees wouldn’t be around long, so we went over to the Quad on the University of Washington campus. Since it was Saturday, we expected it to be quiet, but it turned out to be an informal cherry blossom viewing event. (In Japan, they even have a term for it – hanami.) Hundreds of people were simply standing around in the Quad, looking up at the huge cherry trees, soaking up sunshine and temperatures in the mid-60s. The trees there are unusually white instead of the pale pink I see elsewhere.
 
3/30/13 Platinum Sepia ink, watercolor
While he snapped away at the blossoms and crowds, I wandered over to Denny Hall, built in 1894. The entire building was too much for me, but I thought I’d attempt its bell tower and one of its conical turrets. Wearing flip-flops in March, sketching in the sunshine – I can’t think of too many things I’d rather be doing on a Saturday afternoon (or anytime).

3 comments:

  1. I love the festive people in your picture. You chose good colors for those pale, puffy trees. I also like to choose a section of a building to sketch. Are you using a brown pen? It looks good.

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  2. I like the way you did the crowd of people admiring the blossoms. Good job on the tower and turret! Flipflops in March sound good to me!

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  3. Thank you, Peggy and Joan! Yes, I used a dark brown Zig marker for the tree trunks and branches.

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