Bird’s Eye View

7/30/14 Platinum Carbon, Private Reserve Avocado,
Pilot Iroshizuku Fuyu-syogun, Tsuyu-kusa and Chiku-rin inks,
Caran d'Ache Museum water-soluble colored pencils, Zig marker,
Canson XL 140 lb. paper

Kate invited a few sketchers to celebrate her birthday from the Columbia Center’s Sky View Observatory on the 73^rd floor. Last November when we celebrated my own birthday up there, it was wet and overcast, so the nearly 360-degree view, though no less impressive, was a bit dreary. On this gorgeous day without a cloud in sight, it was about as good as it gets.

Before going up to the top, I stood just outside at Fourth and Cherry to sketch the Smith Tower, which celebrated its 100^th anniversary just a few weeks ago. I missed that celebration, but I still wanted to pay homage to this venerable old Seattle icon – the tallest building on the West Coast for its first 50 years.

Once upstairs, I sketched a northerly view similar to one I sketched last year with the Space Needle at its center. After our celebration lunch on one of the building’s sunny decks, I went back up for one more sketch – this time facing south for a bird’s eye view of CenturyLink Field, home of the Seahawks and probably some other men chasing balls. I am Seattle’s most ardent non-fan of any professional sport, so this is as close to the Clink as I will ever be. My sketch also shows a bit of Safeco Field behind the Clink. Two professional sports icons in one sketch – whew. That’s my sports quota for the rest of the year.

7/30/14 Platinum Carbon, Pilot Iroshizuku Fuyu-syogun and
Tsuyu-kusa inks, Caran d'Ache Museum water-soluble
colored pencils

7/30/14 Platinum Carbon and Pilot Iroshizuku Fuyu-syogun inks, watercolor,
Caran d'Ache Museum water-soluble colored pencils

Happy birthday, Kate!

Kate, Lynne and Tina