Real-Life Life Drawing at Top Pot

1/15/16 Zebra brush pen, colored pencils

Sketching at Top Pot Doughnuts in West Seattle last Friday was so much fun that I was reminded of the one in Wedgwood, which is the neighborhood just east of my own ‘hood. It had been a long time since I’d sketched there, and I couldn’t remember anymore why I had rejected it as a regular sketching spot – was it too dark? Too small? Not enough “victims”? Another wet and cold January day was dawning – time to check out the Wedgwood Top Pot.

You already know how much fun I’ve been having with brush pens at life drawing sessions. I wanted to see if I could have just as much fun with them during real-life life drawing – and I did! Today I used the smaller end of my non-hairy Zebra double-sided brush pen (I’ve been using mostly the wider end for figure drawing), which allows me a little more detail on faces when I want them. In fact, I was surprised by how fine a line I can get when I hold the pen nearly vertically to use its very tip (my Sailor fudes are good training for that). I can’t get the level of detail I can with a fountain pen, of course, but the brush pen makes up for that in speed: The little girl eating a chocolate-frosted donut bigger than her head didn’t sit still for long. (Maybe the equivalent of a one-minute pose?)

1/15/16 Zebra brush pen, colored pencils

How does this Top Pot rate as a sketching spot? Its lighting is excellent, and the café space, though not too large, is lined with wall-to-wall bookshelves filled with old books. I had my choice of several backlit window tables (which are my preference), and by 9 a.m., a variety of victims of all ages had crossed my view. Bonus: Delicious scones are offered along with all the doughnuts! I think I’ve found my new regular sketching place.

And how’s this for a woo-woo moment? As I searched through this blog to put the links into this post, I got curious about when it was that I had last sketched at the Wedgwood Top Pot: It was Jan. 15, 2013 – exactly three years ago to the date! What a weird coincidence. (Want to see what it looks like from the outside? I sketched that around the same time, too.)

1/15/16 Zebra brush pen, colored pencils