Monday, August 28, 2017

Sneaking in Sketches, Part 2: Newberg and Portland

8/22/17 Koi at Portland Japanese Garden
Yesterday I showed the sketches I did during my family reunion when everyone else was occupied elsewhere. Shown here are sketches I managed to sneak in even while being engaged in family activities.

In Portland where we spent most of our post-eclipse time together, I visited the Portland Japanese Garden (where I sketched a few years ago) and the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (where I also sketched a few years ago) with various family members. I grabbed the sketch of the koi at the garden while others were taking a nuclear family photo. 

It was even easier getting the sketch of the Gravitram at OMSI because we were all so entranced by it. I spent a good 15 minutes myself just watching the balls rolling around its crazy rollercoaster of tracks and levers. Then while the others were still mesmerized, I stepped aside for a quick sketch. (It’s all a matter of constantly being on the lookout for an opportunity, and when it appears, I simply pounce – and sketch fast.)

8/23/17 Gravitram at OMSI
In Newberg after the eclipse excitement was over, some of us visited a couple of Willamette wineries for tastings. My sketch at the Alit Winery (below) was no effort at all – the tasting room’s comfortable couch and livingroom-like ambiance made it easy to sit back and sketch while we all tasted (I enjoyed the Chardonnay so much that I bought a bottle to take home). 

Perhaps my favorite sketches from the Oregon trip (other than my very special eclipse series) were the series of small gestures of my family members playing Frisbee. I filled three sketchbook pages trying to capture two main gestures: the tossing motion and the catching motion. Each person had a slightly different style for each, yet the basic gestures were similar – the way one leg would lift when throwing and catching, or the stoop to pick up the Frisbee. It was fun to participate simply by observing as closely as possible. 

8/21/17 Alit Winery tasting

8/20/17 Frisbee players


1 comment:

  1. How great that you were able to sketch while the family was captivated by something. There are definite benefits to knowing how to sketch quickly. I love the koi sketches!

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