Efficient Walking

 

8/1/25 Green Lake

8/5/25 Green Lake (experiment with a primary triad)

My mission this summer was to incorporate as much of my fitness walking as possible into my other routines and activities so that I could reduce the amount of time I spent purely on self-care. Doing nothing but walking around my ‘hood for an hour a day is a significant time commitment, even when I enjoy it, and even if I can squeeze in a sketch. But with a little planning, I figured out ways to put more walking into whatever else I was doing. For example, if I parked a half-mile away from a destination, that’s a full mile round trip. Timewise, it’s still the same as walking around my ‘hood aimlessly, but somehow it feels more productive. Bonus: I saw more neighborhoods.

The downside was that since those walks had firm destinations and sometimes time constraints, I didn’t sketch as much while doing those walks; hence, most of the sketches shown here were on my usual home turf.

8/5/25 Green Lake

8/5/25 Green Lake

8/16/25 Maple Leaf

8/19/25 Maple Leaf

9/8/25 Green Lake

9/15/25 Maple Leaf (As I was sketching these brilliant birches, I witnessed a rear-ending at the same intersection where I sketched on Aug. 16, sitting on the same bench outside Cloud City. The victim pulled over and assumed the driver behind him would pull over, too -- but the latter drove off. The victim examined his bumper; the damage didn't look too bad from where I sat.)

Mom’s Sewing Basket

 

9/2/25 My mom's (and now my) sewing basket

During some recent reshuffling of stuff *, I unearthed my mom’s sewing basket. It was one of few things I had claimed for purely sentimental reasons after she died. At the time, I was a fiber artist, so I had some vague ideas of using the basket as part of an art piece. Mainly, though, I was still grieving too much to even look at it, so I simply wrapped it up to keep it clean and stored it behind a pile of other stuff. Out of sight, out of mind – for 16 years.

When I unwrapped the basket, I knew instantly what I would do: Use it! My own sewing basket had been an ugly plastic bin that you get at craft stores. Made of a woven material that was getting a bit shabby, my mom’s basket wasn’t anything special except that she had used it for many decades. I kept her notions and sewing tools that were still inside and added my own sewing stuff (which I rarely use except to mend or hem, but everyone needs a sewing kit, right?).

At some point, the basket’s clasp had broken. Child of the depression and of farmers, my mom wouldn’t dream of replacing the whole basket just because the clasp had broken. She rigged up a Bic ballpoint cap to replace it – so practical and utilitarian! That’s my mom. I know she would be pleased that her basket is still being used.

9/3/25 Cloud City Coffee

* Downsizing, Phase 3, has begun! My original plan was to replace the carpeting upstairs after I finished clearing out the last two attic areas that need to be downsized. I’m proceeding with the attic tasks, but I’ve decided to defer replacing the carpet for a while. Instead, I had all the existing carpeting deep-cleaned – which was just as tedious as getting new flooring because every single, tiny thing had to be removed from the floor! That meant that all the remaining random dribs and drabs in my studio/office that I hadn’t brought downstairs or gotten rid of in the spring now needed to be moved or removed permanently.

The good news is that the carpet is now cleaner than it has been in 35 years (even a sizeable Platinum Carbon Black ink spill and numerous small paint stains came out)! And instead of dreading it, I’m actually looking forward to the remaining downsizing tasks because now I know the deep satisfaction that awaits me when I’m done. My goal is to finish by year’s end. Of course, I’m also looking forward to the small celebrations along the way!

‘A Robust Attitude’

5/3/25 Maple Leaf playground

“The enjoyment of sketching derives from the experience of recording the world around you, and your materials shouldn’t hinder that enjoyment.”

-        James Gurney and Thomas Kinkade, The Artist’s Guide to Sketching

Isn’t that exactly what I was just saying in my post about how to downsize your kit?

5/6/25 Green Lake

I’m currently reading the recently republished edition of the classic that probably qualifies as the OG guide to urban sketching. Originally published in 1982 and long out of print, the book includes remastered illustrations by two modern masters (well, many would argue that Kinkade wasn’t a master, but he’s certainly well known). Many consider it one of the bibles of on-location drawing.

I’ll be writing a full review when I’ve finished reading, but for now, I just wanted to mention how tickled I am that their approach and philosophy toward sketching aligns so closely with my own. As my kit keeps getting simpler and smaller, it was reassuring to learn that these two then-young men would have nodded with approval. To go with these sketches from my fitness walks, I’ll leave you with these words from Gurney and Kinkade:

“A robust attitude toward working on the spot will ensure your enjoyment of sketching far more than does your drawing ability. You will find that much of the reason that you go sketching will be for the fun of the outing itself, of being outside, discovering new things, and meeting new people.”

If that’s not the core of urban sketching, I don’t know what is.

5/6/25 Maple Leaf

5/23/25 Cloud City Coffee, Maple Leaf

6/8/25 Mt. Rainier from Maple Leaf Park

6/4/25 Maple Leaf

7/16/25 Maple Leaf

So European

 

4/17/25 Kwanzan cherry trees near Green Lake

As I’ve mentioned on other occasions, I always try to make my daily fitness walks as expeditious as possible by working them into errands or appointments. I’m lucky to live in a neighborhood where many amenities I use are within walking distance.

4/17/25 My first urban couch of the season!

Although I do a major grocery shopping trip by car every two or three weeks, I enjoy making more frequent trips on foot for small, lightweight things. One avocado, a couple of apples, a box of salad greens – it’s usually produce that I’ll finish in less than a week. The Green Lake PCC is ideal for this – a pleasant, 15-minute walk with mountain views in two directions. Of course, I sketch along the way when I can.

OK, so it’s not strolling home from an open market with a baguette sticking out of my straw basket, but these shopping trips on foot always make me feel so European.

4/21/25 A quick break at Cloud City Coffee

Single-Panel Comics

1/31/25 Cloud City Coffee

When making small, quick sketches on my walks, I often think of them as single-panel comics. They don’t usually have much story to tell, but I try to tell as much story as possible in one frame. The one at right seems to be the most successful as a single-panel story: I couldn’t draw much less to convey the story, but I don’t have to draw more, either.

2/3/25 Maple Leaf neighborhood

When I think of them as comics, I also become more aware of the frame – whether it’s needed or not. Almost always, I think a frame helps to give the story and composition a place in space. The garbage trucks (below) were gesture sketches that I was able to get only because I was chasing them down the street and around corners (with thawing slush still on the sidewalks! Treacherous footwork!). I didn’t have time to frame them or even think about the compositions, and the result is less finished. (My handwriting shows how cold my hands were, even with fingerless gloves on.)

2/7/25 chasing trash trucks in Maple Leaf

The overall story of this post is how unhappy I am with the bright turquoise Field Notes I’ve been using. Although I love the hue, it’s just a bit too pale as a midtone to make white pop. The smooth surface is great for ink (although some inks are bleeding through), but I sure miss Uglybooks’ ideal tooth with colored pencil. At this point, I’m just trying to burn through pages quickly and skip the back sides of pages where ink bled through. I can’t wait to get back to a beloved Uglybook.

2/9/25 Green Lake (Every medium I used was fighting me!)

2/12/25 Roosevelt neighborhood

2/12/25 Two peaks on one walk

One more story from a walk that happened too fast to sketch, even for me: I spotted a coyote! I keep hearing about coyote sightings in my neighborhood, but I had never seen one with my own eyes until this one. I know pet and chicken owners see coyotes as their enemy, but I sympathize with these wild carnivores. They’re just trying to make a living like the rest of us. One reason they are coming into urban areas is that humans have encroached on areas that used to be their habitat. What a beauty.

To-Go is the New For-Here

 

2/5/25 Cloud City Coffee

One unfortunate outcome of the pandemic is that after cafes were allowed to serve food and beverages with reusables again, many decided to stay with disposables. I’m sure that using takeout boxes and paper cups is easier than washing and managing breakable plates and ceramic mugs, so I understand that decision from the often-understaffed café business perspective. But when I intend to stay in a café to sketch, I miss feeling like I am “here.” Even if I say “for here,” I often receive my refreshments as if I am “going.”

Like some regulars who come to Cloud City Coffee, I could bring my own mug to avoid a disposable cup, and I always used to do that when I drove to most cafes. That would make me feel better from an environmental perspective. I guess I should just do that again, but now I always try to walk to my coffee breaks (that’s one way I justify having a pastry), and I don’t like carrying a cup while I walk. Moreover, using my own cup wouldn’t address my personal issue of wanting to feel like I’m “here” and not “going.”

Sigh. Yet another first-world problem (or maybe it’s just my existential one).

Cloud City and Maple Leaf Park

 

8/26/24 Cloud City Coffee and Maple Leaf Park

Although we’re both big Macrina fans, Mary Jean and I decided to break the mold and meet at Cloud City Coffee for a change. Just a few blocks further north, Cloud City doesn’t have the variety or breadth of pastries, but the vibe is pleasantly quieter, homier and lower key. Even so, my Nutella croissant was nothing to sniff at – a perfectly fine piece of pastry for an appropriately cloudy Monday morning.

After a bit of chatting, sketching and noshing, we walked to Maple Leaf Park. I finished my page spread with the iconic water tower, the less-iconic Comcast tower and some pickleball players. After that, I went over to get a view of the basketball hoop, where a couple of boys were playing and arguing.

It was fun to catch some sketches before the rain started an hour later.

This Moment

 

7/6/24 Maple Leaf

Although plants and animals suffer from lack of rain, I appreciate this time of year when I can go out for my daily walk without checking the weather first (in other words, no excuses). Sometimes I have to consider the heat, but I don’t mind planning my walks for early morning if I have to – that’s the best time anyway, when the air is still fresh and the day unburdened (and I get to see lots of dogs on their walks).

7/7/24 Maple Leaf (Unexpected to see a Goldfish Crackers truck in the 'hood!)

When I know I have time to sketch as much as I want, I try to find some kind of narrative to what I observe. It’s always challenging fun to put the sequence together, not knowing what will follow each sketch until I draw it. Occasionally I give myself the additional challenge of narrating the sequence with a haiku (usually prompted by whether I have space on the page).

7/8/24 Mt. Rainier from Maple Leaf Park

Often I attempt neither narrative nor haiku – just the usual random walk-sketches that have made up the bulk of my urban sketching for years now. Although we still have several more weeks of reliably dry and pleasant walking weather, this time of year always feels precious and fleeting. Each sketch is a mantra: Appreciate this moment.

7/10/24 Maple Leaf

7/15/24 Maple Leaf

7/24/24 Maple Leaf

7/22/24 Maple Leaf

7/28/24 Cloud City Coffee (This is one of my ongoing self-challenges:
Trying to draw only part of what I can fully see. It's never as easy
as it seems like it should be.)

7/30/24 Green Lake and Maple Leaf

8/2/24 Maple Leaf

Maple Leaf’s Most Iconic Intersection

 

4/18/24 The intersection of 88th NE and Roosevelt Way NE, Maple Leaf

Cloud City Coffee was the site of some of my earliest urban sketches, and I’ve sketched there many times since. On a fabulous afternoon last week – it was 62 degrees and sky the couldn’t have been bluer – I noticed that the shop had gotten several new outdoor tables. After its recent remodel that includes a new tented area, the new tables are no longer blocked by parked cars, so I had a better view.

A fresh Uglybook cracked open! I filled the last one in less than 2 weeks!

Behind Cloud City’s iconic sign is an even bigger icon: Maple Leaf’s beloved water tower (also one of my earliest urban sketches). I made a page of small sketches celebrating spring’s arrival (officially recognized as whenever I have my first iced latte al fresco) and possibly Maple Leaf’s most iconic intersection.

Technical note: Although it probably doesn’t look like a comic, I consider this a comic-y diary because I made a more conscious effort to tell a story about this intersection, not just make random sketches of whatever I see. Does it help to seem more comic-y to include commentary as I did? Maybe in a traditional comic, a character (or persona of the author) would be making those comments in voice bubbles, but I also know that some comic artists write text as captions. Super excited about this new format for my urban sketches, I’m having fun trying out different things to make it my own.

Cloud City (and Purple Fail)

3/14/24 Cloud City Coffee, Maple Leaf neighborhood

 

After I finished my 100 people, I kept going, but at a more leisurely pace. My first stop was Cloud City Coffee on Thursday morning, where I immediately struggled with the purple Uglybook I had started the day before. As the last of my partially used books, my plan was to fill it, then finally begin a fresh book that I would use completely before switching to a new color (a plan I committed to last December). I love the purple book so much that I thought I could muscle through it, despite the challenges. But the problem wasn’t just paper color:

The purple is so dark that I can’t use it in my usual tonal way (with white and black as the light and shadow against the colored paper as a midtone; two more examples of the difficulties shown at end of post). Black hardly shows on it. I thought I could simply disregard tonal drawings and use various colored Posca paint markers (still the best opaque medium on colored papers), which I did with this comic-format sketch at Cloud City. I didn’t really care for the look, but I could have finished off the book that way – until I discovered the deal breaker.

3/14/24 Here, I tried to use the purple as the shadow and white
for the sunlit areas... until I realized I would have had to use the white
Pilot Juice pen on the entire background. And by the way, the Juice
is exactly the same as Posca -- in all the bad ways. 

In my optometrist’s waiting room that afternoon, I pulled out the book and the gold Posca (which looks so cool on purple!) to do a quick sketch. When I started to draw, I realized that the Posca needed priming, even though I had just used it that morning. With the agitator making a loud rattly sound as I shook the pen vigorously, I attracted waiting room attention. By the time I got the pen running, my name was called, and the sketchwaiting opportunity was lost! Any art material that keeps me from making a sketch is a solid deal breaker! Curse you again, Posca markers!

It’s not wasted; I’ll certainly find other uses for the dark purple (it has interesting potential for a near-nocturne or an underpainting color). But that book is no longer a daily-carry. Stay tuned for the new exciting color!

3/14/24 Another attempt here: The gold pen was the light while the paper was the shade,
but I should have colored most of the page with gold.

Errands and Amenities

 

2/5/24 Maple Leaf Ace Hardware store

My first incentive for getting out for a fitness walk is always the opportunity for a potential sketch. My second is accomplishing any errand on my to-do list that enables me to avoid using my car. Fortunately, I live in a neighborhood where the library, the post office, Chuck’s Auto, both PCC and Whole Foods, and Maple Leaf Ace Hardware store are all within walking distance. On a recent rainy morning, I hoofed it to Ace Hardware for ant bait. (Auughh… if it’s not one kind of pest, it’s another!)

Numerous amenities are also within easy walking distance, including Kona Kitchen (where I occasionally get takeout), Cloud City Coffee, and of course, Macrina Bakery. If an art supply store would open in the neighborhood, I’d never need to walk more than a couple of miles (let alone drive) for any essentials!

2/2/24 Northgate Mall, sketched after a walk to the P.O.

2/2/24 Sketchwaiting at Kona Kitchen

9/29/24 An unfinished Akita sketched outside Macrina Bakery

10/28/24 Subaru outside Cloud City Coffee