St. Jude Marathon

Waiting for the race to begin

The police are waiting

The front runner

Running hard

Here they come

Sketching at the India Fest

Seven sketchers met at the Agricenter yesterday to sketch at the India Fest.

Agricenter

 Here are a few of the sketches.

 There was lots of food.

 There were colorful costumes

 and there was live music.

At the Biltmore in Asheville, N. C.

Most of the house viewed from a hill

The Italian garden

Waiting for the shuttle bus

Animals at the petting farm

More goats

Webster, the rooster who likes to be petted

Some Asheville Gardens

A small garden at the Curves Gallery in the River Arts District

Cabin in the Asheville Botanic Garden

Bridge in the Asheville Botanic Garden

Two views of a bridge in the Asheville Botanic Garden

North Carolina Arboretum

 I spent a day exploring the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville, NC, this summer.

While I checked out the Arboretum, I tried out some colored Stabilo fineliners.

There was a large collection of bonsai, 

displayed on several levels,

and a large outdoor fireplace.

Traveling to Asheville

We traveled to Asheville to cool off this summer. Margaret starts the trip with coffee from Muddy's.

The line at Muddy's

We have lunch on the other side of Nashville.

The gyros were tasty.

Margaret keeps her eyes on the road.

Our Airbnb apartment was downstairs, 

under the stairs.

Swamp hibiscus in the backyard

Backyard chair

Sketching at the Brooks

Seven sketchers showed up at the Brooks Museum of Art last Saturday. Mike and Judith were new to our group. Typically, I forgot my camera so I didn't record our gathering. Here are my sketches in pencil.

Brooks Museum

Waiting outside the Brooks

Guarding the gallery

Sculpture by Jacques Lipchiz

Some small sculptures by regional artists

Sketching at the Dixon in preparation for an Open Studio in the Garden drawing session scheduled for Friday, July 17

Young artists in the Cutting Garden  (Noodlers pen and ink and ink brush)

I have always enjoyed making line drawings with pen and ink. But it can take some time to add textures and shading.

Cutting Garden fountain ( ink wash)

Another technique is to make shapes with a brush.  This can be quicker but involves more equipment.

Europa  and the Bull (ink wash)

It's a painterly approach.

Hydrangea ( Lamy ink and water-brush)

I have found a hybrid technique, useful for quick sketches, that uses both lines and shapes.

  

Fountain detail ( blue Lamy ink and water-brush)

It involves very little equipment: a pen with water soluble ink, a water-brush and some sturdy paper.

Fountain detail   ( brown and blue Lamy ink and water-brush)

If you use a warm and a cool color ink, you have more possibilities and still need only minimal equipment.

Fountain detail ( brown and blue Tombow brush pens and water-brush)

Fountain detail (blue and brown Stabilo  Fineliner pens and water-brush )

Food truck at The Dixon  (brown and blue Lamy ink and water-brush)

I often use this technique for quick sketches.

View from the Conservatory ( several colors of  Stabilo Fineliner pens and water-brush)

Stabilo Fineliner pens come in an assortment of colors and are water soluble. 

The Cutting Garden at The Dixon   ( several colors of  Stabilo Fineliner pens and water-brush)

Meet me at The Dixon Gallery and Gardens with one, two or several Stabilo Fineliner pens and a water-brush  at 4 p.m. Friday, July 17, 2015, and try out this drawing technique.

Fountain in the Cutting Garden   ( several colors of  Stabilo Fineliner pens and water-brush)