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Urban Sketching


To the victims of the recent tragedy in France, peace, prayers and blessings!



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Breakfast at the bar

This is my first experience of coffee shop sketching, I've been wanting to try for a while. I imagined a happy scenario, and many sketches would come out of it. Unfortunately the waitress cleared my table before I was able to say anything, oh well... people smoking and sitting with friends are allowed to linger longer. My sketch above is what I was able to get down. I'm happy with the gestural line and the few colors I managed to capture. I wanted to go back in and work on the cup more but it being an exceptionally foggy morning, nothing was drying.


 A "quiet" side street in Rome

Afterwards I transferred to a side street. I wasted valuable time finding an out of the way place to sketch. It is not an easy task in Rome.  Parked cars leave, people constantly walk around you. It seems no matter where you are, YOU are in someone's way. The balancing of my materials was also quite hard while trying not to get dirty. I do have a tendency to spill paint on myself or end up with ink all over my fingers. Rome is so colorful and offers many possibilities to sketch. Perspective is difficult because there is so much to include sometimes, building upon building.  I especially find the balconies hard to do but love the hanging laundry or potted plants. Maybe next time I will just focus on one...


  while on the metro


A fun challenge is to draw a passenger while riding the metro.  You never know when they are getting off! This one took me four stops. I've noticed men are more reluctant to notice you sketching them while women realize it immediately. This gentleman was reading an actual book with pages, it's nice to see people do this...


Crab on the beach

Peace was found when a tiny crab washed up to shore on the beach. Best experience of all, listening to the waves, enjoying the solitude away from the hustle and bustle of city living. 

One never knows what will happen while out sketching. It is a great exercise in observation of the surroundings. Indeed, the coffee shop has not seen the last of me!


Comments

  1. Bonsoir Celia,
    Tes Esquisses sont tous vraiment très beaux et le petit crabe est mignon comme tout!

    Bisous

    Manon

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  2. Great sketches, Celia! Brave to sketch in public, especially if people are aware of it.

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    1. I try to not be obvious, it makes me uncomfortable. Thank you so much Judy!

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  3. Beautiful sketches and a lovely tribute to the people in France!!

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  4. You are very brave and you did some great works in difficult situations. Really like your breakfast sketch and the intent look on the face of the man reading :-) Have a nice day.

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    1. Thank you Jane, I appreciate the encouragement!! Hugs

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  5. Enjoyed your paintings and sketches. I´ve scrolled down many posts not to miss any ;) I also have my paints and papers on the worktable again now :) so you will soon be able to see the result of my Jeopard.
    Take care!

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    1. I am looking forward to seeing your work, Catharina! I'm so happy you visited my older posts as well, thank you!

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  6. Such an impressive array of sketches in difficult situations! I used to sketch around Philadelphia years ago. I parked myself in front of Independence Hall and sketched the whole structure always with a crowd around me. City sketching is a challenge which you rose to beautifully! Your side street sketch is especially good.

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    1. You are very kind Carmella! I really need to work on architectural sketching, it is something I would like to improve upon. I can imagine your awesome sketches!

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  7. Celia I join you friend regarding prayers for France.
    Your sketches are delightful. The sketch of the gentleman is especially great. Smiled when you said he was reading an actual book. I so relate. So glad you shared. Have a blessed day.

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    1. I'm happy you like my post, Debbie! Thank you!!

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  8. Celia, we are both at the same place ...except you do so much better.
    I got into this sketching after finding the blogs of Liz Steel... I'm betting you know about her.. but now she is such a pro, getting hard to follow...
    LOL ! Your doing wonderful.... I look forward to more .
    hugs, Barbra Joan

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    1. I love her loose style, she works tirelessly, very inspiring person, but then again so are you! Thank you so much for the kind words and visit! I am looking forward to the completed lighthouse painting! :-)

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  9. oh ! sorry Celia ! I now see you DO follow Liz Steel too. !!!

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  10. Great sketches Celia, bravo you for getting out there with all of the cities obstacles. I have never even tried

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  11. Nice collection of sketches. I think it is much easier to sketch in a coffee shop if you are at a table with another sketches and you linger for a while. Your cup and spoon and your snack came out really nice. I have trouble with the snack part...it always disappears too quickly. lol Glad you are getting out to sketch en plein air. The more you do it, the easier it is to balance the materials and ignore the people around you. Good for you that you sketched on the Metro. It is always a challenge because you never know how long the person will be there.

    Lovely tribute to the people of France. I hesitate to watch the news because there is so much going on there and other places in the world...so much violence, and hearbreak, and intolerance. It is a difficult world we live in. Peace to all!

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    1. Mine disappeared rather fast too and I usually take a picture before but forgot this time! I want to try going with one of my daughters, hopefully they will be willing! It is fun and I like the challenge. Thanks for the visit Joan!

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  12. What a lovely post - tinged with sadness about France, but I enjoyed your words as much as the sketches. Uplifting - thank you Celia.

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  13. These are really good. Great thing to do, hope you do more and more.

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  14. Wonderful sketches! There is so much life in them. I wish I could join you on your sketch outings, what a vibrant place it must be. Lovely tribute too. Light, life and hope for peace.

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    1. That would be fun Ann and I would love it! Rome is a crazy city but offers great inspiration. Thanks for stopping by!

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  15. This urban sketching thing agrees with you Celia! Great sketches and you had fun, that's not to be neglected. I admire your going out on the field.
    I join you in your prayers for peace. Hugs

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    1. Thank you Helen, I love to sketch. I always learn something new!

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  16. Celia, thank you for sharing not only your delightful sketches but your impressions of the activity around you! I found myself wanting to follow you around and take it all in..... Bowing my head for France.

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    1. That really makes me happy, thank you Laura! Hugs

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