Finally a Summer Day in Seattle!

We haven't seen many hot summer days this year yet.  Sunday was incredible!  It was actually hot but not unbearable.  Here is a view from under I-5 looking across the ship canal and at University Bridge.

Phalaeonopsis

Bought a new watercolor sketch pad and wanted to experiment with it.  The paper is different it is a Daler Rowney pad 140 lb but not cold press.  The surface is rougher than I am use to and it takes the water color very differently.  The water color basically sits on the surface and it not absorbed as quickly.  But the effects with the water color is quite interesting.

Last Day of Architecture 415 sketching class!

Today was the last day of Architecture 415, a summer sketching class I am teaching through the U.W.
We had a sketching party at the Center for Wooden Boats at South Lake Union.  It was suppose to be a warm summer day,  however the sun never came out.  Cloudy and cool.

July Sketchcrawl

Today we had a sketch crawl in the South Lake Union Area.  The weather we really bad...rainy and overcast..so we looked for cover in a coffee shop.  Olivia and I went to Dahlia Workshop on Westlake.It was a great space to sketch very industrial.  Met up with the other urban sketchers and went to Brave Horse Tavern for lunch.  Great food there!

Sketching with Gabi Campanario

Today we had Gabi Companario the Seattle Sketcher from the Seattle Times as a guest lecturer for Architecture 415 (a sketching class I am teaching at the UW this summer).  It was great seeing his quick sketching approach and how he captures people in the environment.  We did quick 20 min sketches after he did his demonstrations.

Here are a few of my sketches from today.

St. James and Madison Park Starbucks

Went to St. James to take a photo so I could watercolor a sketch I did there on Thursday.  Then stopped off at Madison Park Starbucks to have coffee and did a sketch there.  Here are the sketches.

Madison Park Starbucks

St. James Cathedral

4th of July Sketch

We went to Bainbridge Island yesterday to celebrate the 4th of July with friends.  Had a wonderful BBQ and saw the fireworks of Bainbridge as we took the ferry home.  Here is a sketch from the BBQ.  Beautiful bouquet of flowers on the table with drinks and plate of hummus and pita chips.

The Remains of the Morning

I gave my architecture sketching students a daily drawing prompt which was to study light, shade and shadow on convex and concave forms like eggs and eggshells.  So I thought I would try it out myself.
Here is the result of drawing the remains of our breakfast effort.

Urban Sketchers @ West Montlake Park

We had a great day of sketching at West Montlake Park.  What beautiful scenery of Portage Bay and the edge of the University!  Here is my sketch from the day.

Japanese Tea Garden

We went to the Japanese Tea Garden on Friday.  What a beautiful day for it. Here is a sketch from the Wisteria Arbor looking toward the pond.

Garfield High School 2011 Graduation

Last night we attended our son's High School Graduation Ceremony @ Memorial Stadium in Seattle.
It was a night of celebration for over 400 grads.  Congratulations to all those who have graduated this year.  Go Bull Dogs!

Garfield High School Graduation Ceremony 2011,  Memorial Stadium

Seattle Chinese Garden

Today we took family to Seattle Chinese Garden and Kubota Garden.  Seattle Chinese Garden will be a wonderful place to visit once it is done.  Currently the first courtyard building the Knowing the Spring Courtyard is finished and the nearby Pine and Plum Pavilion.  These two will be linked by gardens and a future Lotus pond.  http://www.seattlechinesegarden.org/
Here is a view of the covered walk way that surrounds the courtyard.

View from Dunn Lumber

If you have frequented Dunn Lumber,  you know it is located at a great spot just west of I-5, by Ivars and Gas Works Park on North Lake Union.  The views are spectacular from the working waterfront of Lake Union.  Here is a sketch from Dunn Lumber looking towards the views South.  You can see Eastlake, Lake Union and Downtown Seattle.

View of Lake Union and the Waterfront

More quick Sketches From UW

These were done on Saturday each less than 30 min. sketches.

Gould Hall Design Build Garden

Cafe Solstice Again!

Quick Sketches from the Ferry to Bainbridge

Cafe Apassionato

Port of Seattle

Took a quick trip to Bainbridge this morning and had a few minutes waiting for the ferry to sketch Apassionato Cafe and the Port of Seattle from the Ferry.

Sketches from Sketchcrawl

Sunday was our monthly sketchcrawl.  We had about 25 people show up and sketched in the Cascade neighborhood by REI.  It was a great time.  Here are a couple of sketches I did.

Alley 24

Immanuel Lutheran Church on Napkin

Garfield Orchestra Foyer Concert

Wonderful concert tonight performed by the Garfield orchestras...the String, Concert, Symphony Orchestra.  We were taken away with the beautiful sounds filling the commons.

Garfield Vocal Jazz @ The New Orleans Creole Restaurant

Last night was solo night for the Garfield Vocal Jazz  at the New Orleans Creole Restaurant.  The house was packed with family and friends of these kids who get a chance to do a solo performance in this historic restaurant.   It was a great and fun night of listening to their musical performances.
Here are a couple of sketches I was able to do.

Salt and Pepper shakers

Plumeria

My plumeria stick now has three leaves.  Here is a sketch from last night.

Plumeria

Substitute Teaching @ UW

Last week a friend of mine and I substitute taught Frank Ching's Architectural sketching class at the U.W.
It took two of us to handle a class of 40 which Frank teaches by himself.  Great fun though.  We introduced watercolor to them  focusing on value.
Here are thumb nail sketches I did talking to students about doing a quick value study.  Also a sketch that I did there.

31st ww sketchcrawl

Last week our urban sketchers group went to the Elliott Avenue Foot bridge.  It was a great spot and everyone had something interesting to sketch.
Here are my sketches from that day.  Also check out urban sketchers results here Sketchcrawl results

Pops Concert @ Garfield High School

Last night we attended the Pops Concert at Garfield Highschool.  It was a great concert filled with familiar tunes from current movies to classics. The Concert Orchestra played music from Apollo 13, An American Tale, Braveheart, Titanic, Lord of the Rings, & Pirates of the Caribbean.  The Symphony Orchestra played Baroque Flamenco with an electric harp solo by Vanessa Stovall,  Overture to West Side Story, Up, and the finale Rhapsody in Blue with piano solo by Jeff Gertler.  Truly amazing talent in all the kids performing.

Pops Concert at Quincy Jones Performing Arts Center- Garfield High School

Home sketch

Practicing drawing people...my son Matthew on the sofa watching T.V.

Plumeria

Here is my plumeria as of yesterday.

Art along the Sound Transit Light Rail

Sunday about 16 urban sketchers road the Sound Transit Line to Tukwila.  We stopped at a couple of stations along the way to sketch the Public Art pieces at the different stations.  It was cold but it was at least dry and we had some sun.  I was able to do three sketches. See below and to see more work from our fellow sketchers check out Seattle blog site http://urbansketchers-seattle.blogspot.com/ .  We enjoyed lunch at Tutta Bella in Columbia City.  We will have to go back there to do some sketching again.

"Soundings" by Clark Wiegman  @ Tukwila Station

Rainier Valley Haikus by Roger Shimomura

Sketchers Frank C., Olivia, and Sharon on the Rail

Finals Week @ the UW

This was the last week of the quarter. And the upcoming week is finals.  Cafe Solstice was full with students studying.  Here are two sketch from Tully's and Cafe Solstice.

Tully's

Plumeria

Plumeria

Two new leaves are starting to grow.

Cafe Solstice

Just had an hour to do a quick sketch before meeting students at the UW.
Went to Cafe Solstice and sketched this scene.  This is a great coffee shop on the Ave. in the U District.
Tested out my new watercolor notebook  Canson Montval 7x10.  It is a larger format that the Moleskine  I am used to.

Cafe Solstice U District

Braces Off!!!

Today my son had his braces taken off.  After two years he is glad to finally smile with out metallic gear in his mouth. He says his mouth is tired because it is easier to smile.  Thanks to Dr. Lyons and Dr. Gunsolus and their staff at North Seattle Orthodontics for taking care of both my sons.
Here is a sketch of Jean who is cleaning his teeth.

Jean cleaning Matthew's teeth after taking off the braces.