First Five, of Thirty

Little Joe Lake, Ontario, Canada    w/ Charlotte Hamilton

Starting on the 1st of July, I've been participating in a #30places30days challenge with other Sktchy artists. Each day there is a video tutorial by an artist in their own locale, using the medium they are most comfortable with to sketch a landscape scene. While I don't always enjoy painting in someone else's style, or doing the same scene hundreds of others are also doing, so far I am truly enjoying this.

The first day was a watercolor sketch of a portage campsite. It was a somewhat familiar scene, looking much like sites I've camped in.

The Colonia Güell, Barcelona, Spain  w/David Morales

The second day was all fine point ink, and hatching, which I normally avoid. However, I really enjoyed this sketch as well, quiting before the hatching bored me too much. 

The next day was also ink, but with a fountain pen. I am more comfortable with fountain pens, as I write with one daily. So I enjoyed the pen, but I was a bit frustrated because the artist was sketching on site, but we were using a photo and I could not always see what he was seeing. My sketch (below) shows my frustration. However, having never been bold enough to just jump in and sketch a scene like this with a fountain pen, I am now looking forward to trying it on my own scenes.

Tehran, Iraq city scene  w/Hesam Hasanipour

WA State Vineyard  w/Amy Stewart

These last two sketches used mixed media. The simplified vineyard scene (above) was done in watercolor, with added colored pencils on top. The scene in Southern France (below) began with an ink brush pen, then watercolor, and finally a bit of colored pencil was added.

Martel, France  w/Mr. Tazeb

One of the things I am enjoying, and looking forward to more of, is filling a complete sketchbook with landscapes. I truly have felt isolated and 'stuck' in one place for the last year and a half, so sketching other scenes is very refreshing. It is also refreshing for me - at this time - to sketch in new styles, and with materials I may not be as comfortable or familiar with. When this sketchbook is filled, at the end of these 30 days, it will contain many options for me to choose from as I continue sketch and creating my own sketching 'style.'