Stephanie Bower


Stephanie Bower | Architectural Illustration: www.stephaniebower.com | Sketching Workshops: www.stephaniebower.com | Sketches: on Instagram at @stephanieabower & http://www.flickr.com/photos/83075812@N07/ | Urban Sketchers Blog Correspondent www.urbansketchers.org | Signature member of the Northwest Watercolor Society

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Sunday Sketches

Work has been SO busy, it's been a while since I've done much sketching.  I am sorry I am so behind in posts!!!

I was so happy to join the Seattle USk group to sketch again this past Sunday.  With near freezing temps, a motivated group of Seattle Sketchers showed up at the Pioneer Square underground bus tunnel!  This is part of what is so great about USk, the group motivation and support to venture out, even in the COLD, to see our world one sketch at a time.

First was the bus tunnel...it was very hard to get the curves right, took longer than expected. The colors were also very gray, I still need to work on cranking up color for the sake of a sketch instead of being so literal. I started this sketch with the back half circle, had to erase and redraw a little smaller and higher on the page in order to get it all to fit.


Second, with frozen hands, I needed to feel some sun, so it was up to the sunny corner at 3rd Ave. and Yesler.  Here I started with the tall rectangular shape of the street space, starting with the vertical line in red brick on the left, down along the street, and up again on the right hand corner of the off-white building.

After, I headed over to Zeitgeist cafe and sketched the entire interior.  I have been trying a limited color palette over pencil drawings in my work sketches lately, and I suppose this is a variation on that idea, with just ultramarine blue, burnt sienna, yellow ochre, and a touch of manganese blue in the glass. I was tired, so the perspective got a little wonky in places! I also probably need to draw into the gutter a bit more, maybe try pen...
always learning...

12 comments:

  1. Great sketches, Stephanie!! I really appreciate how you can give the impression of so much detail, yet not get burdened with literal detail.

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    1. Hi Peggy, thank you so much for viewing these images and for your comment. I haven't posted in a while as I'm never sure if anyone is looking too much at the blog :) So nice to know, it inspires me to keep posting! Thank you~~
      As far as suggestion of detail, it is because I am in impatient sketcher an would go nuts sitting in one spot too long...

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  2. Fabulous. Your sketches are always earth shattering and beautiful. They tell a story of the space, the people.

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  3. Great panorama of the terminal!

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    1. Thank you for this comment! It took a while to get that shape on the paper!

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  4. I am very glad to see again your watercolours on your blog. I note that you do not put uniform colors but place different spots more or less dark tones, for example the sky in 3rd Ave.
    Have you use the fountain pen for the dark lines in the cafe (left?)
    Thank you for all the valuable information. I finally started watercolor. I am a total beginner,
    Sincerely,
    Pierre

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    1. Pierre, muchisimas gracias por este nota de tan lejos! Si, trato de cambiar los colores en cada parte del dibujo, para que sea mas interesante. Uso solo lapiz, mi favorito es un lapiz mecanico que compre en Sennelier en Paris, un numero .5 con HB o 2B. Cuando pongo aquarela, la linea se ve mas oscura, casi como pluma. Que bueno que estas usando aquarela, por fin! Te deseo mucha suerte, y espero que estes bien.
      S

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  5. I love the sense of depth in the sketch of the bus tunnel. Your sketches are inspiring!

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    1. Thank you so much, Joan. There was indeed lots of depth in that bus tunnel! And I am inspired by your comments, I promise to keep posting more here. I also want to figure out how I can post some of my professional work sketches too...Thank you!

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  6. Hi Stephanie,
    I have just discovered your blog and admire your sense for proportions, perspective and values! Jawdrop.
    All the best,
    Monika

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    1. Hi Monika,
      Thanks so much for finding this blog and for your lovely comments! I also post more sketches to flickr, there is a link on my website at www.stephaniebower.com.
      Thanks again, and all the best to you too.
      S

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