Sketching Davis with Pete Scully's Group

This weekend was a "Let's Draw Davis" Event that Pete Scully holds about once a month up in (where else?) Davis, CA.

We all met at the Amtrak Station there in downtown Davis. It was a warm 86 degrees but quite manageable if you were sitting in the shade of the many trees found downtown.

I had lots of fun meeting Pete and the other local artists. A few sketches were committed...:)

Check out the mention of this event on the Urban Sketcher's Blog.

Check out Marlene Lee's blog about this sketchcrawl!

Check out Salvador's blog on this sketchcrawl.


We stopped and sketched some toys in the window of a local shop.

Here's Pete with some of the Group:

I had the day off the Friday before and sat in my car and sketched a few scenes in the early part of the day. (Colors were added later).

It took me a few trains stopping to catch the side of the train but I was always rewarded with a view of one of the conductors. This is more of a composite sketch of the ones I saw that day.

I see that they renamed the local "Murder Burger" - Shows you how long it's been since I was in Davis!

Lucky me I was there early enough in the day to avoid many pedestrians but I spied this old jalopy when I drove down the street. I had to stop and catch that!

I had to leave a bit early the day of the sketch crawl on Saturday but this was the place the rest of the Group would meet at the end. I sat in the car in front of Chipotle's to get this view (a composite of the Plaza). It was getting kind of hot by then...

Check out Pete Scully's Blog to see a sketch of ME! (Hey Thanks Pete!)

I definitely enjoyed myself in Davis and will look forward to sketching there in the future!

Out and About with East Bay Painters

Saturday was busy and the weather couldn't be better! I headed to the Berkeley Marina for a demonstration by David Savellano on sketching a scene with the East Bay Plein Air Painters. Wouldn't ya know it - I forgot to pack watercolors. Luckily I did have pastel pencils and a water brush and soluble graphite & ink! The first page is a cut & paste image from David's flyer (below).

Page 2 & 3: The houseboat and marina view is mine (ink, soluble graphite & pastel)

Berkeley Marina & Houseboats (artist Janice L-H)

Later I jumped in the car and headed over to Alameda to join the East Bay Landscape Painters (Karen, Rebeca, Larry & Fran) before it got too late to sketch. The weather was still warm and I found an area in the shade to sketch the Ferry Building view. I got quite a bit of sun (since I also forgot to pack my hat) but I managed to stay in the shade! (artist Janice L-H)

Spring Art Classes - February 2010

"Carmel Mission study"
(12"x 18" pastel on paper artist Janice L-H)

Spring is almost here and the assignments in class have kept me pretty busy. I'm really going to try as best I can to fit in my weekend painting sessions with the painting Groups (East Bay and North Bay Plein Air Painters , as well as the Sacramento and the Benicia groups). The Saturday class (Landscape Art) is also starting soon and Marc Pandone chooses some nice local areas to visit with his students. Mountains and Valleys and Trees...Oh, My!

At the very least, if I can't get in a pastel or two, I can use the time to work on some assignments! In the meantime, I include a few exercises below.

Figure Painting:
The model is Barbara. Some of you may have worked with her before. Both matronly and quirky, Barbara has the best fashion accessories!


(18"x24" acrylic on paper - artist Janice L-H)

Drawing Class:
I don't think I've ever spent so much time on line drawings without adding paint or pastel. The first one is from my sketchbook "Nicasio Land Co Ford" (with the NBPAP in Nicasio last Sunday) and the second drawing is a class assignment (18"x24" graphite on paper) titled: "My IsShoes With Teddy"


(9"x12"graphite & ink on paper)


(18"x24" graphite on paper)