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Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Old Joliet Prison



Desolate and abandoned is the Old Joliet Prison. Yes, the place for the opening scene in the Blue Brothers film. Even so, old is charming and veeeeery sketch-able. The building was built with yellow limestone. Joliet lies in a huge bed of limestone. It was quarried to built this prison and many other buildings in the city of Joliet, even the Water Tower, a recognizable landmark in Chicago, was built using limestone from Joliet. The multiple antennas on the roof give the impression that this building is still in use, but the broken glass of the windows says otherwise. The heat made me leave the spot with a inked sketch. I colored it later that day under a roof, in the comfort of air conditioning and a scoop of ice cream to my side. A man approached to me to asked me if I was an artist. I identified myself as a sketcher. We talked about his blog, my blog and I mentioned he could join Urban Sketchers in Chicago, I hope he does so, he would realize this is a fun way to meet people who share the same interest.

Saturday, August 20, 2016

The big fireplace at the Public Library.

The joy of scouting places, finding treasures and having your art kit with you to sketch it on location is....priceless. I found this fireplace in the Public Library in downtown Joliet, Illinois. This building was built in 1903. This room survived the big fire of 1989. The fireplace is magnificent. The tiles under the big mirror have paintings of native Americans with tepees. My husband is looking at them in awe. During our stay we were offered a glass of lemonade. It's lemonade day just in case you don't know. Great find...and great lemonade.


Wednesday, August 17, 2016

The Rialto Square Theater


A beautiful fountain was my companion during the making of this sketch. Tables and benches were next to it and welcomed me to enjoy  this sight.The Rialto Square Theather in downtown Joliet is one of the jewels of the city and the state of Illinois. The interior is wonderfully decorated, I've been there once or twice. Take a look at the 360 interior view, click here, you won't regret it.

Monday, August 15, 2016

Red neighborhood



I keep experimenting with this technique which is pre-coloring my sketchbook pages with a glaze of watercolor paint, let it dry and sketch on location. I have noticed a couple of things. One, it saves me time. The fact that the paper has been colored already limits the palette I would use. I think less is more here. Also I've noticed that the lines of ink are bolder or juicier do to the fact that the paper has lost some of the absorption that feature watercolor paper. This last observation doesn't bother me, actually I like it, the feel of the nib of my fountain open changes while gliding on the paper, it's hard to describe but I would say it is more sensitive to the touch and at the same time it feels like an extremely fine sand paper (?) for the lack of a better word. Well....I've been wanting to sketch this mobile home park for years! It's next to a hamburger place, I smelled food the whole time, so I'm hungry now. See you.


Thursday, August 11, 2016

Sanctuary of Atotonilco


This was one of some pen and ink sketches that I have left behind and that I colored today. It was done 16 months ago during my visit to several towns of the state of Guanajuato last year. This little town is Atotonilco, 280 km NW of Mexico city. Some locals from the town of San Miguel de Allende told us we should come here. So we did, and I knew why as soon as I stepped inside the Sanctuary. The frescos all over the walls and ceilings are amazing.  It is locally know as the Mexican Sistine Chapel. It looks indeed like it, but this is one reloaded. We were told by the tour guide that the frescos are passages of the Bible and were painted in the church not only as a decorative motif, but as a tool to teach the Bible to the illiterate locals. It was a nice surprise to see this wonder in one of the hidden corners of my beloved Mexico.

Fresco in the Sanctuary of Atotonilco's dome.

Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Urban sketchers occupational hazards.


There's a lot going on behind sketches that fortunately I can describe in this blog. For example, this woman was waiting in a doctor's office. She was texting at that moment, but also had a book on her lap. Despite the fact that she looked distracted she kept an eye on me. Our eyes made contact, it was awkward. I smiled slightly at her but she didn't react. I continued sketching her before she moved, I knew she was going to, it was a race against time. Hurry up Adriana! Sure enough, she got up and sat down in another chair. But guess what? I got you! My intention was to show her the sketch but her turn was called before I finished the sketch, oh well. I meant good.



The man on the right was having lunch with what looked like his children. The son looked very calm and was eating healthy, a beautiful salad and a hamburger. He left the buns aside. He can put a lot of us to shame. His dad had restless hands, it looked like the hands had its own will. The girl? I didn't care not sketching her. The whole show was this pair. 


I liked this couple. They were not together of course, I hope the size of each shows perspective, if not, well....just pretend. I liked this view because of the contrast, he was formally dressed and she was dressed totally casual. I'm really having fun using my Stillman&Birn pocket size Beta Series capturing THIS! 

Wednesday, August 3, 2016

Pre-colored pages.





















This morning I went to have a cup of coffee to the cafe next to the library to try out one of these pages. I've been there before and I thought it is a charming place, besides the great coffee and food they serve there. Minutes later the room started to fill out with women who gathered there to knit. I overheard all sort of stories, and the dynamic of the group is not different than any other social group I belong too. One of them showed me the mermaid piece she knitted for her grandchild. So cute! They were having fun, so did I. This is the resulting sketch using a pre-colored page. It is an advantage to feel like you are a step ahead in the process of building a sketch, like if you are saving time. I felt good. The combination of the background watercolor and ink drawing was just beautiful. Unfortunately I didn't take a photo to post it here. Then I added more color, not to much, just to define some areas. The result came out as interesting as the one with just ink. I think I'll use this approach in the future now and then. It is refreshing to do something different and get out of routine.

Finding new ways to do things a little bit different is not so hard. Looking at other's works or reading books (sometimes more than once) helps to find inspiration. Although I'm still stuck to my watercolors as my primary media, I'm trying a new approach to do sketches. I think I have finally found a way to use those student grade watercolors that come with travel watercolor palette that I don't normally use because I replaced them with artist grade paint.



Pre-coloring the pages of the sketchbook is a way to use those stored watercolors, specially for large size sketchbooks. The larger the sketchbook, the more paint needed, the fastest the paint goes away. It's something you can do at home at your spare time, and you have all the time of the world to let it dry.









Monday, August 1, 2016

Rare July

I have never had a Summer so busy to the point that I'm exhausted. I had therefore neglected this blog. I would like to post more than I can but this is what I got so far. 

First I would like to mention that this Summer I participated in two 5k races, me? Yes.....unheard of. The first one was a 5k walk in one of the hottest, most humid and nastiest days of the summer, but all of it is forgotten once I remember that I finished it and got my medal. Picture me now with a big pride smile.


Then, within a week my friend and I decided to register to another 5k race that turned out to be one the funniest activities I had in months! It was an opportunity to climb, jump, bounce, slide and laugh as a child. I arrived early. I made two quick sketches in my pocket S&B sketchbook with pencil.  

This is the start inflatable obstacle.


And this one is the last inflatable obstacle at the finish line.



Last Sunday we had a family gathering to celebrate one of the child's birthday. There were different groups with several topic conversations. I caught this one. Adults stay still for a while. They are always great models. It wasn't a white party, I left their cloth in white on purpose, you know, the artistic liberty.....


So far so good. My calendar is slimming down, but still shows one or two parties coming. Bring it on!