Sketching the Easter Bonnet Parade

I can now cross this event off my sketching bucket list. So many hats, so little time! This group is an entourage of 7 people. The come in matching outfits every year.

These guys came with their hats and jackets covered with glued on jelly beans and candy corn in Easter colors.

Harriet is a milliner . Smart lady. She comes every year in one of her creations. Good publicity. This had was so huge it was hard to miss her.

 Polka dot paper bags filled with peeps.

Husband, wife, and nephew. He was dressed in a morning suit. We were having a pleasant conversation while I was sketching. Unbeknownst to me , until afterward, I was filmed sketching them.  www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbaNu_xGwt4&ebc=ANyPxKo7ZI0yF...</a>
You can see me sketching from the 4 min to 4min 29 sec mark.

If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, looks like a duck... it must be a duck.

This guy moved so fast that I sketched him coming and going. He has been participating in this event for 40 years. He used to live in the village, but now lives in Miami. He leaves his morning suit at his friends apartment in NY and flies up just for the parade.

One of my favorites of the day. An American Bulldog , rescued and adopted last November... all 65 lbs of her. Built like a tank and a tail that didn't quit. She donned rabbit ears. Her name is Brisket.

I didn't bring my stool. I figured it would be too crowded and limit my view. I sketched directly in ink and ended up sketching over 50 peeps. Color was added from memory at home. I can't wait to go back again.

Doing Battle WIth The Samurai

After some warm up sketches I decided to attack the Samurai using a pen as my weapon!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you read Elaines' post below, we attracted a pretty large crowd. We should have set up a tip jar, after all, if the Met can charge for looking at art, shouldn't we be able to?  ;^)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Essex Market and...

Always fun to visit the LES with its' eclectic melting pot. The Essex Market has an old world feel which made for some fun sketching. My first sketch was a bread shop.

 

Warning! These next sketches are not considered "Urban Sketching" so if you are offended, turn off your computer now! After lunch and another quick market sketch, many of us went to Dr Sketchys. This was my first time, and I am ready to go back! I worked large (19" x 17" paper), and mostly in oil pastel, which I have only used once before.

This first page is the 1 minute warmups.

 

 

This next group is a conbination of two minute and 15 minute sketches. The theme was Russian Fairytales.

 

This last sketch is a total suprise. We were asked to try our non dominant hand. I may become a lefty!