IBM Atrium - 10 mn Portraits

My first post! I wanted to share my drawings from last week when we were lucky enough to have such nice weather and the park wasn't too crowded.

This is at the entrance at Columbus Circle, actually the front is much more impressive but I felt like sketching it while waiting for my fellow sketchers.

This is the first bridge we sketched, I am happy to see my trees are taking more of the shape I want them to.....drawing them in the background (and in pen) is difficult.

The second bridge we visited.......very ornate and pretty but way too much detail to capture in one sitting!

Our last stop- sorry the photo looks a little bent because of the sketchbook I use- I didn't straighten it out. I was happy with the shading and the trees. 

The Chinatown Sketch Tour May 10, 2014

Looking South on Mott Street

New York’s Chinatown is home to what’s thought to be the largest population of Chinese people in the Western Hemisphere.  Bordered on the north by Little Italy and on the East by the Lower East Side it is home to almost 100,000 people.  It is actually one of eight Chinese neighborhoods in the five boroughs home to nearly three quarters of a million people.  Originally founded in the 1840’s Chinatown is also one of the oldest ethnic Chinese neighborhoods outside China.

Our sketching will begin at the corners of Canal and Mott streets.  The entire day will be spent walking two long blocks on Mott Street until we finish at Kimlau Square.  Named for the Second Lieutenant Benjamin Ralph Kimlau. He graduated from Dewitt Clinton High School in 1937 then attended the US Army War College. Lt Kimlau died for his country flying bomber missions in World War II.  The area is also known as Confucius Square. The staute of the philosopher was presented by the community to the City of New York for the bicentennial in 1976.   Inscribed on the front of the statue is a passage from Confucius’ writings regarding the Great Harmony (Ta Tung) which promotes peace in the world, social order, and natural accord (and beautiful sketches we hope).

Sites on Mott Street will include:

• 42 Mott St - Ming Fay Bookstore
• 38 Mott St - The New Age Designer - Chinese style dress
• 36 Mott St - The Pearl of the Orient Gallery
• 32 Mott St - The Mott Street General Store
• 25 Mott St - The Church of the Configuration (built 1801.  Originally built as an English Lutheran Church it changed nationalities as the community changed becoming a Catholic Church serving the Irish community then the Italian.  Service are currently offered in Cantonese and Mandarin)

You get the idea.  The two block walk is densely packed with wonderful scenes and sites.  The streets are narrow and busy.  It should be a wonderful day of sketching

Kimlau Square

DETAILS:

• We will meet at the corner of Mott and Canal St at 10 AM.  We will walk south.
• Meet at the corner of Mott and Bayard St at 11:15 AM.  Continue walking south
• Meet at the Church of the Configuration at 12:15.
• Lunch at 12:30
• 2:00 continue walk from the Church to Kimlua Square (Confucius Sq)
• 3:30 - wrap up in the square, picture throw-down, and photos
• NOTE:  The forecast says 75 degrees with a chance of rain.  Let's hope for good weather An email will be sent if we need a Rain-Day alternate plan

Sketch with us all day or select the portion you want.  

If you can’t find us

call Mark at 973-809-9128

(But only if necessary as I will be busy drawing too.

Thank you for understanding)

There are no fees or attendance taken. All drawing skill levels are welcome.

Sketching Central Park, Saturday May 3, 2014

Winter seemed a distant memory walking among the crowds that flocked to Central Park on Saturday.  From the playgrounds to the ballfields, park patrons were hard at work having fun.  Urban Sketchers were there taking it all in, being careful of sunburn, and wrestling with the bright light on the white pages of our sketchbooks as we attempted to convey some small measure of the carnival atmosphere and relaxed mood of the day.

                                                    Ballfield by the Dairy looking southwest

                                           
                                                   Gapstow Arch in the southeast corner of the
                                                             Park near Wollman Rink

                                                       Ornamentation and extreme perspectival
                                                        view of Pinebranch Arch from one
                                                                          end

                                                   End of Pinebranch Arch bridge with
                                                             passersby

What a great start to warm weather plein air sketching!

Jim W.

The Bridges of Central Park

Greyshot Arch

Pinebank Arch

Gapstow Bridge

In the afternoon by the time we got to Gapstow Bridge the sky began to darken.  I was more interested in the sky than the bridge and did a quick thumbnail of the clouds that were coming in.  The spot where we were sitting was particularly scenic and many people stopped to admire the view.  A large contingent of family and friends stopped to take some posed shots for a young woman's Quinceanera photos.  The backdrop couldn't have been prettier.  I had to stand up to sketch her.  She posed with several young men who were all wearing ties that matched her dress.  By then I'd become bored with the bridges and did a sketch of Lance sketching.

Bridges of Central Park - May 3, 2014

Welcome to NYC Urban Sketchers 2.0

New York City Urban Sketchers 2.0

Thank you for the feedback you provided in our recent survey. The information gathered was very interesting.

As a result of your feedback we are introducing some improvements to the NYC Urban Sketcher’s Chapter that we hope you'll like.  We've changed the look of the website (http://nyc.urbansketchers.org/).  On the right side of the new webpage you’ll see we’ve added a calendar.  This is a shared calendar.  You’ll see that several of the upcoming Saturday events are already listed there.  You can click on those events to get the details.

Do you have a sketching idea that you’d like to propose?  

Would you like to lead the group?  You’re invited to do just that.  Find a date that works for you and send an email with the details to Help.NYC.USk@gmail.com and we’ll get the word out.

We’ve always sketched on Saturday’s but don’t let that limit you.  Propose a sketch event for Sundays, for any Weekday, ... or even an Evening Event.  

We hope you’ll use your creativity, 

this could open things in many new and exciting ways.