August 25, 2011

A couple more sketches done in my smaller - handy to carry - 8.25" x 5" Moleskine sketchbook. Henceforth this book will be referred to as my "Little Blue Sketchbook" as all sketches to-date in it have been sketched using a #6 watercolour brush and a bottle of blue Mont Blanc fountain pen ink. Gets a bit messy on the hands if not careful and I get a few stares from passers-by. Anyway, these two sketches done sitting on bus stop bench at Granville and West Broadway in Vancouver. I had just got out of a meeting with a client at Starbucks at that intersection. The sketches are of two different buses on the same route. The second bus I did not finish the details until a day later, but the first was done on-site.

"Granville Bus - 1" and "Granville Bus-2"
[Click on image for larger view]

I have found that it is easier to start with the outline with a mixture of 75% water and 25% ink and rough in the area. Quickly sketch the window locations with this same light ink mix and the wheels and shadow. Fortunately both buses did two circuits while I was there, so picked up details missed on second round. Next took 100% ink and sketched in all the darks for contrast. Then taking a 50/50 mix of ink and water did the middle-tone. Careful to leave white for the numbers and lettering. Then carefully negative painted in the letters and numbers. I did forego the background as I did not have the time to do that. I was starting to get fried in the sun. (Need to invest in a wide-brimmed painters hat.. LOL.

Still a bit OCD with the details and tightness of the sketch.. I am working on that next to loosen up.