Sunday, August 26, 2012

Sketching at Descanso...



I recently taught a sketching workshop at Descanso Gardens.  In preparing for the workshop, I did a lot of sketching and thinking about things like how to start...what's important to me in a sketch...why sketch in a sketchbook?  It took me back to the basics of choosing a subject by focusing and framing...and making lots of quick thumbnail sketches.  Also...seeing in line versus seeing shape...and how seeing tone and value is key to working with color.  So much to try and convey in a few hours!


Many pages of thumbnails....here are a few--in the Rose Garden and the Japanese Garden...and near the entrance.  


Things were constantly swooping, flying or running across my path...reminding me how a sketchbook can serve to catch those unexpected surprises--moments of opportunity!





Seeing and drawing in line...seeing and drawing in value and tone...




 Studies in value and color...
What to include, what to leave out...

More past studies from Descanso Gardens...








Friday, August 17, 2012

Traveling west on Sunset...

...from the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles, Sunset Blvd. takes you into East Hollywood...in the early days of Hollywood, this was the home of many film studios...now it's quite different...




The beautifully restored 1920's
Vista Theater stands at the intersection of Sunset
and Hollywood Blvd...a last bit of "old Hollywood", this was once the lot where D.W. Griffith built the famous "Babylon" set for his epic "Intolerance"...










Just north of Sunset is Barnsdall Art Park which sits on top of Olive Hill...with the municipal gallery and Frank Lloyd Wright's Hollyhock House, built for Aline Barnsdall.  My favorite thing about the park is the views out to the city in every direction!




A sliver of Sunset Blvd. and the city beyond seen through two Kaiser
Hospital buildings...and the Hollyhock House seen from Sunset, over hospital construction...


A local Capoeira group practices on the lawn at Barnsdall Park...
and a view of Barnsdall seen from Kaiser Hospital on a bright winter day...

















Views of my favorite building in Los Angeles, the Griffith Observatory, seen from Olive Hill...



Sunday, August 12, 2012

Exploring Los Angeles Neighborhoods

...more views of the interesting Los Angeles neighborhood of Silver Lake,
moving further west on Sunset Blvd...

views along the Boulevard...above the bluffs, and a mystery door...


the area around Sunset Junction...



Intelligentsia coffee and 
Silver Lake people...