When it cleared
Posted: December 29, 2018 Filed under: Uncategorized 16 CommentsI woke up this morning to a dense fog that descended over Sanibel during the night. It took a few hours until it cleared but then we had this — beautiful, clear light. I found a spot at the end of the dock where I could rest my sketchbook and palette, which allowed me to paint standing up. Saturday seems to be pretty busy on this channel, with boats going in and out, but it was quiet enough for a mother and baby dolphin to venture into the canal just below where I was standing. Another bit of magic for today.
Shari Blaukopf's Sketchbook 
Brilliant scene and brilliant execution!
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Thanks Gayle. Have a happy new year!
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What a lovely experience again! You must have the dolphin lucky charm with you on this trip. I wish you many more lovely experiences during the rest of your vacation.
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I think I do have the dolphin lucky charm. The other night I was out with my sons and there were two or three chasing fish right at our feet in the water. My son took some amazing videos. Thanks for the good wishes. Hope you have a Happy New Year.
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Do people stop to talk or watch you paint when you are outdoors? I would be totally mesmerized..
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Hi Lois, People stop to say hello all the time. I love that about urban sketching. I’ve met so many interesting people when I’m out. And it doesn’t bother me if people look over my shoulder. If you ever see me sketching, come over to say hello.
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I will!
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Beautifully done.
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I love how you have captured the light, especially in the green bushes on the left. Thank you for sharing your holiday, your paintings and sketches are so evocative that I almost feel as if I am there with you!
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And thank you for taking the time to send me a note. It is my greatest pleasure to sketch when I travel, and it is even more fun to write about it. So glad you appreciate it too.
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Comparing the photograph with the painting shows what you can really see by painting on the scene. Beautiful depiction of the water. And the foliage. And done standing up-I envy you.
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Thanks Judy. I see better when I am standing or working on an easel. That’s just my preferred way of working but you may be better sitting. Have a happy new year!
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wow i too like such paintings😍
u r sok creative😊
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Thanks so much!
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I really enjoy all your sketches, but this one comparing the sketch with the photo shows how much detail you include and how much you leave as an impression for the viewer to fill in. That is especially helpful as I either get too detailed or too “unfinished” without enough detail. Thanks so much for all your wonderful posts. Enjoy Sanibel!
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Hi Ginny, Thanks so much for writing. I guess I never think much about the simplification process, unless I am teaching a workshop. I just do it automatically. But yes, there is definitely a lot of simplification going on in every scene. I always try to extract the elements that will describe the scene in the fewest brushstrokes, in other words how to get to the essence of whatever I am looking at quite quickly. This usually starts with values — where are the lights and the darks? And then colour —- where are the warms and the cools? And then the details go in last. Of course lots of practice helps immensely. Hope you have a happy new year with lots of sketching opportunities in 2019!
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