Nearly our 5th Anniversary

We celebrated the 5th Anniversary of the Urban Sketchers Tacoma's first sketch outing on June 26, 2013. Oddly, there were only four of us today, less than usual and less then at that first outing!

We met at the Annie Wright Schools in Tacoma. Thanks to Jean Y. who teaches there and was our host as she's one of us, too.

Today: 


The first outing on June 27, 2013 (I wasn't there).



I thought I'd wait for any late arrivals so I sketched this view of the school front from the shade across the lawn.  I included an inset with a seed pod, thinking of the botanical sketching demo by Janice Berkebile at Daniel Smith earlier this week.  




I had about 45 minutes left and, as I often do, went searching for a simpler scene to sketch in that time.




































--by Kate Buike

Annie Wright Schools

I've been so busy with multiple sketch outings, I didn't realize I never posted mine from Wednesday at Annie Wright Schools!  

The Tacoma Sketchers Wednesday outing for July was held at the Annie Wright Schools.    Jean, one of our members, teaches there and arranged for us to have access.

After a tour of the school, I decided I would attempt the perspective challenge offered by this view of the cloisters.  I really loved the Tudor beauty of the building.  I also really love cloister walks and gardens.




This is the most difficult perspective view I've ever attempted.  I nearly gave up during the pencil drawing.  But I persevered and got it mostly right.  There is a bit of wonky-ness but I'm pleased overall.  I did need the help of my perspective tool as I didn't quite believe what I saw.  As Stephanie Bower said in her perspective workshop, "don't believe your eye".

While sketching, a group of middle school aged children arrived with their teacher, "Dr. Wizard," and carrying TREBUCHETS!!!  How wonderful.  I got a close up view of the good Doctor's expert teaching on how to fine tune the aim of these small weapons.  Apparently, there will be a contest on Friday, scoring for accuracy and distance.   The young girls closest to me were doing very well in accuracy.




Sharing sketches and group photo






Many more photos here, including outside and inside the school

City of Destiny

I used to think the only place for truly great water front and historic building sketching was Port Townsend until Tacoma Urban sketchers came into my life. Now I can't seem to get enough of the City of Destiny. 

The waterfront sketch was done kind of on the fly with 30 minutes to spare before a USk meeting at the end of June. I finished it later in my studio - micron 08 sketch, watercolor pencils and watercolor.

Our 3rd Wednesday at Annie Wright School gave me the opportunity to work on perspective. This one I worked out the perspective and the details in pencil, went back over it in ink and finished it in watercolor. Our outing began with a tour of the school so by the time we got around to sketching we had about two hours to do what ever we were going to do. This sketch took all of that and some work back in my studio to finish it.

I still love Port Townsend but the proximity, convenience and richness of Tacoma is hard to beat.