Current Sketchbook Page

I like to fill the pages of my sketchbooks. If I don't create an urban sketch or draw from a photograph I fill the page with doodles and whatever is going on at the moment.

The menu us from an old favorite pastrami shop from my childhood. Let's keep that memory alive!

The skulls were created while reading the book, "The Urban Sketching Handbook, People and Motion by Gabi Campanario.

Drawing at the Library a San Diego Urban Sketcher Event

I attended an art reception at the library yesterday and sketched the scenery outside of the library entrance. I didn't go inside because I am the official "greeter" for the San Diego Urban Sketchers and this was one of our events.

 I worked with a Stabilo China Marker and watercolor. The sketchbook is a Daler Rowney 11 x 14, 65 lb paper. When I am drawing or painting on location I don't use a full page for each drawing because I don't carry my large brushes for location painting and I work with the sketchbook on my lap. I would probably get paint on my blouse.
It was a bit chilly and many of the sketchers drew parts of the library, the people and even drew from books.

SD Urban Sketchers and SD Plein Air Painters Art Reception

The San Diego Plein Air Painters Meetup Group invited the San Diego Urban Sketchers to participate in an art show at the Rancho Penasquitos Library during the month of March. The San Diego Urban Sketchers sketched in and outside of the library and Tricia De Luna gave a painting demo. This video was compiled from clips taken at the reception on March 17, 2018. There were 2 walls of framed artwork as well as a display case with unframed artwork and sketchbooks.

Gargoyle in a Stamp

I started practicing my gouache with a gargoyle this morning. I then turned to doodling and then stamp carving. Even though I use a small v-gouge I have trouble getting fine carving lines. It was still a fun process for me.

Maira Kalman

Artsy.net has a new Maira Kalman page that provides visitors with up-to-date Kalman exhibition listings, over a dozen of her works, and exclusive articles. The page also includes related artists and categories, allowing viewers to discover art beyond their Kalman page. This is a great resource! 

Day 3 of #OneWeek100People

When I created these 20 drawings I used a Pigma Bold Brush Marker. I sketched from the Internet News. I normally like to do all my drawings from life but doing 20 drawings takes a long time. I would rather sit at home to draw instead of doing 2 hours of staring at people in public.

Day 2 of #OneWeek100People

One Day 2 of #OneWeek100People I used a Kooh-I-Noor Rapido Sketch Pen for these drawings. I sat across from the snack shack at the San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas and was able to capture people as they gathered for coffee or ate snacks. I had to sketch quickly because they were constantly moving, especially the children!

Day 1 of #OneWeek100People2018

I have taken on the challenge put out by Mark Taro Holmes and Liz Steel to draw 100 people in one week. #OneWeek100People2018. Today I worked in gouache and pencil, marker and ink pen.I worked small and used photo references because I had to stay indoors. Tomorrow I plan to draw people while urban sketching.

1967 VW Volkswagen Bug Original Watercolor on Ebay

Bid

Original Watercolor Painting of 1967 VW Bus Driving down the road in San Diego. Signed in the lower right side in watercolor: Lydia Velarde Image 4.5 x 6.5 inches Outside mat size 8 x 10 inches Mat is brown with a foam board backing. Shrink wrapped. Volkswagon, VW, Car, Vintage

Sketching at the Opera Rehearsal for Turandot

The San Diego Opera invites artists to their dress rehearsal at the San Diego Civic Theatre in San Diego, California, I was honored to be one of the artists that got to attend the rehearsal for Turandot. There is so much to take in while sketching: the music, the colors, the sets, costumes and of course the beautiful VOICES! These are the pages I worked on during the rehearsal.

Sketches with Pentel Pocket Brush Pen and watercolor.

Derwent Sketching Pencil Medium Wash and Aquarellable Stabilo 8046 Pencil with Watercolor

Graphite Pencil

Gouache Sketch and Contour Line Drawing of Museum of Man

Gouache on left contour line drawing on the right.

Still practicing gouache, I worked on a small part of the Museum of Man in Balboa Park, San Diego, CA. The building was built as part of the 1915-16 Panama-California Exposition. The museum features cultural anthropology exhibits and was one of the first buildings in Balboa Park.

Watercolor with Urban Sketchers at Mission Trails Visitor Center

These sketches were created at the Mission Trails Visitor Center in San Diego while at an event with the San Diego Urban Sketchers.  I used my favorite drawing tools which are the koh-i-noor rapidosketch  pen and a set of Holbein watercolors. The Mission Trails Regional Park encompasses 7,220 acres of both natural and developed recreational land with 60 miles of hiking trails. 

This is a video of the event:

Figure Drawing

These are figure sketches from yesterday at Judy's. 2 fives and a 20.

I tried drawing with a brush on the 5 minute poses after noticing that a lot of the artists at the watercolor society started this way.

The20-minutee pose was done with aRapidoo sketch pen and watercolor. My comfort zone.

Alexa Health Facts

Lydia stresses out

Link to the channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/zipchips

PACE 2017

I was so excited to see that half of me appeared in a photo sent in a promo email for the 2018 Plein Air Convention and Expo!

Figure Drawing with Pencil and Watercolor

This was the clothed model at life drawing today in a 20-minute pose. One of the other artists commented on the speed of my drawing. I think it is because I use contour drawing. I learned to draw in this manner from Bill Robles in the 1970's at the Art Center College of Design. He was/is a courtroom artist. 

I switched from pencil to a marker for these 20 and 10-minute poses. 

These are 2 minute warm-up sketches. I painted the panels with watercolor. I am in the habit of doing the panels because I usually paint the nude. It helps speed up the painting process for quick poses.

Cabrillo Bridge Balboa Park, San Diego

The San Diego Watercolor Society meets every Wednesday at different locations in San Diego. Today we met at the Cabrillo Bridge which leads right in to Balboa Park. The entrance is at the corner of El Prado and Balboa Drive.

 

Walking at the Mall

I really enjoy walking at the mall, when I got right down to it there were many reasons I enjoy it! The only trouble I have is getting on the non-moving escalator steps. The lines and the width of the steps get me a little disoriented when I first step on.

My drawing and journal entry was created with a micron pen and gouache.

Campaign to reach 1000 YouTube Subscribers

Are you aware that I have a YouTube Channel? I am making an aggressive effort to reach 1000 subscribers. That's my goal! If you can help out this is a link to the channel. https://www.youtube.com/user/zipchips

 I show videos of San Diego Urban Sketcher Events, plein air events, sketchbook flips and a few museum visits. Check a few "Lydeos" out to see if they peak your interest. If so please show your support by subscribing!

Thank you so much!

Lydia

Heritage Park near Old Town, San Diego

This is the sketch I did today at the San Diego Urban Sketcher event at Heritage Park in Old Town, San Diego. Pencil and watercolor in a Daler Rowney sketchbook.

I passed on drawing the Victorian Homes and drew a house on the hill instead.

Zip Chips YouTube Trailer

This is my new YouTube Trailer. If you have enjoyed the videos on this channel please subscribe and share to show your support!

Contour line drawing

This is a quick sketch I created while my husband pumped gas for me. Contour line drawing was the technique taught to me by a courtroom artist. I enjoy contour line drawing because they are fast and perfect for urban sketching.

Spanish Village

Painting small in a large Daler Rawley sketchbook. I am still working with gouache. This piece was painted while with the San Diego Sketchcrawlers at Spanish Village in Balboa Park.

Lydia, Uta, Rachel, Joelle and Ann.

Lake Poway

This is my second attempt at gouache. I chose a subject that had some vibrant colors but I felt that my palette had many "sweet" colors and I tried to tame them down with blacks and mixing. Another attempt soon.

V's Coffee shop

I created this sketch in V's Coffee Shope in Rancho Bernardo. I was going to meet friends for plein air painting but it was too cold for me to go outside. This subject was perfect for my first gouache because it had a lot of darks and lights. The only thing I missed was trying vibrant colors.

Page a Day #18

Page a Day

watercolor sketch

page a day

contour doodles of tv people
quote from the minimalists

Page a Day

Page a Day with Golden Highflow Acrylic Pen and Watercolor

TV People in my sketchbook journal.

Page a Day

Page a Day

Carved Stamps and a quote from Austin Kleon.

Page a Day

Page a day

Page a Day - Hotel Del Coronado

Page a Day - Spanish Village, Balboa Park

Page a Day - Shoes

Page a Day

Dentist

Page a Day - October 30, 2017

Chair _ inktober

Old Poway Park with Inland Painters

I worked with pen and ink but I will try oil next time. This is a 1:12-minute Lydeo of the artists and a bit of Old Poway Park from the Train Station.

Bates Nut Farm Scarecrow Contest

I attended an event at the Bates Nut Farm with the San Diego Urban Sketchers today. Many of us drew the scarecrows during the scarecrow contest. I created my sketch with a brush pen and watercolor.

 This is a 3:09-minute video of the event showing the scarecrows, the artists, and their sketches.

A quote from the minimalists

Change is possible. You can make yourself into someone you want to be.

Life Drawing

These are 2 pages from the life drawing session this morning at Judy's. We had 30 second, 1 minute, 2 minute poses then went on the 5s, 10s, and a 20-minute pose. I sketched in a Daler Rowney Sketchbook with 65 lb paper.

5 and 10 minute poses.
Japanese Brush Pen and watercolor.

20-minute pose, pencil and watercolor

Drawing at the Opera

Several artist groups were invited to the San Diego Civic Center to sketch during the dress and music rehearsal of Pirates of Penzance. I participated in this event last night. We had a little reading light and kept very quiet while drawing. It was a fun challenge drawing the moving singers. I dropped in watercolor on the first few sketches but decided my sketchbook was too big for me to be painting quickly.