San Diego Urban Sketchers at Amici Park January, 2015

this is my sketch and our video from the San Diego Urban Sketchers Meetup in Little Italy.

Book Making

2 books I made today. Book on the left is a watercolor sketchbook using the method my friend Stephen Sloan taught me. The book on the right is perfect binding from the book, Making Handmade Books, Alisa Golden. It is a book made with very light weight board covered with Christmas paper. Inside are all of the Christmas cards I received that had photographs on them.

Chess set at Myrtle Creek Nursery

There is a huge cement chess set at the Myrtle Creek Nursery in Fallbrook where the San Diego Urban Sketchers met today. This is my ink sketch of the set.

Smog test

Weekend Sketch Crawlers at Westfield Mall Food Court

Westfield Mall, Food Court

The food court has changed.. A LOT. It seems to seat more people and has a little area that looks cozy with plants and nice chairs.

This is a snack stand I sketched while on an outing with the San Diego Sketch Crawlers.

Relief carving

This is a "relief carving" I created at a workshop held at the San Diego Museum of Art. It was carved in clay, lopsided and just a waste. The workshop was not what I had in mind but I just can't throw this little bird away. I finally painted it today. Poor thing.

My last 3 sketchbook pages

These are from Jan 2 to Jan 4, 2015

San Diego Weekday Sketch Crawlers meet at Spanish Village Balboa Park

making cookies

Tamale testing

3rd Annual West Coast Urban Sketchers Sketch Crawl 2015 (Video 2 of 2)

In 2015 San Diego will be hosting the 3rd Annual West Coast Urban Sketcher Sketch Crawl. This is our latest video!

Santa is in Town!

 While waiting for a store to open, I got to watch Santa from the second floor, using my "backup" sketchbook.

City Administration Building, San Diego

I sat in my car and sketched the San Diego Administration Building this morning... killing a few moments before an appointment.

Loews Coronado Bay Resort, Coronado, CA

This resort in San Diego is located on it's own 15 acre peninsula. There are views of the Pacific Ocean and Mexico on one side, and shimmering bay waters and the San Diego skyline on the other. I got to sketch there today with the San Diego Urban Sketchers Meetup Group.

Sketchbook Journal Page

 

November 29 - December 3, 2014

Valley View

I live in a little valley surrounded by hills just on the edge of the city. This is a view from my patio.

Stone Books

This Stone Book was made after visiting the Geisel Library Special Collections Department at UCSD. I went on a field trip with Book Arts Class taught by Cindy Zimmerman and saw the Touch Stones made by Pamela Paulsrud. Pamela's looked like rocks and the sanded pages were very smooth and soft to the touch.

Sketchbook Flip July - September 2014

 

This is a reconstructed journal made with various types of paper. The cover paper was decorated with a Gelli Plate. The inside shows sketches and paintings done on location (en plein air) at various locations throughout San Diego County and Portland Oregon while at the 2nd Annual Urban Sketchers Sketch crawl. www.lydiavelarde.com
Music: Mob Battle, Silent Partner

Boomshop of Comics

Boomshop of Comics is the only comic shop in San Diego. There is a coffee bar inside so it was easy to sit down to sketch. This is done in pen and watercolor.