Lydia Velarde - Sketchbook Flip (Daler Rowney Sketchbook)

My latest sketchbook flip 

11 x 17 inch Daler Rowney

sheep

I am still practicing direct watercolor in my sketchbook. This technique helps me to see shapes and colors better than when I draw the image first. 

Watercolor at Lake Hodges

Direct watercolor while sketching at Lake Hodges in San Diego. I love line, and contour drawing so painting without drawing first was a fun challenge for me. 

Salerno Winery statue

 At the Salerno Winery, there is a set of very tall clowns lining the driveway and this is one of them created with watercolor in a Daler-Rowney 11 x 14-inch sketchbook.

Salerno Winery with San Diego Urban Sketchers

My sketch from the Salerno Winery in Ramona. 

What a great place to sketch. Located in Ramona, "Salerno offers guests an experience unlike any other – complete with award-winning handcrafted wines, an extensive collection of world-class sculptures and live performances by local musicians." We had it all!

Spectator at a chess game

A good opportunity to sketch when it isn't my turn at a chess game. This quick sketch was created with a Derwent Medium Wash Pencil. I used a water brush to shade and later used my finger (which wasn't a good idea). Gary moved his hands and arms a lot so even though I thought he was going to sit still, there was movement. I still need to remember to take my time to get an accurate drawing while sketching. 

Sketching at Spanish Village

It's been a while since I have sketched with the San Diego Sketch Crawlers and wanted to visit more than draw. I worked on several small sketches with my Rapido Sketch Pen and watercolor rather than concentrate on a full page drawing. I only stayed for a few hours but managed to sketch and take photos of the other artists.

This is a 1:07 minute video of the group and their sketches at Spanish Village in Balboa Park, San Diego. 

Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico

I have been working on daily painting since attending the Plein Air Convention. This Daler-Rowney Sketchbook is 11 x 14 and a little too large to carry around as a constant companion so I have been working from photos until I fill it up. I have taken notes each time I sketch so I can learn from my exercises instead of just daily painting. So far I have worked on using more pigment, making better drawings before painting, and keeping up my momentum and enthusiasm until I am done with the sketch.