Monday, October 28, 2013

beach plein air

I always have high hopes for doing a plein air sketch or two but it rarely works out on these beach trips. However, this time I took along a pack of watercolor postcards and a small sketching kit in addition to my usual sketchbook and watercolor set.
One overcast morning we drove over to the sound side of the island and I brought this small kit and postcards along. While the professor and Kiddo were walking with the dogs and looking for shells I sat on a bench and quickly sketched two views of St Helena sound.
That afternoon the clouds cleared and I brought the same little kit along when we headed down to the beach. I sat on a towel in the sand, with a dog on either side of me, and did two more quick sketches of the ocean while the Professor and Kiddo played in the surf and did more shell seeking.
I had to sketch quickly because the dogs are rarely still for long. They dig in the sand flinging it onto anyone or anything that happens to be in the way. They get excited if someone happens by. They lay their wet, sandy selves across my towel, my legs, my stuff.

So it takes a certain resolve on my part to attempt sketching at the beach. And no concern for the outcome of the sketches. I did manage to find a way by using the little postcards and a small kit that easily fit into our beach bag.
This is my mini sketch kit. It all fits into a plastic pencil box. Not a big deal if sand gets inside, which it did. And on the last postcard above, I added some of the white foamy bits with a white gel pen, not pictured here. I am planning to paste these postcards into my sketchbook as a way to save the sketches, and the memory of doing them, from that day at the beach.

7 comments:

Autumn Leaves said...

Oh they are all so lovely. I confess my favorites are the last two though. You've managed to put mood into that water and I can almost feel the day myself!

Laure Ferlita said...

Bravo! I can't imagine trying to sketch with my dog around. She'd have me buried in sand, the leash wrapped around my seven times and trying to eat the palette or the paper!

Love these and especially the last one. Nice kit!

Dorothy said...

Ann I love these! They'd be so pretty framed in one of those 3-in-one frames! Can you share where you got your little metal palette?
I have a few of those pencil holders, and that palette would be perfect to fit inside. Thanks in advance!
Dorothy

Diana said...

lovely Ann, These are so pretty.Love your pumpkins too. take care,love,Diana

Ann said...

Thanks everyone!
Laure, I was sitting on their leashes. Dangerous - I know!
Dorothy, I got the little paint box at Cheap Joes. It came empty and I filled it with dabs of tube colors.

Jennifer Rose said...

really nice sketches :D

love the movement and energy of the waves :)

Debbie Nolan said...

Ann - what great sketches that will bring back wonderful memories of days at the beach...great to pull them out when the cold weather arrives. Very lovely.

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