30th Worldwide SketchCrawl

Demolition. Pen & watercolour sketch A5. ©Sue Pownall 2011

Despite advertising on various forums, there were no sketch buddies for me this sketchcrawl Saturday. On top of that, I am waiting for an important skype call, so didn't like to go far from my computer. Motivation was there yesterday when I met two architects for coffee and sketching, but they didn't bring sketchbooks, so we just chatted, which was very disappointing. Consequently, this morning I wasn't very motivated.

I keep thinking I should sketch around my area, but haven't as it's not inspiring me, so at 9.30 this morning I headed out to rectify this and find something to sketch. I took some photos of the reflections in the puddles and found a shop to sketch, but couldn't find a place to stand. Then I discovered the shoe repair stand, which I had thought might be interesting, was closed. Not a good start. However, just around the corner I saw a Cat demolishing a building from on top of a pile of debris and decided to do that. The noise was incredible and as the dust got too much I took the photo (left), which you can only just see the Cat if you squint into the dust, and headed off. Walking around the construction noise everywhere was incredible, so I gave up and went home to add the colour there.

Balloons at the mall. Pen & watercolour sketch. A5 ©Sue Pownall 2011

Later, taking my sketchbook, I went shopping (so my cupboards are finally full again). Having filled my trolley, I sat down at a café to sketch the colourful helium balloons floating up between the escalators from a stall on the floor below. This time I painted on-site as it was relatively peaceful. I was tempted to buy myself a blue penguin balloon, but resisted.

After being home a few hours, I am still waiting for the phone call, so I don't know if I will sketch anything else today. If you want to see the amazing work of sketchers around the world check out the SketchCrawl and Urban sketchers sites.

EDIT: Illustration Friday prompt for Friday 21st was Dust, which I could not think of anything for. Susan Sorrell Hill pointed out that my Cat sketch was perfect for the theme and asked "Maybe you did that unconsciously???". Perhaps I did.

Gondolania

Following our SketchCrawl success last week, Mahmoud & I went sketching again yesterday afternoon in a local mall. I'd spotted a hockey match near the food hall, which I thought could be interesting. I ended up drawing some spectators as I thought the hockey players would end up strange looking due to their padding. Squint at the bad copy below and you can see a couple of skaters. I then drew a Filipino lady eating her Kentucky.

Next we went into the small indoor theme park Gondolania, hence the post title.I liked the touches of red in different places, although I sketched only in pan and then had to add the red at home.

Scenes in Gondolania.

Finally, we headed for the peace and quiet of Starbucks, where I sketched the queue, it's very popular, and the back of someone's ghutrah; the large piece of cloth worn on a Qatari man's head.

Rear view of ghutrah

All sketches were drawn in pen, in a Daler A5 sketchbook as the Winsor & Newton has disintegrated and is no longer portable. btw no-one from W&N has got back to me after the initial "we are looking into your complaint" email.