This month I have been up in Portland a lot and thought it would be a good time to share some suggestions on planning a day out on the town. I like to be spontaneous and follow my intuition when I am out drawing for a day, but it is important to remember that this spontaneity does require a foundation of good prep work. This ranges from having a well-prepared go bag, to finding interesting spots, adapting to conditions, and finding a drawing friend. Along the way you might run into something or someone unexpected.
Preparing Your Creative Go Bag
When the inspiration to get out walking, drawing, and writing hits you do not want to waste your creative spark packing a bag. I find it best to have all my tools in one bag that I grab as I am heading out the door with full confidence that everything, I need is in my go bag. I use a Timbuk2 bag I have had since high school. I was participating in a summer program at the University of Washington and for some reason did not bring a bag with me. So my mom ran down to the HUB on the UW campus and bought me this bag. It has been with me across the United States, Canada, and Japan.
I like this bag because it can hold up to a 9”x12” sketchbook snuggly, which is a decent size for drawing. These also makes the bag big enough to hold a reasonable variety of tools, notebooks, and some entertainment, but not so big that it weighs me down. My one complaint about this bag is that it does not have individual slots for pens and pencils, so they end up in one massive clump that can make it tricky to retrieve a particular tool.
Once you have a bag, it is time to fill it with your artistic supplies. I find a pencil and pen are a good foundation. A micron pen or felt tip pen is an easy start for ink. I also enjoy having a fountain pen as they have a great feel and their ink looks very fluid on the page, but they are a little more involved since you must fill them. A watercolor set or some color pencils or pens are compact options ford for adding color. With watercolor, you want to make sure to have a paint pallet, brushes, and a container for your water. I have a plastic pallet from a painting class I took once and a yogurt container for water😊
Finding Your Spot
Finding a spot to draw can be as easy as walking down a sidewalk. Recently I have been doing this a lot where I go out for a walk and stop to do quick 5-minute sketches of places or sights I find interesting. I also like returning to views I enjoy though and spending more time in them too. Settling into a space and experiencing the usage patterns for the space over an hour or two is a great joy too. I usually do not decide on the mode I will be in before a trip to the city, preferring to see what strikes my fancy.
Recently I have been working on filling up an accordion notebook with drawings of Portland’s movie theaters. Portland has a surprisingly rich film history and has a lot of great, old theater marquees. This month I headed for a small theater tucked away on Hawthorne Boulevard called Cine Magic. It is not as grand, but it is a fun spot. It sits on an intersection with an odd jog, which is interesting. Cine Magic is next to Ladd’s Addition, so I parked on Ladd’s Circle. This is a big round about at the center of the neighborhood that usually has parking and walked out to Hawthorne Boulevard.
Adapting to Conditions
The first day I drew at Cine Magic was hit and miss as the forecast tentatively called for rain. I was planning on breakfasting at a coffee shop called Oui Press but decided to head for Cine Magic right away as the forecast called for rain in about an hour. I found a nice spot under some trees just in case and settled in to draw. My pencil sketch was going well until a UPS truck parked directly in front of the view I was drawing, so I took the moment to stretch and walk around a bit. It was surprising how long it took the driver to finish delivering items to a local business, but he eventually moved on, and I finished my ink line work as sporadic rain drops began to fall.
I packed up and headed for Oui Press to wait out the rain. I ordered some coffee, food (I went with their delicious coffee cake😉) and sat down to read a couple chapters from Children of Dune. I am currently rereading the Dune series after seeing Dune Part 2 recently. The rain finally let up and I headed back to my drawing spot to add the watercolor; only to realize that I had not brought my water bottle, which is why you should have a well-stocked go bag.
Finding a Drawing Friend
I enjoy my along time in the crowd without the pressure of needing to meet someone or stay on a schedule, but it can also be very energizing to go out drawing with a friend or group too. Today, I came back up to Portland to join the Portland Urban Sketchers at the Hawthorne Asylum food cart lot for a drawing session. It was great to meet other sketchers and see where they are on their drawing journey and find inspiration for my own work. The neighborhood they were meeting in is also one of my favorite areas to visit in Portland.
After the initial meet and greet at 10am, I went to try a near by bakery I had not been to before and found my new favorite cinnamon roll spot. The bakery was in a converted warehouse that had this great roof with this amazing truss work. Afterwards, I headed back to the food truck lot as I wanted to draw a pavilion with this very colorful roof. I really liked how the painting came out. I particularly like how the underside of the awnings suggests a darker color with light coming through it.
Inspiration for the Week
This week I was inspired by all the people who came through the art show I hosted in the Corvallis Art Walk. It was amazing to see how many creative, curious, and thoughtful people are out there in the world. I was also humbled by the vulnerable moments people shared with me as well and was glad that people felt safe sharing with me. Art and creative activities can be wonderful catalysts for powerful conversations that shape people and the world.
Drawing Events & Groups
If you are looking for a drawing group, I am hosing a group drawing time for the Sketchy Traveler community at the beginning of May. Come post your drawings and adventures on the group chat. If you are looking for drawing groups near to you the urban sketchers are a good place to start. Universities, community centers and bulletin boards are good places to look for drawing groups and times too.
Sketchy Traveler Drawing Time, May 3-4
Sketch Fest, Edmonds, Washington, July 19-21, 2024
Share Your Thoughts
Shout out to the Portland Urban Sketchers for this ice breaker question.
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