Grainery and Gauche? (Denver, CO)

 

Decided to try guache today. Had an argument with my eldest, but she had to come with me to practice driving. Not sure I'm a fan of guache. 

Pearce Helps Cabin (Golden CO)

My kids go to school in Golden, CO. There's a little park off Washington Street (the downtown drag) that has these cool historic buildings. My wife and I were killing time one day. We got coffee at the Windy Saddle and set up shop by this cabin. There were lots of people taking their family photos for their holiday cards. 

This was an interesting piece because I hadn't done one of a chinked log cabin. So one of the difficulties was protecting the white space.

Lots of texture on this cabin that I had to forego to not make it too detailed!

 

Fraser Snowcat (Fraser, CO)

Another case of not wanting to go home right away after a quiet weekend on my own. I was on a zoom call in town (not enough signal at "My Happy Place") and decided to do a sketch of this snowcat. I'm sure this thing hasn't run in many, many years. However, this landmark is really neat. Some towns have a "Welcome to <insert town name>" while ski towns like Fraser have something like this!

 

Chamberlain Observatory (Denver, CO)

A fun day with USK Denver. People used a few different mediums including a friend (Mahdu) who did a full oil painting. My friend Michael did a piece where I was in the scene (see below)

This was a great learning experience because I had to think through that dome really carefully. I learned that looking up to a curve is like looking at a cup upside down. So the U shape underneath is actually more of an 'n'. If you look down on a cup, it's more of a U. Think about that one.

My own criticism (and that of my Dad) is that the shadows from the tree on the right is kind of confusing. However, I like the way this one turned out. It really shows my loose style well.

This was one of my last times doing a large sketch with crappy paper! 

Madhu working on her oil painting

Michael and Kayla

Michael's peice with me painting as a subject

 

St. Andrews Episcopal Church (Denver, CO)

This was done at a USK/ICAA crossover event. This is a very old Denver church. We started the evening with a lecture from a church historian. 

Amongst the group were a couple friends, new and old. There were USK'ers, architects and photographers present, each approaching the scene differently. 

The sun was going down rapidly, but I wanted to capture the muted scene with a red side door. Most people hardly noticed this side entrance, but I thought it was incredible, especially before it got too dark.

Always fun to use just a couple small highlights of color!

 

Lakeside Amusement Park (Denver, CO)

I shouldn't share this one. Never liked how it came out. The top looks so confused. But, it's a landmark people recognize.

 

Arvada Tavern (Arvada, CO)

One of my favorites from my home town. When I moved to Arvada, it was this sleepy little town with a rundown downtown. Our first year living here, we voted on bringing the light rail to town. Over the years, thanks of course to my patronage, the town grew and started becoming really hip. 

The building on the left is the Army Navy Surplus store. The Arvada Tavern used to be this hole-in-the-wall dumpy bar that I would meet friends once in a while to have a cocktail with. Then it became super trendy and pricy. It has a speakeasy upstairs that you access through an old phone booth. The speakeasy is a great venue for listening to music. 

I love the way this one turned out.

 

Wheeler-Griebling House, Auraria Campus (Denver, CO)

This was from one of our USK Denver meetups. I did a few versions of this house from different angles, but never finished any other ones.

What was so cool about doing this shot was sitting next to the famous Paul Heaston (who I've been following for years and enjoy hanging out with after getting over my star-struck-ness). Paul did a similar sketch in his traditional fashion of a lot of detail and his master-use of cross hatching. What was so cool was chatting with Paul and when we weren't talking listening to him humming Led Zepplin (Paul and I are about the same age and share a love of music and basketball). 

 

Spirit of Christ (Arvada, CO)

 

This Jewish guy finds churches to be some of the nicest architecture around. I run by this church often and when you catch it in the afternoon sun, just before sunset, it glows. My parents must think I'm crazy for painting so many churches!

Masonic Lodge (Denver, CO)

This sketch was done August 13, 2020. It was part of an event with the ICAA Rocky Mountain Chapter's Emerging Professional series and cross marketed with the Denver Urban Sketchers. We started the evening discussing the landmark Frank Milton House before walking up to the Highlands Masonic Temple. 

My daughter Talia (at the time was 13) joined me as she has a few times at these events. We brought lawn chairs to the dismay of the Masons who were upset we were on their lawn and hadn't gotten prior permission to be on their property. 

The sky was very overcast that day. I loved the way the monochrome looked and since there wasn't a ton of color to the building, so I left this one as is.

I had gone past there a few days earlier to get my thumbnail done. You can see I was playing with the framing and angles.

 

Saint Patrick Oratory (Denver, CO)

First pandemic USK event. We had a lot of people come out for this. 

 

Montessori Academy (Denver, CO)

It's a blessing and a curse working across from this neat building. This little sketch was done in like 15 minutes in my thumbnail sketchbook. I like these Field Note sized books for little sketches.

 

Carrell Hall, Regis University (Denver, CO)

Regis University has a long history in Denver. As I understand it, there was a Regis High School and the campus has moved a few times. 

I can drive by Regis if I want to avoid the highway into downtown Denver. I've spent a little time on the campus over the years for a variety of reasons.

When I was wrapping up this sketch, my water brush pen (the last time I used one) dripped a few big drops on the painting causing it to look like Groot from Guardians of the Galaxy is shadowed. Always fun when an oops gives character to a piece.

 

Auraria Art Gallery (Denver, CO)

This was my second sketch of the day at Auraria. The first turned out awful (as I've mentioned before, proportions can be difficult in a new sketchbook if you aren't used to the size). 

This building was originally a synagogue, one of the oldest west of the Mississippi River. It's on the Auraria Campus and has since become an art gallery. 

I spent the day with my friend Michael, a fellow USK Denver member. We had met at a ICAA event and hit it off. 

I think this was the first time I used my home made easel using a tripod, two planks of wood, and a tension hinge. 
 

 

East High (Denver, CO)

Uch. This sketch is what made me learn perspective. My friend Ramiro made a whole how-to sheet for me to explain how he figured it out. 

This was where I met my friend Michael - that's his VW bus out front. 

 

Cheesman Park (Denver, CO)

My first time at an ICAA event. Met Michael there and brought Talia with me. We learned all about the park as it was originally built. It was the highest point in the city and had lovely views. You can see where the road used to be between some of the trees (at the park, not in my sketch).