Piggybacking on a Piggybank

We made a quick exit from lazing around at home to join our son and his family at Pike Place Market yesterday. I had a handmade DIY sketchbook in my bag just in case!

However, I never really count on having enough time to do any sketching when out and about with family and friends who don't draw.

To me, family time is so valuable, I wouldn't want to isolate myself for any long period of time while everyone else is visiting. So here's a couple of rough (really rough!)10 minute sketches from our afternoon at the new Market Front at Pike Place Market.

It's amusing to see how determined kids are, trying to get on Billie the Piggybank. They usually end up clinging onto the slippery bronze statue piggyback style. One of the best views of the Seattle skyline looking south can be seen from the outdoor area near the Desimone Bridge. I did manage to rough in the Great Wheel, the stadiums, the viaduct and even Mt. Rainier!

It really was a beautiful summer day to be out in Seattle.

Family afternoon at Pike Place Market

We have out of town family here for an extended visit so when they asked if we wanted to go to Pike Place Market this afternoon, we agreed. We hadn't yet had an opportunity to see the new MarketFront in person. We parked on the north end of the market. As we walked down the street towards the market, I had to get a shot of this!

A passerby stood for a long time at the front end of the car looking at the false eyelashes on the headlights and reading something."Excessories" was spelled out in a mosaic of beads on the rear passenger door.  Compared to the handbags, rows of sunglasses, boots, beads, and shoes plastered all over the car I was struck by the little Smart car in all its minimal simplicity nearby. 

I guess the leash law includes tourist pigs who come to see "Billie the Piggybank" as she sits in a new spot at the Market Front. A large group of Seattle urban sketchers were just around the corner, participants in a workshop with Kia Keane and Melanie Reim. See #uskseattle for photos of the event.

The new terrace gives us a great view and the afternoon sun casts a glow on our son and his family.

What would a trip to the market be without sensory input from the flower stalls? 

Easy traffic on Old Hwy 99 got us here in time to watch the sunset at Gardner Bay.

I love this spot for viewing the sunset. I am amazed at how many beautiful paintings there are in a single sunset. There's a new one about every 20 minutes. I'm counting this for Day 12 of World Watercolor Month-Golden Evenings. 

My Haul from Pike Place Market last Saturday--And CSI

A day at Pike Place Market is full of treasure. My sketchbook, and a bouquet, of course.

And then there's the eerie parallel of my life with scenes from "Caddy Shack."

4.17.16---First, I noticed the decapitated tulip blossom on the deck. Then, the squirrel stared me straight in the face while he insolently consumed the entire stem like a stalk of celery. I've got evidence. CSI-Criminal Squirrel Investigator, Michele Cooper

The last day for my tulips from Roozengaard.4.16.16

Saturday at Pike Place Market on WW Sketch Crawl Day

 Waiting for the elevator on the 4th floor at Pike Place Market parking garage.

It's the 51st World Wide Sketch Crawl Day and I'm meeting the Seattle Urban Sketchers up on the main level, outside by Rachel the pig.

A fishmonger shouts and a 30 pound salmon flies through the air across a mountain of ice and is deftly caught by the man behind the counter. A semicircle of onlookers holds cameras and smart phones overhead, capturing the spectacle. 

I had to sketch the "flying fish" action in increments: the hands and fish, the face, the swirl of the white lab coat.

The scent of fresh, hot sticky buns swirls in the air as a man in a silver white ponytail and a floppy hat rolls up his sleeves. He flicks his hands with a flourish and plays modern classical music at his piano on wheels.

Across the street a wide shadowy freight doorway reveals a technicolor display of spring flowers. A flower vendor's head seems to float among fragrant bouquets wrapped in white paper.

After sharing our sketches in the atrium and getting a group photo outside by the newsstand, some of us sketched our way through lunch at the Sound View Cafe. 

Upper right: Marvin and Tina sketching at lunch

We had our choice of all our typical Pacific Northwest seafood; salmon chowder, clam chowder, barbecued salmon, or the seafood pasta  extravaganza. The pasta extravaganza has king salmon, tiger prawns, halibut, crab meat pan sautéed and served over pasta with choice of marina, pesto or alfredo sauce PLUS soup and salad bar! Tempting, I know, but I wanted to stay sharp for more sketching in the afternoon. As you see, the barbecued salmon sandwich was quite sufficient. I'm having the other half for lunch tomorrow.

Adding the final sketches of the day to my accordion sketchbook over thick hot aromatic Turkish coffee.

I would say that Seattle provides more than enough inspiration to last all the way through this 51st World Wide Sketch Crawl Day.

Wait. Did I see that fish move?

While I was sketching the Pike Place Fish Market, I caught a practical joke in the making. One of the fishmongers hooked a long golden chain to the monkfish, then disguised it with a pile of ice and more fish. Unsuspecting victims got a jolt when they came in for a closer look.

Amanda, five-minute sketch

We were at the market on a very busy weekend day, we were in a workshop being instructed by Gabi Companario, we were given just five minutes to do a live figure study and the time starts now!

 

This was my 5 minute sketch done on location at Pike Place Market, just inside the flower stalls. Amanda, a fellow workshop participant, was in a hurry and got tangled and twisted with her shoulder bag and jacket. I was struck by the similarities and comparisons of the girl, the bucket of paper wrapped flowers and the column. Sort of a transition of static to lively, masculine to feminine, and all "wrapped" around in a way. 

Since my drawing was only allowed 5 minutes' time, I felt it only fair to do the color in equal time.  It's not meant to be a finished piece, obviously, but I feel I caught the wrapped up quality of the moment. 

People at the Flower Market

I made a few  quick contour drawings at Pike Place Market last weekend.

People were packed in as tight as flowers in a bucket. Maybe I will have time, and room, to add color today. :)

Sunday Painters - Art History

Mark Tobey sketches. One-man shows at both the Cornish School and the newly-built Seattle Art Museum helped introduce local residents to the "modernism" that was rapidly gaining Tobey national acclaim.
Photo Credit: Seattle Times.

(See previous post for info on current exhibit and recent USk sketching workshop at the market.)

Follow the tradition of one of your heroes in art, or visit your local museum to choose an artist for this experiment. Study their work, then visit the locations where they were inspired, and see if you can emulate the way they saw the world.

Gail Wong, one of our instructors, gave us brown paper, charcoal, white chalk and conte' sticks. She challenged us to find market textures and multiple images as Mark Tobey did. Here's my take on it. 

"Fresh Today at Pike Place Market"

"Fresh Today at Pike Place Market"
11x15" Original Watercolor by Michele Cooper

I painted this from sketches and video footage. I like being able to stop the action where it best fits the composition I have in mind.

Pike Place Market Line and Wash

"Pink at Pike Place"  Sold
Original Watercolor Line and Wash
8"x10"

This was a class demonstration. As usual, I used no preliminary drawing. I started with the head, using my Micron Pigma pen.
 
 Once I finished with the line work, I used watercolor, selectively, to complete the composition.

A lot was left out and a few things changed from my photo reference.

Seattle Sketches, Fold-Out

Accordion style fold out from my sketcbook
7"Hx24"W

One of our favorite things to do on a weekend day is to go to Seattle and prowl around the Pike Place Market. It's always really busy then, so if you want to have a little elbow room to do a few sketches, it's best to go on a weekday morning.

My pen and ink & pen and wash drawings are done without preliminary pencil work, just a micron pen on Fabriano Artistico 140#CP watercolor paper. The pencil sketch is usually done with minimum eraser, if any, to work out the general composition. Then I can have fun and do the rest with my #8 round watercolor brush.

Two of these sketches were done earlier this year while visiting the Gaugin Exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum on a Monday in April. It was nice (read: not raining) but very windy.....and just in time to meet the deadline for the Sketchbook Project, Limited Edition.