Many of my sketches from during the Symposium are made in little bits of time between things. Often early in the morning, or quickly on a walk to or from a workshop location. (My friend and fellow sketcher Shiho Nakaza coined the perfect term for them: grab-and-go sketches.)
Sometimes the quick sketches work out. But sometimes they don’t and there’s never time to work on a second attempt… One of the buildings that most confounded me was the Harold Washington Building… just it’s scale and it’s bizarre decoration. Did I like it? Maybe even love how strange it was? Or hate it?? I never could decide. I’m sad I didn’t get to do a second sketch of it after this quick one…
Another quick one of a space that deserved a longer look. The ornate lobby of the Palmer House. I found it a bit hard to draw in the low light that flattened everything…
I saw these two cops on Michigan Avenue just as I headed back to my hotel one evening. Had to sketch them of course. They walked over when I was done, took pictures of the sketch and gave me this “Get Out of Jail Free” card, “Just in case I needed it”.
I didn’t know Mark Leibowitz passed by when I was chatting with those cops, but he sent me this photo later, so now you know it really happened. Thanks Mark!
If you missed them, here are links to posts #1, 2, 3, and 4 from Chicago.
Next up, a couple of Public Art pieces I sketched in the city (besides The Bean!)
I am curious about your sketch of The Palmer bldg. Did your line work come first or after the washes? Maybe you had but a short time to quickly capture the essence of the buildings and people you saw but….they are wonderfully done. I love your spontantanity. The figures have such “life!” Thanks for sharing.
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color first on the palmer sketch.
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I loved the giant gargoyles on the library’ and I also only got a Buick sketch of them.. Chicago was a great place to sketch, now I am seeing San Francisco very differently… Just got back from Park City Utah and was sketching there and in the car. We stopped at the California Trail Interpretive Center near Elko NV and I sketched covered wagons! See you soon…
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Nice to know that Chicago cops have a sense of humor!
I found the Harold Washington Library building fascinating…it was the subject of my earliest and my last sketch for the week. Also, I used photos of it to help my San Rafael students practice using different points of view.
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Great work Suhita! Loved that you got the Chicago cops in a sketch, too.
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Nicely done Suhita! I loved that building. Your photo with the cops is a big bonus.
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Love your Get Out of Jail Free card – priceless!
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Very fun post! Colors and architecture fabulous
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