Thursday, April 21, 2011

Montecasino SketchCrawl

These sketches are from last week's World Wide SketchCrawl day. I got home after it to find our computer had been attacked by a virus that removed everything off my desktop, plus access to all programs, and so the delay - though I'm also buzzing around trying to keep up with 101 projects which I'll blog about sooner or later. When is life going to calm down?!
We met at the big entertainment complex, Montecasino, which is styled along the lines of various Italian cities, I believe (thanks to Robyn for that info!), sketchbuddy John and I tackled this outside facade last thing on the wet, dismal day, and I added watercolour at home as the cold was getting to our bones.
This was my first stop - the six of us split up as we had been warned that the management wasn't too sketcher-friendly, quite excited to be intrepid guerilla sketchers, but as it turned out no one took the least bit of notice of us. I leant on the wall surrounding the flashing lights and bells of the casino, fascinated at the single-mindedness of the gamblers as they fixated on the machines in front of them - almost bit off more than I could chew and came away from there after a couple of hours with a throbbing headache!
After lunch and a look at everyone's drawings, John and I went over to the movie theatres to gather some more people practice - and an indulgent ice cream sundae as we had to sit at the ice cream parlour to get the best view, yes definitely the best view from there!
I'd had my eye on this balloon man all day, but he'd been a moving target selling his wares from one end of the centre to the other. At last I found him in a spot where he had run out of steam and stood still for a good long spell, letting his customers come to him, as this small girl happily did just when I was ready to add something to the drawing. The mom wasn't actually her mom, but she'll do for this purpose. The Carioca children's felt pens I used behaved completely differently on moleskine paper, not blending at all with water - in the first casino sketch they were completely soluble!


16 comments:

Liz Steel said...

wonderful sketches cathy! sounds like a great day. No wonder you had a throbbing headache after sketching that casino scene!!

vivien said...

fantastic sketches! and that sort of environment gives me a headache too - but you've caught it really well.

Anonymous said...

I would have a headache too after the casino scene. You did very well with the whole day, your drawings and colorings came out great. I'm impressed with your people drawing.

Unknown said...

Fabulous sketches. I love your inside casino view but kudos to you as I cannot stand more than 10mins in those noisy places.

What is it with balloon sellers just crying out to be drawn but refusing to stay still? I'm glad he ran out of steam as it's a great sketch.

Anonymous said...

Sketches so good it's like being there.

Sandra said...

Fabulous… I enjoyed viewing all of your art especially the figurative…you're very good!
Cheers Sandra

Unknown said...

Wow! So much awesome work here! You had a very successful Sketchcrawl! Everything is beautiful!

Cathy Holtom said...

The top sketch does look very Italian, I was confused for a little while :)
Great sketches!

Teresa said...

Ouch.. sorry about the virus. Irritating, worrisome little buggers. Love your sketches/paintings. Especially the top one. Would love to hear the thought processes that you go through when you're working with a scene like that with so much detail. My brain about short circuits when I look at a busy street scene with the idea of painting it!

A Brush with Color said...

Wow! These are wonderful. I looked at John's sketches,too, and I sense that I have a feel for the place from your sketches. I love that you both did the balloon man.

Robyn Sinclair said...

The buildings are wonderful, Cathy - all these sketches are but it is the people I find really awesome. Brilliant.

hmuxo said...

Amazing sketches!! So beautifully detailed.

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hmuxo said...

Your sketches are absolutely amazing. I especially love the first one...so beautifully detailed.

Cathy said...

Sorry about the virus on your computer! Your sketches are IMPRESSIVE!!!! Wow!!! That first one of the buildings and that incredible one of the gamblers!!! I'm speechless!! I think I never would dare to sketch this type of scene!! And the balloon man! Wow, Cathy! Wow.

Marie Theron said...

Super work, Cathy. I saw Montecassino in January and was a softy for the bicycles and pigeons on the balconies! How did you do all those balloons? Bravo!