Sharing our aloha at Aloha Tower

Posted: February 27, 2021 | Author: | Filed under: USkO | Tags: , , , | 2 Comments

The rain may have dampened our sketchbooks, but not our spirit at today’s Urban Sketchers event at Aloha Tower. Super proud of our little group of O’ahu Urban Sketchers who braved the weather to sketch together.

Don’t forget to post your sketches to our flickr group so we can see your beautiful work.

Announcements
I passed out flyers with information on how we can connect together.
Website
Our main source of communication is our blog. Usually updated on Mondays before an event and Saturdays after an event. Click the follow box to get notifications by email.
flickr.com
Share your sketches to our flickr account so that other members can see your art. If possible, post on same day of event.
facebook.com
Share and post comments about your sketches on Facebook.
instagram.com
Share and make comments about your sketches on Instagram. Use hashtags so that your sketches can be easily found by other Urban Sketchers globally. You can use up to 30 hashtags per post. #urbansketchers. Also tag us @urbansketchersoahu
urbansketchers.org
Read mission statement, latest news, and stories from headquarters. Also see details on Reportage grant celebrating storytelling through sketching. Deadline is May 1, 2021.
YouTube.com
Find inspiration with other urban sketchers from around the globe. Participate in weekly usktalks challenges on Instagram using #usktalkschallenge. The live broadcast is every Sunday at 5am. You can always watch the rebroadcast anytime.

How will you draw Aloha?

Posted: February 19, 2021 | Author: | Filed under: USkO | Tags: , , | Leave a comment

Hope you are ready to get together for our next sketching event. If you are, get your pencils sharpen and meet us at Aloha Tower.

About Aloha Tower
Built in 1926, Aloha Tower served as a lighthouse that could be seen from 15 miles away. Aloha Tower welcomed visitors to O’ahu for nearly 100 years when ships arrived to our ports. In the early days, Aloha Tower celebrated the arrival of ships with entertainment by the Royal Hawaiian Band, hula dancers, and lei makers. This tradition lasted until planes started to welcome visitors to our islands. After the attack of Pearl Harbor, Aloha Tower served as the Pacific control center for the military.

Unfortunately, the 10th floor observation deck is currently closed due to COVID-19. But we can still gather at Aloha Tower and appreciate its history as one of Hawaii’s most iconic symbol of hospitality and aloha.

Let’s meet in front of the Aloha Tower on Saturday, Feb. 27th at 10am. If you plan to attend, please email us at uskoahu@gmail.com by Friday, Feb 26th with your name and phone number. We will retain the list for contact tracing purposes. Also, please read this previous post regarding Guidelines for Urban Sketchers Chapter Gatherings.

We look forward to seeing your happy faces!

The Return to Virtual Sketching

Posted: January 18, 2021 | Author: | Filed under: USkO | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Sounds like a sequel to Star Wars, right?

As we are seeing an increase in COVID-19 numbers, we will return to virtual sketching in January.

This Saturday, January 23rd, let’s sketch together while remaining safely apart. The theme, “A Day in the Pandemic” is inspired from USk Talks Season 2, Episode 2. You can watch the entire episode on YouTube here.

You can choose to sketch throughout the day or share one sketch that captures the mood of the day.

The challenge of sketching throughout the day is filling the page as day progresses.

Choosing to sketch a moment in time allowed me space to journal my emotions.

I hope you enjoy this process. At the very least, you’ll have a page of your day documented to always reflect upon. 

Please share your sketches on our flickr page this Saturday or Sunday. Looking forward to see your day in the pandemic.

Happy sketching.

Driving Stick Shift

Posted: January 15, 2021 | Author: | Filed under: USkO | Tags: , , , , | 7 Comments

This past week, I sketched my car, just outside of my apartment. Cars are fun to draw – their features give them such personality. For my first sketch, I spent a good amount of time trying to get the proportions right – which worked out for the most part. Then, sitting in the driver’s seat for the second sketch, I adopted a slightly looser style, quickly eyeballing the layout of the interior. I took a few wrong turns though – whoops! I will have to return to this subject in the future. As I sketched my car, I was reminded of Florian Afflerbach’s amazing artwork. After seeing his drawings years ago, I was inspired to try some extreme close-up perspectives too … in my own way. His clean, architectural style is elusive to me. The cars I draw suddenly develop dents, scrapes, and misattached or misaligned parts. Sure is fun though. I filled a third page with some really loose doodles of my car from all sides.

Anyway, this is my car. My first car. A manual transmission hatchback that is so bright red it’s almost embarrassing. I love it though. Over a few months, I learned how to drive stick, a skill that I have always wanted to learn. It has taken me a bit to hone those hill starts, but I ain’t goin’ back! Driving is much more enjoyable and engaging with a stick shift.

Happy sketching!

Take your sketching to a new level

Posted: January 4, 2021 | Author: | Filed under: USkO | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

If you are looking for inspiration to up your sketching game, here are a couple of suggestions worth trying.

A few weeks ago, spoonflower.com announced their second-annual #doodleadayJan challenge with daily doodling prompts. Anyone can participate. Keep in mind, this is not urban sketching, rather a way to practice sketching on a daily basis. Post your doodle on Instagram and tag it with @spoonflower and @ellolovey with #DoodleADayJanELSF. Special prizes will be awarded at the end of the month. Visit www.spoonflower.com for more details.

Last year, during the first lockdown, Urban Sketchers launched USkTalks on Instagram. It was a wonderful way to connect to other Urban Sketchers around the world. On January 3rd, they launched their second season. This time, it’s on YouTube. It’s a live broadcast at 5 a.m. HST every Sunday.

It’s fun to sketch during the show.

If 5 a.m. is too early for you night owls, you can watch the replay anytime. 

Every episode offers sketch challenges. These are fun. You can participate by posting your sketch on Instagram with #usktalkschallenge. 

Save the date!

Our next event will be Saturday, January 23rd. More info will be posted shortly.

Happy New Year!

Posted: January 1, 2021 | Author: | Filed under: USkO | Tags: , , , | 3 Comments

Please excuse my prolonged absence – I recently moved to Maui for work! Last night was my first sketch in a little while. It was great, except that I miss seeing and sketching with everyone! In any case, I shall keep sharing my sketches – just from a little farther away than usual.

In keeping with tradition, I sketched fireworks in my neighborhood on New Year’s Eve. I actually found myself in a spot where I felt like I was surrounded by fireworks. In the dark (and without a flashlight in order to preserve my night vision), I doodled with two basic Pilot gel pens and a Sharpie marker, adding the fireworks and glow with color pencils in as real time as possible – along with a little on-page narrative.

A happy new year to you all!

 

Looking Back at 2020

Posted: December 27, 2020 | Author: | Filed under: USkO | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

One thing is for sure. No one will forget 2020. We survived COVID-19, lockdowns, furloughs, unemployment, the 2020 election, and more. Through it all, Urban Sketchers was the bright spot in my long year. I hope it was for you too.

Thank you to everyone who sketched with us every month. A special thank you to those who joined us for virtual sketching during both lockdowns. Your dedication to urban sketching is commendable.

As we say aloha to 2020, we gladly welcome 2021 with optimism and hope.

Best wishes and happy 2021,

Terri, Bill, and Christine

Happy Holidays

Posted: December 21, 2020 | Author: | Filed under: USkO | 3 Comments

Poinsettia watercolor by Terri & Bill Dux

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas.

Happy Sketching,
Christine, Bill, and Terri

Planting for the future

Posted: December 14, 2020 | Author: | Filed under: USkO | Tags: | 3 Comments

Well, we didn’t get to do any sketching at Ka’ena Point on Sunday BUT we did plant native trees and plants on the shoreline!

Christine digging a hole for her native plant.

Mission accomplished!

Bill and me scouting for suitable spots for our Milo trees. Photo credit: Kia Atkins.

Years from now, we can say “Hey, we planted that tree!” Photo credit: Yan Li.

The heat cut our outing short. I nearly fainted a few minutes after this photo was taken. It was touch and go for awhile. But rest assure, I am fine now. I guess I’m not a sun person!

Shout out to Kris Mar from DNLR for organizing this opportunity to meet each other and give back to our community.

Kris on the left. Photo credit: Kia Atkins.

Jolly time sketching at Honolulu Hale

Posted: December 12, 2020 | Author: | Filed under: USkO | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

There were certainly less decorations on the lawn of Honolulu Hale this COVID holidays but nothing could stop our Urban Sketching spirit!

It was so wonderful to see old friends and meet new ones. And of course thank you to our devoted sketchers who make it to every sketching event in 2020.

Thankfully the crowds were small (mostly just us and the security guard). And Shaka Santa and Mrs. Claus were watching over us beaming in the Hawaiian sun.

Here we are in groups of 5 or less.

As for announcements, don’t forget our unofficial Urban Sketchers event at Ka’ena Point tomorrow at 9am to 1pm. See post here. (I baked more cookies!)

As we say aloha to 2020, we at Urban Sketchers O’ahu wish you and your families a very happy and safe holidays. See you in 2021!

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