Prince Kūhiō Day Festival

Hula performances, music, Hawaiian arts and crafts, and a parade down by the waterfront at Kapi‘olani Park – Prince Kūhiō Day did not leave us short on sketch subjects. Attendance was fabulous too, with half a dozen newcomers joining us as we took up position around the Kapi‘olani Bandstand. As always, the highlight of the event was our show-and-tell session, which not only covered a wide range of styles and materials but also provided opportunities to exchange tips and ideas. One of today’s themes was set by newcomer Bill. How do you sketch a tree canopy? Although this worthy question probably has no single correct answer, a consensus was reached that great results can be achieved by combining shading (to outline the overall shape of the foliage) with drawing (of individual leaves to add detail about their size and shape). The first sketch in this post illustrates the technique nicely.

Today also marked Kev’s final attendance for the season; his predilection for small-format sketching and tiny watercolor sets inspired several of us. All the best, Kev – we hope to welcome you back in our midst this fall!

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Check out the artwork on the USkO Flickr Group!