So you know how I said I was itching to get back to my sketching? Yesterday I was down in "the big city" to have a minor repair done to my car, something that would take about an hour and a half. This dealership has a really nice customer lounge area with interesting plants I often intend to try sketching as I wait for service to be completed. I pack up my sketchbook, some reading material, maybe my tablet to look at things on the web. I settle myself in, look around at potential sketching subjects, and then clutch, succumbing to intimidation. The sketchbook never makes it out of my bag and I default to reading.
But not on this day. I was determined not to let these plants intimidate me! This one with the spiky leaves was by the high table I like to sit at and I got right to it. Done in pencil, I was soon wishing I had some colored pencils or paint to help me sort out the lights and darks and shadings. But for once, I'd sized my sketching to the page rather than suddenly finding I'd run out of room, and found some relaxation in drawing the slightly curving shapes of the leaves that sometimes intertwined. A good use of my time while I waited, I decided.
I stopped off at Michael's on my way out of town and dumped too much money on more sketching and painting supplies. How could I resist all those 40% off coupons as they have their big clearance sale? Have added some better quality and sizes of watercolor and acrylic paint brushes to my selection, more brush pens in different colors, a paint color I've run out of, and some multi-media sketchbooks that were buy one get second at half off. I'm a sucker for a good sale! Plus I'd been putting off ordering any brushes because I really needed to see, hold, and feel the bristles of potential additions. And now have eliminated a bunch of excuses for putting off working through some lingering lessons from the Sketchbook Revival course and getting on with my multi-media explorations.
4 comments:
What a great way to pass the time while you wait! Your shopping trip afterward sounds productive, too!
Jan in WY
Productive waiting time. I commend you! I absolutely hate going to get oil changes, because I'm left sitting and waiting well past the time my car is done. ANd that garage is not a pleasant one to be left waiting in. Perhaps I should find a better garage?
A gorgeous sketch and the 40% sale at Michael's? You make sitting around the car dealer's too much fun!
Honestly, I sometimes look forward to these blocks of time waiting for my car. Seems like I'm always behind on my reading or looking at things on the internet (yes they have wi-fi access for customers), or carving out time for some sketching. I nearly always take more with me than I get to! And yes, Michele, I'd say you might consider a garage with better ambience for the customer - lol! I had such an experience as yours when my battery died and I went to a local shop down the street to have it replaced. They certainly didn't have the luxurious waiting area I've become accustomed to at my dealership!
And yes Margaret, these trips to "the big city" for my car give me the excuse to do some shopping before heading home. Otherwise, I'm loathe to drive the 100 mile round trip to save on a sale at Michael's or Joann's. They don't always coincide with a mega sale like this one did, so I was pretty thrilled (and spent too much money!).
Post a Comment