#urbansketching

I just got done  visiting my family in my hometown of Buffalo.  I always bring my art portfolio every place I go so I was excited to see that an Urban Sketching event was taking place in downtown Buffalo.  Living where I live in Virginia, I don't get the opportunity to urban sketch.  I don't think there is a building more than 4 stories tall where I live!  I was lucky that our busy schedule here allowed a free night to join up in this.

In the effort to spend more time with my children I brought my 8 year old son Joseph along.
Being a homeschooling mom sometimes makes it difficult not to make time spent with your children always a "teaching moment".  I have been trying to spend time just "hanging" with my children and not having a goal for what we are doing.  Since my older 2 were going to be back at my parent's home alone I didn't want to saddle them with watching their brother.  Sometimes they fail to feed the kid!  I brought my tablet with "Angry Birds" on it for Joseph to play on while I sketched.

The location for the sketch was Lafayette Square in downtown Buffalo where it's showpiece is the Soldier's and Sailor's Monument in the Center.  Joseph and I walked around the monument with my eye scanning something that would be interesting and not too difficult to draw.  When we reached the front we met Dana who is the organizer of Urban Sketchers of Buffalo.  She said that she was going to draw the monument.  Joseph pointed out City Hall and told me that I should draw that so we parked ourselves down on the monument steps to start.

The city was busy and people came and went through our area.  At one point, a group of girls dressed in prom dresses posed near the statue.  I guess maybe a prom was happening at the hotel across the way?  I got to work on my drawing.

Joseph took a hold of my camera and went around snapping some photos.

Joseph wanted to also sketch which I encouraged as it left me to work on my drawing with him by my side.

 A little more than an hour later, I started to get tired.  It was getting a little rough trying to keep track of all the windows on City Hall.  Joseph was also getting hungry.  Here is my drawing:

I think I will work on it more when I get home.  Not exactly sure how I will enhance it but I want to fix a few things.  Joseph finished his sketch as well.  His work is below.  He took a little "artistic license" and drew some platypuses flying across of City Hall.

Joseph's urban sketch of City Hall

I enjoyed my night of urban sketching and I am hoping that I have the opportunity to do it again in the future.  To find out more about urban sketching, please click here.

Thank you for stopping by to look at my blog!