Sketching Around City Hall

Our group

It's always nice to have a good turnout for our sketch outs. Despite the busy holidays, we had an enthusiastic group for the gathering at city hall. Here we are on the steps next to the Ideson Building. (Now known as Barabar Bush Literacy Plaza) Of course, in this same area you can sketch Hermann Square, Tranquility Park and the houses in Sam Houston Park. Lots of subjects to choose from.

Chetna liked the big oak trees in front of the old Julia Ideson library building. You can see her drawing in the blog header.

Chetna

Several people chose views of city hall.

Joel

Joel did a very vertical, straight-on view.

Descha

Descha picked a more angled view. He actually has time for two sketches. The second one looks down the park in the other direction.

Descha

Judith went to the other end of the park to include the Christmas tree.

Judith

Susan did something somewhat similar and from a slightly different angle. The second sketch is part of the children's play area in front of the library.

Susan

Jacklynn picked a slightly different angle and used a soft watercolor approach.

Jacklynn

Kim and Peiling also drew a fairly straightforward view of city hall.

Kim

Peiling

I turned in the opposite direction to get the pool and the Christmas tree.

Chris

Murrie and Monica went over to Tranquility Park to draw.

Murrie

Monica

There were others who drew the Ideson library building or the library plaza.

Kevin's sketch of the plaza was all done in colored ballpoint pen.

Kevin

Kayoko liked the front of the building and her sketch is also in soft watercolor.

Kayoko

Daryl and Angelica kept their sketches simple. Daryl's is in blue ballpoint. Angelica's in black ink with a pop of color for the wreath.

Daryl

Angelica

Paul went over to Sam Houston park to draw one of the historic houses, but didn't quite get a chance to finish.

Paul

Of course, we had a throwdown.

And some of us went off for a holiday lunch and White Elephant swap. It was a lot of fun.

Please consider joining us in the new year. You can find details about upcoming sketchouts on Instagram or join our Facebook group.

CRAFT DAY 2025 AT THE HOUSTON CRAFT MUSEUM

 

Our Group

As you can see from the group photo and the throwdown in the header, we had a slightly smaller group for this sketchout. Notice was short due to a cancellation, but we all had fun watching all the demonstrations and touring the various booths in the garden and the museum. It was community craft day and there were booths with demonstrations and items for sale all over the museum and the grounds at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft.

Fran

Fran and Janelle chose to draw inside the museum itself and commemorate the entire event.

Janelle

Jeff took a collage approach with several drawings in colored pencil.

Jeff

Susan

Susan also drew a variety of the activities going on, but stuck to just ink.

Michael

Michael focused in on the wood turners.

Chris

I found an interesting basket weaver.

A whole group of sketchers stayed outside and enjoyed the lovely day in the adjoining garden space.

Kim

Kim even caught a fellow sketcher hard at work.

Melissa 

Melissa found an interesting tree.

Akhil

Akhil was interested in the fountain.

Daryl

Daryl studied the forms of the garden bed wall in ballpoint

Chetna

Chetna found a booth to draw.

Angelica

Angelica did a slightly different take on a tree and one of the sketchers.

Michael

Michael did a study of his fellow sketchers.

It was a lovely day to be sketching outdoors.

Join us on Facebook or check out our Instagram account. If you are already a member, remember that we encourage you to take out your sketchbook wherever you go and then post a picture to Facebook. You can link your sketch from YOUR Instagram account to ours by adding #uskhouston in the description. PLEASE put up some of your work. We want to see where you've been!

YES! There will be a December sketchout. Watch FB and Insta for an announcement.

Pop Up Sketch Out

 Jenny Jing Zhang came to town on her way to Marfa and Big Bend. So we took this opportunity for a pop up sketchout.  First, a group of us met Jenny and her host Kai at Coffee Roasters. We sat and sketched there for a while.

Coffee Roasters Throwdown

Next, we moved on to Glenwood cemetery, which has a wonderful view of the downtown skyline. The weather was cooperating so we took the chance on an outdoor location.

Throwdown at Glenwood

Here's a selfie we took.

Selfie of the Glenwood grou[p

Sketching opporunties don't need to be during our monthly sketchouts. Join us on the next pop up. You are missing some fun.

Our next sketchout is coming up soon. Check out Facebook or Instagram for details.

The Galveston Trip 2025

Our group at the Galveston Arts Center

Galveston has so much rich sketching subject matter that sometimes it's hard to decide what to draw. Mary chose this view down the street (see the header) with a little bit of everything. We had a good turnout and good weather, so we were all set for a good day.

Carlos and Ken chose to draw the big cruise ship.

Carlos

Ken Roy

I chose one of the fishing boats over on Pier 21.

Chris

The rest of the group drew various places on or near the Strand. The Sealy Hutchins building turned out to be a favorite.

Joel

Joel added a clever touch. He took an impression in play clay from a plaque on the building, inked it and printed the result on his page.

Peter

Peter went around the corner and got the building from a different angle along with the building next door.

Fran

Fran celebrated finishing this sketch. She took on the whole front of the building.

Janelle

Here's Janelle's version.

Susan

Susan drew the produce building and the iconic turtle sculpture.

Megan

Megan gave her drawing some depth by placing the beer bottle in the foreground and catching the top of the cruise ship lurking over the building in the background.

Lucia

Lucia went to the corner of Market and Tremont and drew a corner view. She used a trick similar to Megan's by placing the table in the foreground. This gives the sketch more depth.

Richard

Richard and Judith both drew the Fadden building. 

Judith

Richard's view is pushed back and at a slight angle. Judith's is straight on.

Sharon

Sharon drew rooftops and the one was the top of a church.

Several people drew collages of a collection of images.

Kim

Jen Bui

Sharon

Then we have a few single images. A sculpture from Carlos and an interesting doorway from Chetna.

Carlos

Chetna

Lastly, I was able to get a sketch in of the Star Drug building.

Chris

Here's the picture of our morning throwdown at the arts center.

the throwdown

The plan was to sketch out near East beach, but that was way too hot and sunny, so a bunch of the group went to UTMB to sketch Old Red. At the end of the day they regrouped at Good Dog. 

the group celebrating the day

Next month we have some smaller events coming up and one big one. Please keep an eye on our Facebook group or check out Instagram for details. Please join us for one of these events.